GNVGator

Yea I think I'm going to do the same thing. The MR Gold is enough to keep me on. I like the special opportunities too, I get some good ones down in the FLA (a weekend golf clinic in Naples RC with some PGA pros is first to come to mind). I never got the one about RC NYC so the invite opportunities might be regional.

I have to say though I am not as impressed with their concierge as Amex Plats. When Amex says they are going to call you back at 5pm, I swear they are watching the navy master clock or something becuase they call at 5pm on the dot. JP Morgan has a tendancy to call later or not call at all. They just overall seem less helpful than Amex's concierges. Not sure how to describe it maybe the Amex guys are more proactive in helping you where RC just takes your request and sees what they can do.

Go Gators

dw

That's an interesting change. In comparing lounges that are accessible via Priority Pass Select vs. Lounge Club, it looks like the two are close but at some airports, both domestically and internationally, there are more lounges to choose from with Priority Pass Select. For example, I don't see any of the USAirways clubs included with Lounge Club.

I haven't heard much of Lounge Club before, but it looks like unlike Priority Pass, individuals cannot purchase memberships, but rather all Lounge Club memberships are provided through other companies.

EDIT: Just want to add that if you go to the application site for the Chase RC Rewards Card, it does in fact no longer list Priority Pass as a benefit but now says Lounge Club.

GNVGator

Interesting, I just called them yesterday to have a PP card sent to the secondary cardholder on my account...no problem expect it in 2 weeks. If the switch is really happening, I wonder how they will transition existing PP cardholders? Wait for the cards to expire? Send them out to current PP holders and just have two memberships concurrently?

Go Gators

Edit: Well I guess RC just answered my question. Just got a loung club card in the mail valid through August 13. However my PP card is valid through March 13 so I guess I can use the two cards concurrently until PP expires?

iflyjetz

The Collinson Group owns both Priority Pass and Lounge Club. My guess is that Lounge Club is new and created due to the restrictions placed on Priority Pass Select memberships. Priority Pass Select was given for free by RC credit card along with several other credit cards.
United Airlines decided to not allow Priority Pass Select members access to their lounges. And it sounds like US Airways followed suit. My guess is by creating a separate brand name, they keep the Priority Pass name intact.

Edit: found a thread discussing Priority Pass and Lounge Club. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...rity-pass.html



Question - do the 50K points for first use count as MR points if you keep MR status? If so, that's only .8 cents/point. I need another 80K points over the next two years for LT Plat.

LarkSFO

Received the letter from 'Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card from J.P. Morgan' a couple of days ago.

'Important changes coming to your airport lounge membership'

- Priority Pass Select is converting to Lounge Club
- Still complementary to you and your guests
- Same as PPS but with a 'new network of lounges' ('350 lounges in 200 cities around the world')

Still relatively useless to me... In my metro area, only one club (SFO Alaska) among three airports - SFO, SJC, and OAK.
Chicago - Swiss lounge
IAD - BA Galleries Lounge
SEA - Alaska Board Room
DEN - zip
BOS - Air France GRAF Lounge

https://www.loungeclub.com/en/our-lounges/

My first impression of PPS was that it was useless for me / my travel patterns.

Reading through the Lounge Club materials reiterates this: Useless. Why bother. A hollow perk.

Maybe (since Chase / JP Morgan is affiliated with UA) they are working on bringing United Club in to the mix. If they do this, then I would find this card more useful.

I have Priority Pass Select from 3 different credit cards, but RCR is the only one I have heard anything from.

trivea

Would someone be kind enough to please post the Corporate/Promo Code needed to enter on the Ritz website to redeem one of the 3 club level upgrades? I have a Ritz stay coming up this summer would like to compare the standard rate that I have reserved with the one that I would pay for a club level upgrade if I decide to get the credit card. Thanks!

No Clue

If I understand your question correctly, it doesn't work that way. Your club level upgrades are added to your rewards account the same way you accumulate free night awards at hotels such as Marriott. They disappear from your account as you use them.

However, it is easy to see how it would affect your wallet. Pick any basic room at a RC without using any special promos and that is your rate except it does include the club level. You can compare it to a basic room with club level rate. They don't allow you to apply any discounts whatsoever to get the club level upgrade and I recently found out that you must use the JP Morgan card to pay for the stay. You cannot use Ritz Carlton travel cards or gift cards to pay for any of the stay.

Speaking for my situation, that part of the benefit is worthless for me because I generally get a suite and I always use Ritz Carlton travel cards or points. I wish they would change the policy.

LarkSFO

My situation is different than yours, and I definitely have received (actually, will receive as these are future bookings!) value from these upgrade certificates.

Yes, you do have to book at the 'rack rate', whatever that is for a regular room. I have asked my Virtuoso agent to make both of my bookings for me and he was able to do it without any problems. So, I do not know exactly what the process entails... By the way, you do NOT receive your Virtuoso benefits in conjunction with using a Club Upgrade. Not that big an issue for me, but may be important for some.

In my case, RC South Beach - Club Room is $140 more per night x 4 nights: The upgrade cert has 'saved' me $560.00.

RC HK - Club Room is $1400 HKD more per night x 3 nights: Upgrade cert worth $4,200 HKD.

No Clue: Where do you get the Ritz Carlton Travel Cards? What are they? Thanks.

No Clue

I get the RC travel cards through a points program. Ordinarily, they can be used the same as cash and applied to anything at the RC hotels including room rate.

trojanman

Anyone know if AA's Five Star Service (airport meet & greet / escort service) qualifies under the $200 'incidental' airline charges? If so, that would be a great way for AA Elites to use this benefit.

trojanman

Also...does anyone know if Virtuoso benefits are combinable with the Club upgrade certificates? Virtuoso typically costs full rack rate (or close to it), so it would make sense that they may be combinable.

LarkSFO

Take a look at post 210: "By the way, you do NOT receive your Virtuoso benefits in conjunction with using a Club Upgrade. Not that big an issue for me, but may be important for some."

trivea

Thanks, No Clue, very informative. I was under the impression that the rate to use the Club Level upgrades were even higher than the standard rates. Even at the standard rates, I think I would "save" money by using the upgrade certs if I was vacationing at a RC for a week.

maggiew

If you have the Marriott Signature Visa, can you apply for the Ritz Carlton card? I thought I read that somewhere in the terms. But many people here are making it sound like they have both?

Maggie

LarkSFO

How many other Chase cards do you have?

I have both the Marriott and the Ritz cards.