Charles H. Miller
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card is easily the most premium hotel-branded credit card on the market. Period. Beyond including a lucrative sign-up bonus of three nights at a Tier 1-4 property, it also comes with Priority Pass Select membership with access to 900+ airport lounges worldwide, $100 Global Entry application credit, $300 Annual Travel Credit, $100 Hotel Credit, J.P. Morgan Premier Concierge Service, and automatic Gold Elite status for the first year. Cardmembers can also upgrade to The Ritz-Carlton Club® Level 3 times annually on paid stays of up to 7 nights, all while earning points for using the card. There is no foreign transaction fee, but the annual fee is $450. Here are the details…
Highlights
- Sign-up bonus that includes three nights at a Tier 1-4 property, plus 10,000 bonus points*
- Earn 5x points at Ritz-Carlton and Marriott properties; 2x points on airline tickets, car rentals and dining; and 1x points on everything else. Plus, get 10% bonus on all points at the end of the year.
- Priority Pass Select membership with access to 900+ airport lounges globally.
- $100 Global Entry application credit + $300 Annual Travel Credit + $100 Hotel Credit.
- Automatic Gold Elite status for the first year
- Upgrade to The Ritz-Carlton Club® Level 3 times annually on paid stays of up to 7 nights.
- Visa Infinite shopping and travel benefits, including a $100 discount on domestic airfare for two or more passengers
- No foreign transaction fees
- J.P. Morgan Premier Concierge Service
- $450 annual fee
How It Works?
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card is all about benefits, offering a number of perks to anyone willing to pay its hefty annual fee.
Points: Cardmembers earn 5 points per dollar spent at Ritz-Carlton and Marriott properties; 2 points per dollar spent on airline tickets, car rentals and dining; and 1 point for every dollar spent on everything else. Once earned, points can be redeemed for stays at Ritz-Carlton and Marriott properties.
10% Annual Points Premium: You’ll earn a 10% bonus annually on all new Rewards points earned with your The Ritz-Carlton Rewards card purchases.
Sign-up bonus: Three nights at a Tier 1-4 property after spending $5,000 in the first three months of account opening. Plus, 10,000 bonus points after you add the first authorized user and make a purchase in the first 3 months from account opening.
Priority Pass Select membership: Provides cardmembers with access to more than 900 airport lounges all around the world. This feat alone is worth more than $400 per year.
Three upgrades to The Ritz-Carlton Club Level per year: Available at select Ritz-Carlton hotels, it is available on up to three qualifying paid stays with a seven-night maximum length of stay, subject to availability at time of reservation.
$300 Annual Travel Credit: Which can be used for airline lounge day pass, or towards a yearly lounge membership of your choice; airline seat upgrades; airline baggage fees; in-flight Internet/entertainment; and in-flight meals. In order to get this credit, cardmembers should contact J.P. Morgan Priority Services at the number on the back of the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card within 4 billing cycles of the purchase date.
$100 Hotel Credit: Available at participating Ritz-Carlton hotels for qualifying paid stays and requiring two-night minimum length of stay, subject to availability. Credit must be used during original reservation, no cash back, and may not be applied to room rate or hotel goods or services provided by a third party. Reservation must be paid for with a Ritz-Carlton Rewards credit card.
Automatic Gold Elite Status for the your first year: And you get to keep it as long as you make purchases of $10,000 or more during the year. And since Ritz-Carlton and Marriott share a loyalty program, your Gold status also applies to your Marriott stays, providing you with lounge access, bonus points, free breakfasts and more. Cardmembers can also reach the Platinum Elite Status if they spend $75,000 or more per year with the card.
$100 Global Entry application credit: Comes in the form of statement credit to be used towards the Global Entry program. Once you’re in, you will speed through immigration control. As part of the deal, you can sign-up for the TSA PreCheck program for fast-track airport security.
J.P. Morgan Premier Concierge Service: Available 24/7 throughout the year. Whether you need to find a hotel, book a flight or find a good nearby restaurant, the concierge service can help you out.
Visa Infinite benefits: These are used to make shopping and travel that much safer and easier. Included in the deal is a $100 discount on domestic airfare for two or more passengers.
Annual fee: $450, which can be easily justified by frequent Ritz-Carlton guests who crave for a VIP treatment that also includes access to airport lounges.
Costs
- 16.24% – 23.24% Variable APR
- 5% Balance Transfer Fee (minimum $5)
- 0% Foreign Transaction Fee
- $450 Annual Fee
Pros
- Benefits, benefits, benefits – especially for those frequently staying at Ritz-Carlton properties. This is one of the cards with most perks included.
- Sign-up bonus – Those three nights at a Tier 1-4 property are easily worth the annual fee. So your first year is practically free, presuming you would be staying at a Ritz-Carlton hotel, anyway.
- Priority Pass Select membership – access to more than 900 airport lounges gives you a VIP treatment while travelling.
- No foreign transaction fee – makes this card, obviously, great to use while travelling abroad.
Cons
- High annual fee – which is (again) easy to justify considering all the perks, including the Priority Pass Select membership, lucrative sign-up bonus, and so on.
- Some benefits are limited to “participating hotels” meaning you won’t be able to use them at just above every Ritz-Carlton hotel in the world. Still, most popular destinations are “covered.”
Is This The Card For You?
If you are frequently staying at Ritz-Carlton properties, the answer is resounding YES. There is no reason to leave the money on the table, especially when you can get an even better treatment with this card. Not only will you be earning points for staying at Ritz-Carlton hotels, but also on some other purchases. Plus, there’s the lucrative sign-up bonus, annual bonus(es), Priority Pass Select membership with access to 900+ airport lounges, Global Entry credit, and much, much more. We highly recommend the Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card.
