In just a few years, Bilt Rewards has become one of the most valuable travel rewards programs available. With its unique collection of transfer partners, including some that competing programs have been unable to capture, Bilt Rewards points have become a favorite currency to collect.
The main draw of Bilt is that you can earn points when you pay your rent, with no fees attached. This means that you can easily accumulate over 20,000 points annually just by paying your rent. Additionally, the Bilt Mastercard offers a solid return rate on common non-rent expenses such as dining and travel. However, it’s important to note that you need to make five monthly transactions to earn points.
So, what can you do with your Bilt Rewards points? Here are six ways to maximize their value for your upcoming travels:
1. Book domestic economy flights on American Airlines: American Airlines occasionally offers flight awards on select routes that are priced unbelievably low, starting at just 5,000 AAdvantage miles one-way in economy. By being flexible with your travel dates and using the American Airlines award map, you can find cheap award flights from your home airport.
2. Fly to Ireland in Aer Lingus economy: By transferring Bilt points to Aer Lingus, you can fly to Dublin or Shannon for as little as 13,000 Avios each way. This is a great deal considering other airlines charge more than twice that amount to reach Europe.
3. Book hotel stays starting at 3,500 Bilt points: One of the best uses for Bilt points is to transfer them to Hyatt for “free” nights at their properties. With a fixed award chart, you can easily find out how many points you will be charged for a room. This can provide great value, especially when booking low-end or luxury hotel stays.
4. Book Qatar Qsuite before anyone else: Qatar Airways’ Qsuite business class is known for being one of the best seats in the sky. By transferring Bilt points to British Airways instead of American Airlines, you can convert your rewards into Qatar Airways Avios. This allows you to book flights an entire month further out than American Airlines, giving you the first crack at award seats.
5. Fly to Europe in Iberia business class: By transferring Bilt points to Iberia, you can fly to Spain in a lie-flat business-class seat for as little as 34,000 Iberia Avios each way. This is an extremely cheap way to reach Europe, considering other airlines routinely charge 60,000-plus miles for a business-class seat.
6. Fly to Hawaii in United Airlines economy: Turkish Airlines is a partner of United Airlines, and you can use Turkish Airlines miles to book domestic United Airlines flights, including flights to Hawaii, starting at just 7,500 miles one-way in economy. While it can be difficult to find availability, it’s worth it for the sweet deal.
Overall, Bilt Rewards points are highly versatile, offering a mix of travel partners that is hard to beat. With some strategy and planning, you can get even more value from your points and make the most of your upcoming travels.