How to get the Ritz Carlton card and why it's worth the $450 annual fee

The Ritz-Carlton Card is a Marriott Bonvoy co-branded card that's no longer available to new applicants – but that doesn't mean you can't get it. We just recently attained the card and it's quickly become one of our favorite cards with some of the best travel perks of any rewards card on the market. There is currently a $450 annual fee but that's lower than most ultra-premium cards and we'll later explain why it's easily justified.

I've come to realize that this card is a real game-changer and is something every savvy traveler like me should have in their wallet. But the burning question is, how can you get your hands on it now that they're not accepting new applications?

Let me break it down for you. While it's not as straightforward as filling out an online application, the process is surprisingly doable.

Here's the inside scoop: You'll want to kick things off by opening a different Chase Marriott Bonvoy credit card, like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. The welcome offer on the Bonvoy Boundless can vary, but right now, you can score up to 3 FREE Nights (up to 50,000 points per night) by nailing the card's welcome offer requirements within the next six months.

Keep your eyes peeled because, every now and then, they roll out an offer for five free night awards (up to 50,000 points per night) for this card. Those free nights can be worth a whole lot more than the points from the current offer, but there's no telling when or if that offer will make a comeback.

Now, regardless of which offer you go for, once you've got your Bonvoy Boundless Card (or most other Chase Marriott Cards), here's the deal: You'll need to hang onto it for a year. After a year of loyalty, you become eligible for an upgrade to the Ritz Card. Making that upgrade is a breeze – just give Chase a ring at the number on the back of your card or shoot them a message via the Chase mobile app.

No need to worry about what to say when you reach out – even though this card is no longer available to the masses, you don't need a secret handshake. Something as simple as, 'I'm loving my current Marriott Card, but I've recently heard about another card with even more travel perks. Can you help me make the switch to the Ritz-Carlton Card?' should do the trick.

One more thing to keep in mind during the upgrade process is that you'll need a credit limit of at least $10,000 available to make the conversion. If your current Marriott Card falls short in that department, don't sweat it – just ask Chase to shuffle some credit from your other personal Chase cards. For example, if you've got the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card in your wallet alongside the Bonvoy Boundless, you can ask them to shift some credit line over to the Marriott Card. After the conversion, you can always request that they move the credit back to the Sapphire Preferred if you need a higher limit there.