Ritz Carlton Card Military | How To Apply, Annual Fee Waiver

The Ritz-Carlton^™ Credit Card applies Military Lending Act benefits in accordance with the Chase MLA policy.

The $450 annual fee on the Ritz Carlton Card is waived for military and military spouses, also known as “covered borrowers” of the Military Lending Act.

This card has several annual advantages that make it worth adding to the advanced military travelers' wallet. In summary, the annual free night award, $300 annual travel credit, and 15 elite night credit awards.

• No welcome bonus, must be product changed (upgraded) from other Chase Marriott Card
• Annual free night award good for stays up to 85,000 Bonvoy points per night
• Earn 15 Elite Night credits every calendar year towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status
• Three upgrades to the Ritz-Carlton Club each year (valid on eligible paid stays)
• Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years
• $300 annual travel credit for things like baggage fees, seat assignments, lounge passes, and more
• $450 annual fee waived for MLA covered borrowers (active duty, Guard and Reserve on 30+ day orders, and military spouses) under Chase MLA policy
• No foreign transaction fees

Covered borrowers of the Military Lending Act, which include active duty servicemembers, Guard and Reserve on 30+ orders, can get automatic MLA benefits applied to their account. You must be listed as eligible for MLA benefits in the MLA database when you apply for the account.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card vs Ritz-Carlton^™ Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• $650 Annual Fee* See details about American Express protections for you and your spouse 
• Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• Upgrade and enhance your views when available at select properties with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, when booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® program.
• 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
• 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
• Enjoy a night away when you receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Free night can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. (Certain hotels have resort fees)
• Get rewarded each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. Select one Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• Elevate your stay when you receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Save time traveling with either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. (Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.)
• Lounge Access! Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. Escape the busy airport and enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• Terms Apply, Enrollment is required for select benefits

Upgrade Marriott Bonvoy Boundless to Ritz Carlton Card

You cannot directly apply for the Ritz-Carlton^™ Credit Card. Instead, you need to product change from another Chase Marriott Bonvoy card such as:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card

Here's how to request the product change from a Chase Marriott card to the Ritz Carlton Card:

1. Call the number on the back of your Chase Marriott card, usually 1-800-338-5960
2. Follow the prompts to access your account and then press 0 to speak to a customer service representative
3. Here's the script to use with the customer service rep:

“Hello, I am interested in product changing my Chase Marriott Bonvoy card to a Ritz Carlton Card. I understand there is a change to the annual fee and I am okay with that. Is it possible to product change my Chase Marriott Bonvoy card to a Ritz Carlton card?”

Script to upgrade or product change to Chase Ritz Carlton Card

One item to note is that the Ritz Carlton Card is a Visa Infinite card and requires a minimum $10,000 line of credit.

If the account you are product changing does not have $10,000 line of credit, you will either need to upgrade your credit before or on the phone with the customer service rep.

You can also move some credit from another Chase card account. For example, if you had $20,000 on the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® Credit Card, you could move $5,000 to your Chase Marriott Bonvoy card to get it to $10,000 of credit or greater.

Chase Freedom Unlimited^® Credit Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• INTRO OFFER: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, the premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on Chase travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
• No annual fee
• Compare the Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Chase Freedom Flex
• Member FDIC

Ritz Carlton Card Annual Free Night Award

The Chase Ritz Carlton Card offers an annual free night award valued at up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

The annual free night award can be topped off with 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to access 100,000 point per night rates.

Combining this annual free night award with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card annul free night certificate.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• $650 Annual Fee* See details about American Express protections for you and your spouse 
• Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• Upgrade and enhance your views when available at select properties with Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, when booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® program.
• 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
• 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
• Enjoy a night away when you receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Free night can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. (Certain hotels have resort fees)
• Get rewarded each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. Select one Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• Elevate your stay when you receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Save time traveling with either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. (Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.)
• Lounge Access! Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. Escape the busy airport and enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• Terms Apply, Enrollment is required for select benefits