American Express and Marriott International will revamp two of their co-branded cards starting August 21.
The “Marriott Bonvoy American Express Premium Card” will increase the free accommodation benefit to a maximum of 75,000 points per night, allowing cardholders to exchange for a free stay of up to 90,000 points by combining their points.
Moreover, upgrading from “Gold Elite” to “Platinum Elite” membership will now require an annual spending of over 5 million yen, up from the current 4 million yen. A new benefit has been added that offers 20% cashback, capped at 5,000 yen per half-year, when using the dining reservation service “Pocket Concierge”.
The “Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card” will increase the free accommodation benefit to a maximum of 50,000 points per night, with the possibility of exchanging for a free stay of up to 65,000 points by combining points.
The unconditional upgrade of elite member status will be from “Silver Elite” to “Gold Elite”. When using at qualifying hotels, 5 points are earned for every 100 yen spent, and 3 points can be earned for purchasing airline tickets with 26 designated companies or using the card abroad.
Currently, acquiring the free accommodation benefit requires an annual spending of 1.5 million yen, but this will be raised to 4 million yen for the premium card and 2.5 million yen for the regular card. Those who have the card or apply by August 20 will be granted the benefits at the current spending requirements until October 26, 2026, as a special transition period. Furthermore, payments for utilities and national taxes will earn 0.5 points per 100 yen, and business payments will not be eligible for points.
The annual fee for the basic card will be significantly increased, with the premium card priced at 82,500 yen (including tax) and the regular card at 34,100 yen (same); additional family cards will cost 41,250 yen (same) for the premium card and 17,050 yen (same) for the regular card.
