Points Insider

Tag: Bilt Rewards

Loyalty programs

  • Earn $50 or Up to 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points With Rakuten’s New Member Bonus

    Earn $50 or Up to 5,000 Amex or Bilt Points With Rakuten’s New Member Bonus

    Rakuten is a free shopping portal that lets you earn cash back or points on purchases you’re already making, on top of the rewards you earn with your credit cards.

    And through the end of the year, new members can earn $50 or up to 5,000 points after spending just $50 through a referral link.

    Here’s how the offer works.

    How to Earn the $50 Rakuten Bonus

    Rakuten partners with more than 3,500 brands, allowing you to earn rewards when shopping online or at participating stores.

    At a glance, the current referral offer looks like this:

    • Sign-up bonus: $50 in cash back or points
    • Spending requirement: $50 in qualifying purchases (within 90 days of joining)
    • Eligibility: New Rakuten members located in the 50 U.S. states or Washington, D.C.
    • Offer ends: December 31, 2026

    To get started, sign up for Rakuten through our referral link.

    Once you’ve created an account, shop through Rakuten at participating retailers. You can meet the $50 spending requirement with one purchase or multiple qualifying purchases within 90 days.

    For everyday use, Rakuten also offers a browser extension that reminds you to activate cash back when shopping online. Alternatively, you can use the Rakuten app to shop, track your rewards, and find in-store cash-back offers.

    After your qualifying purchases are confirmed, you’ll receive the referral bonus through Rakuten’s quarterly payment schedule. Depending on your selected payout method, you can receive cash back through PayPal, check, Samsung Pay, or earn Amex Membership Rewards or Bilt Points instead.

    Those latter two options are particularly interesting.

    Earn Amex Membership Rewards Points With Rakuten

    One of Rakuten’s most useful features for points and miles enthusiasts is its partnership with American Express.

    Eligible Amex cardmembers can link their Membership Rewards account to Rakuten and choose to earn points instead of cash back.

    The conversion rate is 100 Membership Rewards points per $1 in Rakuten cash back. So, if a retailer offers 10% cash back, you can instead earn 10 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent.

    That means the $50 referral bonus could be worth 5,000 Membership Rewards points if you choose to receive your rewards that way.

    To get started, visit your Rakuten account settings, select Membership Rewards as your payment method, and link your eligible Amex account.

    Rakuten transfers confirmed Membership Rewards points quarterly, on February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15. You’ll need at least 501 confirmed points for a transfer; smaller balances roll over to the next payment date.

    And remember, these points are earned on top of the rewards you already earn with your credit card (which doesn’t even have to be an Amex card).

    A young female traveller is using her laptop on her vacation.
    RECEP-BG / ISTOCK

    Earn Bilt Points With Rakuten

    Rakuten also lets members earn Bilt Points instead of cash back.

    To enable this option, you’ll need to link your Rakuten and Bilt accounts through Bilt’s website or app. Your email addresses must match on both accounts.

    Once linked, Rakuten will convert your confirmed cash back into Bilt Points. The conversion rate depends on your Bilt elite status at the time of payout:

    • Blue members: 50 Bilt Points per $1 in cash back
    • Silver, Gold, and Platinum members: 100 Bilt Points per $1 in cash back

    That means the $50 referral bonus could be worth 2,500 Bilt Points for Blue members or 5,000 Bilt Points for Silver members and above.

    Bilt Points are transferred quarterly, following Rakuten’s regular payment schedule. You’ll need at least $5.01 in confirmed cash back for a payout.

    Ready to Get Started?

    If you’re not already a Rakuten member, this is an easy way to pick up some extra cash back or points on purchases you’d make anyway.

    Just sign up through our referral link by December 31, 2026, and spend at least $50 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of joining to earn your bonus.

    And since Rakuten is free to use, you can continue earning additional rewards on everyday purchases long after you’ve earned the new member bonus.

  • Bilt Changes for 2027: New Ways to Earn Rewards, Plus Changes to Bilt Cash

    Bilt Changes for 2027: New Ways to Earn Rewards, Plus Changes to Bilt Cash

    Bilt is making some significant changes to its rewards program in 2027, including eliminating guaranteed points on rent and mortgage payments for members without a Bilt credit card.

    The changes, announced October 27, 2026, will roll out over the next few months. Some will make rewards easier to use, while others introduce new restrictions.

    The biggest change is coming January 15, when members who pay rent or a mortgage through Bilt without a Bilt Card will receive a new type of reward instead of the guaranteed points they earn today.

    There are also changes to Bilt Cash (a separate rewards currency that can be used toward eligible purchases and benefits), hotel redemptions, and credit card benefits.

    Here’s what you need to know.

    Guaranteed Rent and Mortgage Points Are Going Away for Some Members

    One of Bilt’s main selling points is that it lets members earn rewards on rent and mortgage payments. These are big expenses that traditionally don’t earn points.

    Currently, you don’t necessarily need a Bilt credit card to participate. But that’s changing on January 15, 2027.

    Starting then, members who pay rent or a mortgage through Bilt without a Bilt credit card will no longer earn guaranteed points on those payments. Instead, they’ll receive something Bilt calls a “Daily Reward.”

    Here’s how it works.

    Each on-time rent or mortgage payment unlocks a Daily Reward. Members can also unlock one each day by completing a qualifying activity with a participating neighborhood business, such as dining at a restaurant, taking a fitness class, or booking a Lyft ride.

    Each Daily Reward presents two options, and you choose which one to claim. These could include Bilt Points, Bilt Cash, other credits, or collectibles that count toward a chance to win larger prizes.

    Bilt is advertising prizes that include $1 million toward a home, 10 million Bilt Points, a year of free rent or mortgage payments, and free Lyft rides for a year.

    The full rules and prize details haven’t been released yet, so it’s unclear how likely members are to receive any particular reward.

    But more importantly, if you have a Bilt credit card, you’ll continue earning points on rent and mortgage payments as you do today. Daily Rewards will be an additional benefit rather than a replacement.

    One thing Bilt’s announcement doesn’t address is whether members will still be able to earn bonus airline miles on rent payments through eligible United MileagePlus or Alaska Atmos Rewards credit cards. Those partnerships aren’t mentioned in the update, and there’s no indication they’re being discontinued. So while we’d expect those earning opportunities to stick around, that hasn’t been explicitly confirmed, though it’s something we’re looking into.

    Bilt Cash Will Last Longer, but Hotel Redemptions Are Changing

    Bilt also announced two changes to Bilt Cash, which is different from the Bilt Points members can transfer to airline and hotel partners.

    Bilt Cash can be earned through certain credit card spending and used toward eligible benefits, including hotel bookings.

    The first change is positive: Bilt Cash will no longer expire at the end of the calendar year.

    Instead, it will remain valid through the end of the month, 12 months after it was earned. For example, $100 in Bilt Cash earned in February 2026 will now expire on February 28, 2027.

    That’s a welcome improvement, particularly for members who earn Bilt Cash toward the end of the year.

    However, starting January 1, 2027, members will only be able to redeem Bilt Cash toward eligible hotel bookings through Bilt twice per calendar year, rather than monthly.

    How much you can redeem depends on your Bilt membership level:

    Bilt Membership LevelMaximum Per Hotel RedemptionAnnual Maximum
    Blue and Silver$50$100
    Gold and Platinum$100$200
    Eligible Palladium cardholders$200$400

    Bilt’s existing two-night minimum stay requirement will still apply.

    And just to note: through December 31, 2026, the current monthly redemption rules will continue to apply.

    Bilt Credit Card Benefits Are Changing, Too

    Bilt is also simplifying how its credit cards earn rewards, although this part of the update is a little more complicated (but isn’t this whole thing complicated?).

    Currently, eligible Bilt cardholders can choose an option called Flexible Bilt Cash, which earns 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases. That Cash can then be redeemed for eligible benefits.

    Bilt is retiring that option for cardholders who move to its new benefits structure.

    Instead, the new structure focuses on earning points on housing payments. Cardholders will be able to earn up to 1.25X Bilt Points on rent or mortgage payments, depending on their everyday card spending.

    That said, existing cardholders have a choice.

    If you already have a Bilt Card, or open one by December 31, 2026, you can opt out of the new benefits before your next card anniversary and keep the existing Flexible Bilt Cash option and eligible annual credits.

    If you don’t opt out, you’ll automatically move to the new benefits structure on your card anniversary.

    Bilt says cardholders who opt out won’t be able to switch between Flexible Bilt Cash and the new housing-focused earning option afterward, so it’s worth reviewing the differences before making a decision.

    One thing that isn’t changing is how many points Bilt credit cards earn on regular everyday purchases.

    Bilt has also made eligible card upgrades available through its app.

    Changes to annual card credits

    Bilt is also changing some of the annual benefits on its higher-end Obsidian and Palladium credit cards.

    For Palladium cardholders, the existing $200 Bilt Cash credit and $400 hotel credit will be combined into a single $600 annual Bilt Cash credit.

    For Obsidian cardholders, the existing $100 hotel credit will become $100 in annual Bilt Cash.

    The benefit of these changes is flexibility. Rather than having credits reserved specifically for hotel bookings, cardholders will be able to use their Bilt Cash toward a broader range of eligible redemptions.

    These annual credits will also be issued on each cardholder’s account anniversary instead of January 1.

    Obsidian and Palladium cardholders who move to the new benefits structure will retain access to Point Accelerator, which lets them redeem Bilt Cash for additional points-earning opportunities.

    More Benefits for Bilt Elite Members

    Bilt is also planning a few new benefits for members who have earned elite status in its rewards program.

    Starting in 2027, Gold and Platinum members will be able to redeem Bilt Points toward stays at participating Home Away from Home hotels, including access to eligible luxury hotel benefits.

    There are also new rental car status matches planned:

    • Platinum members: SIXT ONE Platinum and Hertz President’s Circle.
    • Gold and Silver members: SIXT ONE Gold and Hertz Five Star.

    Bilt hasn’t yet announced the full terms or timing for these status matches.

  • Bilt Points Now Transfer 1:1 to JetBlue TrueBlue

    Bilt Points Now Transfer 1:1 to JetBlue TrueBlue

    Bilt’s list of transfer partners is growing again.

    On October 20, Bilt announced JetBlue TrueBlue as its newest transfer partner. Effective immediately, Bilt Rewards members can transfer Bilt Points to JetBlue at a 1:1 ratio.

    Besides JetBlue’s own flights, TrueBlue points can book flights on JetBlue’s partner airlines, including United, Qatar Airways, Icelandair, and Condor.

    How Bilt Transfers to JetBlue Work

    To transfer, open the Bilt app or Bilt.com, go to the Rewards section, and tap the Transfer tab, then the Airlines tab. Select JetBlue TrueBlue (link your accounts if you haven’t already), then choose an amount and confirm.

    Bilt Points transfer in 1,000-point increments. The minimum is 1,000 points, or 2,000 for members with entry-level Blue status.

    JetBlue award prices are tied to cash fares. According to JetBlue, the points a flight requires are “based on the published base fare at the time of booking,” so the points price rises and falls with what the same flight would cost in cash.

    Most partner awards work a little differently. JetBlue doesn’t publish partner award charts, but prices are fairly predictable by route. For instance, TrueBlue points can book Qatar Airways from U.S. gateways like Boston and Atlanta starting at 41,500 points one-way in economy or 83,000 points in Qsuite business class.

    But before transferring, it’s worth checking whether another Bilt partner charges fewer points for the same trip. Transfers can’t be reversed and Bilt has a ton of partners, so a PointsYeah award search is an easy way to see prices across most programs first.

    {{ search-widget mode=”flight” }}

    Transfers Might Only Be the Beginning

    As history shows, transfers really could be just the beginning of a more expansive partnership.

    For starters, Bilt has used its monthly Rent Day promotion to spotlight a new partner before.

    Just last month, it launched transfers to Amtrak Guest Rewards on September 23, then ran a one-day transfer bonus on October 1. The bonus depended on your Bilt status, from 25% for Blue members to 100% for Platinum, and up to 125% for Platinum members who redeemed Bilt Cash for a better bonus.

    Bilt hasn’t announced a JetBlue transfer bonus yet, but the release hints at more to come: JetBlue cardmembers can add their card to the Bilt app “to access additional earning opportunities, with more cardmember features coming soon.”

  • Bilt Is Cutting Its Hyatt Transfer Ratio to 4:3 in 2027

    Bilt Is Cutting Its Hyatt Transfer Ratio to 4:3 in 2027

    In a few months’ time, Bilt will water down transfers to one of its top hotel partners.

    On October 1, Bilt announced that effective January 1, the transfer ratio to World of Hyatt will drop from 1:1 to 4:3. In other words, a transfer of 10,000 Bilt Points to Hyatt will soon net 7,500 points compared to 10,000 today.

    This change isn’t entirely unprecedented. Today, Chase officially enacted a similar change by trimming its Ultimate Rewards transfer ratio to Hyatt to an identical 4:3 on select cards.

    But unlike Chase, there doesn’t appear to be a way to salvage 1:1 transfers, even if you hold Bilt’s most premium credit card with a $495 annual fee.

    There’s Still Three Months at 1:1

    Thankfully, nothing is changing today.

    But if the strategy is earning Bilt Points and transferring them to Hyatt, consider this fair warning.

    December 31 will be the last day Bilt offers transfers to Hyatt at 1:1. Starting the day after, that ratio will get a 25% haircut.

    It goes without saying that changes like this are broadly unappealing. Hyatt has long been viewed as one of the darling transfer partners in the world of points and miles.

    But after recent award chart changes, and now two announcements of watered-down transfer ratios from Chase and Bilt, that reputation might be losing a bit of its luster.

    Sure, World of Hyatt recently made some award nights cheaper with that award chart expansion, but it’ll soon require more transferable points to book free nights.

  • Bilt Adds Amtrak as Its First Rail Transfer Partner

    Bilt Adds Amtrak as Its First Rail Transfer Partner

    Bilt Rewards added a new way to use its points for travel, and this one doesn’t involve an airline or hotel.

    On Wednesday, September 23, Bilt added Amtrak Guest Rewards as its newest transfer partner, allowing Bilt Points to be converted into Amtrak points and used toward train tickets.

    Amtrak is Bilt’s first rail transfer partner and its 26th travel partner overall. And the partnership could be particularly useful in situations where taking the train can make more sense than flying.

    How Bilt Transfers to Amtrak Work

    Transfers are available now after linking an Amtrak Guest Rewards account to Bilt.

    Bilt Points transfer in increments of 1,000. Members who have earned Bilt status can transfer as few as 1,000 points at a time, while members with entry-level Blue status (which everyone receives when joining Bilt) need to transfer at least 2,000.

    Amtrak tickets can start at 400 Guest Rewards points, or 100 points when combining points and cash. Points can also be used for lounge passes starting at 1,500 points and one-class upgrade coupons starting at 2,500 points.

    The important number to check before transferring is how many Amtrak points a particular trip requires. Since Bilt Points become half as many Amtrak points, a ticket costing 2,500 Amtrak points would require transferring 5,000 Bilt Points.

    Bilt Continues to Expand Beyond Traditional Travel Rewards

    Amtrak also fits into something broader happening at Bilt.

    Airline and hotel transfers are still a big part of the program, but Bilt has increasingly added ways to use points outside the usual airline-hotel playbook. Points can go toward fitness classes, student loan payments, and other expenses tied more closely to everyday life.

    Train travel fits neatly into that expansion. It’s transportation, but for plenty of people, especially along the Northeast Corridor, it’s also part of life in a way that an airline transfer partner might not be.