@merlinflex wrote:I have both the Ritz-Carlton Visa Infinite Card and the Chase Bonvoy for several years. I use them both interchangibly, but wondering which one is worth using more for traveling. I know about the RC's 85K free night certificate and the annual fee (I am grandfathered into the lower annual fee) and $300 annual travel credit. But for hotel reservations related to Marriott and travel spend at Marriott properties, which one gives me more bang for my buck?
The answer depends a little bit, @merlinflex, but probably leans towards the Ritz-Carlton, depending on usage and which cards you hold. When you say "Chase Bonvoy," are you referring to the older Chase Bonvoy $45 AF card, the new no-AF Chase Bonvoy Bold, or the $95 AF Chase Bonvoy Boundless? And do you have the Visa Infinite version of the Ritz Carlton card or do you mean you have the older Visa Signature version ($395 AF)? I've heard of that card but not sure if anyone was grandfathered-in with it or how it would compare.
- Compared to the other Bonvoy cards, the Ritz Carlton earns the same 6x Bonvoy points at Marriott properties that you'd earn with the Boundless. But the 6x points on R-C is greater than the 3x points you'd earn on the other two cards at Marriott.
- The R-C gives you automatic Gold status, and you reap the rewards of that regardless of if you pay with the card.
- The R-C gives you an accelerated path to Platinum if your overall spend is high enough. For $75K annual spend (in or out of Marriott), you'd earn Platinum. On the other hand, if you're trying to increase your elite night level just enough to reach Platinum, each $5K on the Boundless or $3K on the Bonvoy (old) will get you one elite night. So there are ways to use any of the cards for that purpose.
- For general travel (outside of Marriott), I'd recommend the R-C hand-down since the Visa Infinite travel protections are excellent and comparable to Sapphire Reserve.
- For Customer Service, R-C gives you access to JP Morgan Customer Service as opposed to Chase Sapphire. But I believe you could use this regardless of which card you swiped.
- If you're staying specifically at a Ritz-Carlton property, and plan to use one of your annual Club Level upgrade opportunities, it might be better (or even required ??) to pay with your card or have your card to present for access. (I don't have the R-C card so not sure how this feature works.) At other Marriott properties, of course, this wouldn't be a consideration.
- If you're traveling internationally, the (old) Chase Marriott card has a FTF while the other cards do not.
I'll tag @CreditCuriosity since I know he has this card among other members and might be able to shed some light.
@Aim_High wrote:
@merlinflex wrote:I have both the Ritz-Carlton Visa Infinite Card and the Chase Bonvoy for several years. I use them both interchangibly, but wondering which one is worth using more for traveling. I know about the RC's 85K free night certificate and the annual fee (I am grandfathered into the lower annual fee) and $300 annual travel credit. But for hotel reservations related to Marriott and travel spend at Marriott properties, which one gives me more bang for my buck?
The answer depends a little bit, @merlinflex, but probably leans towards the Ritz-Carlton, depending on usage and which cards you hold. When you say "Chase Bonvoy," are you referring to the older Chase Bonvoy $45 AF card, the new no-AF Chase Bonvoy Bold, or the $95 AF Chase Bonvoy Boundless? And do you have the Visa Infinite version of the Ritz Carlton card or do you mean you have the older Visa Signature version ($395 AF)? I've heard of that card but not sure if anyone was grandfathered-in with it or how it would compare.
- Compared to the other Bonvoy cards, the Ritz Carlton earns the same 6x Bonvoy points at Marriott properties that you'd earn with the Boundless. But the 6x points on R-C is greater than the 3x points you'd earn on the other two cards at Marriott.
- The R-C gives you automatic Gold status, and you reap the rewards of that regardless of if you pay with the card.
- The R-C gives you an accelerated path to Platinum if your overall spend is high enough. For $75K annual spend (in or out of Marriott), you'd earn Platinum. On the other hand, if you're trying to increase your elite night level just enough to reach Platinum, each $5K on the Boundless or $3K on the Bonvoy (old) will get you one elite night. So there are ways to use any of the cards for that purpose.
- For general travel (outside of Marriott), I'd recommend the R-C hand-down since the Visa Infinite travel protections are excellent and comparable to Sapphire Reserve.
- For Customer Service, R-C gives you access to JP Morgan Customer Service as opposed to Chase Sapphire. But I believe you could use this regardless of which card you swiped.
- If you're staying specifically at a Ritz-Carlton property, and plan to use one of your annual Club Level upgrade opportunities, it might be better (or even required ??) to pay with your card or have your card to present for access. (I don't have the R-C card so not sure how this feature works.) At other Marriott properties, of course, this wouldn't be a consideration.
- If you're traveling internationally, the (old) Chase Marriott card has a FTF while the other cards do not.
I'll tag @CreditCuriosity since I know he has this card among other members and might be able to shed some light.
@Aim_High you also forgot the $300 airline liberal airline credit travel credit so essentially making it a $95 dollar AF credit card for 85k night.. Otherwise think you got most of it. So by far RC > Marriott card either version. That travel credit can be used for traveling with Skis, golf clubs or big bags or airline giftcard(although certainily don't say that when you call 
), etc.. Just a quick call to be reimbursed.
Also never been a visa signature version of RC card that I am aware of although certainly could of been long ago