Thanks for sharing. I believe the Ritz card benefits most when staying at their chain, whereas Platinum can be used at any chain, and you reap the travel rewards off it better. Either way, they both have some good perks it looks like.
Starting Score: EX 651/EQ 654/TU 668
@dilettante wrote:
@JoshNurse wrote:
@Luscher wrote:
If we are talking about actual card. Physically the Ritz is pure metal and very heavy compared to any other card, which is a plus. It does get old after a while of people telling you what you already know (that it is heavy)I am getting both. If i dont I will get an anxiety attack.
I have both and have found both equally useful this past year and worth the AF's but may possibly close out Plat next year depending on travel plans.
Useful benefits of Ritz: 1) $300 airline incidental credit - used it for award ticketing fees for UA Gobal First Class tickets
2) Marriott Gold Status - breakfast lounge access useful when traveling with kids
3) Lounge Club passes - unlimited guests and AU's get their own lounge cards (less lounges in program but Plats Priority Pass makes you pay for
guests)
4) Primary CDW - though I haven't rented a car in a long time.
5) Free AU cards
Useful benefits of Plat: 1) $200 airline credit - used this year's for airline gift cards to pay part of cheap first class tickets on Alaska Air
2) FHR program - have used quite a bit (when not using Four Season's Preferred Program) and when guaranteed late check out is needed
3) IAP program - saved a few thousand dollars when buying fully refundable nternational business class tickets
4) SPG Gold status
5) Hilton Gold status
6) Priority Pass - has more lounges than Lounge Club and good if traveling alone
I only use Ritz when staying at their chain or for DH work related stays and spend only 15K to cover continured Gold Status. The Plat only gets used for special promotions such as free Amazon prime during the holidays or for the IAP, otherwise it's in the drawer since it's a purely benefits card.
Good luck with your apps!
Easier way to get gold status is the status challenge, 6 stays in (i think) 3 months. 
@jsucool76 wrote:
@dilettante wrote:
@JoshNurse wrote:
@Luscher wrote:
If we are talking about actual card. Physically the Ritz is pure metal and very heavy compared to any other card, which is a plus. It does get old after a while of people telling you what you already know (that it is heavy)I am getting both. If i dont I will get an anxiety attack.
I have both and have found both equally useful this past year and worth the AF's but may possibly close out Plat next year depending on travel plans.
Useful benefits of Ritz: 1) $300 airline incidental credit - used it for award ticketing fees for UA Gobal First Class tickets
2) Marriott Gold Status - breakfast lounge access useful when traveling with kids
3) Lounge Club passes - unlimited guests and AU's get their own lounge cards (less lounges in program but Plats Priority Pass makes you pay for
guests)
4) Primary CDW - though I haven't rented a car in a long time.
5) Free AU cards
Useful benefits of Plat: 1) $200 airline credit - used this year's for airline gift cards to pay part of cheap first class tickets on Alaska Air
2) FHR program - have used quite a bit (when not using Four Season's Preferred Program) and when guaranteed late check out is needed
3) IAP program - saved a few thousand dollars when buying fully refundable nternational business class tickets
4) SPG Gold status
5) Hilton Gold status
6) Priority Pass - has more lounges than Lounge Club and good if traveling alone
I only use Ritz when staying at their chain or for DH work related stays and spend only 15K to cover continured Gold Status. The Plat only gets used for special promotions such as free Amazon prime during the holidays or for the IAP, otherwise it's in the drawer since it's a purely benefits card.
Good luck with your apps!
Easier way to get gold status is the status challenge, 6 stays in (i think) 3 months.
They used to have "Taste of Gold/Plat" where you would get status right away for a few months and would have to meet stay requirements to keep it for following year. That was a better plan but I believe now you have to meet challenge first before they give you status. The Ritz card does give complimentary Gold for first year but after that, you need to spend 10k.
I don't do well with challenges - maybe due to my attitude about hating being forced to do things. I'm much better at spending money
@dilettante wrote:
@jsucool76 wrote:
@dilettante wrote:
@JoshNurse wrote:
@Luscher wrote:
If we are talking about actual card. Physically the Ritz is pure metal and very heavy compared to any other card, which is a plus. It does get old after a while of people telling you what you already know (that it is heavy)I am getting both. If i dont I will get an anxiety attack.
I have both and have found both equally useful this past year and worth the AF's but may possibly close out Plat next year depending on travel plans.
Useful benefits of Ritz: 1) $300 airline incidental credit - used it for award ticketing fees for UA Gobal First Class tickets
2) Marriott Gold Status - breakfast lounge access useful when traveling with kids
3) Lounge Club passes - unlimited guests and AU's get their own lounge cards (less lounges in program but Plats Priority Pass makes you pay for
guests)
4) Primary CDW - though I haven't rented a car in a long time.
5) Free AU cards
Useful benefits of Plat: 1) $200 airline credit - used this year's for airline gift cards to pay part of cheap first class tickets on Alaska Air
2) FHR program - have used quite a bit (when not using Four Season's Preferred Program) and when guaranteed late check out is needed
3) IAP program - saved a few thousand dollars when buying fully refundable nternational business class tickets
4) SPG Gold status
5) Hilton Gold status
6) Priority Pass - has more lounges than Lounge Club and good if traveling alone
I only use Ritz when staying at their chain or for DH work related stays and spend only 15K to cover continured Gold Status. The Plat only gets used for special promotions such as free Amazon prime during the holidays or for the IAP, otherwise it's in the drawer since it's a purely benefits card.
Good luck with your apps!
Easier way to get gold status is the status challenge, 6 stays in (i think) 3 months.
They used to have "Taste of Gold/Plat" where you would get status right away for a few months and would have to meet stay requirements to keep it for following year. That was a better plan but I believe now you have to meet challenge first before they give you status. The Ritz card does give complimentary Gold for first year but after that, you need to spend 10k.
I don't do well with challenges - maybe due to my attitude about hating being forced to do things. I'm much better at spending money
They still do the "taste of" challenges, but they're for people who haven't had the status before. IE..if you're silver (and have never been gold) you can do "taste of gold" , if you're silver and lost your gold status from the previous year, you can do the "road to gold" challenge. Same deal for gold-> platinum
@jsucool76 wrote:
@dilettante wrote:
@jsucool76 wrote:
@dilettante wrote:
@JoshNurse wrote:
@Luscher wrote:
If we are talking about actual card. Physically the Ritz is pure metal and very heavy compared to any other card, which is a plus. It does get old after a while of people telling you what you already know (that it is heavy)I am getting both. If i dont I will get an anxiety attack.
I have both and have found both equally useful this past year and worth the AF's but may possibly close out Plat next year depending on travel plans.
Useful benefits of Ritz: 1) $300 airline incidental credit - used it for award ticketing fees for UA Gobal First Class tickets
2) Marriott Gold Status - breakfast lounge access useful when traveling with kids
3) Lounge Club passes - unlimited guests and AU's get their own lounge cards (less lounges in program but Plats Priority Pass makes you pay for
guests)
4) Primary CDW - though I haven't rented a car in a long time.
5) Free AU cards
Useful benefits of Plat: 1) $200 airline credit - used this year's for airline gift cards to pay part of cheap first class tickets on Alaska Air
2) FHR program - have used quite a bit (when not using Four Season's Preferred Program) and when guaranteed late check out is needed
3) IAP program - saved a few thousand dollars when buying fully refundable nternational business class tickets
4) SPG Gold status
5) Hilton Gold status
6) Priority Pass - has more lounges than Lounge Club and good if traveling alone
I only use Ritz when staying at their chain or for DH work related stays and spend only 15K to cover continured Gold Status. The Plat only gets used for special promotions such as free Amazon prime during the holidays or for the IAP, otherwise it's in the drawer since it's a purely benefits card.
Good luck with your apps!
Easier way to get gold status is the status challenge, 6 stays in (i think) 3 months.
They used to have "Taste of Gold/Plat" where you would get status right away for a few months and would have to meet stay requirements to keep it for following year. That was a better plan but I believe now you have to meet challenge first before they give you status. The Ritz card does give complimentary Gold for first year but after that, you need to spend 10k.
I don't do well with challenges - maybe due to my attitude about hating being forced to do things. I'm much better at spending money
They still do the "taste of" challenges, but they're for people who haven't had the status before. IE..if you're silver (and have never been gold) you can do "taste of gold" , if you're silver and lost your gold status from the previous year, you can do the "road to gold" challenge. Same deal for gold-> platinum
Thanks for the info, will have to try it out for the Plat sometime when I know I will be staying at Marriott/Ritz.
@Anonymous wrote:
@jsucool76 wrote:
@JoshNurse wrote:
@Jaylima91 wrote:
Both are great cards and each offer great benefits.I see you have both the platinum and gold amex cards. What can I use both for? I just want to know because i am sure i will end up getting both anyways.
The PRG is for rewards, the platinum is for benefits.
Platinum is a straight 1 point per dollar spent (2 points on purchases through amex travel) just like the green and regular gold card. PRG earns 3x on airlines, 2x on gas and on supermarkets, as well as the 2x on purchases through amex travel.
What if they made a PRP.
Premier Rewards Platinum.
LOL...if Amex would match the earning rate of the PRG to their Platinum card I would get it and make it my primary card.....PRG is not good due to the FTF and Platinum is horrible for the earning so it is a no go for me at the present T&Cs 
Agreed. I dont go out of country often anymore but I don't see why they couldn't find a way to merge the benefits of the PRG and Platinum for a nominal increase say $495....Also, start making the plat a metal hybrid card like the CSP. 
@Anonymous wrote:
Agreed. I dont go out of country often anymore but I don't see why they couldn't find a way to merge the benefits of the PRG and Platinum for a nominal increase say $495....Also, start making the plat a metal hybrid card like the CSP.
I totes plan on getting the plat card with the first year waived AF from ameriprise, but after that I most likely won't keep it. Just play with it for a year
I also might go for the ritz card for a year, take advantage of some of the perks. =]
@jsucool76 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Agreed. I dont go out of country often anymore but I don't see why they couldn't find a way to merge the benefits of the PRG and Platinum for a nominal increase say $495....Also, start making the plat a metal hybrid card like the CSP.I totes plan on getting the plat card with the first year waived AF from ameriprise, but after that I most likely won't keep it. Just play with it for a year
I also might go for the ritz card for a year, take advantage of some of the perks. =]
I like perks.
Perks are good
this is the only Ritz i can afford
