New Ritz Carlton Rewards 3 night bonus + Visa Infinite and $100 airfare credit

The Ritz Carlton Rewards Credit Card from Chase has been upgraded to feature Visa Infinite status, but we’re also seeing it’s coming with a higher $450 fee, up from $395 before, and other changes.

Key changes are:

• The higher $450 annual fee
• A new signon bonus (3 complimentary nights + 10,000 points)
• A $100 airfare credit with no annual limits
• Global Entry or TSA Precheck reimbursement
• Priority Pass Select lounge access

If you want the old Visa Signature version with the lower annual fee, you can (at the time of this post) still find it here.

The new bonus offer is for 3 complimentary nights at any Tier 1-4 Ritz Carlton hotel after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus you get 10,000 points when you add the first authorized user and make a purchase in the first 3 months from account opening.

The new offer is up from just 2 complimentary nights before at the same Tier 1 – 4 locations, and other than the Tier 5 properties, you can use the complimentary nights at just about any Ritz Carlton worldwide, making this bonus worth over $1,000 given the price of many Ritz Carlton properties.

There are only 5 tiers of Ritz Carlton hotels, so the main exclusions in the U.S. from Tier 5 are:

The Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Colorado, the Bal Harbour, Key Biscayne, South Beach, and Naples locations in Florida, and the New York Central Park location.

Visa Infinite is the top tier of Visa levels, above the now pretty widespread Visa Signature level.

As part of the change, the Visa Infinite version of the Ritz Carlton card now offers a $100 credit when you book a flight for 2 to 5 people using the VisaDiscountAir.com/ritzcarltoncard website.

There’s no limit to the number of times you can get the credit.

The benefit is administered by a company called Propco and you’re subject to these conditions…

• It’s only valid for coach class tickets – though if you want to upgrade them, you can according to the rules of your fare and frequent flier program
• It’s only for domestic tickets – no international tickets get the discount
• You must pay with your Ritz Carlton Rewards card to get the benefit
• Open jaws and one way trips don’t qualify
• Allegiant, Frontier, Southwest, and Spirit Airlines are not eligible
• You can book as late as one day before departure
• If you cancel your ticket, you’ll get the residual value after fees as a credit just like tickets you’d buy from the airline.

What’s not clear is how good the fares and itineraries are on the Propco site.

You might not see the very lowest fares all the time, and you might not be able to see the most convenient routing options.

But if you’re a couple or family that travels a few times a year, this could be a huge benefit that can save you hundreds each year.

The card also now offers Priority Pass Select lounge access, an upgrade from the prior Lounge Club program, giving you access to over 900 airport lounges.

Other benefits of the card are the same as before including…

• A $300 annual travel credit (that you have to request manually by contacting J.P. Morgan Priority Services), and which is good for airline lounge memberships, seat upgrades, baggage fees, in-flight internet, and in-flight meals. Airfare does not qualify.
•  2x points on dining and travel spending
• Gold Elite status your first year, and renewal each year you spend $10,000 on the card
• Platinum Elite status each year you spend $75,000 on the card
• A 10% annual points premium on points earned through card purchases during the year
• A $100 hotel credit toward dining, spa, or other hotel recreational activities for each Ritz Carlton stay of 2 nights or more you pay for with your card
• Three The Ritz-Carlton Club Level upgrades annually on paid stays of up to seven nights, subject to availability

If you already have a Ritz Carlton Rewards Card, Flyertalk users report being able to access the Infinite air travel benefits, and existing cardholders should soon receive a Priority Pass Select card, with prior benefits, including the club level upgrade benefit and annual fee grandfathered.

This is the first Visa Infinite card from a big bank in the U.S.

In other countries, Visa Infinite cards are loaded with other benefits like medical coverage for travel, but these benefits are at the discretion of each issuing bank, and are not universal.

There are also rumors Chase is soon launching an upscale version of the Sapphire card, with Visa Infinite status, which may also get this $100 airfare credit option.

Follow @MileCards on Twitter for the latest updates and new offers

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Partner Offer

50,000 bonus points

Intro Offer

$0 introductory annual fee the first year, then $95

Annual Fee

Yes

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