Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card: Sleep Free Canada!
Wait! Please read this important update from January 28, 2018 about the Chase Marriott program in Canada.
*Please note: As of 09/11/2017 it appears that Chase is no longer accepting applications for the Marriott Rewards Visa. We’ve sent an inquiry to Chase in an attempt to confirm or correct our presumption. We will update this article as soon as we hear back from them, but for now we can only recommend the Rogers Mastercard for avoiding foreign transaction fees.
The Marriott Rewards Premier Visa card may look like any other credit card, but don’t kid yourself. It’s got beef.
While not as well know as some of Canada’s other travel rewards credit cards, we think it’s a hidden gem with some incredibly unique and attractive attributes that no other Canadian travel rewards cards match. Think no annual fee in the first year, 4 free nights welcome bonus, no foreign transaction fees and a free hotel night every year just for keeping your account open!
Not only that, with the recent acquisition of Starwood Hotels by Marriott, you can now transfer points from Marriott Reward to SPG, and vice versa, completely free, making it the largest hotel network in the world! The Marriott Rewards loyalty program has also received the highest satisfaction rating of all hotel loyalty programs worldwide by JD Powers – beating out the big names including Hyatt, Hilton and Fairmont.
Marriott Rewards – Premier For a Reason:
1. Sign-up Offer
The Marriott Rewards Premier card starts off with a bang. Get 30,000 points, after using your card once. That’s a total of up to 4 free nights at a category 1 hotel. No minimum spend required! Buy a pack of gum and the 4 free nights are yours. That’s as easy as it gets.
2. No Foreign Transaction Fees
The Marriott Rewards card is the only travel card in Canada that does not charge a 2.5% foreign transaction fee. For those who travel, buy from U.S. websites, snowbirds, and entrepreneurs who use their credit card to buy goods from non-Canadian suppliers, this is a huge savings.
In fact, a no foreign transaction fee credit card is the cheapest foreign exchange method available, offering near perfect exchange rates, with no mark-up. The no-foreign transaction fees alone makes this the best credit card in Canada to make all of your foreign purchases with. Saving 2.5% on foreign exchange per dollar spent, is worth more than just about any rewards credit card earn rate, the majority of which earn somewhere between .75% to 1.5% per dollar spent.
3. Free Night Anniversary Bonus Every Year
Sweetening the pot even more, the Marriott Rewards card also gives you a FREE nights stay every year at a category 1-5 hotel, just for having the card. No minimum spend or balance required. A strong incentive to keep the card in your wallet.
4. First Year Annual Fee Waiver
Chase has waived the first year annual fee, a value of $120. Even though there is an annual fee in years 2 and beyond, the free hotel night every year basically wipes out the cost of the annual fee and then some.
5. Elite Status
The Marriott Rewards card will automatically accelerate you to Silver Elite Status, by giving you 15 Nights Credit every year, which gets you that much closer to Gold Elite status. Among other benefits, Silver Elite members get a 20% bonus on base points earned during stays (equivalent to an additional 2 points per $1 spent), 10% discount on weekend prices and priority late checkout.
6. Ongoing Rewards
For every $1 spent, earn 5 points at more than 4,000 Marriott locations worldwide, 2 points on airline tickets purchases, restaurants and car rental agencies & 1 point everywhere else. The high earn rate at Marriott properties, makes the Marriott Rewards card a must-have for those who stay at Marriott hotels frequently (the 5 free nights sign-up bonuses make it a must-have for everyone else). We’ve seen better than 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases, but the value that distinguishes this card from the others is in the sign-up bonus, anniversary bonus, annual fee waiver and no fx fees.
7. Maximizing Point Redemption
There are several ways to maximize your point value when redeeming your Marriott Rewards points. Here’s the simplest. First, if you redeem for 4 nights, the fifth night is free, amounting to a 20% savings. Second, the PointSavers program offers a discount of up to 33% on points required to redeem at a rotating list of Marriott properties. Always check the list before you travel or plan ahead. Combined, that’s an additional 55% savings, essentially doubling the value of your points!
The Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Card is the best option as a primary card for heavy hotel users and foreign spenders that want to avoid the 2.5% foreign exchange fee. We would also recommend it as a great second or third card in wallet for everyone that can use a sign-up bonus of 4 free nights with no minimum spend requirement, spends the occasional amount of money outside of Canada and likes the idea of a free hotel night every year, not to mention the #1 ranked hotel loyalty program worldwide.
Marriott’s recent acquisitions of Starwood (Sheraton, Westin, W) and Delta Hotels, makes it the largest full service hotelier in Canada, offering cardholders more opportunities to redeem for the hotel of their choice than any other card in the world.
Loyalty points can be transferred from one program to the other easily, giving you the largest selection of hotels to redeem for a free nights stay worldwide.
If you’re a big SPG fan, you should definitely get the Marriott credit card. You’ll be able to transfer the 30,000 Marriott welcome bonus points to SPG at a rate of 1:3, giving you a free 10,000 SPG Starpoints.
That’s why the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa card get’s a huge thumbs up from us. It hits on all counts. With a huge sign-up bonus worth over $550, and no annual fee in the first year, it makes trying the card out risk-free and a no-brainer – whether your collecting Marriott Rewards or SPG Starpoints!
Article comments
I’ve been a cardholder in Canada for quite some time now. I received a letter from Chase telling me that effective 3/14/18 my card will be cancelled. It looks like a couple of years ago ScotiaBank purchased the Chase Canada finance piece and have just gotten around to cancelling it.
You can check out our article about the situation here:
https://www.greedyrates.ca/blog/chase-sounds-final-death-knell-amazon-marriott-cards/
GreedyRates Staff
I have this credit card, and I love it!
But, I just got word , via email, from Chase bank, that I will not be able to use it after March 14, 2018
I have just received an email from Marriott advising that the card will be closing effective March 15, 2018. That is so unfortunate, it is a great rewards card
What is ones credit limit on theMarriott Visa. With Presidents Choice MasterCard I have a 5 figure limit.
Hey Dennis! Thanks for your great question. Like most issuers, Chase grants a different credit limit to each customer based on their past financial performance and current debt load. If you’re being offered five-figure limits by other issuers, we think you’ll have no problem getting the same from Chase. Most credit cards do not advertise a maximum credit limit, but sometimes do tell customers what their minimum will be. The best way for you to find out is simply to apply, or if you don’t want to risk a temporary notch on your credit score, to call customer service and inquire. Good luck!
GreedyRates Staff
Hi,
Just looked up Marriotts category one hotels and it looks like there are none in Canada and a very limited supply in the US.
If this is the case then the 30,000 bonus points might only end up getting a person one night or possible 2 with some hard looking. Do you know any different?
Thanks
Hey Jenn, thanks for your observations. To address your comment on the limited availability of Marriott hotels in Canada and the US, we’d like to ask if you searched all Marriott-owned brands. The points that one accrues with the Marriott Rewards card can be spent at any of the branches under Marriott’s flag, which can mean the Fairfield Inn, TownePlace, and more. In most major cities there are at least a few, but for more residential or rural areas it might be harder to find a hotel. Generally, the 30,000 points provides the same value whether you use it in a single year or over the course of two or more years.
If the areas you normally travel to don’t have a lot of Marriott representation, we suggest not getting the card. It’s a pretty specific benefit anyway, and there are travel rewards cards with benefits that can be used more broadly. If you’d like us to suggest some, just let us know! Thanks.
GreedyRates Staff
The signing bonus of 4 nights free, do they have to be taken all at once? And if you do take them all at once, then the 5th night is free. Is this correct?
Hi Paula, we will gladly provide you some clarification on the Marriott Rewards card. The special signup bonus of four free nights do not have to be taken together. You can stay two nights twice, one night on four occasions, etc.
However, if you choose to stay the four nights at once, you can add a fifth night for free. This also applies if you book five nights initially, and then apply your coupons.
It’s also good to know that if you get Silver status, the same deal works on the tenth consecutive night as well! Book for ten nights, and the tenth and the fifth are free. Thanks for your question, we hope our answer was satisfactory.
GreedyRates Staff
Hi, I saw US account gives 80,000 but Canadian only 30,000 points. Sometime they offer more than 30,000 points or it never changes? Thanks,
Hi, thanks for your question.
The card you saw was most likely the Marriott Rewards Signature Visa, which is slightly different than the Premier Visa.
As far as we know, Chase Canada has not changed the 30,000 points since the time they’ve offered the card, but the value is so good that we can’t blame them. This is one of the two cards we recommend to those who purchase in foreign countries and love travel rewards, the other being the Rogers Mastercard. Many Canadians love it, but if you want something else, please specify and we can make some suggestions. Thanks!
GreedyRates Staff
Hi, I am going to US for vacation and no foreign transaction fee attracts me. Does that mean, using this card will be saving money than buy USD at TD bank and only use cash? Not sure how the exchange rate works when I buy cash and use credit card in the US. Also I was declined once about a year ago. By that time, I was using max limit on my MBNA credit card to benefit 0% balance transfer promotion. I had about $15k balance by that time but I have zero balance now. Do you think Chase will look my previous history that they declined me once if I apply again?
Hope to hear back! Thanks,
Hi Kurtis, we appreciate the great questions. To address your first one, if you use the Marriott card abroad, it will not charge you the 2.50% transaction fee for buying in a different currency. It will apply the normal exchange rate, however.
When taking cash from an ATM or a bank in the US, we’re not entirely sure if these types of transactions are covered. The cardholder’s agreement might make it easy to find out, but considering that the Marriott site only described “purchases” as exempt from the fee, we’d suggest calling them and asking. It’s likely that you won’t be charged, considering that they still use the spot exchange rate, but it’s worth checking.
Regarding your second inquiry about a potential approval problem given your past debt, we think that your credit history will show you worked hard to clear the balance. This will demonstrate to Chase your good intent and will not hurt your chances – in fact, it will likely help them. Issuers always encourage denied applicants to improve their credit and try again, and we’re impressed you managed to do so. Best of luck in the future!
GreedyRates Staff
Hi, I am a homemaker with no income. In the past I have applied for credit cards and been accepted using household income. Can I apply for this card using my husbands salary on the application and use my status as homemaker and be accepted? I have excellent credit by the way. Thanks for you’re input. Great blog!
Hey Nromi! Thanks for your question.
Credit card issuers can take many factors into consideration when determining the overall creditworthiness of an applicant – including his or her spouse’s annual income. You are allowed to list this on a credit application and we think it’s totally fine, even recommended, as this household income amount is likely more accurate than yours alone anyway.
Go ahead and apply for the Marriott Rewards Premier credit card – I’m sure you and your husband will enjoy its many benefits.
We’re so glad you like greedyrates.ca and encourage you to stop by often, and ask as many questions as you like!
GreedyRates Staff
Can you transfer these points to Aeroplan without a fee?
Hey Mer!
Awesome question. We get a lot of inquiries on how to transfer Marriott Rewards to Aeroplan Miles, as this is one of the best benefits of the Marriott Rewards program: you can fly as well as stay in nice hotels worldwide. These bonuses are very relevant to one another, and this (alongside the absence of foreign transaction fees) makes this card one of the best for traveling with.
Marriott Rewards transfer at a rate of 10,000 to 2,000 for Aeroplan Miles, and you will incur no fees for this exchange. This is even more impressive considering that the introductory bonus of 30,000 Marriott Rewards can be immediately turned into 6,000 Aeroplan Miles, which could be a significant discount on your next flight (if you don’t want to defer hotel expenses instead).
We hope that helps,
GreedyRate Staff
Hi Greedyrates staff,
I hope you can assist. I am considering the Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Card as I just found out my Scotiabank Momentum MC is going to be charging the foreign exchange transaction fee as of June 1st. I travel a fair amount and stay at Marriott properties once or twice a year anyway. My question is, how, as a Canadian do I make payments? I was on the phone with Chase and they told me I needed to pay from a US bank account. I don’t understand then if we are going to be charged in Canadian dollars, are we then going to need to convert it to US and pay at a US bank? I feel so confused. Thank you for any clarification you can provide.
C
Hey Carol! Thanks for stopping by.
We appreciate your questions about the Marriott Rewards Premier Visa card from Chase. It sounds like using the Scotiabank card on your travels is about to get a bit more expensive, so it’s great you’re looking for something new. The Marriott Rewards card is offered by Chase Bank of Canada, and should not require that applicants have a US bank account.
We think you may have called Chase USA instead, or perhaps the representative you spoke with misunderstood your questions. Regardless, you should give Chase Canada a call at 1-866-705-6755. This is the English line for their Canadian customers interested in the Marriott Visa. After you get the card, it will help defray costs immensely when you’re traveling.
If you have any other questions be sure to ask! Thanks and good luck.
GreedyRates Staff
Hi GreedyRates! Can you please answer my questions below:
Anniversary Free Night: Card Account must be open and not more than 2 billing cycles past due on your Card Account anniversary date. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks after your Card Account anniversary date for your Free Night Stay E-Certificate to be automatically deposited into your Marriott Rewards Account. Free Night Stay E-Certificate is valid for hotels in categories 1-5. For participating category 1-5 locations, log onto MarriottRewards.com or call 1-800-321-7396. The E-Certificate must be redeemed within 12 months from date of issue. E-Certificates may not be transferred, extended beyond the expiration date, or re-credited for points and have no cash value. Marriott Rewards benefits are administered by Marriott and Chase has no responsibility for the fulfillment of any Marriott Rewards.
1. The annual fee of $120 will be waived for the first year and charged annually thereafter (whether the card is activated or not) on your statement anniversary date.
– ie. if my 1st statement date starts May 1/17, as long as I cancel by April 25/18 …shortly before the 1 year statement anniversary date, I will not be charged the annual fee?
2. For the anniversary reward night, I would need to be a valid cardholder AND pay the annual fee, in order to take advantage of the Free Night Stay E-Certificate which will be deposited into Marriott Rewards account 6 to 8 weeks after Card Account anniversary date?
3. If I decide to take advantage of the anniversary reward night, does this convert into Marriott points (ie a flat amount of # miles) or is one free night valid for ANY hotel in categories 1-5, based on availability?
Look forward to your reply and thank you so much for answering my previous questions. I’ve also learned a lot from reading to your detailed replies to other readers too!!
Hi Angela, and thank you for all of your excellent questions!
In response to your first question, as long as you cancel before your first statement anniversary date, you should be able to avoid paying the annual fee.
With regards to the anniversary reward night, the company states that in order to take advantage of your anniversary night, your account should be open and not in default. Additionally, the annual fee does apply.
As to your final question, your anniversary night counts as one night at any 1-5 category hotel. You can choose any you like, allowing for availability.
We hope this answers all your questions, and thank you for always checking in with us!
GreedyRates Staff
Hi! I just discovered your site today and love it!! Realized that we may need to get this card too (hubby has been approved for TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite with your affiliate link … and I have been getting TD system issues all night for mine, so will try again tomorrow!
I have read comments above (love your detailed responses!) and not sure if am clear on the 30,000 reward points after using card once. My husband has a Marriott Rewards card … do points get added to this account or are the points added to a “Marriott Rewards Visa Account”?
If one and the same “Marriott Rewards” account and I want to apply for this card too, do I need to sign up for my own Marriott Rewards account? Once I receive my 30,000 points and keep the account active for 6 months, can I donate my points to my husband’s Marriott Rewards account later, with no loss in points?
Also, if we want to cancel after the 6 months and before the 1 year anniversary, do we need to also REDEEM the 30,000 reward points (or 60,000 for both of us) before cancelling the cards?
Or will the points earned sit in our Marriott Rewards accounts (with no loss of points), similarly to the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Credit Card?
Thanks so much and look forward to your reply!!
Hi Angela!
Thank you for the great questions! The points collected from your husband’s Marriott Rewards Visa Card are deposited into his Marriott Rewards account. In order to take advantage of the initial 30,000 point benefit, you must sign up for your own Marriott Rewards Visa Card as a primary cardholder.
If you sign up for a secondary card on your husband’s existing one, the points you earn will go into the account linked to the primary cardholder.
As for transferring the points you earn to another account, once your account has been active for 6 months, you may transfer up to 50,000 points in one year without any penalty, according to Marriott Rewards. In terms of keeping your points after the initial period, don’t worry about redeeming them, as those points WILL remain in your account.
We hope this answers all of your questions!
GreedyRates Staff
Hi. You say this is “the only travel card in Canada that does not charge a 2.5% foreign transaction fee”. However, I am pretty sure the Chase Amazon Visa is the same thing, and has no annual fee. Am I missing something?
Hi Jesse,
Solid question. We say it’s the only “travel” credit card to waive foreign transaction fees, because some people are looking for a travel card, like the Marriott Premier Visa card, while others are looking for a cash back card like the Amazon Visa or Rogers MasterCard which offer 4% cash back on non-Canadian Dollar purchases.
Hope that clarifies things!
GreedyRates Staff
Does the annual free night expire? After how long?
Hi Alice,
The anniversary free night must be redeemed within 12 months from the date of issue.
Enjoy!
GreedyRates Staff
How fast is the 30,000 bonus miles credited to the account? I am going away to Paris on February 24th and would love to use the bonus points to book a room for 2 nights there. Are there any Category 1 hotels to book in Paris?
Hi Roger,
Chase Marriott Rewards states that you should “allow 8 to 10 weeks after your first purchase for points to be posted to your Marriott Rewards account.”
Hope that helps,
GreedyRates Staff
Is there any fees on the supplementary card?
Hi Wei,
Chase/Marriott does not charge for supplementary cards. You can get up to 4 without charge.
Hope that helps,
GreedyRates Staff
Hi GreedyRates,
With this card, $1 spent at Marriot properties gets 5 points, plus Silver Elite status gets 2 more points, correct?
Hi Akira,
Actually it’s much better than that. You get 5 points per $1 spent at Marriott properties from your credit card and 10 points per dollar spent from the Marriott rewards program (not including Residence Inn). The Silver Elite Status gives you an extra 20% on the Marriott Rewards program points only!
So if you stay at Marriott banner you could get 5 points, plus 10 points, plus 2 points for a total of 17 points per dollar spent!
Hope that helps!
GreedyRates Staff
It isn’t super clear – do you receive the first “anniversary free night” only after a year and you actually pay the annual fee… or do you get one upon sign-up?? I assumed you had to wait a year to get the first free night but a comment above seems to indicate they got one right away plus the 30K points! That’s awesome!
Hi Ashley,
Apologies for the lack of clarity! The current anniversary free night is only available after your first year, thus you would be charged the annual fee. Chase recently changed the offer, where they used to provide a free night as a welcome bonus on top of the yearly anniversary bonus.
That said, the deal is still one of the best in Canada. There’s no annual fee in the first year and you get 30,000 Marriott points – risk free. The $120 annual fee only kicks in, in the second year, but is easily offset by the anniversary free night you get every year. Of course the no foreign transaction fees make it a steal as well.
Hope that helps,
GreedyRates Staff
I have cancelled my Marriott visa last year but I want to reapply and get the bonus points, will my application be approved?
Hi Adam,
Chase/Marriott’s disclosure reads as follows: “This one-time bonus offer is valid only for first-time Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Card members. Previous and existing Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Cardmembers are not eligible for this bonus offer.” This seems to be a relatively new disclosure. That said, some issuers state the limit, but don’t enforce it. Would be interesting to see where Marriott falls on enforcement.
Hope that helps,
GreedyRates Staff
Hi,
As this post was a few months ago, have you heard of anyone trying to re-apply for this card and still get the points (despite the disclosure)?
Hi Clement,
Yes we have, but not making any guarantees!
GreedyRates Staff
What if my partner who is a secondary card holder of a Marriott Reward Platinum Visa goes and apply for the new Premier card instead of me. Will that be deemed a new application or an existing card member?
Hi JK, that would be considered a completely new application and separate account. As such your partner would be eligible for the welcome bonus and fee waiver offer as well.
We always recommend that couples, where possible, each apply for their own credit cards, so that they can double up on welcome bonuses. The strategy especially makes sense where there is no annual fee in the first year, or at all. Remember, most cards give you the option to qualify based on household income as well, so even if a spouse isn’t working, he/she can still qualify based on total household income.
Hope that helps and good luck!
GreedyRates Staff
both my husband and I applied for the card so collectively we have 60k points. we redeemed all the points (transfer from my reward to his rewoard account) plus the two free night certificates in HK Courtyard Marriott Shan Tin. it is the best hotel experience I had!!!! nice quiet hotel with shuttle bus to downtown or the Shan Tin mall. We saved a bundle on transportation cost which is very costly in HK.
we will keep the card as for $120 annually equals to one night hotel, up to category 5, that is a good deal.
Thank You so much!!!!
I second your motion. I just returned from Hong Kong where I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Sha Tin. The best hotel experience I ever had. We stayed in the same hotel last year as well. Very professional and helpful staff. The hotel location is ideal with bus stops just downstairs and MTR station just five minutes away. The hotel rooms are spacious and clean. And, Marriott reward points came very handy.
Good day,
Is there a standard definition for what counts as “personal income” as far as Chase Bank is concerned? I know the US has a credit card Act which broadly defines this as income one would reasonably have access to. Any thoughts in instances where the applicant does not draw large ‘direct’ income?
Hi Andrew,
All sources that contribute to your gross income (before taxes), i.e. any combination of salaries, investment dividends, capital gains, self-employed income, etc… It’s essentially the combination of all your income streams. There’s no audit done, or proof of income required.
Hope that helps,
GreedyRates Staff
Thanks for the info, much appreciated!
Do we know if there is a minimum income requirement?
Hi Andrew,
Min income requirement for the Marriott Rewards card is $30K.
GreedyRates Staff
Hi,
I applied for the Marriott Premier Rewards Visa through your link and I just received a letter saying my application was denied! I’m stunne. I have an Eqifax credit score of 830, I pay my credit cards in full every month and pay my bills on time and I’ve never been denied credit before. I have no car payments or mortgage. The letter didn’t go into details as to why my application was denied but gave three possible reasons: 1. “You already have a credit card with us” – I don’t 2. “Your application doesn’t meet our internal lending requirements” – I have excellent credit – see score! 3. “The information on your application does not match your credit profile” – this is the only one that might offer some explanation. Not all credit card applications offer the same job descriptions to choose from. My spouse and are self-employed landscapers. There is no description for this job on the online application. But I did contact Chase before I completed the application and was told to choose “operations manager”, which I did. I called Chase after I receive the letter and was told that there was nothing the customer service rep could do and no further explanation was available. This sucks because I really wanted this card and this rejection may negatively impact my credit rating.
Hi Tracey,
Unfortunately, it’s hard for us to evaluate your situation without having access to your credit report, and or application. When you get a decline, with a score (and income we assume) as strong as yours, you should order a credit report to determine if there’s something more nefarious on your credit report you’re not aware of.
Secondly, you could also try to speak to Chase’s underwriting/credit department, as opposed to customer service, and ask for the reason for the decline.
That said, your credit score will have been impacted the same whether you were declined or accepted, it’s the inquiry itself which impacts your score, but only temporarily. So don’t worry, it will not impact a score of 830 significantly at all.
GreedyRates Staff
Tracey, back in July 2016 I learned about Chase Amazon card and put an application for that. I was declined stating the same 3 reasons. Then in Sept 2016, I applied for Chase Marriott card, declined again. Desperate not because I need the card, but because I was rejected twice despite a solid credit history. I gave myself more time and read articles about how to apply for credit cards. Now in Nov 2016, applied for Chase Marriott credit card online and I was informed that there was no decision that was made. I had to wait for 10 days for the letter to arrive with a decision. There was a customer care number with my reference ID. I didn’t want to wait for the letter to arrive. I called the call center in the next 15 minutes after I was shown the “no decision made” page, I was put on hold and then I was informed that my application was approved. I think calling in soon after the online application and talking to someone helps. I was declined twice by Chase and I’m happy that they did because the sign up bonus has now increased to 50k. Anyway you get my point 🙂
Where does one get this 50K bonus. It does not appear on this site, nor on the Chase Canada site. Is this promotion over or is it only available under certain conditions such as applying via a certain link?
Hi Jay,
The 50K bonus has been removed from the Canadian marketplace.
GreedyRates Staff
Can I use-up all the points within a year after activating the card and then cancel it without having to pay the annual fee or some sort of penalty?
Hi Al,
Absolutely! There is no penalty, nor are you assessed the annual fee, if you use the bonus points and cancel the credit card before the end of the year. It’s a free stay.
GreedyRates Staff
Hi
Just curious where can I use this card in Canada?
Can I use it at any place that accepts Visa or is it only valid in the USA
Thanks
Hi Yagil,
You can use the Marriott Rewards card everywhere Visa is accepted in Canada & worldwide.
Actually, even if the card was not issued by a Canadian bank, which it is (Chase Canada Bank), you can use any credit card issued by Visa anywhere in the world, no matter which country the Visa card was issued in.
Hope that helps,
GreedyRates Staff
Hello,
Was looking over the terms and conditions for this card carefully and came across a tidbit about the annual fee that concerned me:
“Annual Fee: This one–time annual fee waiver is only valid for first-time Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Cardmembers. Previous and existing Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Cardmembers are not eligible for this annual fee waiver. The annual fee of $120 will be waived for the first year and charged annually thereafter (whether the card is activated or not) on your statement anniversary date.”
More specifically, it is the “whether the card is activated or not” part that is of concern. Does this mean that even if you cancel the card before the first year is up that you will somehow STILL be charged an annual fee on the card’s anniversary date?
I have never seen this wording before so I thought that I would see if you could clarify!
Thanks!
Chad
Hi Chad,
Great catch. We called Marriott to get an explanation. Essentially, if you get the card, don’t call to activate it, and throw it into a drawer, you will still be charged the annual fee, the following year.
However, if after receiving the welcome bonus, you decided to close the account, you will NOT be charged the annual fee. Just make sure to wait 6 months before closing the account, otherwise Marriott reserves the right to cancel your bonus (it’s not a guarantee they will, but they reserve the right to do so).
This rule does not impact those who are looking to apply, get the bonus and cancel the card. In each of those cases you would have to activate the card to be eligible for the bonus anyways.
Thanks for noticing and sharing.
GreedyRates Staff
Can you get a second card for free on the same account?
Hi Uwkb,
Yes you can. There is no supplementary card fee for the Marriott Rewards Visa card.
Let us know if you need anything else!
GreedyRates Staff
Thanks for answering and providing this review information!
Pleasure!
Can the 30,000 bonus points for MARRIOTT VISA be converted to Aeroplan, and assuming it’s only 1:5?
Hi Victor,
Yes you can convert Marriott Rewards points to Aeroplan miles (no fee for doing so). For 10,000 Marriott points, you’ll get 2,000 Aeroplan miles, for 20,000 Marriott points you’ll get 8,000 Aeroplan miles, and for 30,000 Marriott points, you’ll get 10,000 Aeroplan miles.
You’re better off calling Marriott and having them do it over the phone, as it will only take 1-2 weeks for the transfer to show up. Do it online and it may take 4-6 weeks. There is no cost either way.
Hope that helps,
GreedyRates Staff
I saw on a the Marriott website that you can earn an additional 80,000 points if you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months of having the card. Is this true for the Canadian Card as well?
Hi Kathie,
Unfortunately the 80,000 point offers is only available for the American Marriott card.
GreedyRates Staff
As a Canadian can I get an American card? Let’s say if I had an American address? When I logged out of my Marriot Rewards site they offered me a card with 100,000 bonus points with $5000 spent in 3 months.
Keep up the excellent work..
Hi Walter,
It really depends. If you have an American address (second home), and an American Social Security Number (maybe you once worked in the U.S.), then you might be able to. Otherwise, most American issuers will not approve you. You can always call to find out first.
GreedyRates Staff
I know the card is made of metal down in the US, but what about this Canadian version? I’ve always liked cards that carry some weight.
Sorry Mathew, the card is plastic. Metal does have a nice touch and feel. Not sure if we have any cards in metal in Canada.
Hi
Does Marriott Rewards cover vehicle insurance, travel insurance?
Gary
Hi Gary,
The Marriott Rewards card does have car rental insurance. It has flight and baggage delay insurance, but it does not have trip cancellation or travel medical.
GreedyRates Staff
Can you please explain how Elite Status and 15 free nights works? Does it mean if I keep the card, I’ll receive 15 free nights every year?
Thanks
Hi Omid,
What that means is that upon approval, and every year thereafter, you will get 15 nights credit towards your elite status. You need 10 nights credit to achieve Silver Elite Status, 50 nights credit to get Gold Elite status. So that means with the Marriott card, you automatically get Silver Elite Status (not 15 free nights), which gets you priority late checkout, weekend discounts and 20% bonus on points for stays.
While you don’t get 15 free nights just for having the card every year (that would be awesome), you do get 1 free nights stay at a category 1-5 Marriott hotel EVERY year, which is huge.
Hope that clears it up for you.
GreedyRates Staff
Hi GreedyRates,
Is the Night Credit cumulative? If I keep the card for 4 years, I will have accumulated 15*4=60 Night Credits. And with these 60 Night Credits, I will become Gold Elite status by the end of 4th year. Is this correct?
Hi Akira,
Great question! The 15 credits you receive for free each year make you eligible for Silver status each and every year you have the card. However, it is not cumulative.
The only cumulative program Marriott has is permanent lifetime status, and you would need 250 nights and 1.2 million points earned to achieve permanent Silver status…
Hope that helps,
GreedyRates Staff
If I connect my Aeroplan account with my Marriott Rewards program (earn miles vs. earn points in my account profile) and then booked a night in a Marriott hotel using the Marriott Rewards credit card, will I be getting five aeroplan miles or just one?
And is that x5 points applicable to ALL Marriott locations? Are there any exceptions?
Hi Red,
So we double checked with Chase and Marriott Rewards. While you can earn Aeroplan Miles from your Marriott Rewards loyalty card (2 Aeroplan Miles per $1 spent), the Marriott credit card will only earn you Marriott points. You can then transfer the Marriott points to Aeroplan Miles. The current transfer rate is 5 to 1. So 10,000 points will equal 2,000 Aeroplan Miles. Would have been nice if your scheme worked, we got excited for a second! THat said, the Marriott Rewards loyalty card is still a great earning tool for Aeroplan members at 2 points per $1 spent!
Hope that helps.
Exchanging 10,000 Marriott points for 2000 Aeroplan points is no bargain! Because the portion of the fare that is taxes and fuel charges is not covered with Aeroplan points, the actual value of 2000 points is about $25! Better saving up those Marriott points