Ritz Carlton Card: The Undisputed Champion for Rental Car Rewards & Protection!
Hey friends, Phillip here, and today we're diving into a topic that's going to seriously level up your travel game, especially when it comes to rental cars. Buckle up, because a few key changes are making the Ritz Carlton credit card the absolute BEST premium travel card for your rental adventures.
Why the Ritz Carlton Card is Dominating the Rental Car Game
So, what sparked this deep dive? Well, I was checking out a very insightful comparison of premium travel card protections over at Frequent Miler, and something clicked. With a few shifts in the landscape, the Ritz Carlton card is poised to become the ultimate winner!
Here's the breakdown:
Primary Rental Car Coverage: Like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Ritz Carlton card offers primary rental car collision damage waiver (CDW) protection. This is HUGE.
Roadside Assistance: Both the Ritz Carlton and CSR offer up to 4 roadside assistance visits per year! Flat tire? Need a tow? Save your rental car roadside assistance coverage and use this perk to get you back on the road. You don't even need to use the card to pay for the rental to use this benefit.
The Game Changer: Chase Sapphire Reserve Changes
Up until now, the Chase Sapphire Reserve was a solid choice for rental cars because of its 3x points on travel. However, starting in October, that's dropping to a measly 1x point per dollar on rental cars purchased directly.
This is where the Ritz Carlton card steals the show!
3x Points on Rental Cars: The Ritz Carlton card earns a solid 3x points per dollar on rental car purchases when purchased directly. Yes, they are Marriott points, but I'd much rather have 3x Marriott points than 1x Chase Ultimate Reward point.
Visa Infinite Perks: The Ritz Carlton card boasts Visa Infinite protections, offering even more rental car coverage and benefits. It has all the protection we need!
Ritz Carlton Card: A Deep Dive into Awesome
Okay, so the Ritz Carlton card is a rental car ROCKSTAR, but what else does it bring to the table? Let's break it down:
Annual Fee: $450
Yes, it's a premium fee, but the benefits can easily offset it!
15 Elite Night Credits: Helps you climb the Marriott Bonvoy status ladder.
Marriott Gold Status: Enjoy perks like late checkout and early check-in!
Free Night Award: An 85,000-point free night award every year after you've had the card for a year!
$300 Airline Incidental Credit: This is a HUGE value. You officially have to use it for airline incidentals, but you can often get it to cover other travel purchases by calling the number on the back of the card.
Lounge Access Galore!
Unlimited access to Chase Sapphire Lounges. Bring in unlimited guests!
Priority Pass Select Membership: Access to Priority Pass lounges, Express Spa, and Minute Suites.
Authorized Users = More Perks!
NO annual fee for authorized users.
Each authorized user gets their own Priority Pass Select membership.
How to Get Your Hands on the Ritz Carlton Card
Okay, so you're sold on the Ritz Carlton card, right? Here's the catch: You can't apply for it directly. Here's the secret:
Get a Chase Marriott Bonvoy Card: The Chase Bonvoy Boundless Card ($95 annual fee) is the one you want.
Hold the Card for a Year: You must be a cardholder for at least one year.
Product Change Time! Call Chase or send a secure message to request a product change to the Ritz Carlton card.
Pro-Tip: Enroll in Priority Pass during that phone call to save yourself a step later!
Final Thoughts
The Ritz Carlton card is the new MVP when it comes to maximizing rental car rewards and protection!
A special shoutout to JC in the Venture Capital Discord for the inspiration for this post!
Happy travels, and I'll catch you in the next one!