The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card is aimed at frequent travelers who routinely stay at Ritz-Carlton Hotels and want to earn points at an accelerated pace. The Ritz-Carlton brand consists of 89 hotels worldwide in 29 countries and territories. There is a new card member bonus currently being offered. However, there is no introductory APR on either purchases or balance transfers and the hefty annual fee of $395 is not waived for the initial year of membership. The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card is a Visa Signature card issued by JPMorgan Chase.
New card members currently have the opportunity to receive two complimentary nights at any participating Tier 1-4 Ritz-Carlton Hotel. To qualify and receive Two Free Night Stay E-Certificates, you must spend make at least $3,000 in net purchases on the card during the first three months that your account is open. Net purchases are the total amount of transactions minus any refunds and/or credits. Balance transfers, cash advances, cash-like purchases such as money orders, traveler’s checks, or foreign currency, as well as any fees associated with your account do not count as purchases (including the annual membership fee). Once the spending threshold is met, it may take 6-8 weeks for the E-Certificates to be deposited into your Ritz-Carlton account. The E-Certificates must be redeemed within six months from the date of issue and may not be transferred, extended, or re-credited for points.
Important: This offer is not available to current cardholders or previous members who received a signup bonus during the last 24 months.
Card members earn Ritz-Carlton Rewards points at the following rates:
- 5 points for every $1 of net purchases charged to your Guest Room at participating Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Hotels
- 2 points for every $1 of net purchases at car rental agencies, for airline tickets (when purchased directly from the airline), and at restaurants
- 1 point for every $1 on all other net purchases
Note: Net purchases are defined as the total amount of transactions minus any credits and/or returns. The following transactions are excluded also:
- Balance transfers
- Cash advances
- Cash-like purchases such as traveler’s checks, money orders, or foreign currency
- Any fees associated with the account including the annual membership fee
You should note that airline tickets purchased through discount websites or travel agencies will not qualify for the double points rewards.
There is no cap on the number of points that you can accumulate in the rewards program.
Members can redeem points for hotels stays, exclusive partnership benefits, or fine merchandise.
Ritz-Carlton Hotels are categorized into Tiers with each tier requiring a different number of points for a Free Night Stay. The Tier is based on each specific hotel’s location and type.
| Hotel Tier | Points Required for 1-Night Stay |
| Tier 1 | 30,000 |
| Tier 2 | 40,000 |
| Tier 3 | 50,000 |
| Tier 4 | 60,000 |
| Tier 5 | 70,000 |
An added bonus: When you use points to reserve a five-night stay, the fifth night is complimentary.
Account holders receive a 10% Annual Points Premium on all Ritz-Carlton Rewards points earned through card purchases during the previous year. This premium is calculated after your December closing date and will appear in either your January or February billing statement. Your account must be open and in good standing to receive this Premium.
Members receive automatic Gold Elite Status for the first year that your account is open. Gold Elite benefits include:
- 25% added value on Ritz-Carlton Rewards points
- Priority Late Check-out
- Complimentary Room Upgrade, when available (Suites and Club Level rooms excluded)
- Complimentary Enhanced in-room internet
- 10% savings on Ritz-Carlton-branded merchandise purchased at hotel Gift Shop
As a cardholder, you can maintain your Gold Elite status by making at least $10,000 in purchases on the card during your first year of membership and each account year thereafter.
An additional benefit is that card members may also earn and redeem points at any participating Marriott Brand Hotel Worldwide. These include:
- Gaylord Hotels
- JW Marriott
- Marriott Hotels & Resorts
- Renaissance Hotels
- Courtyard by Marriott
- Fairfield Inn & Suites
- Marriott Vacation Club
- Residence Inn by Marriott
- SpringHill Suites
- TownePlace Suites
- AC Hotels by Marriott
- Moxy Hotels
- Edition Hotels
For big spenders, Platinum Elite Status is available when you spend at least $75,000 on the card each year.
Members enjoy up to three complimentary upgrades to the Ritz-Carlton Club Level at participating hotels per account year (subject to availability at the time of reservation). An E-Certificate is required. This offer is not valid on corporate or other promotional rates. There is a 7-night maximum per stay.
Cardholders receive a $300 Annual Travel Credit which can be used for seat upgrades, Global Entry Fees, baggage fees, and more. To receive this benefit, you must contact JPMorgan Priority Services within 4 billing cycles of the purchase date (contact number is on the back of your Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card).
Members get a $100 Hotel Credit on paid stays of two nights or longer. This credit can be used towards dining, spa services, or other hotel recreational activities. Excluded are: room rate, alcohol, taxes, or gratuities.
Card members receive complimentary membership in Lounge Club which gives you unlimited access to hundreds of airport lounges around the world.
The annual percentage rate on purchases is 15.99% (variable based on the Prime Rate). This same APR applies to balance transfers as well. Members are charged a balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the total transfer amount (whichever is greater) on each completed balance transfer.
Additionally, cardholders receive Visa Signature benefits which include:
- Concierge Service
- Emergency Cash and Card Replacement
- Purchase Security
- Extended Warranty
Certain restrictions and limitations apply.
Members are not charged foreign transaction fees when using the card outside of the U.S. Additionally, the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card comes with smart chip technology for added security.
The card has a yearly membership fee of $395 which is not waived.
The Facts
Below we have broken down the details of the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card to help you decide if it’s a good choice for you.
The Good:
Signup bonus:
New account holders are eligible to receive two free nights at any participating Tier 1-4 Ritz-Carlton hotel worldwide. To qualify for this bonus, you must spend at least $3,000 (net purchases) during the first three months that your account is open. Note: Net purchases are the total amount of transactions minus any credits and/or returns. Cash advances, balances transfers, and fees do not count as purchases.
This is a great opportunity to get two nights free at any one of Ritz-Carlton’s luxury hotels. To maximize the benefits of this offer you could choose a Tier 4 hotel which would normally require 60,000 points per night for a total of 120,000 rewards points. For example, hotels in the Tier 4 category include the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua-Maui and the Ritz-Carlton- Half Moon Bay (California). Standard room rates at the Maui property begin at $700 per night and $705 at the Half Moon Bay property. With your signup bonus offer, it’s free. The bottom line is that two free nights at a Ritz-Carlton hotel (whatever the location) is a very generous promotion.
Again, this signup bonus is not available to current cardholders or previous members who received a new member bonus within the past 24 months.
Simple rewards program:
Card members earn Ritz-Carlton Rewards points at the following rates:
- 5 points for every $1 of net purchases charged to your Guest Room at participating Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Hotels
- 2 points for every $1 of net purchases at car rental agencies, for airline tickets (when purchased directly from the airline), and at restaurants
- 1 point for every $1 on all other net purchases
Note: Points are earned on net purchases. Credits, returns, cash advances, balance transfers, and any fees associated with your account are excluded.
Numerous redemption options:
Members can redeem points for hotel stays, merchandise, and exclusive benefits with membership partners such as Neiman-Marcus and Bergdorf-Goodman. An added bonus: When you use points to reserve a five-night stay, the fifth night is complimentary.
Automatic Gold Elite Status:
New members automatically receive Gold Elite Status for the first year of membership. Gold Elite benefits include:
- 25% added value on Ritz-Carlton Rewards points
- Priority Late Check-out
- Complimentary Room Upgrade, when available (Suites and Club Level rooms excluded)
- Complimentary Enhanced in-room internet
- 10% savings on Ritz-Carlton-branded merchandise purchased at hotel Gift Shop
As a cardholder, you can maintain your Gold Elite status by making at least $10,000 in purchases on the card during your first year of membership and each account year thereafter.
Worldwide Airport Lounge Access:
Card members receive complimentary membership in Lounge Club which gives you unlimited access to hundreds of airport lounges around the world.
Achieve Platinum Level Status:
For big spenders, Platinum Level status is available when you make at least $75,000 in eligible purchases each year.
Annual Points Premium:
Account holders receive a 10% Annual Points Premium on all Ritz-Carlton Rewards points earned through card purchases during the previous year.
Upgrades to Ritz-Carlton Club Level:
Members enjoy up to three complimentary upgrades to the Ritz-Carlton Club Level at participating hotels per account year (subject to availability at the time of reservation). An E-Certificate is required. This offer is not valid on corporate or other promotional rates. There is a 7-night maximum per stay.
Annual Travel Credit:
Members can receive up to $300 in travel credits per year which can help offset the cost of baggage fees, Global Entry fees, seat upgrades, and more. Certain restrictions and exclusions apply. You must notify JPMorgan Priority Services within 4 billing cycles of the purchase date (contact number is on the back of your Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card).
Hotel Credit:
Members get a $100 Hotel Credit on paid stays of two nights or longer. This credit can be used towards dining, spa services, or other hotel recreational activities. Excluded are: room rate, alcohol, taxes, or gratuities.
No foreign transaction fees:
Cardholders are not charged foreign transaction fees when using the card to make purchases outside of the U.S.
The Bad:
Annual fee:
This card has an annual fee of $395 which is not waived. As far as hotel rewards cards go, this is expensive.
Harder to qualify:
Generally, a very good credit score (730+FICO) is needed to be approved for this card.
The Ugly:
This card delivers great benefits to people who travel often and choose to stay at Ritz-Carlton hotels. An added bonus is that you can also earn and redeem points at participating Marriott Hotel brand properties around the world. An important point to make is that this card’s rewards program is heavily weighted (5X) for purchases made at Ritz-Carlton hotels (or Marriott Hotel brands). For people who travel infrequently, the 1X rewards point on everyday purchases is fairly low and makes the annual fee seem somewhat unreasonable.
However, if you routinely travel and enjoy staying at Ritz-Carlton hotels, you will easily reap rewards that more than justify the $395 membership fee. The signup bonus alone is worth as much as 120,000 points or $1400 in room rates. Add on the travel credit, hotel credit, Club Level upgrades, and so much more- you have a rewards card that can really work for you.