Editor’s note: TPG founder Brian Kelly is a Bilt advisor and investor.
This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information.
Bilt Rewards has developed a reputation as the company that lets you earn points for paying rent. Bilt Rewards is a relatively new player in the competitive rewards industry, but it has an impressive list of transfer partners, which includes American Airlines AAdvantage and World of Hyatt.
You can transfer your Bilt points to 14 transfer patterns at a 1:1 ratio. However, knowing how long it takes to transfer points is important for planning your redemptions.
Spoiler alert: Most transfers are processed super fast.
Bilt Rewards points transfer times
With other flexible points programs, transferring points can sometimes take several days for select travel partners. If you see a flight or hotel you want to book, award space may disappear before the points are deposited into your account. However, this shouldn’t be a problem with Bilt Rewards.
As you can see, our test transfers show that Bilt points reach their destination accounts with partner programs almost instantly — except for American Airlines, which took just under 24 hours. However, the Bilt Rewards app indicates that it “may take up to 72 hours” for your Bilt points to hit your AAdvantage account.
Note that when linking Bilt to Virgin, you can select either your Virgin Atlantic account or your Virgin Red ID. As a reminder, your Virgin Red account consolidates the Virgin points you’ve accumulated across all Virgin companies into one account. Unlike most airline programs, your Virgin Red ID is a string of words, not numbers. You can find your Virgin Red ID on your Virgin Red account page, though you may need to link your Virgin Red and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club accounts to access it.
Related: Earn points on rent: Your complete guide to the Bilt Rewards program
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Tips for transferring Bilt Rewards points
It’s important to note that Bilt transfers are one-way, so once you transfer your points, there’s no way to move them back to Bilt.
Only a few airline programs, including five of Bilt’s partners, allow you to hold award tickets before booking: Air France-KLM Flying Blue, American Airlines AAdvantage, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club/Virgin Red.
While Bilt points transfer instantly to almost all partners, putting an award ticket on hold can still be a good idea to ensure the last seat isn’t sold before your points post.
You can use ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures) to search for award space on most carriers. If the flight you want is unavailable, you may need to reschedule your trip or choose another route or destination. Remember that award availability changes frequently, so consider setting award space alerts. That way, you’ll know when a desired seat becomes available.
Related: Ultimate guide to searching award availability for the major airlines
Can you transfer Bilt Rewards points to someone else’s account?
Bilt only allows you to transfer points to your own airline and hotel loyalty accounts – you cannot transfer points to another Bilt member either. However, you can transfer your Bilt points to World of Hyatt and then transfer those to another member (subject to limitations).
Meanwhile, some programs — including Aeroplan and Flying Blue — allow for family pooling.
Related: 25 airlines that allow families to pool miles
Is there a fee for transferring Bilt Rewards points?
When transferring points to U.S.-based airlines like Delta SkyMiles through American Express Membership Rewards, you may be charged an excise fee of 0.06 cents per point, capped at $99 in fees. However, Bilt does not have this fee.
Nonetheless, you should still expect to pay airline taxes and fees when booking an award flight.
Related: Complete guide to taxes and fees on airline award tickets
Which cards earn Bilt Rewards points?
Currently, only one card earns Bilt Rewards points: the Bilt Mastercard®. This no-annual-fee card (see rates and fees) ensures you won’t be charged fees when paying rent with a credit card. It also earns the following rewards:
- 3 points per dollar on dining.
- 2 points per dollar on travel.
- 1 point per dollar spent on rent payments (up to 100,000 points per year).
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
You must use your card at least five times during each statement period to earn points. On the first of every month (dubbed Rent Day), Bilt offers double rewards in all categories except rent.
The Bilt Mastercard also offers a whole suite of impressive perks, including complimentary cellphone protection, trip cancellation and interruption protection, no foreign transaction fees and more. You do not need to pay rent to apply for the Bilt Mastercard.
Related: Can you pay rent with a credit card? Everything you need to know
Bottom line
Bilt has established itself in the award travel industry with valuable partners like World of Hyatt and Air Canada Aeroplan. It’s also the only points program that transfers to American Airlines at a 1:1 ratio.
Our tests indicate that Bilt has almost instant transfer times to all partners except American Airlines, which may take up to 24 hours to deposit. While transfer times may vary from account to account, you can expect a similar experience to ours.
Additional reporting by Sarah Hostetler.
For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
