#3 Among Transferable Points
Point Value
1.7 ¢
Program Score
8.5
No longer a slam dunk for renters, but Bilt’s strong transfer partners make the program worth watching
When Bilt launched in 2021, the pitch was simple: earn credit card points on rent without paying a fee. While you can still earn points on housing payments, it's no longer that simple to do so.
In early 2026, Bilt overhauled the system and introduced a new lineup of cards. You can now earn points on both rent and mortgage payments, but you must put everyday spend on the card to maximize those earnings. The more you spend, the more you can earn on your housing payments.
Only one of the three cards includes a traditional points welcome offer, so big signup bonuses aren't the primary draw. The best way to earn Bilt points is through everyday spending combined with housing payments made through Bilt.
All three Bilt cards let you pay eligible rent or mortgage payments through Bilt without a transaction fee.
The key difference:
Here's how it works:
Example
You will also earn Bilt points on the non-housing purchases themselves. How much depends on which Bilt card you hold, since each has different earning rates.
If you use the Housing-only option and don't reach the 25% spend threshold, you will earn a flat 250 points on the housing payment rather than zero.
Here's how it works:
Example
In the example above, you would also earn Bilt points on the $750 in everyday spending. How much depends on which card you hold.
You also receive Bilt Cash as part of the welcome offer on all three cards, and unused Bilt Cash can be saved for future housing payments or redeemed in other ways.
Bilt Cash now expires at the end of the month, 12 months after it is earned.
When Bilt 2.0 first launched, you could roll over $100 in Bilt Cash after a December 31 expiration date. But they changed the policy in October, 2026, and the new rolling 12-month expiration date applies retroactively for existing Bilt Cash balances.
Bilt Rewards doesn't allow members to transfer points directly to another person's Bilt Rewards account. However, you may be able to transfer points to a spouse's airline or hotel loyalty account if the transfer partner allows transfers to another person's loyalty account.
While Bilt doesn't allow point transfers between members, some Bilt credit cards let the primary cardholder choose whether an authorized user's purchases earn rewards for the primary cardholder or the authorized user.
Special Offers Related to Bilt Rewards. Click the arrow to see more.
November 11, 2026 Update: This deal is now a touch higher, with $170/17,000 Bilt points. These generally don't last long, so if you were thinking about jumping on it, we suggest doing it sooner rather than later.
Rakuten is offering an extra $150 when you apply for the Citi Strata Premier Card through Rakuten and are approved. If you have your Rakuten account set to earn Bilt points and have Bilt Silver status or higher, you'll earn at a 1:1 rate, turning that $150 into 15,000 Bilt points. If your Rakuten account is set to earn Amex Membership Rewards points, then you won't see this offer, and members who have their accounts set to cash back can earn the $150 instead. The Citi Strata Premier currently offers its standard 60,000 ThankYou Point signup bonus after spending $4,000 in the first three months, so this can effectively add 15,000 Bilt points to that offer. Citi's last elevated Strata Premier offer was 75,000 points, but that ended in early 2025, while the all-time high of 80,000 points dates back to 2023. With Citi recently adding a lifetime signup bonus restriction to the Strata Premier, we'd normally prefer to wait for an elevated offer before using your one opportunity to earn the bonus. But if you value Bilt points and don't want to wait for an elevated Citi offer that may or may not arrive soon, 60,000 ThankYou points plus 15,000 Bilt points makes the current offer much more competitive.
Bilt's November Rent Day promotion is the weakest we've seen in a while, as it doesn't include a traditional transfer bonus. Bilt members can receive up to a 100% bonus on gift card redemptions and up to $150 off hotel bookings through the Bilt Travel Portal. Gift card bonuses depend on Bilt status: Blue members get a 25% bonus, Silver 50%, Gold 75%, and Platinum 100%, bringing redemption values up to 1.4 cents per point for Platinum members. The hotel discount is available on eligible bookings made between October 28 and November 2 at 3 a.m. ET, with the discount amount depending on your Bilt status and booking total. The hotel offer cannot be combined with Bilt Cash or other credits.
Rakuten has removed the option to earn Bilt Rewards points when applying for Bank of America credit cards through its shopping portal. Previously, members could choose between cash back and Bilt points, creating an opportunity to double dip by earning Bilt points through Rakuten in addition to the signup bonus on the Bank of America card. Now, these offers are restricted to cash back only, as American Express Membership Rewards were already excluded. Bilt points remain available on eligible Citi and Chase credit card applications through Rakuten as of now, leading us to believe this was a Bank of America led change. It's unclear what will happen to members who applied for a Bank of America card while earning Bilt points but haven't received their rewards yet, including whether those bonuses will still be paid in Bilt points or converted to cash back.
Not content with being the most confusing rewards program in the hobby, Bilt has announced a host of changes to its rewards program, just as everyone was beginning to understand the current one. The updates include a new default credit card earning structure, longer Bilt Cash expiration, and additional benefits coming in 2027. Let's start with the good news. Effective immediately, Bilt Cash will expire 12 months after the month it's earned rather than at the end of the calendar year. This change is retroactive, so if you earned $200 in Bilt Cash in May 2026, it won't expire until May 31, 2027. This is great news for those who were already scrambling to figure out what to do with their excess Bilt cash before December 31, 2026. Beginning in 2027, new Bilt cardholders will no longer have the option to earn 4% Bilt Cash on eligible everyday purchases, instead earning up to 1.25X points on rent or mortgage payments based on everyday card spending. Existing cardholders, including those approved by December 31, 2026, can retain the 4% Bilt Cash option and their existing annual card credits by opting out of the new benefits before their next card anniversary. Otherwise, Palladium's $200 Bilt Cash and $400 hotel credits will become $600 in annual Bilt Cash, while Obsidian's $100 hotel credit will become $100 Bilt Cash. The biggest negative change is that starting January 1, Bilt Cash redemptions toward hotel stays will be limited to twice annually instead of monthly, with caps based on membership status. Bilt is also launching Daily Rewards on January 15 and adding hotel redemption options and rental car status matches for elite members in 2027.
Transferring points to Bilt's airline and hotel partners is usually the best way to maximize the value of your points. Bilt's transfer partner lineup is among the strongest in the hobby, with World of Hyatt and Atmos leading the way.
Unfortunately, the transfer ratio from Bilt to Hyatt is being reduced from 1:1 to 4:3 starting on January 1, 2027, so you'll receive 25% fewer World of Hyatt points for the same number of Bilt points. That means a Hyatt award night costing 15,000 points will require 20,000 Bilt points instead of 15,000.
Bilt also has a travel portal that can offer decent redemptions, but not nearly the same value as transferring to partners.
Bilt introduced Bilt Cash as part of Bilt 2.0. While there are several ways to redeem Bilt Cash, we generally think the best value comes from applying it toward housing costs or using it to unlock additional points through the Points Accelerator.
We'll cover the other redemption options below.
You can book travel through the Bilt Travel Portal at a value of 1.25 cents per point. It’s not the best redemption, but it’s not bad either. This wouldn’t be our first choice because Bilt’s transfer partners can offer better value, but booking travel that isn’t possible with transferable points, like rental cars or cruises, can be a good use of points when you’d rather not pay cash.
Home Away From Home Hotels Coming in 2027
Beginning in 2027, Bilt Gold and Platinum members will be able to redeem Bilt points toward participating Home Away from Home hotel stays. Eligible two-night stays will also include luxury-hotel-style benefits such as breakfast for two, a potential room upgrade, early check-in and late checkout when available, and a $100 property credit.
Bilt Cash was introduced with Bilt 2.0 and is separate from Bilt Points. Unlike points, Bilt Cash cannot be transferred to airline or hotel partners and can only be redeemed within the Bilt ecosystem.
Use it to earn points on housing
One of the best uses of Bilt Cash is unlocking points on rent or mortgage payments. Every $30 in Bilt Cash lets you earn 1,000 Bilt Points on housing, up to a maximum of 1x points on your monthly payment.
Example
Bilt has marketed Bilt Cash as delivering dollar-for-dollar value, but many of the redemption options come with restrictions that make that value harder to maximize.
Our favorite ways to use Bilt Cash
If you have extra Bilt Cash from a welcome offer or from choosing the Bilt Cash option for housing rewards, these are the redemptions we think offer the most value. Some options require an annual-fee card or Bilt status, which we’ll note where applicable.
Bilt offers many other redemption options, but most are more restrictive and require additional effort to use. You may find value in some of them, but we would not use these benefits alone to justify the annual fee on the Obsidian or Palladium cards. Consider them alongside the card’s other benefits when deciding whether either card is worth keeping long term.
Travel & Transportation
Dining & Food Delivery
Entertainment & Lifestyle
Airport & Lounge Benefits
You can use Bilt points toward a down payment on a home purchase at a 1.5 cent per point rate. This can only be done in the United States and only once per home purchase. It wouldn’t be our first choice, but it’s a unique option worth mentioning.
These redemptions offer poor value compared with transferring Bilt points to airline or hotel partners, so we don’t recommend using your points this way.
Discover your points' highest-value redemption options. Use the filters to find the optimal sweet spot for your next trip.
Bilt’s best transfer bonuses usually show up on Rent Day, the first day of each month, and are only available that day. Only move points if the partner and award pricing already make sense and you've confirmed award space.
Bilt status affects Rent Day transfer bonuses and Rakuten earning rates, so your tier can change how valuable the program is. Know your tier and what it takes to reach the next one before chasing a bonus or choosing Bilt points through Rakuten.
Bilt shares several partners with other transferable points programs, so save Bilt points for unique partners when another currency can book the same award.
Like all transferable points systems, Bilt points are most valuable when transferred to travel partners. Redeeming for rent, fitness classes, shopping, or other non-travel options will often deliver weaker value.
Bilt is one of the most unique transferable points ecosystems in the hobby. You can earn points on rent and mortgage payments, but the program now rewards cardholders who also put everyday spending on their Bilt card. Unlike most transferable points ecosystems, cardholders will have to rely on ongoing spending rather than welcome offers to build a large balance of points.
The everyday earning rates are strong, making these cards worth considering, especially when you're between welcome offers on other cards. While expert hobbyists will be able to extract the most value from Bilt, especially with its top card, the Palladium, beginners can also earn a meaningful number of points by consolidating spending onto a Bilt card.
Any Bilt points you earn can be transferred to one of the strongest partner networks in the hobby, though that takes a hit on January 1, 2027 when Bilt-to-Hyatt transfers drop from 1:1 to 4:3. Bilt is still best suited for users who can plug the program into a broader points strategy. Whether you’re deep into the hobby and regularly opening new cards or someone who prefers the simplicity of sticking to one program, Bilt can deliver. The Palladium and Obsidian offer real potential to earn a high volume of points annually, as long as the math works for your housing payments, everyday spending, and annual fees.
Most transferable points programs don’t offer elite status, but Bilt is an exception. Its system includes four status tiers.
Everyone starts at Blue just by signing up. To move up, you’ll need to:
Status is valid for the year it is earned and the entire following year.
One unique perk of all status levels is that you earn interest on all points based on the previous 30-day period, so you're encouraged to keep your points in the Bilt ecosystem until you have a specific transfer and redemption in mind. The amount is based on the FDIC published national savings rate.
Here are the three other levels, requirements you’ll need to get to each level, and the benefits of each
Unlike most transferable points systems, you will keep your Bilt points if you cancel your Bilt credit card, as your Bilt Rewards account remains active. However, you will no longer earn points on housing payments and will lose any card-specific benefits. For that reason, it may be worth downgrading to the no-annual-fee Bilt Blue card to preserve the option to earn points on housing in the future.
Yes. You can use Bilt to pay eligible mortgage payments. How many points you earn depends on your rewards structure. You can earn based on how much non-housing spending you put on your Bilt card, or, if you're eligible for the Flexible Bilt Cash option, use Bilt Cash to unlock points on housing. Every $30 in Bilt Cash unlocks 1,000 Bilt points.
Bilt compares well with Chase thanks to transfer partners like Hyatt and Atmos, but that advantage will shrink on January 1, 2027 when Bilt’s Hyatt transfer ratio drops to 4:3. Both the business and personal Chase Sapphire Reserve cards still transfer to Hyatt at 1:1, but both cards have hefty $795 annual fees.
The best way to use Bilt points is usually to transfer them to one of Bilt’s airline or hotel partners and redeem them for travel. High-value options include Atmos Rewards, Flying Blue, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and World of Hyatt, though Hyatt transfers will drop to 4:3 beginning January 1, 2027.
You can, but we don’t recommend it. Redeeming Bilt points for a statement credit gives you only 0.55 cents per point, which is a poor rate. You can often get significantly more value by transferring points to one of Bilt’s travel partners.
Tracking Points & Transfer Options
