Originally Posted by
PumpkinSmasher
The Ritz card all of a sudden looks more interesting, particularly if you don't have the Sapphire Reserve. The $300 travel credit + 85K FNA cert + the supped up PP membership looks solid.
I'm was still surprised that Marriott mentioned the Ritz in their press release, considering Amex is supposed to be the one offering all the luxury Marriott cards, while Chase gets the basic ones.
I've had the Ritz for 2-3 years and downgraded my CSR last year. It'll be interesting if Chase continues to allow people to get this card via product change.
Originally Posted by
Adelphos
I hold the Hilton Aspire, but not sure how it is obviously better than Brilliant
1)The best benefit of Hilton Diamond is better earnings.
5) Hilton’s free night is miles better
To me, Aspire is a $450 card for a superior free night cert and Diamond status. Brilliant is a $350 card for an 85K cert and Platinum status. Brilliant wins IMO (both cards are keepers).
I agree with 2 of your points. The earning potential when combining Hilton Diamond with the Aspire, is head and shoulders above what Marriott offers on their cards. There have been times when I can earn over 20% return when factoring in occasion Hilton Honors promotions.
The Hilton Free Night, as you stated, is certainly more valuable and largely uncapped.
I really don't think the Hilton credits are that difficult to use, and I'm willing to plan a fun weekend away to utilize those yearly resort credits, but the Brilliant's annual fee is $200 higher, meaning higher cash outlay upfront, and more credits to use (monthly vs yearly) just to break even. I can take that $200 blow it on something else, rather than give it to Amex, but both cards, as you said, can be keepers for the right person.
If you stay at Marriotts frequently, having Platinum status may go along way to justifying the annual fee, but holding multiple Aspires has turned me into a Hilton loyalist.
One thing we can both agree on is that Chase and Amex both like money, so when my Ritz card hits $700+ and Amex announces enhanced Aspire benefits, to go along with an $800 annual fee, we can definitely revisit this conversation.
