Posted: 8/31/23 | August thirty first, 2023

Bilt is one in all my favourite journey bank cards. Whereas I’ve a handful of others in my pockets, Bilt is my go-to for many of my day-to-day spending.

Plus, it’s nonetheless the one bank card that means that you can earn factors on hire solely at no cost — no charges, tips, or gimmicks. You simply pay your hire every month and earn factors you should use at no cost journey.

I’ve already written an in-depth review of the Bilt card and highlighted the essential things to know about it, but there are nonetheless lots of misconceptions. I get emails about it each week.

So at this time I wished to take the chance to reply some ceaselessly requested questions on Bilt. Hopefully, this can clear up any confusion you may need — and persuade you enroll and begin incomes your personal factors at this time!

 

Why is Bilt my present favourite journey bank card?

Bilt is the one bank card that means that you can earn factors on hire — as much as 100,000 per 12 months. That is solely free too; there isn’t any annual price. If you happen to stay within the US and hire (particularly in pricey cities like NYC or SF), it’s a no-brainer.

Another excuse I really like Bilt is as a result of it’s the one non–American Airways card that transfers to American Airways. That is nice information for frequent AA fliers, or vacationers with particular upcoming journeys for which they wish to use AA factors.

For instance, this 12 months, for my birthday, I flew to Japan on JAL in first-class (one in all my favourite first-class experiences) by optimizing my spending to amass lots of Bilt factors. AA is a accomplice with Japan Airways, so I might switch my Bilt factors to AA, after which use these for a seat on a flight operated by JAL.

Lastly, Bilt makes it straightforward to earn factors, with 3x on eating, 2x on journey, and 5x on Lyft — and double these figures on all classes (besides hire and Lyft) on the primary of the month (aka Hire Day). Plus, you’ll get the factors on a rolling foundation, so that you don’t have to attend till your assertion closes to make use of them.

Simply be aware that you will need to make 5 purchases per thirty days (with no minimal spending requirement) to earn factors.

In abstract, Bilt has numerous stable bonuses. However the primary draw is incomes factors on hire. If you happen to aren’t doing that, you’re actually leaving cash on the desk.
 

How do you earn factors paying hire with Bilt?

When you open a Bilt Mastercard, you merely go to the Bilt app or web site to arrange your recurring month-to-month rental funds.

First, you’ll arrange a Bilt Hire Account with Wells Fargo (the financial institution behind Bilt). That is mainly a authorized “dummy” account created as a workaround for bank card processing charges. You don’t use it for anything (you don’t withdraw cash from it or deposit into it).

Every time these distinctive routing and account numbers are used to pay hire (whether or not you utilize an internet portal, Venmo, or PayPal), your Bilt Mastercard is charged for a similar quantity. You then repay the stability every month (in full!) by connecting it to your normal checking account, as you’d some other bank card.

In case your landlord solely accepts checks, you may nonetheless pay along with your Bilt card by the Bilt Rewards app, and Bilt will ship a verify in your behalf.

My rental fee portal costs a processing price for paying by bank card. Will I get charged a price for utilizing Bilt to pay my hire?

Nope! With a Bilt Hire Account (see above), you’re technically paying your hire with a checking account, not a bank card. So that you gained’t incur any charges!
 

What’s the annual price for Bilt?

There may be NO annual price, which is a part of what makes Bilt so superior!
 

What are the perfect switch companions for Bilt?

My favourite switch accomplice is American Airways, as a result of, in addition to AA bank cards, that is the one technique to earn AA factors.

It’s also possible to switch factors 1:1 to 13 different journey companions:

• American Airways
• AerClub (Aer Lingus)
• Aeroplan (Air Canada)
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Emirates
• Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
• Hawaiian Airways
• Iberia
• IHG (Intercontinental Motels Group)
• Turkish Airways
• United
• Virgin Atlantic
• World of Hyatt

It’s straightforward to search out the perfect use of your Bilt factors when reserving flights, because it integrates instantly with Point.me, the points-booking search engine (learn more about Point.me in my review). Simply put your required vacation spot into the app’s journey portal, and the search operate will show all of the flights that you possibly can ebook with Bilt factors.

When you’ve determined, you may switch your Bilt factors to the required journey accomplice proper throughout the app.
 

What’s Hire Day?

Hire Day is the primary day of the month (when hire is normally due). On today, Bilt gives double factors for the primary spending classes, that means that you just’ll earn 6x (not 3x) on eating, 4x (not 2x) on journey, and 2x on different purchases (besides hire) made on the primary of the month. (Lyft factors are additionally not doubled.) That is my favourite technique to simply rack up Bilt factors.

There are much more bonuses on Hire Day within the Bilt app, the place you may play numerous video games so as to earn factors. For instance, in Level Quest, a mainstay of the Hire Day extravaganza, you may earn factors for proper solutions to (fairly straightforward) trivia questions.

There’s additionally a Hire Day Problem that modifications each month, during which you full a problem for an opportunity that Bilt can pay your hire for one month. Previous challenges have included a fill-in-the-blank one and a picture search (discover Bilt blocks inside a picture).
 

Does Bilt work if I pay a mortgage as a substitute of renting?

No. You at present can’t get factors in your mortgage, solely hire funds.

Nonetheless, even owners would possibly wish to take into account getting the Bilt card for the plethora of different advantages. It’s undoubtedly the best no-fee travel credit card on the market, no matter whether or not you’re utilizing the points-for-rent characteristic or not. The convenience of incomes factors which might be transferable to a variety of journey companions, Hire Day advantages (accessible to all cardholders), free Level.me entry (a software for locating award flights), and stable journey insurance coverage make it onerous to beat.
 

What credit score rating is required for Bilt?

The really helpful credit score rating to use for Bilt is within the good-to-excellent vary (670–850), although this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Different elements in your credit score historical past might come into play when your software is evaluated.
 

How do you apply for a Bilt bank card?

Simply click this link to apply! For many candidates, it takes simply a few minutes to obtain a response. Needless to say it is a onerous inquiry in your credit score, that means that it would trigger a brief dip in your rating.
 

Can I take advantage of Bilt with out the bank card?

If you happen to stay in a Bilt Alliance property (properties with an official partnership with Bilt), you gained’t want the Bilt Mastercard to earn factors in your hire. Nonetheless, even should you stay in one in all these properties, I nonetheless assume it’s effectively price it for all the opposite methods to earn much more!
 

Is Bilt price it?

Sure! Contemplating there’s no price and solely factors to achieve, Bilt is completely price having in your pockets.

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Bilt is a must have for anybody who rents within the US — however particularly vacationers. I actually can’t suggest it sufficient. As the one card that allows you to earn factors from paying hire, and because the solely non–American Airways card that allows you to earn AA factors, it’s my favourite for a purpose.

Don’t go away cash on the desk — get your Bilt card today!