Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® vs The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card
Side-by-side comparison
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® | The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $650 | $450 |
| Welcome offer | No current offer | |
| Dining | 3x | 3x |
| Groceries | 1x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 1x |
| Travel | 3x | 3x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 2x | 2x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $544 | $544 |
| Points type | Locked to Marriott Bonvoy | Locked to Marriott Bonvoy |
| Network | Amex | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® | The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Up to 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points | Not available — upgrade only (product change from a Chase Marriott Bonvoy card) |
| To earn it | $6,000 in 6 months | No minimum spend |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,694 | $494 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $194 | $494 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® is ahead by roughly $1,200, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® after about 5 years. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant®. Planning to keep it for years? The The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card pulls ahead.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® | The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Yes — Priority Pass | Yes — Priority Pass |
| Annual credits | ~$300/yr (3 credits) | ~$400/yr (4 credits) |
| Points & redemptions | Locked to a single program | Locked to a single program |
On perks and redemptions, the The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card carries the heavier credit stack (about $400 a year). Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® earns about $544 a year in rewards and the The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card about $544, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® charges $650, but carries about $300 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. The The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card charges $450, but carries about $400 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card delivers more total value, about $250 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it carries more in annual statement credits. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® currently has the larger welcome offer (a limited-time offer above its usual amount, so treat it as a one-time boost). A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.