Marriott Bonvoy Benefit Add-Ons
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JPMorgan Chase · DCE CoBrand Card
Marriott Bonvoy
Benefit Add-Ons
Designing a scalable platform that lets Marriott cardholders personalize their card with premium benefit add-ons — increasing relevance, driving engagement, and unlocking new revenue streams.
Overview
The opportunity
Cardholders don't always feel they get the most value from their existing card benefits. Research showed that the ability to 'add on' more relevant benefits — benefits better aligned to individual lifestyles — was a compelling proposition that customers were willing to pay for.
This project explored how to build that capability, using the Marriott Bonvoy card as the proof-of-concept. The goal was to design a scalable UX for adding benefits to a credit card, then learn from this pilot to scale across the broader card portfolio.
Design Challenge
How might we create an experience that makes 'adding on' benefits clear and easy to understand — to the extent it's worth paying for?
Research & Strategy
Mapping the cardholder journey
Before designing screens, we mapped the end-to-end journey a cardholder goes through — from first hearing about benefit add-ons to renewing or changing them. This gave us a shared framework for identifying where design could have the most impact.
Who we designed for
Understanding the cardholder mindset
I didn't even know I could add things to my card. I thought the benefits were just… fixed when I signed up.
— Chase cardholder, mid-tier rewards segment
Quantifying what drives add-on choice
When I could see exactly what I'd pay versus what I'd get back, it felt like a no-brainer. The math made sense.
— Participant, DCE preference study
Six opportunity areas to explore
Three principles to guide concept development
Show the math. Users need to see exactly what they pay and what they get — not a vague promise of "savings."
Don't assume cardholders understand how add-ons work. A brief, honest explanation converts skeptics into buyers.
An add-on recommendation tied to an upcoming trip lands 3× better than a cold browse experience.
Five moments that define the add-on experience
Concept A · Simplicity & Value
Streamlined and direct
A minimal benefit list with no onboarding preamble. Focused on a direct comparison with existing card incentives to make the upgrade value immediately legible.
Screens
Straight to the list — value front and center
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Concept B · Education & Management
Context before commitment
Onboarding screens with more detailed recommendations, educational content about how benefits work, and the option to explore and add more benefits before paying.
Screens
Educate first, then let users decide
BOUNTIFUL
Concept A — Streamlined
Action-first approach minimizing steps between discovery and add-on enrollment.
Concept B — Contextual
Education-first approach building comprehension before commitment.
Concept Testing · 5 Sessions
What testing told us
We tested both prototypes with 5 existing Marriott cardholders simultaneously — comparing approaches to find what to keep and what to combine.
Synthesis
The merged direction
Neither concept won outright — but together, they pointed at the right answer. We combined the clarity of Concept A's value-first list with the confidence-building of Concept B's education and the hub management model both concepts hinted at.
A streamlined browse experience that leads with value, backed by an education layer for those who want it — and a management hub that makes the purchase feel like the beginning of a relationship, not the end of a transaction.
Final Design · 10-Screen Flow
The complete experience — from first touch to ongoing management
The final design brings together the merged direction into a complete end-to-end experience — from onboarding education through benefit browsing, purchase, and ongoing management.
Final Design · Complete Screen Library
All 10 screens across the purchase flow, onboarding, and concept explorations.
BOUNTIFUL
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BOUNTIFUL
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My Contributions
What I worked on
End-to-End Flow Design
Mapped discovery, purchase, and benefit management flows — ensuring the experience felt like account management, not a shopping cart.
Concept Development
Designed both Concept A and B — exploring different approaches to simplicity vs. education to stress-test which model resonated most with users.
Value Communication
Designed clear, honest interfaces that present benefit details, costs, and terms — building the case for value without pressure or hidden complexity.
Legal & Compliance
Collaborated with legal and compliance teams to integrate disclosures thoughtfully — making required information feel helpful, not intimidating.
Prototype & Synthesis Support
Built and iterated on interactive prototypes for both concepts, and helped synthesize concept testing findings into the merged direction.
- Aligned 3 product teams on shared add-on framework
- Presented concepts to VP stakeholders for sign-off
- Partnered with legal, compliance, and engineering on constraints
- Synthesized findings from 2 rounds of user testing
Key Learnings