Bilt Rewards 2026: The complete program guide for renters and points travelers
Bilt Rewards is the only points program that lets you earn transferable points on rent payments — no fee, no merchant surcharge. With 17 transfer partners and Rent Day promotions on the 1st of each month, this is the most-leveraged no-fee program in points travel.
- 2x earning on all categories: 1x rent becomes 2x; 3x dining becomes 6x; 2x travel becomes 4x.
- Periodic transfer bonuses: Rent Day occasionally features 100% bonus on transfers to specific partners.
- Sweepstakes and bonus promotions: Bilt runs themed Rent Day promos (free hotel stays, etc.).
Bilt Rewards is the only major loyalty program that lets you earn transferable points on rent payments — at 1x, no fee, no merchant surcharge. Combined with 3x earning on dining, 2x on travel, and a transfer-partner list spanning 17 airlines + hotels, Bilt is the most-leveraged no-fee program in points travel. The catch: a 5-transaction-per-cycle rule and Rent Day mechanics that reward strategic timing.
How Bilt rent earning works
Bilt's flagship feature: pay rent through the Bilt Mastercard at 1x earn rate, with no merchant fee. The mechanics:
- Connect your apartment building or landlord through Bilt's payment system
- Pay rent via the Bilt Mastercard or via the Bilt app (using your Bilt card)
- Bilt forwards the payment to your landlord (no fee, no markup)
- You earn 1 Bilt point per dollar paid in rent (capped at 100,000 points/year)
- For renters paying $2,000+/month, this is 24,000+ points/year on a transaction that earns 0 on most other cards
The 5-transaction rule
To earn ANY of the bonus category rates (3x dining, 2x travel, 1x rent + base spending), you must make at least 5 transactions during the statement cycle. If you make fewer than 5 transactions, you earn 0 points on all spend that cycle. This is the most-misunderstood Bilt rule.
Rent payments count as 1 transaction. Most cardholders hit 5 without thinking (rent + 1-2 dining + 1-2 grocery = 4-6 transactions). But if you put everything else on a different card and only pay rent through Bilt, you may not hit 5 transactions in some months — and earn nothing. Easy fix: put 4 small purchases (Apple Pay coffees, etc.) on the Bilt card alongside rent.
Rent Day on the 1st of each month
Every 1st of the month is "Rent Day" on Bilt. From midnight to midnight Eastern, multiple bonuses activate:
- 2x earning on all categories: 1x rent becomes 2x; 3x dining becomes 6x; 2x travel becomes 4x.
- Periodic transfer bonuses: Rent Day occasionally features 100% bonus on transfers to specific partners.
- Sweepstakes and bonus promotions: Bilt runs themed Rent Day promos (free hotel stays, etc.).
Strategy: hold off on transferring Bilt points or making large category purchases until the 1st. The double-earning on Rent Day produces meaningful annual bonus.
The transfer-partner list (2026)
| Partner | Transfer ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 1:1 | SkyTeam access; Promo Rewards |
| British Airways Executive Club | 1:1 | Avios family |
| Iberia Plus | 1:1 | Avios family with lower YQ |
| Aer Lingus AerClub | 1:1 | Avios family direct |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | Lufthansa First/Business at fixed chart |
| Turkish Miles & Smiles | 1:1 | US-Europe biz |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 | Star Alliance partner premium-cabin |
| United MileagePlus | 1:1 | Polaris + Star Alliance |
| American AAdvantage | 1:1 (status required) | Citi or Bilt only |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1:1 | Cathay First/Business |
| Alaska Mileage Plan | 1:1 | Cathay First / JAL Sky Suite at Alaska rates |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | 1:1 | Suites and chart depth |
| Virgin Red (Virgin Atlantic) | 1:1 | ANA business via Virgin |
| Emirates Skywards | 1:1 | Emirates First/Business |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 1:1 | Direct path |
| IHG One Rewards | 1:1 | Hotel partner |
| World of Hyatt | 2:1.25 (effectively 1.6:1) | One of two non-Chase paths to Hyatt |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 2:1.25 | Hotel partner |
Why Bilt is the strongest no-fee transferable currency
- 17 transfer partners. More than Wells Fargo, comparable to Capital One. Partner depth competitive with Amex MR.
- Earns on rent. Unique to Bilt. Adds 24,000+ points/year for typical renters.
- No annual fee. Pure additive value vs no-fee cash-back alternatives.
- Reaches Hyatt + United + American. Three of the most-valuable partner programs.
- Rent Day double-earning. Predictable monthly bonus opportunity.
The downsides
- 5-transaction rule. Forgivable but real catch.
- 1x earn rate on rent. Lower than category-anchored cards earn on their best categories — but no other card earns transferable points on rent at all.
- 100,000-point/year rent cap. For high-rent renters (Manhattan, SF), the cap exhausts quickly.
- Bilt-only ecosystem (mostly). Unlike Chase or Amex, Bilt is a single-card issuer.
Bottom line
Bilt Rewards is the most-leveraged no-fee program in points travel. The combination of 1x rent earning + 17 transfer partners + Rent Day double-earning + access to Hyatt/United/American makes it a baseline holding for any renter. The 5-transaction rule requires attention but is easily managed. For points travelers without a rent-paying need, Bilt still works as a 17-partner transferable points anchor at $0 fee.
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Last verified by the Pointify research team on May 1, 2026, against current Bilt Rewards program rules and partner-transfer ratios. Rent earning cap, transaction rule, and partner list may shift; verify with Bilt before relying on benefits.
About the author
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The Pointify team analyzes loyalty programs, fare data, and booking strategies across 300+ airlines and major award programs. Our goal: help you get maximum value from every point and mile.
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