The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card

Our review

The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card is a bit of a hidden gem, because you cannot actually apply for it anymore. It has been closed to new applicants for years, and the only way to get it is to product change, meaning upgrade, from an existing Chase Marriott Bonvoy card like the Boundless. If you know that trick, it is one of the more rewarding Marriott cards a loyalist can hold.

What makes it special is that it kept perks the newer Marriott cards dropped, chiefly Priority Pass lounge access with guests, alongside a flexible $300 travel credit and a strong annual free night. For a committed Marriott traveler, that package can justify the $450 fee.

Our 7.6 out of 10 rating

Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.

Rewards: how it earns

You earn 6x at Marriott, 3x on dining, airfare, and car rentals, and 2x on everything else, in Marriott Bonvoy points. The points are locked to Marriott and worth less than transferable currency, so the earning is not the main draw, the perks are. Use it for Marriott stays and the credits rather than as an everyday card.

Brand and bonus rates: beyond the everyday categories above, this card also earns:

• 6x Marriott Bonvoy points at Marriott portfolio hotels

The fine print on rates: No longer open to new applicants — existing Chase Marriott Bonvoy cardholders can product change (upgrade) into it. Earns Marriott Bonvoy points.

Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.

Pros and cons

The welcome bonus

There is no welcome bonus, because the card is not open to new applicants. You obtain it by upgrading from another Chase Marriott card, so the value is entirely in the ongoing perks, not a sign-up.

Is it worth the annual fee?

The $450 fee is very justifiable for a Marriott loyalist, because the perks stack up: a flexible $300 annual travel credit, an anniversary free night worth up to 85,000 points, Priority Pass lounge access, and Gold status. Between the travel credit and the free night alone, you can more than cover the fee if you use them, which is why this is a card worth keeping once you have it.

First-year value vs ongoing value

There is no lump-sum welcome bonus, so first-year and ongoing value are about the same, roughly $494 a year on typical spending after the fee. What you see is what you get from day one.

*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent, on average spending.

Benefits and protections

Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:

• $300 annual travel credit (airline incidental fees and travel purchases)
• Free Night Award each anniversary (up to 85,000 points)
• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status (Platinum with $75k annual spend)
• 15 Elite Night Credits annually
• 3 club-level upgrades per year on paid stays up to 7 nights
• $100 property credit on Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis stays of 2+ nights
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit
• No foreign transaction fees

Lounge access

This card includes airport lounge access. Here is exactly what you get, including the Priority Pass distinctions that vary by card:

• Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required): unlimited visits to 1,300+ airport lounges, you plus 2 guests free — one of the few Marriott cards that still includes lounge access

Statement credits

• $300 annual travel credit
• Free Night Award each anniversary (up to 85,000 pts)
• $100 Ritz-Carlton/St. Regis property credit on 2+ night stays
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit

Who should get it, and who should skip it

If you already hold a Chase Marriott card and stay at Marriott regularly, product changing into the Ritz-Carlton card is a smart move, the lounge access, flexible travel credit, and up-to-85,000-point free night make it one of the strongest Marriott cards you can keep, and it can pay for its own fee.

If you do not have a Chase Marriott card, you cannot get this one directly, so it is not an option today. And if you do not stay at Marriott, the locked points and hotel perks will not help you. This is a card for committed Marriott loyalists who know the upgrade path.

Frequently asked questions

Best-card guides featuring this card