American Express Cobalt® Card

Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

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American Express Cobalt® Card vs Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

Which one is better? Both cards worked out on the same spending: rewards, welcome bonus, fees and perks, line by line.

Finly rebate

$75

4.9

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4.3

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Welcome bonus

Each offer as the issuer words it. The numbers below show whether your spending reaches it.

The offer

Earn 1,250 Membership Rewards^® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in purchases on your amex cobalt credit card in the first Year. That's up to 15,000 Membership Rewards^® points.

Earn up to 70,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points 
New Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Cardmembers can earn up to 60,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy® Points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
Plus, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership

What each card is worth

Rewards, the welcome bonus and any Finly rebate in, the annual fee and FX fees out, all on your spending.

Worked out on a typical $2,000 a month of spending. Enter yours to see your own numbers.

$1,147

First-year value

$779

$787

Every year after

$263

Amex Cobalt is worth $368 more to you in year one.

It stays ahead after that, by $524 a year.

How the first year adds up

Annual rewards

$979.03

51,528 points a year

Welcome bonus

+ $285

first year only

Annual fee

− $191.88

Finly rebate

+ $75

paid by FinlyWealth

First-year value

$1,147.15

1.9¢ a pointAmerican Express Membership Rewards, redeemed for Transfer to Airline Partners

Annual rewards

$382.98

44,532 points a year

Welcome bonus

+ $516

first year only

Annual fee

− $120

First-year value

$778.98

0.86¢ a pointMarriott Bonvoy, redeemed for Transfer to Hotel Partners

Where each card earns

A year of your spending at each card's own reward rates, most first.

5xFood, drinks and groceries in Canada

32,604 pts

$619.48

2xGas, transit & ride share in Canada

4,692 pts

$89.15

3xStreaming subscriptions in Canada

1,440 pts

$27.36

1xAll other purchases

12,792 pts

$243.05

5xhotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program

420 pts

$3.61

2xAll other purchases

44,112 pts

$379.36

Fees, rates and eligibility

What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.

$191.88

billed monthly

Annual fee

$120

Additional cards

Interest rates

Purchase:

21.99%¹

Cash Advance:

21.99%¹

¹ If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.

Purchase:

21.99%²

Cash Advance:

21.99%²

² If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.

Recommended credit score

300

Poor

693

Fair

743⁎

Good

790⁎

Very Good

833⁎

Excellent

⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

300

Poor

693

Fair

743⁎

Good

790⁎

Very Good

833⁎

Excellent

⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

How each card earns

The earn rates and caps, as each issuer sets them.

5x points per $1 spent on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery (up to 12,500 points per month)
3x points per $1 spent on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada
2x points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transit & ride share in Canada
1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases

5 points per $1 on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
2 points per $1 on all other purchases (i.e. dining, groceries, online shopping, etc.)

Points and how we value them

Points become dollars at each card's best redemption. Here's the value we used, and every other way to spend them.

Loyalty program

American Express Membership Rewards

We count each point at 1.9¢ a point, what it's worth redeemed for Transfer to Airline Partners, its best value. Every dollar figure above uses that value.

Marriott Bonvoy

We count each point at 0.86¢ a point, what it's worth redeemed for Transfer to Hotel Partners, its best value. Every dollar figure above uses that value.

Point redemption options

Most Optimal

Transfer to Airline Partners

1.9¢ / point

Transfer to Hotel Partners

1.08¢ / point

Fixed Point Travel Program

1.16¢ / point

Flexible Points Travel Program

1¢ / point

Statement Credits (Cash)

1¢ / point

Gift Cards

0.91¢ / point

Amazon.ca

0.7¢ / point

Merchandise

0.63¢ / point

Most Optimal

Transfer to Hotel Partners

0.86¢ / point

Transfer to Airline Partners

0.81¢ / point

Travel

0.44¢ / point

Charity

0.4¢ / point

Insurance and perks

What both cards include comes first in each list.

Insurance

Lost or Stolen Baggage

$500

Baggage Delay

$500

Car Rental Damage & Theft

yes

Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

$250,000

Extended Warranty

1 year

Purchase Protection

90 days

Hotel Burglary Insurance

$500

Flight Delay

$500

Mobile Device Insurance

$1,000

Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

15 days, up to $5M (if under age 65)

Lost or Stolen Baggage

$500

Baggage Delay

$500

Car Rental Damage & Theft

yes

Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

$500,000

Extended Warranty

1 year

Purchase Protection

90 days

Hotel Burglary Insurance

$500

Flight Delay

$500

Perks

Amex Experiences™

Access Front Of The Line® Amex Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts and theatre performances and special offers and events curated for Cardmembers with Amex Experiences™

American Express® Experiences

Status lift

Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status

Status lift

Upgrade to Gold Elite status when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your card

Free Extra Night at Hotels

Enjoy an Annual Free Night Award after your Card anniversary each year

Free Extra Night at Hotels

Enjoy 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year to use towards attaining the next level of Elite status with your Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

Our take

Why we like it

This card was voted one of the Best Credit Card in Canada by FinlyWealth. The rewards earned on this card for a person with average spending exceed those of other credit cards in Canada by a huge margin! In addition, this card has a good benefits coverage, a flexible amex cobalt bonus points redemption program (1:1 transfer to Aeroplan® or Avios), making it the best candidate to become the main credit card for the majority of people.

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is a standout for frequent travelers who value luxury and flexibility in their rewards. With access to over 7,000 participating hotels, cardholders can earn generous points on both Marriott Bonvoy bookings and everyday purchases. The card's annual free night award and complimentary Silver Elite status make it even more appealing, offering service upgrades and extra points on eligible stays. For those who frequently stay at Marriott properties and want to maximize their travel perks, this card is a top choice.

Pros

Impressive optimization
1:1 Aeroplan point transfer
Generous welcome bonus
Flexible high value redemptions
Comprehensive coverage
Highly ranked
Instant decision. No credit impact.

High hotel optimization
Annual free night certificate
Automatic Silver Elite status
Generous welcome bonus
Instant decision. No credit impact.

Cons

Limited acceptance
Lacks valuable coverage categories

Low acceptance
Relatively weaker insurance

More comparisons

Other cards we've put each of these up against.

Legal

*Terms and conditions apply.

If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

*Terms and conditions apply.

If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.