Despite Rumors, Chase’s Ritz-Carlton Card Isn’t Getting an Annual Fee Hike

In the last several days, the internet has been ablaze with rumors surrounding the The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card.

The card hasn’t been open to new applicants in quite a while, and as a cardholder myself, I was intrigued — to say the least.

Despite plenty of chatter online, the Ritz-Carlton card isn’t getting an increased annual fee (or any new benefits) — at least for now.

About the Ritz-Carlton Card

The Ritz-Carlton card is a high-end travel card issued by Chase with benefits tailored specifically to Ritz-Carlton hotels (as its name would suggest) and Marriott properties more generally.

Here’s a brief overview of the card’s top perks and benefits that come in exchange for its $450 annual fee:

• Earn 6 points for every $1 spent at Marriott properties.
• Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on dining, car rentals, and airline purchases.
• Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits every calendar year.
• Receive a Free Night Award certificate that can be used at any hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy, valued at up to 85,000 points.
• Receive 3 annual Ritz-Carlton Club level upgrade certificates, valid for a club-level upgrade on an eligible paid stay of up to 7 nights.
• Receive automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.
• Earn a $300 annual travel credit for qualifying airline purchases, including baggage fees, seat upgrades, and lounge memberships or passes.
• Receive a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.
• Access numerous travel protections and insurance, including primary car rental insurance.

Chase Denies Rumored Changes

Despite a steady stream of rumors, Chase denies imminent changes are coming to the Ritz-Carlton card.

What were the changes alleged to be? Many centered around an increase in the annual fee, from the current $450 to a whopping $695. A couple of perks were also rumored to be coming, including a $200 statement credit for Renowned Hotels & Resorts and 3 bar vouchers to be used at Ritz-Carlton properties.

However, it seems like none of that is true — at least for now.

We reached out to Chase over the holiday weekend for further comment, to which a spokesperson replied: “There are no upcoming annual fee changes for The Ritz-Carlton Card.”

Of course, this doesn’t mean that changes aren’t possible in the future. It just looks like the card will stay as-is for the foreseeable future. Since the rumors focused on changes supposedly happening in August, Chase denying them as of July 8, 2025, seems like we can be certain those August updates aren’t happening.

How You Can Still Open a Ritz-Carlton Card

Although it’s not technically available for new applications, you can still obtain the Ritz-Carlton card.

Long story short, you must currently hold at least one of the following Chase-issued Marriott cards for at least 12 months:

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

If you meet that requirement, you can contact Chase to request a product change by phone or by sending a secure message online after having any of these cards for at least a year.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a current Ritz-Carlton cardholder (or are considering the workaround to open a new one), it seems like you don’t have to worry about imminent changes that were rumored to come next month.

As with any card, changes can happen at any time. For now, though, the Ritz-Carlton card will maintain its current roster of benefits and perks and will carry the same annual fee.