Chase has confirmed a number of changes to the Ritz-Carlton card and the Marriott business card. These changes will go into affect on August 26th. Let’s dive in.
Ritz-Carlton
- Card will earn at the following rates:
- 6 points per dollar at Marriott properties, including SPGs and Ritz-Carltons (currently 5x)
- 3 points per dollar at restaurants, car rental companies and airline tickets purchased directly from airlines (currently 2x)
- 2 points per dollar on all other purchases (currently 1x)
- Addition of a free night certificate that can be used on properties costing up to 50,000 points per night
- Card will offer automatic gold status (previously you needed to spend $10,000)
- Removal of 10% annual points boost
All other benefits on the card will be staying the same. Getting gold status automatically seems like an upgrade, but under the new program old gold status is really Platinum status so it’s a downgrade.
Chase Marriott Business Card
- Name of the card is being changed to Marriott Premier Plus Business card. Looks like it won’t be a new card launched, the name on the current card will just change instead.
- Card will earn at the following rates:
- 6 points per dollar at Marriott properties, including SPGs and Ritz-Carltons (currently 5x)
- 4 points per dollar at gas stations and restaurants, and for shipping, internet, cable and phone services purchases (new categories)
- 2 points per dollar on all other purchases (currently 1x)
- Free night certificate that can be used on properties costing up to 35,000 points per night (currently it can be used on category 1-5 properties. That maps over to this same value)
- Earn gold status by spending $35,000 in a card member year (previously $50,000)
- Removal of 1 elite night credit for every $3,000 in purchases
- 15 elite night credits every year from 2019 onwards (this can’t be stacked if you have multiple SPG/Marriott cards. Most of these cards will come with this benefit, but if you have say the Marriott business & personal you’ll only receive a total of 15 elite night credits and not 30)
Chase Marriott Personal Card
- Free night certificate that can be used on properties costing up to 25,000 points per night (currently it can be used on category 1-5 properties. This maps over to 10,000 less points in value)
Our Verdict
When Chase talked about exciting changes to the Ritz-Carlton card I was kind of expecting more to be honest. I had hopes there would be a reasonable spend requirement for Platinum status, but that remains at $75,000. The Marriott personal card is getting worse with that free night certificate and I’d suggest most people will struggle to redeem a free night certificate up to 25,000 points. The removal of the elite night credit after $3,000 in spend on the Marriott business card will also hurt some people. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I’d also be surprised if the Marriott personal card doesn’t also see the spend $3,000 get an elite night credit removed, but seemingly no announcement yet?
