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American Express The Business Platinum Card vs Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

Both are American Express cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.

Best card by category Card terms as of Oct 29

Everything else

  1. The Business Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate
  2. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card 1.5% 2x base rate

Dining

  1. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card 2.3% 3x
  2. The Business Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Electronics stores

  1. The Business Platinum Card 4.0% 2x
  2. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card 1.5% 2x base rate

Home improvement

  1. The Business Platinum Card 4.0% 2x
  2. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card 1.5% 2x base rate

Shipping

  1. The Business Platinum Card 4.0% 2x
  2. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card 1.5% 2x base rate

Flights

  1. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card 2.3% 3x
  2. The Business Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Flights · portal

  1. The Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel 10.0% 5x

Hotels

  1. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card 4.5% 6x
  2. The Business Platinum Card 2.0% 1x base rate

Hotels · portal

  1. The Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel 10.0% 5x

What the numbers are doing

The Business Platinum Card tops everything else at 2.0% only because this table values its points at 2 cents each. Value them at one cent and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card wins that category instead.

The table is earn rate only — annual fees are not netted out of it. These cards charge The Business Platinum Card $895 and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card $650 a year, so a thin lead in one category may not cover the difference.

Where they differ: The Business Platinum Card takes everything else, electronics stores, home improvement and shipping; Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card takes dining, flights and hotels.

pointslipEveryday
Pass content preview
CategoryBest card
Everything elseThe Business Platinum Card2.0%
DiningMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card2.3%
Electronics storesThe Business Platinum Card4.0%
Home improvementThe Business Platinum Card4.0%
ShippingThe Business Platinum Card4.0%
FlightsMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card2.3%
Flights · portalThe Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel10.0%
HotelsMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card4.5%
Hotels · portalThe Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel10.0%

Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.

Every category, every card

Everything else

  1. The Business Platinum Card — 2.0%
  2. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card — 1.5%

Dining

  1. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card — 2.3%
  2. The Business Platinum Card — 2.0%

Electronics stores

  1. The Business Platinum Card — 4.0%
  2. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card — 1.5%

Home improvement

  1. The Business Platinum Card — 4.0%
  2. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card — 1.5%

Shipping

  1. The Business Platinum Card — 4.0%
  2. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card — 1.5%

Flights

  1. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card — 2.3%
  2. The Business Platinum Card — 2.0%

Flights · portal

  1. The Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel — 10.0%

Hotels

  1. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card — 4.5%
  2. The Business Platinum Card — 2.0%

Hotels · portal

  1. The Business Platinum Card · American Express Travel — 10.0%
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