Help me decide. Amex PRG or Ritz?

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2015

After applying for the Amex Green I had some serious regrets, realizing it offers terrible rewards and still; an AF!

I must admit though, the only reason I even applied for that card was due to not educating myself. I just saw it was the charge card with the cheapest AF and applied. I now understand the error of my ways and have committed to thoroughly researching any CC in the future.

After seeing the new changes to the Amex PRG, I knew I had applied for the wrong card for sure. Up until today I was going to apply for it, but now I am a little undecided.

The bonus categoies for dining, gas and groceries are very appealing to me and the $100 airline fee credit/no FTF's were the icing on the cake; justifying the $195 AF down to prety much $95. I travel back to London from Detroit (DTW) once a year to visit family and friends. I know the $100 airline fee can be used for airline gift cards so I was planning on using it as basically $100 off my tickets every year. I also travel domestically once/twice a year too.

Anyway, I was looking at the Chase Ritz Carlton card today just out of lust and I noticed it had a $300 airline fee credit! Now with a $395 AF, I could do the same thing, and bring the AF down to virtually $95 also. It offers Lounge Club access which was the only thing that was making me consider it over the Amex PRG to be honest. The only thing is, I usually only stay at low-mid tier hotels and not Ritz Carlton hotels. What do you think? I am getting married next year and planning a honeymoon to Scotland/England so I guess I could use reward points towards a Ritz stay in central London?

EDIT*** If I was to apply for the Ritz I know I would have to wait until December of this year to apply as Chase dont approve if you've opened 5 or more accounts in 24 months.

EDIT*** Ok it doesn't apply to cobranded cards, never mind

myjourney · ‎06-28-2015

Not to sway you one way or the other but the Ritz also includes

Enjoy Two Complimentary Nights at any participating Tier 1-4

Can you say honeymoon

Both cards are great IMHO

Before you app think...
Have you done your research of the CC?
Does it fit your spending?
Do you have a plan for the bonus w/o going into debt?
Can you afford the AF?
Do you know the cards benefits? Is it worth the HP?

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2015

@myjourney wrote:
Not to sway you one way or the other but the Ritz also includes
Enjoy Two Complimentary Nights at any participating Tier 1-4
Can you say honeymoon

Both cards are great IMHO

Chase will still you the 140K point offer instead of the two night one and that's a better deal. The Ritz card is great and the 140K offer makes it tough to turn down along with the other benefits.

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2015

I really went back and forth about the Ritz. I know you commented on my approval thread. What pushed ME over the edge is that there's a REALLY good chance I can still get the 140k points offer rather than certificate for R-C. I'll almost definitely use the points for Marriott(s), rather than an R-C (assuming that offer still goes through). This is what I'm gambling on. No one yet has NOT gotten it.

I will likely only travel once by air through the end of the year, but I'll likely plan to do some traveling early in the next calendar year. So I should be able to use the air credit, but probably not to the extent that you can. (ETA: I think it re-sets at calendar year, so I meant to say I should be able to use most of it at least once but maybe both before the AF renewal.)

I had considered the Plat, I have the 50k offer for the PRG, but I don't want to start with MR points.

And I'm happy to get Gold status for Marriott/R-C.

Those were my reasons for choosing R-C.

(And I felt they'd give me a bigger SL),

Also, the 5-card (potential) limit is for non-co-branded cards more than likely. Many more people have gotten a co-branded card with more than 5 new cards. Though I may have pushed it by applying for Hyatt after the R-C

ETA: I started typing this before Irish, but ate dinner in the middle there somewhere

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
@myjourney wrote:
Not to sway you one way or the other but the Ritz also includes
Enjoy Two Complimentary Nights at any participating Tier 1-4
Can you say honeymoon

Both cards are great IMHO
Chase will still you the 140K point offer instead of the two night one and that's a better deal. The Ritz card is great and the 140K offer makes it tough to turn down along with the other benefits.

Yes, it seems like it! The Ritz in London is classed as a Tier 3 hotel and points required are 50,000 per night, so this would be a nice benefit given I'd have easily over 150,000 points by then. Does anyone know if this is just for a standard room or could you use the points/complimentary nights for a larger suite? I mean I am guessing there is a cap for which rooms you can choose, but was just wondering?

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@myjourney wrote:
Not to sway you one way or the other but the Ritz also includes
Enjoy Two Complimentary Nights at any participating Tier 1-4
Can you say honeymoon

Both cards are great IMHO
Chase will still you the 140K point offer instead of the two night one and that's a better deal. The Ritz card is great and the 140K offer makes it tough to turn down along with the other benefits.
Yes, it seems like it! The Ritz in London is classed as a Tier 3 hotel and points required are 50,000 per night, so this would be a nice benefit given I'd have easily over 150,000 points by then. Does anyone know if this is just for a standard room or could you use the points/complimentary nights for a larger suite? I mean I am guessing there is a cap for which rooms you can choose, but was just wondering?

You can use the points for any room. The card also comes with three certificates for upgrades to Club Level rooms at a Ritz for up to 7 nights.

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@myjourney wrote:
Not to sway you one way or the other but the Ritz also includes
Enjoy Two Complimentary Nights at any participating Tier 1-4
Can you say honeymoon

Both cards are great IMHO
Chase will still you the 140K point offer instead of the two night one and that's a better deal. The Ritz card is great and the 140K offer makes it tough to turn down along with the other benefits.
Yes, it seems like it! The Ritz in London is classed as a Tier 3 hotel and points required are 50,000 per night, so this would be a nice benefit given I'd have easily over 150,000 points by then. Does anyone know if this is just for a standard room or could you use the points/complimentary nights for a larger suite? I mean I am guessing there is a cap for which rooms you can choose, but was just wondering?
You can use the points for any room. The card also comes with three certificates for upgrades to Club Level rooms at a Ritz for up to 7 nights.

After considering this, I think it seems like a no-brainer for me now, at least for the first year of owning the card. That's awesome.

Given I was wrong about the whole 'Chase-24 month-cobranded cards' thing, I will probably be applying within the next few months now.

Something that just occurred to me though, I travel with Delta to LAX sometimes to stay with a friend and I know Delta are partnered with Amex. So I am guessing my Lounge Club wouldn't qualify with Delta purchases with the Ritz... I could always just find another airline but do like Delta. Hmm.

myjourney · ‎06-28-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@myjourney wrote:
Not to sway you one way or the other but the Ritz also includes
Enjoy Two Complimentary Nights at any participating Tier 1-4
Can you say honeymoon

Both cards are great IMHO
Chase will still you the 140K point offer instead of the two night one and that's a better deal. The Ritz card is great and the 140K offer makes it tough to turn down along with the other benefits.
Yes, it seems like it! The Ritz in London is classed as a Tier 3 hotel and points required are 50,000 per night, so this would be a nice benefit given I'd have easily over 150,000 points by then. Does anyone know if this is just for a standard room or could you use the points/complimentary nights for a larger suite? I mean I am guessing there is a cap for which rooms you can choose, but was just wondering?
You can use the points for any room. The card also comes with three certificates for upgrades to Club Level rooms at a Ritz for up to 7 nights.
After considering this, I think it seems like a no-brainer for me now, at least for the first year of owning the card. That's awesome.
Given I was wrong about the whole 'Chase-24 month-cobranded cards' thing, I will probably be applying within the next few months now then.

Something that just occurred to me though, I travel with Delta to LAX sometimes to stay with a friend and I know Delta are partnered with Amex. So I am guessing my Lounge Club wouldn't qualify with Delta purchases... I could always just find another airline but do like Delta. Hmm.

Lol You'll love this answer

Sounds like you can benefit from both cards in that case

Sounds like a double app spree to me and neither card has FTF so another plus

Edit to add and you can add 50k MR points to go with the honeymoon as well

Before you app think...
Have you done your research of the CC?
Does it fit your spending?
Do you have a plan for the bonus w/o going into debt?
Can you afford the AF?
Do you know the cards benefits? Is it worth the HP?

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@myjourney wrote:
Not to sway you one way or the other but the Ritz also includes
Enjoy Two Complimentary Nights at any participating Tier 1-4
Can you say honeymoon

Both cards are great IMHO
Chase will still you the 140K point offer instead of the two night one and that's a better deal. The Ritz card is great and the 140K offer makes it tough to turn down along with the other benefits.
Yes, it seems like it! The Ritz in London is classed as a Tier 3 hotel and points required are 50,000 per night, so this would be a nice benefit given I'd have easily over 150,000 points by then. Does anyone know if this is just for a standard room or could you use the points/complimentary nights for a larger suite? I mean I am guessing there is a cap for which rooms you can choose, but was just wondering?
You can use the points for any room. The card also comes with three certificates for upgrades to Club Level rooms at a Ritz for up to 7 nights.
After considering this, I think it seems like a no-brainer for me now, at least for the first year of owning the card. That's awesome.
Given I was wrong about the whole 'Chase-24 month-cobranded cards' thing, I will probably be applying within the next few months now then.

Something that just occurred to me though, I travel with Delta to LAX sometimes to stay with a friend and I know Delta are partnered with Amex. So I am guessing my Lounge Club wouldn't qualify with Delta purchases... I could always just find another airline but do like Delta. Hmm.

Keep in mind that that's for paid Ritz nights, not for points Ritz nights.

You can go on here and see the lounges: https://www.loungeclub.com/en/our-lounges/

Anonymous · ‎06-28-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@myjourney wrote:
Not to sway you one way or the other but the Ritz also includes
Enjoy Two Complimentary Nights at any participating Tier 1-4
Can you say honeymoon

Both cards are great IMHO
Chase will still you the 140K point offer instead of the two night one and that's a better deal. The Ritz card is great and the 140K offer makes it tough to turn down along with the other benefits.
Yes, it seems like it! The Ritz in London is classed as a Tier 3 hotel and points required are 50,000 per night, so this would be a nice benefit given I'd have easily over 150,000 points by then. Does anyone know if this is just for a standard room or could you use the points/complimentary nights for a larger suite? I mean I am guessing there is a cap for which rooms you can choose, but was just wondering?
You can use the points for any room. The card also comes with three certificates for upgrades to Club Level rooms at a Ritz for up to 7 nights.
After considering this, I think it seems like a no-brainer for me now, at least for the first year of owning the card. That's awesome.
Given I was wrong about the whole 'Chase-24 month-cobranded cards' thing, I will probably be applying within the next few months now then.

Something that just occurred to me though, I travel with Delta to LAX sometimes to stay with a friend and I know Delta are partnered with Amex. So I am guessing my Lounge Club wouldn't qualify with Delta purchases... I could always just find another airline but do like Delta. Hmm.
Keep in mind that that's for paid Ritz nights, not for points Ritz nights.

You can go on here and see the lounges: https://www.loungeclub.com/en/our-lounges/

Oh thank you! Will be looking at each lounge.

Ok, so with my points redemption or complimentary nights, there must be a cap?! Some of the luxury suites are well over $1,000 per night value. Surely enough I couldn't use it for those rooms? It must only be for standard rooms...