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The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card is no longer available to new cardholders. However, this premium travel card is still available to existing cardholders of a Marriott-branded credit card from Chase via a product change. And one of the marquis benefits is the Ritz-Carlton Card travel credit.
Uses of this credit from the card's terms and conditions show us that the Ritz-Carlton Card travel credit isn't as generous as the credits on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Citi Prestige® Card. However, as you'll see in this article, there's evidence that you can use the Ritz-Carlton Card travel credit for more than what Chase says you can.
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Benefits of the Ritz-Carlton Card
- Annual Free Night Award worth up to a maximum value of 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. You can add up to 15,000 additional Bonvoy points to any free night award.
- $300 annual travel credit to use for baggage fees, seat upgrades, airport lounge memberships, and more.
- $100 hotel credit toward dining, spa, or other hotel recreational activities on paid stays of two nights or longer at Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties.
- Three upgrades to The Ritz-Carlton Club level annually on paid stays of up to seven nights.
- Complimentary annual Priority Pass Select membership with access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and 15 Elite Night Credits per year to help you progress to higher levels of Marriott Bonvoy status. Plus, you can spend your way to Platinum Elite status by making $75,000 of annual purchases on your card.
- A $100 statement credit when you use your card to pay a Global Entry application fee every four years. You'll also be eligible to receive TSA PreCheck privileges if you are approved.
- Primary auto rental insurance, trip delay/cancellation/interruption insurance, and many other travel protection benefits.
- $450 annual fee.
Related: The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card Review: Bonvoy's Best-Kept Secret
Ritz-Carlton Card Travel Credit
The annual $300 travel credit from the Ritz-Carlton Card is comparable to annual travel credits from other credit cards. Unfortunately, the uses of the Ritz-Carlton Card travel credit are more restrictive.
Chase lists the following as qualifying purchases:
- Airline lounge day pass
- Yearly lounge membership of your choice
- Airline seat upgrades
- Airline baggage fees
- In-flight internet/entertainment
- In-flight meals
A caveat
Despite Chase clearly outlining what the $300 travel credit covers, it seems that there are some exceptions. Taxes and fees on airline award redemptions and even airfare on an international airline have qualified for the travel credit in the past. Airfare remaining after using a voucher has also been reported to qualify.
Timing of the Ritz-Carlton Card travel credit
It's worth noting that the $300 annual travel credit that comes with the Ritz-Carlton Card follows the calendar year and not your cardmember year. That means even if your card anniversary is in June, your annual travel credit will reset in January. According to Chase's terms and conditions:
“For example, if you pay baggage fees at the end of 2018, and the airline does not post the transaction until 2019, the cost of the baggage fees will be allocated towards your 2019 calendar year maximum of $300.“
How to use the Ritz-Carlton Card travel credit
The Ritz-Carlton Card travel credit doesn't apply automatically. After eligible purchases post to your account, you'll need to call the number on the back of your card or send a secure message to Chase after logging into your account online. Specify the charge you'd like to cover with your travel credit.
Because there's a human element, some employees may be more generous than others in what they will accept as a use of your travel credit.
Final Thoughts
The Ritz-Carlton Card is no longer open to new applicants; as such, it's easy to forget about. But if you currently hold a Chase card that earns Marriott Bonvoy points, you can product change to this card. This card has the highest annual fee of Chase's Marriott co-branded cards, but it also comes with the most perks.
While the Ritz-Carlton Card travel credit has some restrictions, it is still a value credit card benefit. When used to its fullest potential, it can add hundreds of dollars in value to the Ritz-Carlton Card and largely offset the $450 annual fee year after year.
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