To cancel a Marriott Bonvoy credit card, call the issuer directly: Chase at 1-800-432-3117 for the Boundless or Bold, and American Express at 1-800-528-4800 for the Brilliant or Bevy. Neither bank lets you close the account through the website, the app, or chat. The call itself takes about 15 minutes, but the timing of that call, and a few decisions you make before dialing, matter more than the conversation.
Time the Call Around Your Annual Fee
Both Chase and American Express give you roughly 30 days after the annual fee posts to your statement to cancel and receive a full refund of that fee. After that window, neither issuer offers a full or prorated refund. Annual fees on these cards range from $95 for the Chase Boundless to $650 for the Amex Brilliant, so the window is worth watching.
You can find your card anniversary on your original welcome materials or by asking when you call the number on the back of the card. Set a reminder about a month before that date. Some cardholders wait until the fee actually posts and then cancel within the refund window; that works, but the 30-day clock starts when the fee hits the statement, not when you notice it.
What Happens to Your Points and Free Night Certificates
Closing the credit card does not close your Marriott Bonvoy loyalty account. Points already earned live in the loyalty account, which is separate from the card, and they stay there after cancellation. What you lose is the ability to earn points on card purchases.
There is a longer-term catch. Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months of account inactivity, and credit card purchases count as qualifying activity that resets that clock. If the card has been what kept your points alive, you’ll need another form of activity within every two-year window, such as a hotel stay, a partner transaction, or a small points purchase.
Free night certificates work differently. Your card account must be open and not in default when the certificate is issued. Cancel before your anniversary certificate arrives and you lose it. Certificates already issued remain valid until their printed expiration, typically 12 months from issuance, but they cannot be transferred or extended. If your anniversary is close, it can be worth waiting for the certificate to hit your account before you call.
Prepare the Account Before You Call
Pay the balance to zero. Any remaining balance keeps accruing interest after the account closes, and a missed payment on a closed card can still trigger a penalty fee.
Let pending transactions clear. A restaurant tip adjustment or a hotel authorization can settle days after the original swipe, and a charge that posts to a closed account creates a cleanup problem that may take more than one call to sort out.
Move recurring charges off the card. Subscriptions, utility autopay, insurance premiums, streaming services — anything set to bill automatically will fail once the account closes, and each failure can mean a late fee or a service interruption on the merchant’s side. Updating payment methods first is tedious but avoids a chain of follow-up problems.
What to Say on the Call
The representative will verify your identity with your account number, the last four of your Social Security number, or similar details. Say clearly that you want to close the account, not downgrade it. A downgrade keeps the credit line open under a different product, which isn’t the same thing.
Expect a retention pitch. The representative may offer reasons to stay or route you to a retention specialist. If you’ve made up your mind, decline politely and ask them to proceed with closure.
Before you hang up, ask the representative to confirm the account is closed with a zero balance and that no further annual fee will be charged. Get a reference or confirmation number, and ask when written confirmation will arrive by mail or in your online account. That paper trail matters if a charge or fee shows up later.
Consider a Retention Offer or a Product Change First
Cancellation isn’t always the best move, especially if the card is one of your older credit lines. Two alternatives are worth trying before you close the account.
Ask About a Retention Offer
If you frame the call as thinking about whether to keep the card rather than as a firm cancellation, you’re more likely to be routed to a retention team with authority to offer statement credits, bonus points, or occasionally a reduced annual fee. Offers vary with your spending history and the issuer’s current policies. If the offer covers enough of the annual fee, you can keep the account open, keep the credit history, and still come out ahead for another year.
Downgrade Within the Card Family
Both issuers allow product changes within the Marriott Bonvoy family, with limits. Chase cardholders may be able to move from the Boundless ($95) to the Bold, which has no annual fee. You typically need to have held the card for at least 12 months before a product change is allowed, and the switch has to stay within the same card family. On the Amex side, cardholders can potentially move between the Brilliant ($650) and the Bevy ($250); there is no no-fee Marriott option at Amex.
A product change preserves your credit line and account age, so it avoids the credit score effects of a full closure while still eliminating the fee (on the Chase side) or reducing it (on the Amex side).
How Cancellation Affects Your Credit Score
Closing a credit card can pull your score down two ways. The immediate one is utilization: your total available credit drops, so any balances you carry on other cards represent a larger percentage of your remaining limit, and utilization is heavily weighted in credit scoring.
The slower effect is on the average age of your accounts. A closed account in good standing still appears on your credit report for a time and contributes to that average, but eventually it drops off. If the Marriott card is one of your older accounts, or one of only two or three you hold, closing it has more weight than it would on a thick file. If you’re about to apply for a mortgage, a product change to a no-fee card is usually the safer play.
After the Account Closes
Within a few weeks, check your online account or final statement to confirm the balance reads zero and the status shows closed. A trailing charge, such as a delayed tip adjustment or a final interest calculation, can still post. If something unexpected appears, call the issuer and reference your cancellation confirmation number.
Destroy the physical card. Cutting through the chip and the magnetic stripe is enough for a plastic card. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is metal and needs different handling: American Express provides a postage-paid return envelope with replacement and renewal packages for secure destruction. If you don’t have one, call and request a mailer rather than trying to cut the card at home.
Finally, log in to your Marriott Bonvoy loyalty account and confirm your points balance is intact. Put a reminder on the calendar 24 months out to generate some form of qualifying activity before the inactivity clock runs out.