You cannot apply for the Ritz-Carlton card anymore, but there is still a path to it. Here is how existing Chase Marriott cardholders get in, plus the math on the 85,000-point Free Night Award and the rest of the benefits.
You cannot apply for The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card. There is no application link, no welcome bonus, no "learn more" button. Chase closed it to new applicants years ago, and both Chase and Marriott confirm that is still the case. And yet people who hold this card treat it like a keeper for life, and people who do not hold it keep asking how to get in.
Both things make sense once you see the benefits. This guide covers what the card actually delivers, the honest math, and the one path that still exists for getting it.
The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card is a Chase-issued Marriott Bonvoy card (it says J.P. Morgan on the front, which is Chase's premium brand). Marriott's own FAQ states it plainly: "The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card from JPMorgan is no longer available to new applicants."
The path in: you need to already hold a Chase Marriott Bonvoy consumer card, then ask Chase to switch you. More on that below.
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy hotels (30+ brands) | 6X points |
| Dining | 3X points |
| Car rentals | 3X points |
| Airline purchases (booked direct) | 3X points |
| Everything else | 2X points |
We value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents each, so 6X at hotels works out to roughly a 4.8% return on Marriott stays. That is solid, but earning rates are not why anyone wants this card.
| Benefit | Annual value |
|---|---|
| $300 Annual Travel Credit | $300 |
| 85,000-point Annual Free Night Award | $595 |
| Global Entry / TSA PreCheck application fee | $120 |
The 85,000-point Free Night Award is the headline. Every account anniversary you get a certificate good for a night that costs up to 85,000 points, and you can top it up with up to 25,000 more points from your balance. That unlocks actual Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties, not just the budget end of the Marriott map. For comparison, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless gives a 35,000-point certificate.
Owner's note, firsthand: I hold this card, and this is exactly how I used the certificate. We redeemed the Free Night Award with the 25,000-point top-up at Almare, a Luxury Collection adult all-inclusive resort on Isla Mujeres in Mexico. The boat ride over to the hotel sets the tone before you even check in. The sunset views are amazing, the all-inclusive food quality genuinely holds up, and the free kayak session and the rooftop rounded it out. One certificate covering a night at an all-inclusive Luxury Collection property is the kind of redemption that makes this card make sense. I have not put the travel credit or the Club Level certificates to work yet, and I will update this page when I do. The 85k award at this level is matched only by the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, which is open to new applicants if you want this perk without the upgrade dance.
The $300 Annual Travel Credit covers airline incidentals: baggage fees, seat upgrades, lounge day passes or memberships, in-flight wifi and meals. Two honest caveats. It does not cover airfare itself, and you have to call J.P. Morgan Priority Services to apply it within 4 billing cycles of the purchase. It is real money, but it makes you work for it. It also pairs beautifully with points tickets: seat upgrades are a covered category, so you can fly an economy award and upgrade the seat on this card, like the 30,000-point Paris trip we booked with Atmos Rewards.
Lounge access comes via Priority Pass Select, which Chase's benefits page pegs at over 1,300 lounges worldwide, plus complimentary access to Chase Sapphire Lounges. Cards with Priority Pass memberships typically charge north of $400 a year, so if you fly even a few times annually this benefit alone changes the math.
Elite status: automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite every calendar year, plus 15 Elite Night Credits toward higher status. Gold gets you 25% bonus points on stays, 2 p.m. late checkout, and enhanced room upgrades where available.
The luxury extras: three Club Level upgrade certificates each year for The Ritz-Carlton Club on eligible paid stays of up to seven nights, and Marriott lists a $100 property benefit on qualifying paid stays at participating St. Regis and Ritz-Carlton hotels. Club Level normally costs hundreds per night above the standard rate, so if you were paying for a Ritz stay anyway, one certificate can outvalue everything else on this list.
$450 a year, per the cardmember agreement. You will not find it on a public Chase page anymore, since closed cards get no marketing pages. Chase's September 2022 announcement, the one that upgraded the Free Night Award from 50,000 to 85,000 points, said that change came "with no change to the annual fee." Against the $1,015 in annual benefits from the table above, the $450 fee leaves about $565 of headroom before you swipe the card once. Still confirm the current fee on your call with Chase before you commit.
There is exactly one path, and Marriott's FAQ points to it directly.
If Chase says no, you keep your current card, nothing lost. If the answer is yes, your card number and account age carry forward and the benefits kick in on the new product.
This card makes sense if you already sleep in Marriott hotels a few nights a year and can use one big certificate night. The 85,000-point award plus the top-up covers properties where paid rates routinely run $600 and up, which is how holders come out ahead even before the travel credit and lounge access.
Skip it if you rarely stay at Marriott brands, since a card like this earns its keep through the hotel ecosystem or not at all. And if you want the same 85k Free Night Award without holding a Chase Marriott card first, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant gets you there through a normal application.
Want to see what your points unlock first? Run your balance through our Sweet Spot Finder or check the full Marriott Bonvoy transfer partner picture.
Can I apply for the Ritz-Carlton card directly? No. Chase and Marriott both confirm the card is closed to new applicants. The route that worked for me: apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, hold it for a year, then call Chase and ask to switch to the Ritz-Carlton card.
Does the Free Night Award really cover Ritz-Carlton hotels? The certificate covers a standard room costing up to 85,000 points, and you can add up to 25,000 points from your own balance on top. That range includes many Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties, though the most expensive ones can price above even 110,000 points on peak dates. Certificates expire 12 months after they are issued.
What is the annual fee? $450 a year, per the cardmember agreement. Chase does not list it publicly since the card is closed to new applications, so confirm it on the phone when you ask about switching.
Do I keep my points and account history if I switch? A product switch keeps your existing account, so your history stays. Your points live in your Marriott Bonvoy account either way, not on the card.
All facts on this page were verified July 2, 2026 against first-party sources: Chase's Ritz-Carlton card pages (marriott.chase.com/ritz-carlton and its benefits and earn-redeem pages), Marriott's help center article on the card, Chase's September 22, 2022 press release, and our own card database, where every credit value above is tracked with its source.