The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card: Why You Want It, Even If You Never Stay At The Ritz

The Ritz-Carlton sounds like the kind of hotel that you might stay in if you owned a Rolls-Royce and managed your portfolio with Morgan-Stanley. I don’t do either of those things, but I’m strongly considering getting the Ritz-Carlton Rewards card from Chase. Here’s why.

Benefits that aren’t just about hotels

The offer you see at Chase.com provides a complimentary night stay at any “tier 1-4” Ritz-Carlton hotel after you spend $2,000 in the first three months. So basically, you get a free night at a luxury hotel that’s not in the most expensive part of a major city.

Instead, I’d apply for this card from this link, which offers 140,000 points in the Ritz-Carlton Rewards program after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first three months. Not only is that enough for at least two nights at one of these properties; but these points can also be used for even more free night awards at Marriott properties as well.

The most important benefit (to me) is a $300 airline travel credit that can be used for a non-ticket purchase, including:

• airline lounge day passes
• seat upgrades
• baggage fees
• in-flight Internet/entertainment
• in-flight meals

You also receive unlimited access to the airport lounges operated by the Priority Pass Select network.

Other benefits include three annual upgrades to the Ritz-Carlton Club level on paid stays. A $100 hotel credit on paid stays of two nights or longer. A 10 percent annual points premium on card purchases.

There’s a $395 annual fee for this card, but no foreign transaction fees.

When this card makes sense

I travel regularly, so I know it’l be really easy for me to use the $300 annual airline fee credit.

I also studied the fine print and learned that the annual fee credit can be used each calendar year; which means I can receive it once in the year I apply, and again the following year, $600 total; all for a single $395 annual fee.

Finally, I know that airline gift cards also count as “non-ticket purchases,” so I can use these gift cards to buy airfare as well, since I generally don’t spend own my money on seat upgrades, in-flight entertainment, and other airline fees.

So here I am being offered 140,000 points I can use for two free nights at the Ritz, or several free nights at Marriott properties, free lounge access around the world, and another $600 in airline tickets or expenses (the first year), all for a $395 annual fee.

Granted, I’m really more of a Marriott type traveler than a Ritz-Carlton kind of guy, but let’s just say that they twisted my arm.