American Express
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
- Top earn
- 2.1%
- Annual fee
- $650
Card comparison
Which card is better between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the better overall pick over Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (58 vs 43) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee.
Effective rate Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Annual fee Tie
Welcome bonus Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express
Benefits value Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger overall pick between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (58 vs 43) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express (2.1% top effective rate) vs Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express (1.2%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
Choose A if
Choose Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express when its strongest categories, bonus, or perks match how you actually spend.
Choose B if
Choose Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express when the fee, welcome bonus, or issuer ecosystem fits better than the headline winner.
Full comparison
How do Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express compare across all spend categories?
Across all five spend categories, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express trade wins row by row. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express peaks at 2.1% effective; Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express peaks at 1.2%. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express wins the headline effective-rate view in this pair.
| Category / metric | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | 3x points (2.1%) | 1x miles (1.2%) | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express · 0.9 pts |
| Grocery | 2x points (1.4%) | 1x miles (1.2%) | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express · 0.2 pts |
| Gas | 2x points (1.4%) | 1x miles (1.2%) | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express · 0.2 pts |
| Travel | 3x points (2.1%) | 1x miles (1.2%) | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express · 0.9 pts |
| Other | 2x points (1.4%) | 1x miles (1.2%) | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express · 0.2 pts |
| Welcome bonus | ~$700 estimated | ~$1200 estimated | Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express |
| Est. annual benefits | $37524/yr | $37513/yr | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express |
| Annual fee | $650 | $650 | Tie |
| Holistic overall | 58 pts (cat 30, bonus 7, benefits 13, fee 8) | 43 pts (cat 10, bonus 13, benefits 12, fee 8) | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express |
Madeen take
How to think about this pair
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express (2.1% top effective rate) vs Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express (1.2%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
Strategy
Use Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express when Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.. Use Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express when Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 1x miles. The welcome bonus can help if you.
Hold both?
Many American Express users can hold both cards if each covers a different spend lane and the combined annual fees still clear your break-even math.
Welcome bonus playbook
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Madeen analysis
Which card has stronger benefits: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Madeen estimates $37524 annual benefit value on Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express versus $37513 on Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express. Credits only matter if you will use them.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Total est. value: $37,524/yr
Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.
- Extended Warranty $10,000/yr
- Purchase Protection $10,000/yr
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption $10,000/yr
- $300 Dining Statement Credit $3,600/yr
- Baggage Insurance Plan $2,000/yr
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express
Total est. value: $37,513/yr
Credits and perks only help if you will actually use them in a typical year.
- Extended Warranty $10,000/yr
- Purchase Protection $10,000/yr
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption $10,000/yr
- MQD Headstart $2,500/yr
- Baggage Insurance Plan $2,000/yr
Welcome bonus
Which welcome bonus is stronger for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express lists 100k Marriott Bonvoy; Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express lists 100k Delta SkyMiles.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
100k Marriott Bonvoy
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express
100k Delta SkyMiles
Caps & conditions
Caps and earn limits
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express has catalog caps that can change the winner on heavy category spend, while Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express looks cleaner on cap structure in this snapshot.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
- 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines
- 3X points at restaurants worldwide
Who should pick which
Scenario playbook
Cashback-first user
Pick Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the better cashback-style pick because it has the cleaner effective-rate and fee blend for this pair.
Travel & points user
Pick Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger travel-style pick because it combines better reward value with more travel-friendly positioning.
No annual fee priority
Pick Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is easier to keep for no-fee users because it has the lighter annual-fee burden in this pair.
Heavy dining spend
Pick Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
For restaurant and dining-coded spend, the winner is whoever posts the stronger dining effective rate after caps and exclusions — see the category matrix for the current snapshot.
Heavy grocery spend
Pick Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
Supermarket and grocery coding can differ from superstores and delivery, so compare the grocery row before you optimize a weekly shopping basket.
Welcome bonus chaser
Pick Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Fee-sensitive keeper
Pick Tie
When you want the card that is easiest to keep year two, annual fee often matters more than a narrow category edge.
Decision guide
Which card is better between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the better overall pick because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (58 vs 43) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express (2.1% top effective rate) vs Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express (1.2%): Madeen's catalog compares fees vs fees across dining, grocery, gas, and travel — not just headline categories.
When should you pick Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express over Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Choose Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express if Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 3x points. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.. Best for dining-heavy spend when the $650 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying.
Strengths
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 2.1% effective (3x points).
- That dining rate ranks higher than about 80% of cards we track in the category.
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
Tradeoffs
- $650 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
- Marriott Bonvoy value depends on how you redeem, not straight cash back.
When should you pick Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express over Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express?
Choose Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express if Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in dining and can earn 1x miles. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement. Travel perks may add value beyond the earn rate.. Best for dining-heavy spend when the $650 fee fits your usage; confirm issuer terms before applying.
Strengths
- Strongest Madeen category is dining at about 1.2% effective (1x miles).
- No foreign transaction fee listed.
- Welcome bonus may add value if you can meet spend requirements.
Tradeoffs
- $650 annual fee requires enough spend in bonus categories to offset.
- Delta SkyMiles value depends on how you redeem, not straight cash back.
Common questions about Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express vs Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express
Which card is better between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger overall fit because it leads on Madeen's weighted scorecard (58 vs 43) across categories, bonus, benefits, and fee. The overall winner depends on your spend mix — use the scorecard rows and scenario playbook to see where each card actually wins.
Which card wins on dining: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express leads dining at 2.1% effective versus 1.2%.
Which card is better for cashback users: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the better cashback-style pick between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express.
Which welcome bonus is stronger between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
If you are chasing a welcome bonus, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express leads on catalog bonus value. For long-term category earn after the bonus, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger keeper in this pair — but only if its annual fee still makes sense for your spend.
Which card has stronger benefits: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express leads on estimated annual benefit value in the Madeen snapshot.
Which card has the lower annual fee: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express?
Tie has the simpler fee story in this pair ($650 vs $650). Annual fee only wins if you use the rewards and credits that justify it.
Is Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express or Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express better for travel spend?
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express is the stronger travel-style pick between Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express in this snapshot.
Can you hold both American Express cards?
Yes, many people can hold both American Express cards when each covers a different spend lane and the combined fees still make sense.
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Reviewed by Madeen editorial review
Catalog snapshot 2026-05-01
Updated 2026-06-25
Content tier Premium depth
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