The Ritz-Carlton card has been closed to new applications since 2018, so the only way in is a product change from a Chase Marriott Bonvoy card you have held for at least a year, which is why it keeps turning up in upgrade threads rather than application ones. What makes it worth the detour is the annual free night award at up to 85,000 points, a full 50,000 above what Boundless gives you, which is the difference between a mid-tier property and a genuinely aspirational one. Add the $300 airline credit and the $450 fee is mostly covered before you count anything else, and the rest is real: Priority Pass Select with Chase Sapphire Lounge access, a $120 Global Entry credit, 15 elite nights, automatic Gold Elite, and a $100 property credit on two-night stays at Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis hotels. Earning is the weak spot at 6x on Marriott stays, 3x on dining, airfare, and car rentals, and 2x on everything else, so this is a card you hold for the certificate and the credits rather than one you put daily spend on. If you already have a Boundless sitting at a $10,000 credit line, the upgrade math is straightforward.
Earn rates & credits
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
Hotels Marriott Bonvoy participating hotels (card portion; Gold Elite bonus points are a program rate, not a card rate) | 6x |
Dining | 3x |
Airlines | 3x |
Car Rentals | 3x |
Everything Else | 2x |
| Benefit | Value |
|---|---|
Annual Travel Credit Up to $300 in statement credits each year on qualifying airline purchases such as baggage fees, seat upgrades, and lounge memberships or day passes | $300 /yr |
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit Up to $120 statement credit toward a Global Entry application fee, which also confers TSA PreCheck privileges | $120 |
Hotel Credit Up to $100 in property credit for qualifying dining, spa, or recreation charges on stays of two nights or more at The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties | $100 |
| Total annual credits | $300 |
Card details
Foreign transaction fee | None |