Marriott Bonvoy Good vs. the Ritz-Carlton Card: Do you have to get one — or each?

Educated TPG readers may look on the headline of this story and object to its total premise because the Ritz-Carlton™ Credit score Card closed to new functions in 2018. So, earlier than we dive into this comparability, let’s handle the elephant within the room.

Though the Marriott Bonvoy Good® American Specific® Card is Marriott’s solely premium-level card technically accessible to new candidates these days, there is a workaround to get the now-closed Ritz card. Chase permits cardholders of different private Marriott-branded Chase playing cards — such because the Marriott Bonvoy Daring® Credit score Card and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card — to product change to the Ritz-Carlton card so long as they’ve had their playing cards for at the very least 12 months.

With that technicality out of the way in which, we will evaluate the Marriott Bonvoy Good and Ritz-Carlton playing cards head-to-head to seek out out which one is best for you, and when you ought to even carry each of them concurrently.

The knowledge for the Ritz-Carlton Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

The Marriott Bonvoy Good at the moment has a welcome provide of 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after spending $6,000 in purchases inside the first six months of card membership.

TPG’s January 2025 valuations peg Bonvoy factors at 0.85 cents every, making this provide value $808.

Nonetheless, because the Ritz-Carlton Card is not accessible for brand spanking new sign-ups, there isn’t any welcome bonus. Those that product change to the Ritz-Carlton Card don’t obtain any bonus factors.

In fact, examine that you simply’re eligible for the bonus earlier than making use of for the Marriott Bonvoy Good.

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Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Good — no rationalization wanted.

Associated: The most effective time to use for these Amex playing cards in keeping with provide historical past

The Marriott Bonvoy Good comes with:

• Precedence Go Choose membership for you and two friends
• As much as $300 in assertion credit yearly for eating at eating places worldwide
• Computerized Platinum Elite standing
• 25 elite night time credit every calendar 12 months
• Earned Alternative Award after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases every calendar 12 months

The Ritz-Carlton card, in the meantime, comes with:

• Precedence Go Choose membership
• As much as $300 in assertion credit for eligible airline incidentals, together with baggage charges, lounge entry or inflight Wi-Fi
• Computerized Gold Elite standing
• 15 elite night time credit yearly
• Three upgrades to the Ritz-Carlton Membership Degree on paid stays of as much as seven nights
• Rental automotive privileges with Avis, Nationwide and Silvercar

Should you’re after Bonvoy elite standing, you will profit extra from the upper standing and extra annual elite night time credit with the Marriott Bonvoy Good. Nonetheless, these perks do include a considerably larger annual charge. If you would like entry to the Ritz-Carlton membership degree and rental automotive privileges or are attempting to maintain your annual charges decrease, the Ritz-Carlton card is your more sensible choice.

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Good. It comes with a better standing degree and has a $300 annual eating credit score that is simpler for many individuals to make use of than the airline incidental credit score on the Ritz-Carlton card.

Associated: Is the Marriott Bonvoy Good well worth the $650 annual charge?

Incomes factors with the Marriott Bonvoy Good vs. Ritz-Carlton Card

The 2 playing cards have extraordinarily related incomes charges. Each playing cards earn 6 factors per greenback spent at taking part Marriott inns, 3 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide and on flights booked instantly with the airline and a pair of factors per greenback spent on all different purchases. With TPG’s January 2025 valuations in thoughts, that is basically a return of roughly 5% on Marriott purchases, 2.5% on eating places and flights, and 1.7% on on a regular basis spending.

The Ritz-Carlton card, nonetheless, additionally earns 3 factors per greenback spent on automotive leases, which means you will additionally get an efficient return of round 2.5% on these purchases as effectively if you use it.

Winner: Ritz-Carlton Card. Incomes bonus factors on rental automobiles provides it a slight edge over the Marriott Bonvoy Good.

Associated: Find out how to earn Marriott Bonvoy factors

The Ritz-Carlton card and the Marriott Bonvoy Good each earn Marriott Bonvoy factors, so there isn’t any distinction on the redemption entrance. You may redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors towards free stays at greater than 8,000 properties throughout nearly 30 manufacturers in over 125 nations or flip them into airline miles free of charge flights.

Marriott factors switch to over 40 frequent flyer packages, largely at a 2.4:1 ratio, factoring within the 5,000-mile bonus given for each 60,000 factors transferred to most packages.

Winner: Tie. Since each of those playing cards earn Marriott Bonvoy factors, they’ve equal redemption choices.

Associated: Find out how to redeem factors with the Marriott Bonvoy program

If you would like a welcome bonus, a better path to Bonvoy elite standing and the choice to earn a selection award, the Marriott Bonvoy Good is your higher choice. Nonetheless, when you’re in search of Bonvoy perks for a decrease annual charge, can maximize the airline incidental credit score and wish Ritz-Carlton Membership entry and rental automotive privileges, the Ritz-Carlton card will serve you higher.

The Marriott Bonvoy Good is an American Specific card, whereas the Ritz-Carlton card is a Chase card. Subsequently, you can’t product change between the 2 playing cards. As talked about above, the one manner you will get the Ritz-Carlton card is by doing a product change from one other Chase Marriott card after you have held it for at the very least a 12 months.

Associated: The final word information to bank card upgrades

To be taught extra, see our full opinions of the Marriott Bonvoy Good and the Ritz-Carlton card.

Apply right here: Marriott Bonvoy Good

For charges and charges of the Marriott Bonvoy Good, click on right here.

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