Ugh. While we were all busy buying fireworks and stuffing ourselves with hot dogs, it looks like the evil nerfing gremlins may have found a new target: our beloved Ritz-Carton card.
The Ritz card has been a favorite among the FM Team (and many points and miles folks) for years. The card isn’t open for new applications but is available (without a welcome offer) as a product change option from other Chase Marriott Bonvoy cards.
But wait, a card without a welcome offer that’s only available if you get a different card first? Why on earth would anyone go through the trouble?
Because it’s the best-value Marriott card out there.
For $450/year, the Ritz card provides:
- An 85K Marriott free night certificate
- A $300 travel credit
- A Priority Pass Select membership with unlimited guests
- Sapphire Lounge access with unlimited guests
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Status
- 15 elite night credits per year
- The same, best-in-class travel protections as the Chase Sapphire Reserve card
That’s a pretty blazin’ deal for 450 bucks per year.
However, it looks like Chase might be about to toss some icy cold water on it.
Multiple commenters on this reddit thread have been told by Chase customer service reps that the annual fee on the Ritz-Carlton card will be increasing to $695/year, supposedly starting 8/1/25. That’s a big increase, so surely it will come with some additional bennies?
Not so much. The only additional benefit that’s been mentioned is a $200 cardmember-year credit for Renowned Hotels and Resorts, the same thing that was added to the high-end United cards earlier this year. It’s effectively an Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts-style program with fewer participants, and with a credit that’s more difficult to remember when to use because it resets on the cardmembers year instead of the calendar year. Regardless, is anyone out there searching for yet another $200 credit to yet another luxury hotel program? I know I’m not.
Quick Thoughts
Well, shoot. For years, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by the lack of changes to the Ritz-Carlton card, even as almost every single other ultra-premium credit card in the world has become more expensive, more couponized, and less easily used. Unfortunately, it looks like it may be time to pay the piper.
To be very, very clear, all this still falls under the “rumor” category. We’ve had no direct confirmation from Chase, and the info is coming from a reddit thread, which is informed by calls to Chase customer service, whose accuracy can be something other than sharp. But, given that multiple people are hearing the same thing from different reps, and with the exact same 8/1 date being mentioned, it does seem like there may be fire beneath the smoke.
It may be that there will be additional perks added to the card besides the $200 Renowned Resorts credit that’s being mentioned. That could make the value proposition look much rosier. However, if that’s really all there is, we’ll undoubtedly see a slew of people reaching for their “cancel” button and giving a slightly more interested glance over at the new Chase Sapphire Reserve card (that will cost only $100 more per year if the rumors about the new $695 Ritz tab are true).
The Ritz card still represents one of the better lounge access credit card options around, especially if you have a large family or travel with big groups. That may be enough to convince some folks to keep the card around, even with the higher fee.
For me, it might be time to say goodbye.
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The ‘$300 travel credit’ is only for airline incidentals so if you are tied to an airline other than UA, where you can use travel bank, then it’s really hard to use that.
It’s actually not terribly hard to use it at all. It really just varies by representative as to what charges get credited, but we have seen a wide range of travel incidentals get credited over the years.
They’re not completely there yet but Chase seems to be following Amex’s lead in their War On Value.
I am hoping that the agreement that only Amex can offer Platinum status is now ended and the Ritz can also offer Platinum membership,,,,or,,or,,,or Titanium Status……..lol.
So Greg, I will take that yet another $200 hotel credit along with Titanium status.
Platinum status with the Ritz (and a bump up to 25 elite nights for holding it?) would put a different spin on this news.
Rats. With a Ritz and a Cap1 VX you can get a lot of easy returns. The new norm is a part time job
Ouch. That’s a net $45 increase for no extra benefits and that’s only if you fully value the extra hotel credit – in reality it’s a $100+ increase without a lot to add.
Agree with others it’s strange to see a hotel card potentially add a benefit for booking with a different hotel platform (incentivizing stays at competitors?). Makes much more sense for airline cards, it makes me question a little how accurate the rumors will be.
If these really go through might just downgrade and get the 35K cert every year for $95.
It’s getting increasingly difficult to justify keeping a number of the high AF cards these days. It’s hard to believe the rumored changes are pointed towards the small number of gamers who are out there, so I wonder what’s driving this particular trend.
As much as I will hate this change (if it comes to pass), I will begrudgingly stick with the card. I need the good insurance that they offer (even though they trimmed it back a bit in the last year), which I manage to use about once a year lately.
CSR is the only other card with decent insurance.
CSP has very similiar insurance no?
CSP does not. The CSR has medical and dental emergency, evacuation, and lower time requirements for benefits to kick in and higher dollar amounts covered for benefits.
Got this card in April so haven’t even received my 85k free night cert yet lol. All that work for nada.
I find it hard to believe that Chase would mess with a popular card by increasing the annual fee and adding hard to use credits.
This has gotta be a rough attempt at sarcasm or satire or you have been living under a rock for the last month
I think it’s an awesome use of sarcasm. I’m still laughing.
Correct
Interesting.. I vaguely remember Nick at some point saying he pays $395 for this card bc he was grandfathered in when the annual fee was raised to $450… Not sure how this stuff is determined..
Would be a real shame if they couponized this card too esp without the coupons.
Good memory! Yes, I have an old Ritz card that I opened years ago when the annual fee was less and I have continued to be charged that lower fee even though they raised it for new applicants at some point years ago. I also have a second Ritz card that I got through an upgrade and that one is of course at the $450 fee. I will be curious to see how this all shakes out!
I think it’s reasonable to assume the authorized user cards and the lounge guesting get nerfed too.
Ugh, hoping its only rumors or that they roll out the changes later in the year – apllied for card in Sept 2023 – been waiting to double-dip (35K & 85K FNC) till AF. It a perfect Bonvoy tandem.card with Brilliant for 2.* 85K nights but they are getting harder to use and get value with category devaluations.
Honestly with two Amex Plats and the $200 FHR.credits and two CSRs with the Edit $400 (8 nights per year for both cards) credits and 1 Quest ( planning on P2 applying. For Quest in August before the elevated offer ends so thats another $150 RH credit, Delta Stays $200 refreshs on DBP card iin August.
The United Hotels (UA BIZ $50 *2) and Chase CSP $50 hotel credits are easier to burn/use. – we both just got the elevated 100k SUB so we also actually got the extra $50 credit – already booked hotel for an event in Seatlle using both $100 credits.
Then add $300 VenX travel credit P1/P2 we only book hotels with the credit. Plus we have (3) $50 Hilton Qtrly credits.
We have a plenty of “Hotel Coupon” credits in addition to 10 FNC across BONOY/IHG/Hilton. It will definitely be challenging to book and track the credits.
Will definitely have to re-evaluate the Amex Plat Refresh ‘since the ABP negarove changes, so we will close probably close after AF.
As.much as I kove.the Game this.is the first curveball that might break badly.
It’s not a rumor. A customer service rep confirmed to me that it’s happening. They are just finalizing the new statement credit and they will be sending out an email notice.
Technically, it *is* a rumor. Until you see it in writing, you actually don’t know if it will happen, nor what exactly will happen.
What you just described is a rumor.
For a larger change such as an annual fee increase a minimum of a 45 day notice is required.
.
I just talked with a customer service rep who confirmed that the annual fee IS increasing to $695 for renewals on or after August 1st. An announcement is pending the finalization of $200 statement credit mentioned in the article (mentioned by name on the call). NO other statement credits are being added. So, there you have it.
Greg and Nick?
Anyone with a fee posting on 8/1 has already received a monthly statement which says on paper or pdf that the renewal fee of $450 will post on 8/1/2025. I don’t see how Chase can get around that.
Maybe the increase applies after 8/1, but even someone with a 9/1 renewal date may already have received this monthly statement if it printed in early July.
If and when there’s an announcement, we’ll see how things add up. If it is exactly as described in this article, it might well be time to punt.