Canada’s Marriott Amex Cards Now Make You Work for the Free Night

American Express Canada and Marriott Bonvoy announced a reshuffle of their co-branded cards on November 10 that mixes a new option with less generous terms on the existing ones. The headline addition is the Marriott Bonvoy Bright American Express Card, which carries no annual fee and launches February 9, 2027. It earns 3 points per dollar at participating Marriott hotels, 2 on eligible dining and 1.25 on everything else, and comes with Silver Elite status and five Elite Night Credits a year, but no annual free night. Its welcome offer has not been announced.

The personal Marriott Bonvoy Amex card gets an upgrade and a price rise. Its automatic status moves from Silver to Gold Elite, which brings 25% bonus points on stays, 2 p.m. late checkout and room upgrades when available. The annual fee, however, rises from $120 to $150, starting with the first fee billing date on or after February 9, 2027. The card keeps its earning rates of 5 points per dollar at Marriott and 2 elsewhere, along with 15 Elite Night Credits a year.

The biggest change is to the annual Free Night Award, worth up to 35,000 points for a standard room. Today it arrives after each card anniversary with no spending required. Under the new terms, cardholders will need to spend $3,000 in the card year to earn it. The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex also moves to Gold Elite and picks up the same $3,000 requirement, but its annual fee stays at $150.

Prince of Travel’s Jason Lee called the overhaul a step back for most cardholders, arguing that Gold status does not make up for the higher fee and the new spending rule, and that Amex should have raised the free-night cap to 40,000 points. For Canadians who rarely stay with Marriott, the no-fee Bright card may be a sensible new entry point. Existing cardholders have until early 2027 to decide whether the revised personal card still earns its place in their wallet.

Sources: American Express / CNW via Yahoo Finance, Prince of Travel