Marriott's Debit Card Now Gives 40,000 Points Instead of 15,000

Marriott Bonvoy has raised the sign-up bonus on its UK Premium Debit Card to 40,000 points, up from the usual 15,000. Head for Points calls it the biggest offer since the card launched. To get it, you need to spend £3,000 in foreign currency within your first 12 months of holding the card.

The card costs £175 a year. It's a debit card, not a credit card, so it links to your normal UK bank account and there's no interest rate to worry about. You get 1.5 Bonvoy points per £1 spent in the UK and Europe, and 3 points per £1 spent elsewhere. The foreign exchange fee is just 0.5%, much lower than most travel cards.

The card also gives you Gold Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy for as long as you keep it — no nights required. On top of that, you get 15 Elite Night Credits when you apply, another 15 every January, and up to 5 more each year based on how much you spend. That's up to 20 Elite Night Credits a year, which cuts a big chunk off the 50 nights normally needed for Platinum status. Each year you also get a free night voucher: worth 25,000 points if you spend £5,000-£9,500 in foreign currency, or 50,000 points if you spend more than that.

At 40,000 points, the bonus alone is worth more than the £175 fee, so the first year is close to free. The card only works if you have a UK current account, since that's what it's linked to — it's not something you can get from Slovakia or Czechia without a UK bank account. If you already have Marriott status through nights or another card, the Elite Night Credits still stack, so it's worth checking even for existing Bonvoy members.