Let’s start with the good news: The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card’s annual fee isn’t increasing.
That’s according to Upgraded Points and Miles to Memories, who received confirmation directly from Chase. So if you’re a current cardholder or hoping to product change into it, you can breathe a little easier, at least for now.
It’s always nice when a few websites are able to get a straight answer from the banks. Chase confirmed there are no changes planned to the Ritz-Carlton Card’s annual fee.
So… where did all this drama come from?
How a Reddit Thread Sparked a Panic
The rumor mill pointed to a thread on Reddit, where multiple users claimed Chase reps told them that the annual fee would increase. The story was surprisingly detailed, complete with dates and rumored new perks.
Now, it’s very possible the reps weren’t making things up out of thin air. Maybe they misunderstood an internal memo. Or maybe some wires got crossed in a training session. But the fact remains: the information was wrong.
The Internet Loves a Good Panic
I usually like to assume people are telling the truth. But it’s the internet — sometimes people just make stuff up for attention.
Still, the reason this rumor spread so quickly is that it sounded plausible. In fact, it almost felt inevitable. After all:
- Chase just raised the annual fees on the Sapphire Reserve and United Club Infinite cards.
- AMEX is hinting at a refresh of the Platinum Card, which could bring the highest fee in the industry.
- And the Ritz-Carlton Card? It offers so much value, it feels almost too good to be true.
Why the Rumor Made (Some) Sense
If you’ve had the Ritz-Carlton Card for a while, you know it punches way above its weight. You get:
- A $300 annual air travel credit
- An 85,000-point Free Night Certificate
- Lounge access via Priority Pass with unlimited guests
- Three Club Level upgrade certificates
- Strong travel protections and purchase benefits
All that for a $450 annual fee. Cards with this kind of outsized value tend to be “corrected” over time, either through benefit cuts or fee hikes. So when someone says, “Hey, this card is getting new perks and a higher fee,” people listen.
That said, the perks mentioned in the rumor were underwhelming. One was a $200 credit toward stays booked through Renowned Hotels & Resorts, Chase’s rebranded version of the old Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection (LHRC). It’s now the hotel program available to Chase cardholders who don’t have access to The Edit (the new premium collection tied to the Sapphire Reserve).
The other rumored perk? Three bar drink vouchers to use at Ritz-Carlton properties. Not exactly the kind of “enhancement” you’d expect to justify a higher annual fee.
Final Thought
So no, the Ritz-Carlton Card isn’t changing — at least not today. But the fact that so many people were ready to believe the rumor says a lot about the current state of premium credit cards.
The writing’s on the wall. Sooner or later, Chase will probably do something to “adjust” the card’s value. Let’s just hope we get more than three cocktails out of it when the time comes.
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