Last updated: July 2026. Bilt is expanding its card lineup in 2026 — verify the current cards, fees, earning caps and transfer partners on the issuer's page before you apply. Treat the product details below as a framework, not a fixed spec.
Bilt Rewards cracked something everyone said was impossible: earning transferable travel points on your single biggest monthly expense — rent — with no transaction fee. For most renters that's $1,500–$4,000/month of spend that previously earned nothing. Bilt turns it into points that transfer 1:1 into some of the best airline and hotel programs in the world. If you rent, this is close to free money.
Advertiser disclosure: we may be compensated when you're approved through our links. It doesn't affect our editorial take. Terms apply — see the issuer's Rates & Fees.
At a glance
| Annual fee | $0 on the core card (verify current cards & any new premium tiers) |
| Sign-up bonus | Historically none on the core card — value is the ongoing rent earn (verify) |
| Headline | Pay rent with no ~2–3% processing fee and earn transferable points |
| Best for | Renters who want to earn on rent and travelers who value 1:1 transfers |
| Points earned | Bilt Points (transferable) |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
| Card network | Mastercard (verify tier/network on newer cards) |
Apply Now → see the current offer
What the points are worth
We value Bilt points at 2.0¢ each — right up with Chase and Amex — because they transfer 1:1 into a strong partner list with real premium-cabin sweet spots. Our CPP formula, used in every example:
(cash price − taxes/fees) ÷ points × 100 = cents per point (CPP)
Earning, say, 30,000 points/year just from rent is therefore worth:
- ~$300 cashed out (don't) ·
- roughly $600 at our 2.0¢ valuation ·
- $1,500+ aimed at a premium award — from spending you were making anyway.
Where your points can go
Bilt's points transfer 1:1 to these airline and hotel programs — tap any partner to see how to use those miles, what they're worth, and the best redemptions:
Airline transfer partners Air Canada Aeroplan · Air France/KLM Flying Blue · American AAdvantage · Avianca LifeMiles · Turkish Miles&Smiles · Virgin Atlantic · Alaska/Atmos (guide coming soon)
Hotel transfer partners World of Hyatt · IHG One Rewards · Marriott Bonvoy
For every transfer ratio, transfer time and current bonus, see the complete transfer partners chart.
How earning on rent works
- You pay rent through the Bilt app/card, and Bilt covers the merchant processing fee that normally makes paying rent by card a money-loser. You pay no transaction fee.
- You earn points on rent up to a yearly cap (historically a per-month/per-year limit — verify current caps).
- Historically Bilt required a minimum number of non-rent transactions each statement to earn rewards. Confirm whether that rule still applies on the current card.
- Rent points post as normal transferable Bilt points — no separate, less-useful currency.
Earning rates
| Rate | Category |
|---|---|
| 3x | Dining |
| 2x | Travel (booked direct or via the Bilt travel portal) |
| 1x | Rent (fee-free, up to the annual cap) |
| 1x | Everything else |
| 2x | Rent Day bonus — non-rent categories double on the 1st of each month |
Rent Day is the signature feature: on the 1st of every month, non-rent earning doubles (dining to 6x, travel to 4x, other spend to 2x — verify current multipliers), and Bilt often runs extra Rent Day promotions and transfer bonuses. Concentrate big non-rent purchases on the 1st.
Transfer partners (the real value)
Bilt transfers 1:1 to a deep, high-quality list. Verify the current roster before relying on any single partner, but it has historically included:
- Airlines: American Airlines, Alaska/Atmos, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, Turkish Miles&Smiles, Virgin Atlantic, United (via partners), and more.
- Hotels: World of Hyatt (the crown jewel — Bilt is one of the few programs that feeds Hyatt 1:1) and IHG.
Being one of the only transferable currencies that reaches both American Airlines and World of Hyatt 1:1 is what sets Bilt apart from Chase, Amex, Citi and Capital One.
Best uses (sweet spots), with examples
1. Transfer to World of Hyatt for outsized hotel value.
40,000 Bilt → 40,000 Hyatt points → two Category 4 nights listing at $350/night = $700 of hotel:
($700 − $0) ÷ 40,000 × 100 = 1.75¢. Hyatt is the best hotel value anywhere, and Bilt is a rare 1:1 feeder.
2. Turkish Miles&Smiles for United domestic first.
A ~$1,100 mainland-to-Hawaii United seat for 15,000 Turkish miles + $5.60:
($1,100 − $5.60) ÷ 15,000 × 100 = 7.30¢.
3. Flying Blue Promo Rewards to Europe.
A ~$4,000 lie-flat seat for ~50,000 miles + ~$250:
($4,000 − $250) ÷ 50,000 × 100 = 7.50¢.
4. American Airlines awards. Few transferable programs reach AA at all — Bilt does, opening JAL/Qatar/off-peak AAdvantage sweet spots worth well north of our 1.65¢ AA baseline.
Fine print worth knowing
- No foreign transaction fees — fine to use abroad.
- Rent earning is capped annually, and historically required a minimum number of transactions per statement to earn at all — verify the current rules.
- Transferred points can't be reversed — confirm award space before you move them.
- 2026 lineup expansion: Bilt is broadening beyond a single card, which may add annual-fee premium tiers with different earn rates, caps and perks. Do not publish specific card names, fees or multipliers without re-verifying the live lineup.
Who should get it
Get Bilt if you rent — full stop. Fee-free points on rent is value that simply doesn't exist elsewhere, and the transfer partners are genuinely top-tier. Even if you never touch a fancy award, the Hyatt and airline access makes the points worth far more than cash back.
If you own your home, the rent hook doesn't apply and a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture X is a better core card — though Bilt's unique AA + Hyatt combo can still earn it a slot as a supplementary transfer stash.
Bottom line
Bilt is a category of one: the way to earn premium transferable points on rent with no fee, plus a rare 1:1 path to both American Airlines and World of Hyatt. With the 2026 lineup expanding, verify the current cards and structure before you apply — but the core promise, earning real travel points on money you're already spending, remains one of the best deals in the hobby.
Apply Now → see the current offer
Related: How much are your points worth? · Bilt transfer partners · World of Hyatt guide · Chase Sapphire Preferred guide
