We just paid the $450 annual fee for another year of the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card. Since this card isn’t open for new applications and can only be obtained through a product change from a Chase Marriott Bonvoy personal card, it’s a bit of a hidden gem. But how much value did we actually get from it this past year?
Let’s take a look—perk by perk.
85K Free Night Certificate
- Used at: Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort
- Points required: 70,000 (no top-off needed)
- Cash value at time of booking: ~$600
This was an easy win. The free night alone provided more value than the card’s annual fee. In fact, it’s one of the reasons we keep the card year after year.
$300 Airline Travel Credit
- Used for: Seat assignments, baggage fees, Wi-Fi charges
- Reimbursed so far: $230.98
- Remaining: $69.02 (will be fully used)
We’ve had no problem using the full credit each year—just a matter of submitting a secure message to Chase. Between the Aruba trip and my wife Sharon’s JetBlue runs, there was no shortage of opportunities.
Priority Pass with Unlimited Guests
- Used at: Plaza Premium (MCO), The Club (MCO), No1 Lounge (LHR for 3 guests), Sapphire Lounges (PHL & BOS)
This continues to be one of the most valuable perks. Unlike other Priority Pass memberships, the Ritz-Carlton version allows unlimited guests, which is really convenient when traveling with friends or family. Sharon especially loves the Sapphire Lounges and says BOS and PHL are quickly becoming her favorites.
15 Elite Night Credits
These didn’t help us much this year. Sharon already has Lifetime Gold, and we didn’t stay enough nights to hit Platinum—even with the potential 30-night stack if you also have a Marriott business card.
Primary Rental Car Insurance
I used the card for two rentals this year, just for the CDW coverage. We didn’t have to file any claims (thankfully!), but it’s a solid protection to have—especially for international rentals where CDW can be expensive or tricky.
Travel Insurance Protections
We also used the Ritz-Carlton card to pay for several flights this year to take advantage of its built-in travel insurance. Again, we didn’t need to use the coverage, but it’s peace of mind that’s worth something, especially for delayed or canceled flights.
Global Entry Credit
We didn’t use this perk this year because both of our Global Entry memberships are still valid. But it’s worth noting that this card offers only a credit for Global Entry—not TSA PreCheck or SENTRI. Still, if you have Global Entry, you automatically get PreCheck, so it’s the better option anyway.
Ritz-Carlton Club Level Upgrade Certificates
We didn’t use these—and honestly, we rarely do. The certs can be valuable if you stay at Ritz-Carlton properties on paid rates, but that’s not our usual travel pattern. Not a loss, just not a factor for us.
6x on Marriott Stays
We used the card for Marriott stays, but the 6x earning rate is the same as other Marriott cards we have. So while it’s nice to earn, it doesn’t give the Ritz card a leg up in this category.
Final Thoughts
Even without using every single perk, the card easily paid for itself:
- $600 value from the 85K free night certificate
- $300 value from the travel credit
- Additional lounge value and car rental protections
For us, that’s over $900 in real-world benefit from a $450 card. So yes, we’re keeping the card for another year—happily.
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