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Bilt Obsidian Credit Card

Adam Seper
Written by: Adam Seper
Bilt Obsidian Apply Now

The Bilt Obsidian Card lets you earn points on rent and mortgage payments by meeting non-housing spend requirements, with elevated multipliers that help you earn transferable points faster.

Bilt Obsidian Apply Now

Bilt Obsidian Credit Card Review

Key Takeaways

The Bilt Obsidian Card is Bilt’s mid-tier option with a $99 annual fee that lets you earn unlimited points on both rent and mortgage payments. You earn $200 in Bilt Cash as a welcome bonus just for signing up, with no spending required. Using Bilt Cash is one of the ways to unlock points earning on your housing.

Why This Card Could Be Right For You

Earning $200 in Bilt Cash just for signing up is a strong offer that offsets the $95 annual fee in year one. You’ll also earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on all non-housing purchases. While Bilt Cash can be used in a few ways, its most valuable use is unlocking points on rent or mortgage payments. Every $30 in Bilt Cash unlocks 1x points on $1,000 in housing payments, so the $200 welcome offer lets you earn points on about $6,667 of rent or mortgage.

The hotel credit is underwhelming. It’s split into two $50 credits, requires a two-night minimum, and must be booked through the Bilt portal. If prices match those found directly, you’re effectively saving $50 on a two-night stay, twice per year.

Maximizing points efficiency

If you look at this card through the lens of unlocking points on your housing payment, the Obsidian can deliver an excellent return on your card spend. If you pay your housing through Bilt and spend 75% of that amount on non-housing purchases, you’ll unlock 1x points on rent.

  • With a $2,000 housing payment and $1,500 in non-housing spend, you'll earn 3,500, 5,000, or 6,500 total points on the Obsidian card, depending on your bonus category
  • That's an effective 2.33x, 3.33x, or 4.33x return on your actual card spend, which rival returns on many premium travel cards, making the $95 annual fee worth considering

The card also offers several bonus categories that help you rack up both Bilt Points (transferable to partners) and Bilt Cash (usable toward earning points on housing):

Bonus categories:

  • Up to 1x on rent and mortgage
  • 3x on your choice of dining or groceries (grocery cap: $25K/year)
  • 2x on travel
  • 1x on everyday spend
  • 5x at Bilt Neighborhood Partner restaurants
  • 3x at Bilt Neighborhood Partner fitness studios
  • 3x on Lyft rides
  • 2x at Walgreens

Included protections:

  • Cellular Wireless Protection
  • Purchase Assurance
  • MasterRental Coverage
  • Trip Cancellation & Interruption Protection
  • Trip Delay Reimbursement
  • Extended Warranty

When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply

The exceptions where this card might not be good for you:

  • You have been a Bilt user who valued the ability to earn points on rent with little effort, which is no longer the case
  • You don't want to jump through so many hoops to earn points on your housing payments
  • The hotel credit is not a very valuable perk
Bilt Rewards

What to Know About Bilt Rewards

No longer a slam dunk for renters, but Bilt’s strong transfer partners make the program worth watching

  • Bilt now has three credit cards, all with points transferable to partners that rival, or even outshine, Chase
  • You can earn points for both rent and mortgage, but you'll have to put a significant amount of other monthly spend on the card to earn it
  • Earning points on housing is more complex, and Bilt’s user base is shifting
  • Bilt is now best used as a daily spend travel rewards card when not working on a new card welcome offer
  • The program can still be highly rewarding, but you'll need a clear plan to maximize point earning

How The Bilt Obsidian Credit Card Fits In The Bilt Rewards Ecosystem

Bilt 2.0 now has three credit cards, each with their own highlights.

Bilt Blue:

  • $100 signup bonus paid in Bilt Cash (no spending requirement)
  • 4% back in Bilt Cash on all non-housing spend
  • Limited perks beyond a few spending multipliers
  • No annual fee
  • If you use Bilt to pay your housing then spend 75% of that amount on non-housing purchases, you can effectively earn 2.33x on that non-housing spend

Bilt Palladium (the strongest option for points and miles enthusiasts):

  • $495 annual fee
  • 4% back in Bilt Cash on all non-housing spend
  • $300 Bilt Cash welcome bonus (no spending required)
  • 50,000 Bilt points + Bilt Gold status after spending $4,000 on non-housing purchases in the first 3 months
  • 2x points on everyday spend (excluding rent and mortgage)
  • Elevated multipliers in select bonus categories
  • $200 in Bilt Cash on your account anniversary (first year included)
  • $400 in biannual hotel credits ($200 twice per year) for two-night bookings made through the Bilt portal
  • If you use Bilt to pay your housing then spend 75% of that amount on non-housing purchases, you can effectively earn 3.33x on that non-housing spend

Card Information

Bonus Points Minimum Spend Point Value Annual Value Annual Fee
1st Year Value
0 $0 1.7 ¢ $0 $95
$50
Bonus Extra Differentiating Perks Rules
$200 Bilt Cash Points for paying rent and mortgage 5/24

Award System

Bank

Reconsideration Phone

Current Offer

0 Bonus Points for
$0 spend.

Spend Categories

Groceries If Selected »

3X points
5.1¢ Per Dollar Spent

Restaurants If Selected »

3X points
5.1¢ Per Dollar Spent

Travel None »

2X points
3.4¢ Per Dollar Spent

Rideshare and Transit Company Specific »

3X points
5.1¢ Per Dollar Spent

Drugstores / Pharmacy Company Specific »

2X points
3.4¢ Per Dollar Spent

Fitness Memberships Company Specific »

3X points
5.1¢ Per Dollar Spent

Apply Now »

Card Benefits

Cell Phone Protection

Cell Phone Protection »
Use your card for your monthly bill and be reimbursed to replace or repair a stolen or

Car Rental Insurance

Car Rental Insurance »
Secondary insurance that pays the lowest of repair cost or the car’s adjusted value, which can limit payouts for major damage or total loss. Loss-of-use fees are covered separately but capped at $500 per incident.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance »
Reimburses delay expenses after 6+ hours, up to $300 per trip and 1 claim per 12 months. Also covers trip interruption for nonrefundable fares up to $2,000 per trip and $5,000 per year. Coverage is secondary.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

No Foreign Transaction Fees »
You will pay no foreign transaction fees when you use your card for purchases made outside the United States.

Purchase Protection

Purchase Protection »
You're covered on items damaged or stolen within 90 days, up to $1,000 per loss and a total of $50,000 per cardholder account per 12 month period

Extended Warranty

Extended Warranty »
Extends the original manufacturer or store warranty by up to 24 months. Coverage pays the lowest of the purchase price, repair cost, replacement cost, or $10,000 per claim.
Apply Now »

Point Transfer Options

Sharing No

Travel Partner Transfers

Outside Point System Bilt Rewards

Transfers Out To
Point Transfer Options
Accor Live Limitless

3:2 86% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Aer Lingus AerClub

1:1 88% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Air Canada Aeroplan

1:1 82% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Atmos Rewards

1:1 94% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Avianca Lifemiles

1:1 76% value retained

Point Transfer Options
British Airways Avios

1:1 65% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Cathay Pacific

1:1 65% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Emirates Skywards

1:1 53% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Etihad Guest

1:1 65% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Flying Blue (Air France-KLM)

1:1 76% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Hilton Honors

1:1 29% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Iberia Plus

1:1 71% value retained

Point Transfer Options
IHG One Rewards

1:1 35% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Japan Airlines (JAL)

1:1 82% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Marriott Bonvoy

1:1 41% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Qatar Airways' Privilege Club

1:1 71% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Southwest Rapid Rewards

1:1 76% value retained

Point Transfer Options
TAP Air Portugal (Miles&Go)

1:1 59% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Turkish Airways Miles&Smiles

1:1 65% value retained

Point Transfer Options
United MileagePlus

1:1 76% value retained

Point Transfer Options
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

1:1 82% value retained

Point Transfer Options
World of Hyatt

1:1 100% value retained

View All Point Transfer Options »

Bilt Obsidian Application Rules

5/24

Chase applications will be declined if 5 new cards have been added to your personal credit report in the past 24 months.

Ranking of Cards Offering Bilt Rewards

#1
Bilt Blue
Bilt Blue »
#1
Bilt Obsidian
Bilt Obsidian »
#1
Bilt Palladium
Bilt Palladium »

Best for Series

Below is a snapshot of where this card performs best compared to the other cards in our database:

Rank 6th Honorable Mention
Best Card for Hotel Stays »
Rank 6th Honorable Mention
Best Cards For Resort Stays »
Rank 2nd Honorable Mention
Best Card For Airfare Within Australia & NZ »