Ritz-Carlton Credit Card review: Full details

*Card rating is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

The knowledge for the Ritz-Carlton Credit score Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Marriott is the world’s largest lodge model, and it has an in depth household of bank cards throughout two issuers, Chase and American Express.

Nevertheless, arguably its finest card and among the best journey rewards playing cards total, the Ritz-Carlton Credit score Card, is just not out there to new candidates. Regardless of that, there’s nonetheless a means you may get your arms on it.

This card has a comparatively excessive annual price of $450, however many advantages may also help offset that price.

To get this card, you could maintain an eligible Chase Marriott bank card for a minimum of 12 months. The advisable credit score for the Marriott-Chase household of playing cards is 670, however getting accredited with a decrease rating is just not unusual.

Let’s bounce into whether or not it’s best to add the Ritz-Carlton card to your pockets.

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It is necessary to notice that you simply will not be eligible to open the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card in the event you’ve held the Ritz-Carlton card up to now 30 days. Earlier than requesting a change to the Ritz-Carlton card, you would possibly need to take into account opening the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible.

As a part of their bank card technique, a number of TPG staffers carry both cards in their wallets.

Eligible playing cards that may be transformed into the Ritz-Carlton card after 12 months of being a cardholder embody the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (see rates and fees), Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card. You need to contact Chase to request a product change.

The knowledge for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

For the reason that Ritz-Carlton card is a Visa Infinite card, the Marriott bank card you’re product altering from will need to have a minimal credit score line of a minimum of $10,000.

Better of all, since you are not making use of for a brand new card and as a substitute doing a product change, you do not need to fret about Chase’s 5/24 rule or getting a tough pull in your credit report.

Associated: Are you eligible for a new Marriott Bonvoy card? This chart tells you yes or no

• 15 elite evening credit per yr: You will obtain 15 elite night credits each calendar yr, making it simpler to succeed in a better elite standing tier.
• Annual free evening award: You will obtain an annual free evening award every anniversary yr, price as much as 85,000 factors. In keeping with TPG’s August 2025 valuations, 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors are price $595, which, if absolutely used, greater than covers the annual price. The free evening award could be topped up with an additional 15,000 Bonvoy factors out of your Marriott account. You will get distinctive worth from these awards in the event you redeem them at luxurious properties in Southeast Asia, like Malaysia’s The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi.
• Computerized Marriott Bonvoy elite standing: You will obtain complimentary Gold Elite status. Perks embody 25% bonus earnings, 2 p.m. late checkout (when out there), room upgrades (based mostly on availability) and a welcome present upon arrival. You’ll be able to fast-track your option to Platinum Elite status by spending $75,000 on the cardboard on purchases yearly. Nevertheless, you will most probably be higher off paying to remain a further 35 nights at Marriott properties quite than spending $75,000 on this card to succeed in Platinum standing.
• Ritz-Carlton club-level improve certificates: You will obtain three certificates every calendar yr for upgrades to club-level rooms. Every certificates is legitimate for a club-level improve on an eligible paid keep of as much as seven nights. Not all Ritz-Carlton properties have a membership stage. You’ll want to verify the Ritz-Carlton website to see eligible properties.

These are first rate advantages for a cobranded lodge bank card, however nothing spectacular. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is likely to be a better option, because it gives Platinum Elite standing and some elevated benefits, like 25 elite evening credit and the power to earn an Earned Choice Award every calendar yr.

The Ritz-Carlton card additionally gives a number of travel-oriented perks that assist cut back journey prices and make your holidays extra pleasurable. These advantages embody:

• $300 annual airline credit score: You will obtain an annual $300 airline credit score. The credit score is broadly outlined and can be utilized on purchases like checked baggage charges, inflight Wi-Fi, seat upgrades and lounge entry. This isn’t an automated credit score; you could name the quantity on the again of your card and ask Chase to use it to eligible purchases. This may be barely inconvenient, however nonetheless, this credit score offsets greater than half of the annual price.
• Lounge entry: You will get a Priority Pass℠ Select membership, which supplies you limitless entry to greater than 1,700 airport lounges worldwide. Distinctive to the cardboard is the power to convey limitless company to lounges. You will even have limitless entry to Chase Sapphire Lounges with limitless visitor privileges. Licensed customers additionally obtain a Precedence Move membership.
• International Entry credit score: You will obtain a $120 assertion credit score to your Global Entry utility price each 4 years.
• Automotive rental standing, upgrades and reductions: Since it is a Visa Infinite card, you will obtain Avis Preferred Plus and National Emerald Club Executive status. This perk additionally gives reductions and upgrades when reserving rental automobiles with Avis and Nationwide.

As a Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) cardholder, I discover the Ritz-Carlton card’s lounge entry, automotive rental elite standing and a press release credit score for International Entry to be fairly much like what the Sapphire Reserve already provides.

The primary distinction is that the Sapphire Reserve gives a versatile $300 annual travel credit that can be utilized towards something that codes as a journey buy. This can be a enormous perk for me, because it permits me to make use of the credit score on quite a lot of journey purchases.

Better of all, as a Visa Infinite card, the Ritz-Carlton card comes with the next journey protections:

• Primary car rental insurance: You are eligible for main collision insurance coverage that gives reimbursement of as much as $75,000 for theft and injury to rental automobiles within the U.S. and overseas.
• Lost luggage reimbursement: In case you or a right away member of the family verify or keep it up baggage that’s broken or misplaced by the airline, you are lined for as much as $3,000 per passenger.
• Trip delay reimbursement: In case your frequent service journey is delayed greater than six hours or requires an in a single day keep, you and your loved ones are lined for unreimbursed bills, corresponding to meals and lodging, as much as $500 per ticket.
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: In case your journey is canceled or minimize brief on account of sickness, extreme climate or different eligible lined conditions, you could be reimbursed for as much as $10,000 per individual and as much as $20,000 per journey to your eligible journey bills.
• Baggage delay insurance: In case your baggage is delayed over six hours, you possibly can obtain as much as $100 a day for as much as 5 days for important purchases like toiletries and clothes.

Extra advantages for you embody entry to J.P. Morgan Premier Concierge, no foreign transaction fees and the power so as to add approved customers for no extra price. The journey protections are similar to these of the Sapphire Reserve, however the upside of the Ritz-Carlton card is the choice so as to add approved customers for no extra price.

Plus, the Sapphire Reserve prices over $300 extra annually than the Ritz-Carlton card.

Associated: Best Marriott hotels in the world

• 6 factors per greenback spent on Marriott purchases
• 3 factors per greenback spent on dining at restaurants, automotive leases and airfare booked immediately with an airline
• 2 factors per greenback spent on all other purchases.

Plus, due to the cardboard’s automated Marriott Gold Elite standing, you will earn 12.5 factors per greenback spent on Marriott stays, for a complete of 18.5 factors per greenback spent on most Marriott stays (Prolonged keep properties earn factors at a decrease charge). You’ll be able to earn much more if in case you have a better elite standing.

Primarily based on our valuations, this equates to a return on spending of a minimum of 13% on most Marriott purchases; 2.1% on eating, automotive leases and airfare; and 1.4% on all different purchases.

Though the Ritz-Carlton card’s incomes potential appears pretty excessive, the low worth of Marriott Bonvoy factors performs a giant issue.

In keeping with our August 2025 valuations, Marriott Bonvoy factors are price 0.7 cents every. That is almost thrice lower than Chase Final Rewards factors, for instance, that are price 2.05 cents apiece (in response to TPG’s August 2025 valuations) and switch to Marriott at a 1:1 ratio.

In comparison with the Ritz-Carlton card’s 2.1% return on eating purchases, the Sapphire Reserve provides you a roughly 6.2% return, for instance.

On condition that, it is price contemplating whether or not making eating purchases and reserving automotive leases and airfare on the Ritz-Carlton bank card is one of the best ways to construct your factors stability.

If Chase is not your most popular issuer, playing cards just like the American Express® Gold Card and the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees)* supply higher returns in your spending for sure bonus classes than this card. They, too, earn factors that switch to Marriott at a 1:1 ratio.

That mentioned, it might be price it to place Marriott purchases on the Ritz-Carlton card to maximise earnings in that class.

*TPG’s Brian Kelly is a Bilt adviser and investor.

Associated: Your complete guide to earning Marriott Bonvoy points

Redeeming your factors for lodge stays usually gives the most effective worth. Marriott has greater than 9,000 properties in over 140 nations unfold among the many 35-plus brands in its portfolio.

I’ve discovered that Marriott factors supply the most effective worth for redemptions in locations just like the Center East or Asia. Lately, TPG bank cards author Chris Nelson redeemed 37,000 Bonvoy factors per evening for a keep on the St. Regis Belgrade.

You can even use Marriott’s Stay for 5, Pay for 4 perk, which lets you get your fifth evening free when redeeming factors for 5 consecutive nights on a single reservation on the similar lodge.

This profit provides you the most affordable award evening free of charge for each 5 consecutive nights. That is mechanically utilized when reserving, so it requires no further effort and is an efficient excuse to increase any lodge keep by one extra day.

Associated: 8 places to maximize an 85,000-point Marriott award night certificate

Marriott Bonvoy factors earned by way of the Ritz-Carlton card could be transferred to Marriott’s 35-plus airline partners, corresponding to United Airlines MileagePlus, American Airlines AAdvantage and Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards.

Whereas that is usually not one of the best ways to redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors, there are occasions when transferring Bonvoy factors to airline companions could make sense.

Most companions enable transfers at a 3:1 ratio and supply 5,000 bonus factors for each 60,000 Bonvoy factors you switch. Due to Marriott’s most popular partnership with United Airways, you will obtain a bonus 10,000 miles for each 60,000 Bonvoy factors you switch while you’re a United MileagePlus member.

I’ve amassed almost 800,000 Bonvoy factors, and I am considering transferring them to an airline. The lodges and journey dates I have been eyeing have me second-guessing whether or not utilizing my Bonvoy factors for lodges is a worthwhile redemption.

It is necessary to notice that transfers can take three to 4 days, so in the event you’re seeking to e-book an award flight with a companion airline, ensure there’s loads of availability.

Associated: Marriott Bonvoy: How to earn and redeem points, elite status and more

• In case you desire Hilton: The Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card is Hilton’s prime card. It has a $550 annual price and provides many comparable advantages to the Ritz-Carlton card, together with varied assertion credit, an annual free evening reward and automated elite standing. This card additionally has higher returns on bonus class spending. To be taught extra, learn our full review of the Hilton Amex Aspire.
• If you wish to earn transferable factors: The Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with a $795 annual price and provides comparable premium advantages to the Ritz-Carlton card. It earns Chase Final Rewards factors as a substitute of Marriott Bonvoy factors and has entry to Chase’s impressive roster of transfer partners, together with Marriott. To be taught extra, learn our full review of the Sapphire Reserve.
• If you need a lower-annual-fee Marriott card: The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless has a $95 annual price and comes with a free evening award and Silver Elite standing, making this card straightforward to maintain yr after yr. Nevertheless, it lacks lots of the premium advantages discovered on the Ritz-Carlton card. To be taught extra, learn our full review of the Bonvoy Boundless.

The knowledge for the Hilton Honors Aspire card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

For extra choices, try our full record of the best hotel credit cards and the best Marriott credit cards.

Associated: Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the annual fee?

My principal journey card, the Sapphire Reserve, gives many overlapping advantages. When you have a premium card just like the Sapphire Reserve, ensure to match advantages to see how a lot worth the Ritz-Carlton card actually brings to your pockets.

If you need Marriott elite standing and at present haven’t got a card that gives lounge entry or journey assertion credit, the Ritz-Carlton card is an efficient possibility. Nevertheless, you possibly can solely make a product change to this card in the event you’ve held an eligible Marriott Bonvoy card for a minimum of 12 months.

Associated: How to choose a hotel credit card

For charges and costs of the Bilt Mastercard, click on here.
For rewards and advantages of the Bilt Mastercard, click on here.