Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card

One Free Night Award Worth 15,000 Points

Get a 1 Free Night Award valid for 1 year at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels around the world, worth up to 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points, as a welcome benefit. This offer is only valid for the primary cardholder.

The Free Night Award is not only offered as a welcome benefit but is also provided each year upon card renewal, upon the realization of annual fees.

To redeem your Free Night Award, you must book via the Marriott website or mobile app and then present the e-certificate at the hotel. You can also use up to 15,000 Marriott points to extend the value of your Free Night Award and access even more hotels and resorts under the Marriott Bonvoy chain. Have a look at the steps below to redeem your Free Night Award.

• Search for a stay with the option “Use Points / Awards.”
• Select a hotel and room type.
• Review your reservation details.
• If an award is available for your stay, it will be selected automatically.
• Book your free night.

Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status

Cardholders receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, along with a fast track to Gold Elite status upgrade. Additionally, you earn 10 Elite Night credits each year.

As a Silver Elite member of Marriott Bonvoy, you enjoy several benefits, including Priority Late Checkout, Member Rates, and Free Wi-Fi. You also earn 10% more points on every eligible hotel purchase, which includes room rates and other incidentals charged to the room, such as dining.

Marriott Bonvoy Points Earning

The card offers Marriott Bonvoy points on making eligible spends with the credit card.

• Earn 8 Marriott Bonvoy Points/₹150 spent on retail at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy program. The reward rate is accelerated up to a monthly spend threshold of ₹10 Lakhs, after which you earn 2 Marriott Bonvoy Points/₹150 spent. This means cardholders can earn up to 53,335 Marriott Bonvoy Points each month for spends in this category.
• Earn 4 Marriott Bonvoy Points/₹150 spent on travel, dining, and entertainment. You earn accelerated RPs up to a monthly limit of ₹5 Lakhs, after which you get 2 RPs per ₹150 spent. This means cardholders can earn up to 13,335 Marriott Bonvoy Points each month for spends in this category.
• Earn 2 Marriott Bonvoy Points/₹150 spent on other eligible spend categories. You get 2 Marriott Bonvoy Points up to a monthly limit of ₹1.5 Lakhs on grocery spending, after which you do not earn any reward points. With this card, there is no cap on points earned for insurance spends.

Marriott Bonvoy points are not earned on the following spend categories –

• EMIs
• Fuel
• Wallet Loading/Voucher Purchases
• Cash Advances
• Payment of Outstanding Balances
• Government Transactions
• Rent

Do Marriott Bonvoy Points Expire?

For the Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit, the points shall not expire as long as you engage in either point earning or point redemption activity at least once every 24 months in your Marriott Bonvoy Member Account.

Milestone Benefits – Bonus Free Night Awards

You can earn up to 3 additional Free Night Awards on reaching the target spend milestone, in addition to the one you get as a welcome benefit. Get an extra free night award, worth up to 15,000 points, when you reach the target spend threshold of ₹6 lakh, ₹9 lakh, and ₹15 lakh in the card anniversary year.

This benefit is only for the primary cardholder; add-on cardholders are not eligible to claim it. The free night award is credited to your Marriott Bonvoy membership account within 8 to 12 weeks.

Free Airport Lounge Access

The Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Credit Card provides complimentary airport lounge access to both primary and supplementary cardholders.

• 12 complimentary visits to domestic lounges within India, including both domestic and international terminals.
• 12 complimentary visits to international lounges outside of India.

The complete list of eligible lounges can be checked via the Diners Club Travel Tools. 

Golf Benefits

You can enjoy two complimentary golf course accesses and two golf lessons at top golf courses around the world per quarter. The list of eligible golf courses can be checked here.

Insurance Benefits

You get the following insurance benefits with the Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank credit card –

• Air Accident Cover – USD 12,500
• Emergency Medical Expenses – USD 18,750
• Loss or Delay of Check-in Baggage – USD 250
• Loss of Travel Documents and Passport – USD 250
• Delay in flight – $250
• Credit Shield Cover – ₹1 Lakh

Eligibility Requirements

You must pass the following eligibility requirements in order to be eligible for the Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank credit card –

• Self-employed citizens of India should be between 21 and 65 years of age and must have an annual ITR of over ₹15 lakh per year.
• Salaried citizens of India must be between 21 and 60 years of age and have a gross monthly income exceeding ₹1 lakh.

The application will be approved within 3 to 5 working days, and once approved, you will receive the credit card within seven business days.

How to Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Credit Card

Follow these steps in order to apply for the Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank credit card –

• Click on the Apply Now button
• You will be redirected to the HDFC Bank portal to continue your application
• Enter your mobile number, name, date of birth, and other necessary details
• Authenticate your details with the OTP sent to your mobile number
• Confirm your details and then submit the application
• Once approved card shall be delivered

How to Link Bonvoy Membership to HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card

If the applicant is not already a member of Marriott Bonvoy, they will be automatically enrolled in the Marriott Bonvoy Program upon approval of the card. 

When applying as a Marriott Bonvoy member through the card application, the provided Marriott Bonvoy Membership Number will be linked to the Primary Cardmember’s card. Additionally, any additional or supplementary card issued will be automatically linked to the primary cardmember’s Marriott Bonvoy member account.

Bottom Line

HDFC Bank and Marriott International have partnered to launch India’s first hotel co-branded credit card, the Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card. Existing Marriott members can merge their membership with the card and enjoy exciting privileges.

The card charges ₹3,000 as a joining fee and offers a free night award as a welcome benefit to cardholders. You can also earn three additional free night awards, complimentary Silver Elite status, and 10 Elite Night Credits per year with the card. The reward rate on the card is decent, offering up to 8 Marriott Points on eligible spends with the card. You can also enjoy complimentary golf rounds and 12 domestic and international lounge access with the card.

If you regularly travel and are a loyal Marriott hotel chain member, then this card is ideal for you. If you have an existing Marriott account, you can merge it with the card and enjoy all the exciting privileges offered by the card.