I receive compensation for many links on this blog. You don’t have to use these links, but I am grateful to you if you do. I do not write about all credit cards that are available — instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same).
I’ve written about the Ritz-Carlton Rewards co-brand credit card occasionally over the past couple of years.
There have been a couple of really outstanding offers for it, like 70,000 points and no fee the first year, and 140,000 points while paying the steep $395 annual fee even the first year. But I haven’t seen either of those around in awhile.
We Fly Free says it’s still possible to get the 140,000 point signup offer, which surprises me since he gives the same promotion code that Chase told Frequent Miler that he was ineligible for a year ago.
The offer is for 140,000 points after $2000 spend within 3 months.
- The card comes with Marriott Gold status the first year, and then you keep it by spending $10,000 on the card each year.
- There’s a $300 airline fee credit as well that helps take the sting out of the annual fee.
- There are also some fairly restrictive club lounge upgrade and $100 folio credits with Ritz-Carlton stays as well.
- Concierge service that I’ve heard is now handled by the same company which takes care of Palladium card customers (which may even include President Obama).
You’re supposed to choose whether you want to be a member of Ritz-Carlton Rewards or Marriott Rewards. They don’t want you to be a member of both. The programs are almost identical except for the promotions.
Since you can get a 70,000 point signup bonus for the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card, and that offers a $0 annual fee the first year ($85 thereafter), and you can generally only get one Chase card at a time I think there’s a very clarifying question to help understand this card’s value:
- Assume that you can get full value out of the $300 statement credit, the net cost of this card is $95.
- Leave aside all other benefits like Marriott Gold status and concierge, plus club upgrades that are reportedly tough to use.
- Would you pay $95 for 70,000 Marriott points?
Of course if you don’t already have a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, I think that’s the better card and also the better signup bonus (and Sapphire Preferred – like Ritz-Carlton Rewards – now offers primary collision damage on rental cars too). So I wouldn’t even entertain the question.
But on the whole I do see 70,000 points as worth $95… even if I don’t plan to take advantage of this offer myself.
There have been other intriguing offers for the card, like last year’s $200 gift card in addition to the statement credit.
No matter the offer, I haven’t been all that tempted, but I thought this would be useful to some.
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FYI, it is a $300 airline credit now (must call into JPM CS to receive). As well, there is also a fee free code that can be used to receive all the same benefits of the card with 70,000 points instead and no annual fee.
I just got this last month with the 70,000 offer. Is it possible to get them to match the 140,000 point offer?
Thanks
Gary, could I use the Marriott gold status this card gives me to bump my UA up to silver elite?
@Neal Marriott Platinum gets United Silver, not Marriott Gold
@Nate yes of course i even posted about that at the time. Hah. I’ve fixed the post.
Since I already have the marriott card, this is 140 k points for that price for me. If the rebate is $300, I’m in. Assuming chase doesn’t ell me to take a hike, I have many hard pulls.
I suppose if you’re already a Marriott member, this 140k points will be added to the Marriott rewards account? This is potentially a very lucrative offer if you also get the 70k from the Marriott cc. Travel package def comes into mind but even transferring to miles would work well(though I would not personally do this)
I would definitely consider using these to transfer to United miles via Marriott- 112k points for 50k United miles through their current RewardsPlus promotion. That’s a lot of miles for pretty low spend.
There’s also a 70,000 point offer with the fee waived. I got it in May. 70,000 points + $600 in airline giftcards before the annual fee comes around. Yes please.
Also had a friend tell me today that he was able to call the same # and get his 70k offer matched to the 140k offer. YMMV as always.
Thanks for the H/T!
I think 70k for $95 is a no brainer, though more like 140k for many of your readers that have already cycled thru Chase Marriott. 70k is at least 1 night at an RC property and more likely 1.5 nights at a high end Marriott (or 2 if you save up for a 4+1 deal). Easily worth $95.
Once again by hawking CSP your blog assumes that most people need points for air travel more than hotels, which is not always the case. Hotels are also 10x easier for novices to redeem. And if they’ve been reading you for any length of time they probably already have CSP.
Greg – Can you please elaborate on the “$600 in airline gift cards” aspect to the card. i.e. Which Airlines gift cards do you buy, what you say to the Chase rep to have then count at qualified airline spend etc?
@Boraxo while 45k United, Singapore, Korean or British Airways miles are pretty clearly worth more than the equivalent or even double Marriott points, just comparing hotel-to-hotel points [i believe a mistake, since points like money are fungible] I’d gladly take 45k Hyatt points over 70k Marriott points. And I think you overestimate the percentage of readers who already have a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.
The only Marriott hotel I would use this at in the near term is the Cosmopolitan. Can you confirm that the 140k points can be redeemed there? Thanks.
@jason – they can be.. although no guarantee that it will stay that way into the future as the Cosmopolitan was sold.
http://www.rewards-insiders.marriott.com/thread/16545
I just applied over the phone. I can confirm the 140,000 offer. I was not solicited for the offer, but the agent had no problem completing the application for me. I called the reconsideration line right after and sealed the deal.
IMO this offer is not better than the 70k offer with fee waived since getting the credit is a much stricter process – seems like you really can’t use it for tickets. I do not have a lot of incidental costs and wouldn’t pay for most.
There is still a 70K offer out there with no fee for the Ritz Card. I just got it a month ago. very cool very heavy metal card like the black amex. Milenerd.com has a link.
I got the 70K offer with no fee. Then sm the chase mentioning the RSVP code “F5BP” that I just received to match the 140K offer, and it did! Totally I got 140K + 600 credit in airline fee! That is biggest deal I have ever gotten.
I had the fee waived for 1 year deal and am about to drop the card before the 395 fee comes due. I did not find it a useful card and the benefits were nearly impossible to use (and absolutely not stackable). BUT, two things about the $300 airline credit: you CAN use it for airline gift cards and you can use it 2x the first year, b/c it’s 300/calendar year (which I unfortunately learned too late : ( Best of luck to those who go for it. I’ll not be wasting any more time or $ with Ritz/Marriott.
If there is a fee free offer like @mbh says, then really it’s whether 70k marriott points is worth $395, not $95.
That assumes the fee free offer also get’s the $300 airline credit.
Whoops, I realize Gary said that hasn’t been around a while.
Hi, I had the Ritz card two years ago, does anyone know if I could get the bonus again? Thank you!!
@mbh, which airline did you buy gift cards from, and for what amount? I don’t think I’ll come close to the $300 in incidentals, so I’m looking into this avenue for the airline credit.
I have already cycled thru the Chase Marriott card and am looking to add some Marriott points (from sources OTHER than my Chase UR, which I prefer to use for upgraded long haul flights)
With that background, I’m a little lost here —
can I get the Chase Ritz card, get 140,000 Ritz points and the airline credit for a net “cost” of $95 and then use those points to book a room for 6 nights at a category 5 Marriott (25,000/night + 5th night free)? (I’m sure there are FAR better uses, but that particular hotel works great for my travel plans)
If I already have a Marriott account, which account would the points go into (assuming I open a Ritz Rewards account in connection with this card)?
Good morning. Is this Ritz card churn able? I had the card 18 months ago. thanks
Agree that the Sapphire Preferred card is the better card, but this is a better signup bonus particularly if signing up with a spouse. Two bonuses net a Marriott Travel Package. 7 nights in a Cat 5 hotel + 132,000 UA miles + the net positive in fee credits ($300 this calendar year and next vs $395 annual fee) is a much greater bonus per card than the CSP bonus offer.
@gary
any recent data on what the $300 airline benefit can be spent on?