Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card vs Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
For those who want to cut the middleman, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card is a very comparable co-brand card. Earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. 3 points at Worldwide Restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2 points on all other eligible purchases.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant also has a welcome offer of 95,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 within three months of account opening. With potential statement credits each year, which easily help offset its $650 annual fee. Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite Status: With complimentary Platinum Elite status, earn 5X points on every eligible hotel purchase for qualifying rates. That’s 50% more points on hotel purchases.
Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Though the Chase Sapphire Reserve may have a steeper annual fee ($550) and higher interest (21.74 percent to 28.74 percent, variable), this card is one of Bankrate’s highest rated cards for a good reason. Unlike the Ritz-Carlton card, the Chase Sapphire Reserved covers and rewards much more through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. You earn 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and Chase dining purchases along with 5X points on air travel. This gives you a chance to get up to 35X points on every vacation. Not to mention the automatic $300 travel credits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve definitely is worth its yearly bill.
That being said, a lot of the card’s earning power does rely on its rewards portal to do the work. The extra work may not be ideal for a frequent traveler who already knows what they want and doesn’t want to compromise. It also has a competing welcome offer of 80,000 points after $4,000 within the first three months for its price point. If you want a more straightforward luxury travel card, this may not be the best fit.
Best cards to pair with the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card
Because the Ritz-Carlton Rewards card is so focused, it would be better to have a more general card to pair with it. A general travel card with a lower annual fee, like the Citi Premier® Card, can be a good addition, as it still has rewards geared towards travel but doesn’t have a steep price. With 3 points per $1 spent on gas stations, air travel, and hotels, you can travel anyway you want and still be rewarded. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal (through June 30, 2024). It also helps that it’s not attached to a particular brand, making it even more flexible.
However, if you prefer the concentrated perks of a co-brand, an airline card such as the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express could also match well with the Ritz-Carlton Rewards card. With Delta being one of the largest airlines in the world, there are plenty of opportunities to use this card. While the rewards rate is lower (3X points per Delta purchase, 2X per U.S. supermarkets and restaurants), the price is also lower at $250 per year.