Posted: 31-08-23 | August 31, 2023
The Bilt Mastercard® is one of my favorite travel credit cards. While I have a handful of others in my wallet, Bilt is my go-to for the majority of my daily spending.
Plus, it’s still the only credit card that lets you earn rental points (up to 100,000 per calendar year) completely free – with no annual fees, tricks or gimmicks. You simply pay your rent every month and earn points that you can use for free travel.
I’ve already written an in-depth review of the Bilt card and highlighted the essential things you need to know about it, but many misconceptions still exist. I get emails about it every week.
That’s why I wanted to take the opportunity today to answer some frequently asked questions about Bilt. Hopefully this will clear up any confusion – and convince you to sign up and start earning your own points today!
Why is Bilt my current favorite travel credit card?
Bilt is the only credit card that allows you to earn rental points – up to 100,000 per year. Moreover, there is no annual fee. If you live and rent in the US (especially in expensive cities like NYC or SF), this is a no-brainer.
Another reason I like Bilt is because it is the only non-American Airlines card that can be transferred to American Airlines. This is great news for frequent AA flyers or travelers with specific upcoming trips they want to use AA points for.
For example, this year I flew first class to Japan with JAL for my birthday (one of my favorite first class experiences) by optimizing my spending to rack up lots of Bilt points. AA is a partner of Japan Airlines, so I was able to transfer my Bilt points to AA and then use them for a seat on a flight operated by JAL.
Finally, Bilt makes it easy to earn points, with 3x for dining, 2x for travel, and 5x for Lyft – and double those numbers for all categories (except rentals and Lyft) on the first of the month (aka Rent Day) . You’ll also earn 2,500 points per referral (with every fifth successful referral earning you an additional 10,000 points) – up to 2 million bonus points. Plus, you get the points on a rolling basis, so you don’t have to wait until your statement closes to use them.
Please note that you must make five purchases each statement period (with no minimum spend requirement) to earn points. (Learn more about rewards and benefits here.)
In summary, Bilt has a lot of solid bonuses. But the main draw is earning points on rent. If you don’t, you are literally leaving money on the table.
How do you earn points by paying rent with Bilt?
Once you open a Bilt Mastercard, simply go to the Bilt app or website to set up your recurring monthly rental payments.
First, you create a Bilt Rent account with Wells Fargo (the bank behind Bilt). This is essentially a legal ‘dummy’ account created as a solution to credit card processing fees. You don’t use it for anything else (you don’t take money out or put money in).
When these unique routing and account numbers are used to pay rent (whether you use an online portal, Venmo, or PayPal), your Bilt Mastercard will be charged the same amount. You then pay off the balance (in full!) every month by linking it to your usual bank account, just like with any other credit card.
If your host only accepts checks, you can still pay with your Bilt card through the Bilt Rewards app and Bilt will send a check on your behalf.
My rent payment portal charges a processing fee for credit card payments. Will I be charged if I use Bilt to pay my rent?
No! With a Bilt Rent account (see above), that’s you technically pay your rent with a bank account, not a credit card. So you don’t pay any costs!
What is the annual fee for Bilt?
There is NO annual fee, which is part of what makes Bilt so great! (Full ticket terms and conditions here.)
What are the best transfer partners for Bilt?
My favorite transfer partner is American Airlines because it is the only way to earn AA points besides AA credit cards.
You can also transfer points 1:1 to 13 other travel partners:
- US airlines
- AerClub (Aer Lingus)
- Airplane (Air Canada)
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Emirates
- Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Iberia
- IHG (Intercontinental Hotels Group)
- Turkish airlines
- United
- Virgin Atlantic Ocean
- World of Hyatt
It’s easy to find the best use of your Bilt points when booking flights because it integrates directly with Point.me, the points booking search engine (read more about Point.me in my review). Simply enter your desired destination in the app’s travel portal and the search function will show all the flights you can book with Bilt points.
Once you have made your choice, you can transfer your Bilt points directly from the app to the necessary travel partner.
What is rental day?
Rental day is the first day of the month (when rent is usually due). On this day, Bilt is offering double points on key spending categories, meaning you’ll earn 6x (not 3x) on dining, 4x (not 2x) on travel, and 2x on other purchases (except rent) you make on the first of the month . (Lyft points don’t get doubled either.) This is my favorite way to easily collect Bilt points. (Note that you must use the card five times each statement period to earn points. Rewards and benefits can be found here.)
There are even more bonuses on Rental Day in the Bilt app, where you can play different games to earn points. For example, in Point Quest, a mainstay of the Rent Day extravaganza, you can earn points for correct answers to (fairly easy) trivia questions.
There is also a Rent Day Challenge that changes every month, where you complete a challenge and have a chance to have Bilt pay your rent for the month. Past challenges have included a fill-in-the-blank exercise and an image search (find Bilt blocks in an image).
Does Bilt work if I pay a mortgage instead of rent?
No. Currently you cannot get points on your mortgage, only rental payments.
But even homeowners may want to consider purchasing the Bilt card because of the plethora of other benefits. It’s hands down the best free travel credit card out there, regardless of whether you use the points-for-rent feature or not. The ease of earning points that are transferable to a wide range of travel partners, Rent Day benefits (available to all cardholders), free Point.me access (a tool for finding award flights), and solid travel insurance make it tough defeat.
What credit score is needed for Bilt?
The recommended credit score for Bilt is in the range of good to excellent (670-850), although this is not a hard and fast rule. Other factors in your credit history may come into play when your application is reviewed.
How do you apply for a Bilt credit card?
Simply click on this link to apply! For most applicants, it only takes a few minutes to receive a response. Keep in mind that this is a tricky inquiry into your credit, meaning it could cause a temporary dip in your score.
Can I use Bilt without the credit card?
If you live in a Bilt Alliance home (homes with an official partnership with Bilt), you do not need the Bilt Mastercard to earn points on your rent. But even if you live in one of these properties, I still think it’s worth it because of all the other ways to make even more!
Is Bilt worth it?
Yes! Since there are no annual fees and only points to earn, Bilt is definitely worth having in your wallet.
Bilt is a must-have for anyone renting in the US, but especially for travelers. I really can’t recommend it enough. As the only card that lets you earn points by paying rent, and as the only non-American Airlines card that lets you earn AA points, this is my favorite for a reason.
Don’t leave money on the table – get your Bilt card today!
Book your trip: logistics tips and tricks
Book your flight
Find a cheap flight with Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines all over the world, so you always know there’s nothing going on.
Book your accommodation
You can book your hostel at Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t forget travel insurance
Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft and cancellations. It is comprehensive protection in case something goes wrong. I never travel without it as I have had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that provide the best service and value are:
Do you want to travel for free?
Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that you can redeem for free flights and accommodation, all without any additional expenses. Check out my guide to choosing the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Ready to book your trip?
Check out my resources page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the devices I use when I travel. They are the best in their class and you can’t go wrong with them on your trip.