Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant vs. Ritz-Carlton Card: Should you buy one – or both?
TPG-savvy readers may glance at the title of this story and object to its entire premise because Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card closed to new applications in 2018. So before diving into this comparison, let’s address the elephant in the room.
In spite of Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card As Marriott’s only top-level card is technically available to new subscribers, there’s a workaround to get the now-closed Ritz card. Chase allows cardholders of other Marriott-branded personal Chase cards – e.g Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card And Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card — exchange products to a Ritz-Carlton card as long as they have used the card for at least 12 months.
With that technicality out of the way, we’ll compare the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Ritz-Carlton cards head-to-head to find out which card is better for you and whether you should carry both cards at the same time.
Information about the Ritz-Carlton Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Compare the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card and the Ritz-Carlton card
Here are the basics about each of these two cards in the main categories:
| Marriott Bonvoy is brilliant | Ritz-Carlton Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $650 (see exchange rates and fees) | $450 |
| Welcome bonus | Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. | not applicable |
| Income ratio |
|
|
| Credit |
|
|
| Elite status | Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status |
|
| Free nights | Free night every year (up to 85,000 points) after card renewal. Some hotels have resort fees. | Free night every year (up to 85,000 points) after card renewal |
| Other benefits |
|
|
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Welcome Offer vs. Ritz-Carlton Card
the Marriott Bonvoy is brilliant There is currently a welcome offer of 95,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $6,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
TPG January 2025 valuation Bonvoy pegs Bonvoy at 0.85 cents each, making this deal worth $808.
However, since the Ritz-Carlton Card is no longer available to new applicants, there is no welcome bonus. Those who exchange products to the Ritz-Carlton Card do not receive any bonus points.
Of course, check to see if you have one qualify for bonuses before signing up for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant.
Daily newsletter
Gift your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers to get breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive offers from TPG experts
Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant – no explanation needed.
Related: The best time to apply for these Amex cards according to offer history
Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card vs. the Ritz-Carlton Card
Both cards offer valuable statement credits, automatic elite status, free anniversary nights, and valuable travel protections. Their differences come down to a few specifics.
the Marriott Bonvoy is brilliant Comes with:
- Priority Pass Select membership for you and two guests
- Up to $300 in statement credits annually when dining at restaurants worldwide
- Automatic Elite Platinum status
- 25 elite night credits per calendar year
- Win a Choice Award after spending $60,000 on qualifying purchases each calendar year
Meanwhile, the Ritz-Carlton card comes with:
- Priority card Select member
- Up to $300 statement credit for eligible airline incidentals, including baggage fees, lounge access or in-flight Wi-Fi
- Automatic Gold Elite status
- 15 annual elite night credits
- Three upgrades to the Ritz-Carlton Club Level on paid stays of up to seven nights
- Car rental incentives with Avis, National and Silvercar
If you pursue Bonvoy elite status, you’ll benefit from higher status and more annual elite night credits with Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. However, those perks come with significantly higher annual fees. If you want to join the Ritz-Carlton club level and have car rental privileges or are trying to keep the annual fee lower, the Ritz-Carlton card is the better choice for you.
Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. It comes with a higher status level and has a $300 annual dining credit, which is easier to use for many people than the random airline credit on the Ritz-Carlton card.
Related: Is Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant worth the $650 annual fee?
Earn points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card versus the Ritz-Carlton
The two cards have extremely similar earning rates. Both cards earn 6 points per dollar spent at participating Marriott hotels, 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, and on flights booked directly with the airline. zero and 2 points per dollar spent on all other purchases. At TPG’s January 2025 valuation, that’s essentially a return of about 5% on Marriott purchases, 2.5% on restaurants and flights, and 1.7% on everyday spending .
However, the Ritz-Carlton card also earns 3 points per dollar spent on car rentals, meaning you’ll also get an effective return of about 2.5% on those purchases when you use them. It.
Winner: Ritz-Carlton Card. Earning bonus points on car rentals gives them a slight edge over Marriott Bonvoy is brilliant.
Related: How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
Redeem and transfer points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card vs. the Ritz-Carlton Card
Ritz-Carlton Card and Marriott Bonvoy is brilliant both earn Marriott Bonvoy points, so there’s no difference in terms of redemption. You can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at more than 8,000 hotels across nearly 30 brands in more than 125 countries, or turn them into miles for free flights.
Marriott points transfer to more than 40 frequent flyer programs, primarily at a 2.4:1 ratio, including a 5,000-mile bonus awarded for every 60,000 points transferred to most programs.
Winner: Tie. Since both of these cards earn Marriott Bonvoy points, they have the same redemption options.
Related: How to redeem points with the Marriott Bonvoy program
Should I buy the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card or the Ritz-Carlton Card?
If you want a welcome bonus, an easier path to Bonvoy elite status, and the option to receive choice awards, Marriott Bonvoy is brilliant is your better choice. However, if you’re looking for Bonvoy perks at a lower annual fee, can maximize airline incidental credits, and want Ritz Club access and rental perks -Carlton, the Ritz-Carlton card will serve you better.
Can I transfer from the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card to the Ritz-Carlton Card?
the Marriott Bonvoy is brilliant is an American Express card, while the Ritz-Carlton card is a Chase card. So you cannot change products between two tags. As mentioned above, the only way you can get a Ritz-Carlton card is by redeeming the product from another Chase Marriott card after you’ve held that card for at least a year.
Related: Basic credit card upgrade instructions
Bottom line
Unlike some other comparisons, there is no clear winner in this face-off. To determine your winner, you need to consider your eligibility for either card as well as the value you can get from either card. If you can justify Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant’s higher annual fee and appreciate its superior Bonvoy perks, it may be the best choice for you. However, if you want a lower annual fee and have a Chase Bonvoy card that you can convert to a Ritz-Carlton card, you may decide to go that route.
To learn more, check out our full reviews Marriott Bonvoy is brilliant and Ritz-Carlton Card.
Register here: Marriott Bonvoy is brilliant
For Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant rates and fees, click This.
