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For years, rent and mortgages, were the biggest monthly expenses you couldn’t earn points on.
Bilt is trying to change that.
With Bilt 2.0, earning points on housing is no longer “free by default.” It’s now choice-based and math-dependent, and whether it works for you depends entirely on how your spending already flows for your travel goals.
This guide will help you understand:
- What Bilt 2.0 changed
- How earning works now
- Who their credit cards do and do not make sense for
- How to decide if it’s worth your mental energy
If you’re brand-new to points, start with my Beginner’s Guide first. Bilt is not a starter card for most people.
What Bilt 2.0 Actually Is
Bilt is a rewards program, not a bank.
The credit card is just one way to earn Bilt points, but with Bilt 2.0, it becomes much more central.
Starting February 2026, Bilt:
- Allows earning points on rent and mortgage payments
- Introduces three new credit cards (replacing the original single card)
- Adds a secondary rewards currency called Bilt Cash
- Changes how housing rewards are unlocked
- Removes the prior annual cap on housing points
The headline sounds simple:
“Earn points on your rent or mortgage.”
The reality is more nuanced.
The Big Change: Two Ways to Earn on Housing
With Bilt 2.0, you now choose how you earn rewards on housing. Both options remain fee-free for housing payments, but the mechanics work very differently.
You select your option when activating your card and can change it later (changes take effect the following month).
Option 1: Simple Fee-Free Housing Points
This option is designed for people who want predictable earning and minimal tracking.
- Pay your full rent or mortgage with no transaction fee
- Automatically earn points on housing instead of earning Bilt Cash from everyday spend
- Your housing earning rate increases based on how much you use the card for normal purchases
- Earn up to 1.25x points on housing when your everyday spend roughly matches your housing amount
- If you don’t hit the minimum thresholds, you still earn 250 points per month
- The previous 100,000-point annual cap on housing earnings has been removed
- You still receive any annual or welcome Bilt Cash credits
This model rewards households that already have high natural monthly spending and want simplicity instead of monthly math.
Option 2: Bilt Cash Offset Model (Original Card 2.0 Structure)
This option keeps the original structure Bilt launched with Card 2.0 and offers more flexibility.
- Pay rent or mortgage with no transaction fee
- Earn Bilt Cash from everyday spending (in addition to base points)
- You can use Bilt Cash to increase how many points you earn on housing each month
- You can also redeem Bilt Cash for credits and benefits inside the Bilt ecosystem
- More everyday spending generates more Bilt Cash
Think of Bilt Cash as a flexible tool you can deploy where it creates the most value for you.
Bilt Cash vs. Bilt Points (Quick Clarity)
This is where most confusion happens.
Bilt Points
- Transfer to airlines and hotels
- Best for outsized travel value
- The long-term reward you’re ultimately trying to build
Bilt Cash
- Earned from everyday spending (depending on which option you choose)
- Used to increase housing rewards or redeem for credits and experiences inside Bilt
- Not transferable to airlines or hotels
- Functions more like a flexible rebate currency inside the ecosystem
Bilt Cash is the mechanism, and Bilt Points are the prize.
The 75% Rule
Under the Bilt Cash model, the math generally feels most worthwhile when your everyday spending is roughly 75% or more of your housing payment each month.
Example:
- $3,000 rent or mortgage
- ~$2,250/month in everyday spending routed through Bilt
- Generates meaningful Bilt Cash you can deploy toward boosting housing points or other in-ecosystem redemptions
- Points earned without stretching your budget or reallocating high-value spend
If your normal spending already supports this without pulling money away from better-earning cards, the model works naturally.
If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.
Under the newer fee-free housing option, this same spending alignment determines how high your housing multiplier climbs rather than whether a fee gets offset. Roughly:
- Around 75% of rent in monthly spend ≈ 1.0x points on housing
- Spending roughly equal to your housing payment ≈ up to 1.25x points (top tier)
The takeaway is the same: alignment creates leverage. When the spend fits naturally, Bilt compounds quicker.
About Mortgage Payments (Important Context)
Mortgage earning is the biggest headline with Bilt 2.0 and also the most misunderstood.
Yes, you can earn points on mortgage payments.
But whether you should depends on your setup.
If your mortgage is $1,500–$1,800 and your spending is already tightly allocated, using Bilt for your mortgage usually means:
- Redirecting high-value spend
- For marginal incremental value
- Versus earning more efficiently elsewhere
Mortgage earning only makes sense when:
- Your spending naturally supports the required thresholds (math example above)
- You’re not sacrificing better earning elsewhere
- You actually want Bilt points for what they unlock
Otherwise, it’s optional, not essential.
Bilt Status: Nice or Strategic?
Bilt has four status tiers: Blue, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
On the surface, status looks optional.
Strategically, it can matter, a lot.
Why status matters:
- Transfer bonuses
Bilt status has unlocked some of the most aggressive transfer bonuses we’ve seen, up to 150% in some cases. - Rakuten strategy
Bilt status is currently the only way to preserve Rakuten’s 1:1 transfer ratio after upcoming changes. If shopping portals are (or could become) part of your strategy, this matters. (more on Rakuten; more on how to earn Bilt Points on Rakuten)
You don’t technically need a Bilt card to earn Bilt points, because Bilt is a rewards program, not a bank, but holding the card makes it far easier to:
- Earn consistently
- Maintain status
- Keep options open long-term
This is where Bilt stops being about earn rates and starts being about leverage.
Who Bilt 2.0 Makes Sense For
Bilt works when it fits around what you’re already doing.
It makes sense if:
- Your housing payment is high and your monthly spend is naturally high
- You hit the 75% rule without effort
- You care about transfer bonuses and Rakuten long-term
- You want one primary card and aren’t chasing welcome offers
It does NOT make sense if:
- Your housing payment is modest and spend is tight
- Your spending fluctuates month to month
- You want a truly passive card
- Using Bilt would slow progress elsewhere
This card rewards alignment, not effort.
My Favorite Ways to Use Bilt Points
Favorite Ways to Use Bilt Points: Transfer Partners
Transferring Bilt points to airline and hotel partners is usually where you’ll get the most value. Partners below are ordered by typical real-world value (sweet spots + practical usability). Bilt-exclusive partners are listed first.
| Transfer partner | Type | Transfer ratio | Availability | Why families care |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Alaska Airlines (Atmos Rewards)
Bilt-exclusive
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Exclusive | One of the most valuable for partner flights and premium sweet spots. |
|
Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank
Bilt-exclusive
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Exclusive | Can be excellent for Japan/Asia awards when space is available. |
|
World of Hyatt
Hotel
|
Hotel | 1:1 | Shared | Consistently strong value on award nights (often the best hotel partner). |
|
Avianca LifeMiles
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Shared | Solid Star Alliance pricing; often avoids fuel surcharges. |
|
Air France–KLM Flying Blue
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Shared | Promo Rewards can be a big win for Europe flights. |
|
Air Canada Aeroplan
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Shared | Flexible routing + huge partner network. |
|
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Shared | Historically good pricing, but availability can be the limiting factor. |
|
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Shared | Great partner sweet spots; taxes/fees vary by route. |
|
British Airways Executive Club (Avios)
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Shared | Good for short-haul and certain off-peak routes. |
|
United MileagePlus
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Shared | Great network + no fuel surcharges, but pricing can be dynamic. |
|
Southwest Rapid Rewards
Airline
|
Airline | 1:1 | Shared | Very family-friendly; value is consistent but not usually “outsized.” |
|
Marriott Bonvoy
Hotel
|
Hotel | 1:1 | Shared | Huge footprint; average value per point tends to be lower. |
|
Hilton Honors
Hotel
|
Hotel | 1:1 | Shared | Good availability, but points value is often lower. |
|
IHG One Rewards
Hotel
|
Hotel | 1:1 | Shared | Can be useful, but value varies widely. |
|
Accor Live Limitless (ALL)
Hotel
|
Hotel | 3:2 | Shared | More fixed-value style; best for specific international stays. |
Value reminder: Aim to beat ~1¢ per point. Great transfers can far exceed that.
Common Pitfalls (And How to Avoid Them)
Letting complexity erase your value
Under Bilt 2.0, housing rewards require alignment between spending and how you’ve selected your rewards structure. If your everyday spending doesn’t naturally support the thresholds, housing rewards may feel like work instead of leverage.
Transferring points before confirming availability
Most Bilt transfers to airline and hotel programs are one-way. Always check award space and pricing before you transfer points, once they’re gone, you usually can’t reverse the move.
Assuming old rules still apply
Legacy cards required a minimum number of transactions for points to post. Under the new Card 2.0 structure, earning mechanics increasingly center around spend thresholds and reward selection rather than transaction counts. Always verify what applies to your specific card issuance.
The Bottom Line
Bilt 2.0 isn’t bad.
It’s not incredible.
It’s math-dependent.
When the alignment works naturally, Bilt can quietly unlock value most cards can’t touch.
When it doesn’t, it becomes work.
It’s a precision tool.
And like any good tool, it’s worth revisiting when your numbers, or your strategy, change.
That’s how points should work.
That’s how points should work. are ready to book. If you want a step-by-step nudge, grab my free Beginner’s Guide.
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