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Ever feel like your rent check just vanishes into thin air? You’re not alone. For years, paying rent (or a mortgage) has been one of the biggest expenses families face, and you can never get any perks or rewards to show for it.
HOWEVER, that’s exactly what makes Bilt so interesting. It’s a rewards program designed to help you earn points on the payments you’re already making: rent, everyday purchases, and starting in February, 2026, even mortgage payments. Those points can then be used for flights, hotels, and more family travel.
If you’re brand-new to points, my Beginner’s Guide is a great place to start.
What Is Bilt, and Why Families Care
Bilt Rewards is a free program built around rent and everyday spending. You can earn points on rent (with some rules), dining, travel, and more, then redeem those points for trips, rent or down-payment credits, fitness classes, and other options. Think of it as a way to squeeze value out of a bill you were going to pay anyway.
How to Earn Bilt Points (Simple & Practical)
Bilt Earning Cheat Sheet — What to Use and When
| Activity | Typical Earn | Caps & Rules | Family Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent through Bilt (Alliance or mailed check) | Earn on rent | Rules vary by building; watch any fees and yearly caps. | Confirm your building’s process before counting on points. |
| Dining with the Bilt card | Strong multiplier on dining | Points post after 5+ purchases in the cycle. | Use groceries, kid activities, or a coffee run to hit 5 swipes. |
| Travel with the Bilt card | Solid multiplier on travel | Category definitions can vary; book through trusted sites. | Great for flights to see grandparents or school-break trips. |
| Neighborhood Dining (linked card) | Extra points on top of your card’s earn | Opt in + use a linked card at participating restaurants. | Perfect for team dinners or birthday nights out. |
| Fitness & promos | Occasional elevated earn | Short windows; check the app for details. | Stack with Bilt Day if timing lines up. |
| Home purchase via partner agent | Points based on purchase price | Limits/eligibility apply; confirm before closing. | Nice boost if a move is already in the plan. |
| Pro move: On the 1st of each month (“Bilt Day”), many non-rent purchases earn bonus points (subject to caps). | |||
1) Pay rent through Bilt (the right way)
- If your building participates in the Bilt Alliance, you can pay rent through the app and earn points. Keep in mind that if you pay rent with another card (not the Bilt-card) via the Bilt portal, there is a 3% transaction fee, and starting 21 July 2025 Bilt cut the earning for those non-Bilt cards to only 1 point per $2 spent (i.e., 0.5×) for some cases
- Bilt can still facilitate payment by sending a check after you initiate payment in-app if your landlord doesn’t take cards, .
- Watch for any fees or caps and confirm what applies to your exact situation.
2) Use the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® for everyday spending
- Common earn structure has included: 3x on dining, 2x on travel, and 1x on rent (up to a yearly cap), plus 1x on other purchases.
- To make your points post each cycle, complete at least five purchases in that statement period (rent can count as one).
- On the first of each month (“Bilt Day”), many purchases earn double points (typically excludes rent and tax payments) up to a cap, nice if you’re feeding teens and logging lots of kid-activity miles.
3) Stack the “little earners”
- Neighborhood Dining: Link a card in your Bilt wallet and earn extra points at participating restaurants on top of your card’s normal rewards.
- Fitness partners & promos: If boutique classes are your thing, watch for periodic elevated earn.
- Home-buying with partner agent: If a move is on your horizon, there’s a way to earn points on a home purchase through a participating realty partner.
4) Earn Bilt points through Rakuten
Much like American Express Membership Rewards, you may be able to earn more Bilt points through the Rakuten .
TRM Tip: Set a quick monthly reminder to check Rakuten before you shop at places like Nike, Sephora, Macy’s, Walmart, and Under Armour, a few of the popular stores you see on Rakuten. It takes two seconds to click through, and those extra earnings add up fast when you’re shopping for family basics or seasonal gifts.
5) Starting in February, earn through your Mortgage payments
Bilt Rewards just announced that Bilt Card 2.0 is coming on February 7, 2026, but it’s not just one card this time. It’s a whole new lineup of three cards that will replace the current Bilt Mastercard®.
If you already have the Bilt Mastercard, there’s nothing you need to do right now. In early January, Bilt will release details about the three new options, and current cardholders will be able to pick which one fits best. If you choose one of the new cards, it’ll just be a soft credit pull, and your new card should arrive before the February launch.
This feels like a natural next step for Bilt. For families who’ve loved earning on rent, this opens the door to keep earning even after you buy a home.
Bilt Status Tiers: Nice or Necessary?
Everyone starts at Blue, with Silver, Gold, and Platinum above that. Higher tiers can add perks (like small bonuses or special access). They’re nice but not essential; don’t overspend to chase status. Let your normal family budget do the work.
My Favorite Ways to Use Bilt Points
1) Transfer to airline & hotel partners (often the best value)
Bilt points transfer 1:1 to a some of the easiest travel programs to get a lot of value out of. This is where families often get the biggest savings, especially when you can find 4–6 award seats together. Always search the partner for availability and total cost first; transfer only when you’re ready to book (transfers are typically one-way).
Bilt Transfer Partners (Airlines & Hotels)
Bilt Airline Transfer Partners
| Airline Program | Transfer Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Atmos Rewards (Alaska Airlines + Hawaiian Airlines) | 1:1 | Portfolio covering Alaska & Hawaiian via Atmos. |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | Good for Star Alliance awards. |
| United MileagePlus® | 1:1 | Star Alliance reach; dynamic pricing. |
| Air France–KLM Flying Blue® | 1:1 | Monthly Promo Rewards can be strong. |
| Virgin Red® / Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 | Partner sweet spots (varies). |
| Emirates Skywards® | 1:1 | Great for Dubai & partners; surcharges vary. |
| British Airways Executive Club (Avios) | 1:1 | Short-haul Avios sweet spots. |
| Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles) | 1:1 | Oneworld partners incl. JAL, Qantas. |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 1:1 | Great rates to Europe (availability varies). |
| Aer Lingus AerClub (Avios) | 1:1 | Shares Avios with BA & Iberia. |
| Iberia Plus (Avios) | 1:1 | Off-peak transatlantic sweet spots. |
| Air Canada Aeroplan® | 1:1 | Huge partner network. |
| TAP Miles&Go | 1:1 | Occasional promos; mixed pricing. |
| Southwest Airlines | 1:1 | Bags fly free; Companion Pass strategy-friendly. |
| Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank | 1:1 | Great family awards to Asia when space exists. |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Avios) | 1:1 | Qsuite potential; Avios moves across brands. |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | Strong partner options; availability varies. |
| Tip: Confirm award space before transferring—many transfers are one-way. Screenshot totals as a safety net. | ||
Bilt Hotel Transfer Partners
| Hotel Program | Transfer Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hilton Honors | 1:1 | Dynamic awards; 5th-night-free on points can help. |
| Marriott Bonvoy™ | 1:1 | Wide footprint; dynamic pricing. |
| World of Hyatt® | 1:1 | Great family value (suites, breakfast). |
| IHG® One Rewards | 1:1 | Large suite footprint; dynamic pricing. |
| Accor Live Limitless (ALL) | 3:2 | Only non-1:1 hotel transfer; more fixed-value style. |
| Partners & terms can change—always verify in the Bilt app before transferring. | ||
2) Book through the Bilt travel portal
Easy and familiar if you prefer cash-style bookings. The value per point is usually lower than a great transfer, but the simplicity can be worth it for quick getaways.
3) Housing & everyday options
You can apply points toward rent or a down-payment credit (availability and valuations vary), or use them for fitness classes and some retail/ride-share redemptions. These are convenient but generally offer less value than a strong airline/hotel transfer.
Value reminder: Aim to beat ~1 cent per point. Transfers to high-value partners (especially for international flights or suite-style hotel stays) can exceed that, sometimes by a lot.
A Beginner Family Plan (Step-by-Step)
Bilt Beginner Family Plan — Steps at a Glance
- Join Bilt and connect your landlord setup (Alliance or mailed check).
- Set your earn plan: use the Bilt card for dining/travel; make 5+ purchases per cycle so points post.
- Pick a goal: grandparents, national park, or theme-park week (dates + airport).
- Search award seats first, then transfer points only when you’re ready to book.
- Screenshot totals and book. Celebrate at school pickup 🎉
Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
- Fees that erase value: If paying rent a certain way adds a fee (like ~3%), run the math. Many families are better off earning mostly on dining/travel and fee-free categories.
- Transferring too soon: Transfers are typically one-way. Always confirm the award is bookable first.
- Forgetting the five-purchase rule: Put a monthly reminder on your calendar so points don’t sit pending.
Cards & Links
If you’re ready to start earning flexible travel rewards like Bilt, here’s a list of cards I recommend that pairs well with the way families actually spend (groceries, gas, dining, travel).
FAQ: Quick Answers for Busy Parents
Does Bilt work if my landlord doesn’t take cards?
Often yes; Bilt can mail a check after you initiate payment in-app. Check your exact building’s process.
What’s the catch with earning on rent?
There are caps, evolving rules, and sometimes third-party fees if you don’t pay with the Bilt card. Always confirm what applies to your situation before counting on a big haul from rent alone.
Best use of Bilt points?
Transfers to strong airline/hotel partners, after you confirm seats and totals, usually deliver the best value.
Paying Life Expenses for Your Next Trip
Bilt won’t plan the vacation for you, but it can turn rent, dining, and life-with-kids spending into real travel. Start with a simple goal (grandparents, national park, theme park), collect points with your family’s natural spend, and transfer only when those seats are ready to book. If you want a step-by-step nudge, grab my free Beginner’s Guide.
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