How to Access the Exclusive Ritz Carlton Credit Card

All information about the Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card has been collected independently by 10xTravel. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

It’s no surprise that the world’s largest hotel chain also offers the highest number of co-branded travel rewards credit cards. Marriott Bonvoy co-issues its cards with both Chase and American Express, offering a total of six credit cards. However, Marriott actually offers a seventh card—issued by Chase—which is available through a product change only as it’s technically no longer available to new applicants.

The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card offers lucrative cardholder benefits on par with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, but for a significantly lower annual fee.

Let’s look at the perks of the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card and how to get it. Then we’ll compare it to some other premium travel rewards cards to see if it’s worth a spot in your wallet.

How to Access Exclusive Luxury

Introduced in 2011, the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card quickly became a fan-favorite in the points and miles world. It offered luxury perks and complimentary status, tailored to the clientele of the Ritz-Carlton who are often on the road and in the skies.

Despite its popularity, Chase discontinued the Ritz-Carlton Card in 2018, in an effort to promote its other premium travel rewards cards.

That left Chase with three co-branded Marriott cards, the most premium being the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card for an annual fee of $250. Consequently, American Express has since offered the top-tier co-branded Marriott card—the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card—with an annual fee of $650 (see rates and fees) to match.

That’s where the value proposition of the Ritz Credit Card comes in. It offers many perks akin to those on the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card, but for an annual fee of $450. By product-changing to the Ritz-Carlton Card, you can enjoy many premium Marriott and travel-related perks for $200 less per year than you would if you held the Brilliant Card.

Mastering the Product Change Process

To product change to the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card, you’ll need to first hold one of Chase’s co-branded Marriott Bonvoy cards. These include:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card

As the Ritz-Carlton Card is co-issued by Chase, you won’t be able to product change from an Amex co-issued Marriott card to the Ritz-Carlton Card—it has to be Chase-issued. Likewise, according to Chase’s product change rules, you can change to cards within the same card family only. That means you need to hold one of Chase’s three Marriott cards above to make this change.

Once you have a co-issued Chase Marriott card in your wallet, you’ll need to wait a minimum of 12 months from sign-up before you can initiate a product change. This is because of the Card Act that states that card issuer’s can’t raise the annual fee in the first year of card membership.

You’ll also need a minimum credit limit of at least $10,000. If you have other Chase credit cards open, and you’re struggling to hit the minimum credit limit, you can ask Chase to move some of your available credit to your Marriott card.

Once you’ve met these three conditions, it’s time to give Chase a call. Dial the customer service number on the back of your card, and the entire process shouldn’t take much longer than 10 minutes. Luckily, you don’t need to give any secret passwords or code-words to the phone agent—after all, the Ritz-Carlton Card isn’t exactly a secret. Instead, simply explain that you wish to product change to the Ritz-Carlton Card.

Exploring the Premium Benefits Package

Before changing to the Ritz-Carlton Card, you need to determine whether it’s the right move for your wider credit card strategy.

Let’s check out what the card offers in bonus spending categories and perks.

Bonus Spending Categories

Here’s a summary of the Ritz-Carlton Card’s bonus spending categories:

• 6X points on Marriott Bonvoy purchases
• 3X points on dining, car rentals and airline purchases
• 2X points on all other purchases

The card also comes with complimentary Marriott Gold Elite status, which gives you a 25% points boost on Marriott stays. That means you’ll earn the following on every dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy properties:

• 6X points from your Ritz-Carlton Card
• 10X points for being a member of Marriott Bonvoy
• An additional 2.5X points for having Gold Elite status

That works out to a total of 18.5X points per dollar spent on Marriott Bonvoy purchases.

To put it into perspective, a $600 hotel stay with Marriott would earn you 11,100 Marriott Bonvoy points if charged to your Ritz-Carlton Card—a lucrative return.

You’ll also be able to earn points on everyday dining purchases as well as on car rentals and airline purchases. And for all other purchases, you’ll earn a baseline rewards rate of 2X points per dollar spent.

Cardholder Perks

When it comes to additional cardholder perks, the Ritz-Carlton Card doesn’t hold back.

Here’s an overview of the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card benefits.

$300 Annual Travel Credit

Just like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the Ritz-Carlton Card comes with an annual $300 travel statement credit. However, unlike the Sapphire Reserve’s travel credit, the Ritz-Carlton Card is slightly stricter in terms of what qualifies as a travel purchase.

Specifically, you can use the credit toward the following purchases:

• Airline lounge day pass
• Annual lounge membership pass
• Airline seat upgrades
• Airline baggage fees
• In-flight internet/entertainment purchases
• In-flight meals

Keep in mind that the $300 credit isn’t applied automatically. Rather, you’ll need to call Chase and ask them which purchase to apply the statement credit to. Likewise, you’ll need to do this within four billing cycles of the purchase date.

Nevertheless, this credit can still be of immense value, effectively reducing the card’s annual fee to $150 if used every year.

Complimentary Priority Pass Select™ Membership

Ritz-Carlton cardholders can enjoy a complimentary annual Priority Pass Select membership.

This enables you to access any of Priority Pass’s more than 1,500 lounges worldwide.

What’s even better is that unlike most premium travel credit cards—such as The Platinum Card® from American Express, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant or Chase Sapphire Reserve—Ritz-Carlton cardholders can bring all the guests who are traveling with them into Priority Pass lounges.

The Ritz-Carlton Card Priority Pass membership benefit is worth at least $469 per year, which offsets the annual fee if used frequently.

Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club Access

As a Ritz-Carlton cardholder, you’ll also be able to enjoy complimentary access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club.

You’ll simply need to show your Priority Pass membership plus a same-day boarding pass with any airline, and you’ll be granted access.

This allows you to enjoy Chase Sapphire Lounges in Boston, New York and Hong Kong, with more locations to come across the United States.

Complimentary Gold Elite Status and 15 Elite Night Credits Annually

As a Ritz-Carlton cardholder, you’ll benefit from complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.

You’d typically need to spend at least 25 nights at Marriott properties within a year to qualify for Gold Elite status, making this perk highly valuable.

Gold Elite members enjoy the following perks:

• 25% bonus points on stays
• Availability-based room upgrades on arrival
• Free in-room Wi-Fi
• Exclusive member rates
• 2 p.m. late checkout
• Welcome gift of 250 to 500 points
• Ultimate reservation guarantee
• Mobile check-in and digital room key

Ritz-Carlton cardholders also enjoy a boost of 15 Elite Night Credits every year, putting you that much closer to the next status tier, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status. To hit Platinum Elite status, you’d normally need to stay with Marriott Bonvoy for 50 nights within a calendar year. But with the help of the Ritz-Carlton card, you’ll need to either spend 35 nights at Marriott properties within a year or charge $75,000 in spending to your card.

Three Complimentary Annual Ritz-Carlton Club Upgrades

Every account anniversary year, you’ll have the opportunity to upgrade to the Ritz-Carlton Club level on three eligible stays of seven nights or less.

The upgrades apply for a maximum of two guests sharing a room.

The Club level experience at Ritz-Carlton properties unlocks a luxury experience from beginning to end, offering a dedicated concierge service, access to a private Club lounge, complimentary in-room amenities and unique experiences.

If you often stay at Ritz-Carlton properties, this perk can help boost the luxury and enjoyment of your stays.

$100 Property Credit

You’ll enjoy a $100 property credit at participating Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis hotels.

To be eligible, you’ll need to book your stay using your Ritz-Carlton Card and book for a minimum stay of two nights.

The credit is for on-site amenities and can’t be applied to the room rate, taxes, gratuities or alcohol.

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck® Statement Credit

As a Ritz-Carlton cardholder, you’ll benefit from a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® statement credit.

That means you’ll enjoy a dedicated TSA security line for domestic flights as well as expedited screening at immigration on arrival into the United States. That equates to more time spent enjoying the airport lounge or your hotel and less time waiting in line.

The statement credit is issued every four years when you use your Ritz-Carlton Card to cover the cost of a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.

Annual Free Night Award

As a Ritz-Carlton cardholder, you’ll receive one annual free night award with a redemption value of up to 85,000 points.

Marriott enables you to “top-off” your free night award by up to 15,000 points from your account, meaning you can redeem this certificate for stays requiring up to 100,000 points.

This perk is of massive value for frequent guests at Marriott properties, enabling you to stay at the hotel of your dreams.

Rental Car Privileges

You can take advantage of exclusive perks when using your Ritz-Carlton Card for car rentals with Avis, National and Silvercar.

These benefits can include the following:

• Upgrades (subject to availability) and car rental discounts
• Savings on luxury and premium car rental rates
• Promotions and other special offers

If you rent a car every now and then with Avis, National or Silvercar, these benefits offer great value when it comes to added luxury and savings.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

Like the majority of premium travel rewards cards, the Ritz-Carlton Card is free of foreign transaction fees.

That enables you to continue spending and earning points while abroad, without needing to worry about unnecessary fees adding up.

Robust Travel Protections

One of the hidden gems of the Ritz-Carlton Card is its extensive range of travel protection perks.

It shares the same travel protections as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, for $100 less in annual fees. These perks include:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for non-refundable expenses
• Trip delay insurance of up to $500 per ticket for delays of six hours or longer (or those requiring an overnight stay)
• Baggage delay insurance of up to $100 per day for a maximum of five days when delays are six hours or longer
• Lost baggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passenger
• Auto collision damage waiver of up to $75,000 (primary coverage)
• Emergency medical and dental benefit of up to $2,500
• Emergency evacuation and transportation insurance of up to $100,000
• Travel accident insurance of up to $1,000,000

Taking advantage of these travel insurance perks can save you hundreds of dollars in separate policy fees, as well as save you when worst comes to worst. You’ll also avoid paying deductibles and prevent your premiums increasing in the event of an accident. Simply charge the qualifying situation to your card, ensure you’ve read the policy’s terms and conditions, and you’ll enjoy complimentary coverage.

If utilized, these perks alone could help you offset the card’s annual fee.

Crunching Numbers: Is the Annual Fee Worth Your While?

Before paying $450 per year in annual fees for a card, you need to ensure it’s worth your while. Whether or not the Ritz-Carlton Card fits this description depends entirely on your spending habits and travel goals.

In short—if the perks would enhance your existing travel habits and goals, the card could definitely be worth your while. On the flipside, if you’re an infrequent guest at Marriott Bonvoy properties and you already enjoy access to similar travel perks from other premium rewards cards, the Ritz Card might not be worth your time or money. Instead, you may want to check out other credit cards with free hotel stays.

That said, many of the Ritz-Carlton Card’s perks can make it a breeze to offset its annual fee.

For instance, complimentary Priority Pass Select membership is worth at least $469 per year—that’s $19 more than the Ritz-Carlton Card’s annual fee, enabling you to effectively offset the annual fee from the get go (assuming you would use this perk). Likewise, the annual free night award, three complimentary Ritz-Carlton Club upgrades and complimentary Gold Elite status easily offset the annual fee by a longshot.

The card’s travel protection perks also offer some of the most competitive policies available on the credit card market, adding additional value to the card.

If you can take advantage of just a handful of these perks, the card could be well worth its annual fee for you.

Luxury Card Showdown: Ritz vs. The Heavy Hitters

Let’s now compare the Ritz-Carlton Card to some of its annual fee equivalents, as well as other travel rewards cards that may better fit your travel and spending profile.

Ritz-Carlton Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

When considering the Ritz-Carlton Card, you should compare it to its annual fee equivalent from American Express, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card.

The Brilliant Card charges an annual fee of $650 (see rates & fees) and shares many of the same perks as the Ritz-Carlton Card. However, they do have their differences, some of which justify the Brilliant Card’s higher annual fee.

In lieu of the Ritz-Carlton Card’s $300 travel credit, the Brilliant Card offers a $300 annual dining statement credit for restaurant purchases worldwide, given in $25 monthly increments.

The Brilliant Card also includes complimentary Platinum Elite status with an additional bonus of 25 Elite Night Credits every year. This tips the balance in favor of the Brilliant Card if your top priority is premium perks with Marriott.

Likewise, the Brilliant card includes complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, as well as a free night award with a maximum redemption value of 85,000 points—just like the Ritz-Carlton Card.

It also has a range of travel insurance perks—albeit less than the Ritz-Carlton Card—and almost identical bonus spending categories.

Here’s an overview of the Brilliant Card’s perks:

• 6X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 3X points on restaurants worldwide
• 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines
• 2X points on all other purchases
• $300 annual dining statement credit for restaurant purchases worldwide, given in $25 monthly increments
• Up to $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book directly using a special rate for a minimum stay of two nights
• Annual free night reward valid for use at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy with a maximum redemption value of 85,000 points
• Complimentary Platinum Elite status
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• Spend $60,000 within a calendar year and receive one Earned Choice Award benefit, including: five Nightly Upgrade Awards, an additional free night reward with a maximum equivalent redemption value of up to 85,000 points or $1,000 off a bed from any Marriott Bonvoy retail brand.
• 25 complimentary Elite Night credits issued to your account annually, limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account
• Either a statement credit every four years for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee when charged to your eligible American Express card
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates & fees)
• Cell phone protection insurance plan: Up to $800 per claim with a limit of two approved claims per 12-month period when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month’s wireless bill was paid using your card. A $50 deductible applies to each approved claim¹.
• Car rental loss and damage insurance, up to $75,000¹
• Baggage insurance plan of up to $3,000 for combined baggage¹
• Trip delay insurance of up to $500 per trip for delays of six hours or more¹
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per card account per 12 month period¹

Ritz-Carlton Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card

While not a heavy hitter like the Brilliant Card or Ritz-Carlton Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card is a premium co-branded Marriott card with excellent perks.

It makes sense to consider whether this card is enough to fulfill your goals—after all, you wouldn’t need to product change to the Ritz-Carlton Card if the Bountiful Card fits your bill.

For an annual fee of $250—that’s $200 less than the Ritz-Carlton Card—the Bountiful Card offers complimentary Gold Elite Status plus 15 Elite Night Credits. It also offers a free night award up to the 50,000 point redemption level, after spending $15,000 with your card in a calendar year.

You’ll also enjoy similar bonus spending categories to the Ritz-Carlton Card, including 6X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, 4X points on the first $15,000 in combined purchases each year on grocery stores and dining and 2X points on all other purchases.

What the Bountiful card lacks is some of the higher end perks seen on the Ritz-Carlton Card, such as a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck statement credit, a $300 travel credit and Priority Pass Select membership, among other perks. However, if you already enjoy similar premium perks from another card—such as the Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve—the Bountiful Card could be just what you’re looking for to satisfy your Marriott card strategy.

Here’s an overview of the Bountiful Card’s perks:

• 6X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4X points on the first $15,000 in combined purchases each year on grocery stores and dining
• 2X points on all other purchases
• Complimentary Gold Elite Status
• 1,000 bonus points per eligible stay at Marriott hotels
• 15 Elite Night Credits issued to your account annually
• If you spend $15,000 in a calendar year, you’ll receive a free night reward for Marriott properties up to the 50,000 point level.
• Baggage delay insurance
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Trip delay reimbursement
• No foreign transaction fees

Ritz-Carlton Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the top travel rewards cards on the market.

It offers robust bonus spending categories that are spread wide, enabling you to earn on travel expenditure, everyday purchases and everything in between. It’s also a heavyweight when it comes to cardholder perks, offering the most flexible $300 travel statement credit on offer, complimentary Priority Pass Select membership and many other lucrative perks.

If you’re after general travel rewards and perks more so than strictly Marriott perks, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a solid choice of card. You’ll be able to redeem your points with any of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners or redeem them through Chase Travel℠.

This gives you unmatched flexibility when it comes to redeeming your points as well as greater value compared to the Ritz-Carlton Card.

Despite the card’s annual fee of $795, avid travelers won’t be hard-pressed to offset it.

Here’s an overview of the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s perks:

• 8X points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠ (applies after the first $300 is spent on annual travel purchases)
• 4X on flights and hotels booked direct
• 5X on Lyft rides, plus additional benefits and credit – up to $10 in monthly in-app credits, up to $120 annually, to use on rides through 9/30/27
• 3X points on eligible delivery service purchases, takeout and dining out
• 1X points in all other categories
• Statement credit for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry membership every four years
• Annual $300 statement credit toward travel purchases
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select™ membership (worth $469 per year)
• Complimentary Access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club
• Complimentary DashPass membership for both DoorDash and Caviar (worth $120)
• Complimentary property benefits when you book through The Edit℠
• No foreign transaction fees
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Lost baggage reimbursement
• Baggage delay reimbursement
• Emergency medical and dental benefit
• Emergency evacuation and transportation coverage
• Trip delay insurance
• Auto rental collision damage waiver
• Travel accident insurance

Ritz-Carlton Card vs. The Platinum Card® From American Express

If neither the Chase Sapphire Reserve nor the Ritz-Carlton Card will do the job, The Platinum Card from American Express could just be the card you’re looking for.

The Amex Platinum offers the best of the best when it comes to luxury travel perks. You’ll receive complimentary access to The American Express Global Lounge Collection, in addition to complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status and complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold Status. This means you can enjoy the benefits of elite hotel status with both Hilton and Marriott without needing to hold a co-branded card.

Additionally, the card offers more than $1,500 worth of statement credits and cardholder perks that you can put to work to offset its $695 annual fee (see rates and fees).

If your top priority is luxury travel perks, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better card than the Amex Platinum.

Here’s an overview of the Amex Platinum’s perks:

• 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel^® on up to $500,000 per calendar year (1X points thereafter)
• 5X points on prepaid hotels on American Express Travel^®
• Up to $200 in statement credits annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel^® (a minimum stay of two nights is required for The Hotel Collection)
• Up to $200 in statement credits annually toward incidental fees with one qualifying airline
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash credits annually with Uber Eats and rides in the United States, issued in monthly $15 credits, with a bonus of $20 in December
• Annual statement credit toward CLEAR® Plus membership
• Statement credit for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee
• A $100 statement credit toward eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com with The Hotel Collection (eligible charges vary by property)
• Up to $240 in statement credits annually, issued in $20 monthly credits, for eligible purchases with select streaming and entertainment services
• Up to $155 in statement credits annually, issued in monthly $12.95 credits, toward a Walmart+ membership
• Up to $100 in statement credits annually, issued in biannual $50 credits, toward eligible purchases with Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com
• Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection
• Complimentary benefits when booking Fine Hotels + Resorts through American Express Travel^®
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite Status
• Complimentary Hilton Honors™ Gold Status
• Complimentary Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® and National Car Rental® Emerald Club status
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance¹
• Baggage insurance plan¹
• Car rental loss and damage waiver¹
• Trip delay insurance¹

What Cardholders Really Think

Overall, cardholders rate the Ritz-Carlton Card highly.

Its combination of competitive Marriott perks and general travel perks make it a strong contender among other cards in its annual fee class.

The main drawback to the card is that it’s accessible through a product change only. This means you have to jump through a few extra hoops before you can open an account. Likewise, as it’s available through product changes exclusively, the card doesn’t come with any welcome offers. If you’re looking to rack up thousands of Marriott points through a lucrative welcome offer, the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card isn’t the card for the job.

Does the Ritz Fit?

If you’re a regular guest at Marriott Bonvoy properties and can make use of the card’s additional cardholder perks, the Ritz-Carlton Card could definitely be worth a spot in your wallet.

You’ll gain an array of Marriott Bonvoy-specific benefits which you can leverage for luxury experiences and discounted stays.

However, if the price is more important than the brand when it comes to hotel stays, and you’re already able to take advantage of many of the cardholder perks from other travel rewards cards, the Ritz-Carlton Card is likely not worth your time or money.

The Final Verdict

With close to 9,000 properties spread across more than 140 countries, Marriott Bonvoy has significant international reach. Having a co-branded Marriott card can play a key role in your wider credit card strategy, enabling you to leverage perks such as free night awards and complimentary elite status which you can use toward stays in luxury hotel rooms. Similarly, spending and earning with a Marriott card ensures that your points never expire.

Whether you choose to jump through a few extra hoops to unlock the Ritz Card or stick with a general travel rewards card that you can apply for directly, ensure you use your card’s perks and leverage its bonus spending categories to maximize your rewards. That way, you’ll offset any annual fees with ease.

¹ Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.