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The Bilt Mastercard® is the first credit card to offer rewards for paying rent without additional fees — and you can redeem your points for travel, merchandise, and more. While it now offers bonus points on dining and select travel, if you’re not a renter, you should consider other no-annual-fee rewards credit cards as well.
Review: Is the Bilt Mastercard the best credit card for you?
If you are looking for a credit card that allows you to earn rewards for your rent payments, without paying additional fees, the Bilt Mastercard® isn’t just a great choice, it’s your only choice.
The Bilt Mastercard® offers you 1 point per dollar for all rental payments, on up to $50,000 in payments every year. There’s no traditional welcome bonus, but you can earn bonus rewards by referring friends (2,500 per successful referral), and now every fifth successful referral you make gets you an additional 10,000 points (up to 2,025,000 referral points each year) — even if you don’t have the card.
What’s unique about this card is that you can use it to pay your rent to any landlord, anywhere, with no fees. You’ll earn points on rent payments (1 point per dollar on up to $50,000 per year), 2x points on travel, 3x points on dining, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. However, you must make a minimum of five transactions per statement period to earn points.
The Bilt Rewards program offers a number of redemption options, including point transfers to airline and hotel partners, booking travel through its travel portal, rent discounts, fitness rewards, and merchandise.
If you rent from a company in the Bilt Rewards alliance (a network of over two million apartments in the US) you don’t need the Bilt Mastercard® to earn points for paying rent — you can earn points by paying rent through the Bilt Rewards app.
However, if you’re not a renter, there are many other rewards credit cards that could earn you more points, miles, or cash back for your spending — with a broader range of ways to redeem your rewards.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
How to earn rewards with the Bilt Mastercard
Everyday spending
For a card with a Bilt Mastercard® annual fee, the Bilt Mastercard® offers a respectable return rate for common spending habits:
1 point per dollar on rent payments (with no fees) on up to $50,000 in rent payments every year2 points per dollar on travel booked directly with airlines, hotels, car rentals, or cruise lines3 points per dollar on dining (including food delivery services like Uber Eats and GrubHub)1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Again, earning 1 point per dollar on rent isn’t the card’s selling point — it’s the fact that you can use a credit card to pay rent with no fees. The rewards are simply a bonus.
You must make at least five purchases on the card each billing cycle to be eligible to earn rewards. Bilt wants this card to be top of mind for you each month — beyond just rent payments.
Bilt ‘Rent Day’
On the first day of every month, Bilt runs a “Rent Day” promotion. On Rent Day, cardholders can earn double points on non-rent spending, up to a maximum of 10,000 bonus points, as follows:
6 points per dollar on dining (normally 3 points per dollar)4 points per dollar on travel (normally 2 points per dollar)2 points per dollar on all other spending (normally 1 point per dollar)
Rent Day sometimes includes additional promotions, like challenges and trivia questions to earn bonus points, free rent, and other perks.
How to use Bilt Rewards points
Transfer points to airline and hotel partners
What’s really exciting about the Bilt Rewards program is that you can transfer points to airline and hotel loyalty programs, and the selection of award transfer partners is comparable to more established credit card rewards programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Membership Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
Bilt Rewards transfer partners
American Airlines AAdvantageAer Lingus AerClub Air Canada AeroplanBritish Airways Executive ClubCathay Pacific Asia MilesEmirates SkywardsFlying Blue (Air France-KLM)Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMilesIberia PlusIHG Rewards ClubTurkish Miles & SmilesVirgin Atlantic Flying ClubUnited AirlinesWorld of Hyatt
All transfers are instant (except American Airlines, which can take 24 hours) and at a 1:1 ratio.
Bilt points are worth 1.65 cents each, on average, based on Insider’s points and miles valuations. That’s because you can often get outsized value by transferring your rewards to partners like American Airlines, United Airlines, and Hyatt.
Redeem points through the Bilt Travel portal
You can use your Bilt points to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and activities through the Bilt Rewards Travel portal at a rate of 1.25 cents per point. Because it’s powered by Expedia, you can access a wide variety of travel options around the globe, and the value per point you’ll get is better than what most other bank portals offer.
It’s also got the ability to compare the points price of a flight booked through the portal to what you’d spend by transferring points to partners for an award flight. This can help tremendously in your decision-making process when it comes time to redeem your rewards.
Use Bilt points for Amazon purchases
Bilt recently added the ability to redeem points at Amazon checkout, similar to using other flexible rewards points. You can link your Bilt Mastercard® to your Amazon account and use points to fully or partially pay for a purchase. However, you won’t get a good value for your rewards this way — Bilt points are only worth 0.7 cents apiece when you redeem them for Amazon purchases.
Use points for fitness classes
Bilt Rewards partners with Soul Cycle, Rumble, and Y7, and you can redeem points for group classes or subscriptions.
Redeem Bilt points for merchandise
Bilt members can cash in their points in the Bilt App for home decor, art, and other exclusive items through the Bilt Collection.
Get discounts on rent with points
If you want to reduce your monthly expenses, you can cash in your points for discounts on rent payments. However, you’ll only receive a value of 0.55 cents per point.
Use points toward a down payment on a mortgage
When you’re ready to transition from renting to homeownership, Bilt will offer the opportunity to put points toward a down payment on a mortgage.
Benefits and features
Bonus points for referrals
You will earn 2,500 points for every five friends or family members you refer to this Bilt Mastercard®. For every fifth successful referral, you’ll receive an additional 10,000-point bonus (total of 22,500 points). You’re allowed to earn points for up to 450 successful referrals for a whopping total of 2,025,000 points.
You don’t even have to have the Bilt Mastercard® to refer friends. Download the Bilt Rewards app and just click “Invite.”
Cell phone protection
When you pay your monthly wireless bill with your Bilt Mastercard®, you’re eligible for cell phone insurance of up to $800 per claim, up to two claims per year. You’ll be subject to a $25 deductible — which is low compared to many other credit cards that offer cell phone protection.
Trip delay reimbursement
When your flight is delayed six hours or more, this card reimburses you for reasonable expenses such as food, accommodation, and even extras like entertainment and airline lounges. You and all covered travelers are eligible to receive $200 per day for up to three days (maximum $1,800 in total per covered trip).
Auto rental collision damage waiver
When you pay for your rental car with your Bilt Mastercard® and decline the rental agency’s in-house insurance, you’ll receive primary rental coverage for damage and theft — up to the cash value of the car. You and other drivers on the reservation will be covered.
This benefit can save you $15+ per day over opting for the rental agency’s proprietary coverage.
Trip cancellation and interruption protection
You are eligible for up to $5,000 per insured person for nonrefundable tickets you’ve paid for with the Bilt Mastercard®. Eligible travelers include you, your spouse or domestic partner, and your dependent children.
This protection will cover you for things like death, accidental bodily injury, or the common carrier defaulting from financial insolvency.
Purchase security
Purchase Assurance Plus covers any eligible new purchase you make with the Bilt Mastercard® against accidental damage or loss for 90 days, for up to $10,000 per claim, and $50,000 per cardholder.
Merchant discounts
Bilt Mastercard® cardholders get practical discounts with popular brands. You’ll receive $5 off your first two Doordash orders each month when using this card. You’ll also get a $5 Lyft credit whenever you pay for three or more rides in a calendar month.
World Elite Concierge services
Bilt Mastercard® cardholders can access Mastercard’s World Elite Concierge, which can help with things like hard-to-get restaurant reservations or event tickets.
Fees and costs
There’s no annual fee for the Bilt Mastercard®, and there are no fees to pay your rent with it. It’s also a good choice if you’re traveling abroad, because it doesn’t add foreign transaction fees.
Like most cards, the Bilt Mastercard® charges fees for cash advances, late payments, and returned payments.
Comparison: Bilt Mastercard vs other travel rewards credit cards
Bilt Mastercard®
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Citi Premier® Card
Annual fee
Bilt Mastercard®
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Citi Premier® Card
Rewards rate
1x points on rent purchases (on up to $50,000 every year)
2x points on travel booked directly with airlines, hotels, car rentals, or cruise lines
3x points on dining (including food delivery services like Uber Eats and GrubHub)
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out
5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
2x points on other travel
3x points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases
5x total points on Lyft rides through March 2025
1 point per $1 spent
on all other purchases
3x points on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels
1 point per dollar on everything else
Welcome bonus offer
Bilt Mastercard®
80,000 points
Citi Premier® Card
Card benefits
Double points earning on non-rent spending on Rent Day (first of the month)
World Elite Mastercard benefits including:
Cell phone insurance
Purchase assurance
Lyft, Doordash, and Shoprunner discounts
Mastercard Luxury Hotel & Resorts
World Elite Concierge
No foreign transaction fees
Complimentary year of DoorDash DashPass membership (activation required by March 31, 2022)
Trip interruption/cancellation
Trip delay insurance
Baggage delay insurance
Lost luggage reimbursement
Extended warranty
Purchase protection
Travel and emergency assistance services
Travel accident insurance
Roadside dispatch
No foreign transaction fees
$100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through thankyou.com once per calendar year
Extended warranty
Access to Citi Entertainment
No foreign transaction fees
Review
Chase Sapphire Preferred card review
Bilt Mastercard vs other Wells Fargo credit cards
Bilt Mastercard®
Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Annual fee
Bilt Mastercard®
Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Rewards rate
1x points on rent purchases (on up to $50,000 every year)
2x points on travel booked directly with airlines, hotels, car rentals, or cruise lines
3x points on dining (including food delivery services like Uber Eats and GrubHub)
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
2% cash rewards on purchases
3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Welcome bonus offer
Bilt Mastercard®
Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Card benefits
Double points earning on non-rent spending on Rent Day (first of the month)
World Elite Mastercard benefits including:
Cell phone insurance
Purchase assurance
Lyft, Doordash, and Shoprunner discounts
Mastercard Luxury Hotel & Resorts
World Elite Concierge
No foreign transaction fees
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (then a Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card APR)
Cell phone protection
Visa Signature Concierge
Roadside dispatch
Travel and emergency assistance services
Emergency cash disbursement and card replacement
Access to the Visa Signature Hotel Collection
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card (then a Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card APR)
Cell phone protection
Car rental insurance
Emergency cash disbursement and card replacement
Roadside dispatch
Travel and emergency assistance services
Visa Signature Concierge
Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection
No foreign transaction fees
Review
Wells Fargo Active Cash card review
Wells Fargo Autograph card review
Bilt Mastercard frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Is the Bilt Mastercard worth it?
The Bilt Mastercard® is a Bilt Mastercard®-annual-fee credit card. That means if you earn just a single point each year, you’re getting more value from the card than you’re paying.
If you tend to pay rent with a credit card — or if you’d like to— the Bilt Mastercard® is a no-brainer. Depending on how much you pay in rent, this card could easily save you $500+ per year in transaction fees.
How can you spend Bilt Rewards?
You can use Bilt Rewards for things like merchandise, future rent payment, and select gym memberships. However, you’ll get the biggest return for your points by transferring them to valuable travel partners like Hyatt, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Air Canada Aeroplan, or redeeming them through the Bilt Travel portal.
Does the Bilt credit card earn airline miles?
You won’t earn airline miles directly, but you can convert your points into airline miles (or hotel points) if you desire. Bilt currently has 14 transfer partners to choose from — and the list is ever-growing.
Does the Bilt card come with a sign-up bonus?
The Bilt Mastercard® doesn’t offer a traditional sign-up bonus, but you can still earn rewards by referring friends to the card. You’ll get up to 2,025,000 bonus miles worth of successful referrals to friends and family (total of 450 referrals).
Which bank issues the Bilt Mastercard?
Wells Fargo issues the Bilt Mastercard®. That’s great news if you’ve already got a bunch of cards from more mainstream banks like Chase, American Express, Citi, or Capital One.