How Much Does a Bilt Point Cost?

Bilt Rewards has quickly emerged as a unique loyalty program tailored specifically to renters. With the Bilt Mastercard, users can earn points on monthly rent payments and redeem for travel, mortgage payments, and more. But with varied redemption values, how much is a Bilt point actually worth?

This guide will analyze the monetary value of a Bilt point based on different redemption methods. We’ll compare value rates, outline strategies to maximize point worth, and contrast Bilt with other leading rewards programs.

How Much Does a Bilt Point Cost?

The monetary cost of a Bilt point varies from 0.5 cents to over 2 cents depending on the redemption type, with airline transfers providing the highest potential value per point.

The minimum value of a Bilt point is 0.5 cents when redeemed for rent credits. This means a Bilt point costs at least 0.5 cents when used to pay for rent through the Bilt platform.

On the higher end, a Bilt point can be worth over 2 cents when transferred to airline and hotel partners for premium cabin redemptions. This makes the maximum value of a Bilt point more than 2 cents in cases where they are used for top-tier flight and hotel awards.

For mortgage redemptions, a Bilt point ranges from 1 to 1.5 cents in value based on the specifics of the real estate deal. So, the cost of a Bilt point for mortgage payments falls between 1 and 1.5 cents typically.

Finally, when used for shopping and fitness redemptions, the value of a Bilt point is approximately 0.7 to 1 cent. This means the cost of a Bilt point for retail and gym redemptions averages between 0.7 and 1 cent.

Bilt points worth varies based on redemption method:

• Transferring to Travel Partners: Up to 2 cents per point or more
• Rent Credits: Around 0.5 to 0.7 cents per point
• Shopping: Approximately 0.7 cents per point
• Down Payments: Around 1.5 cents per point when applied to a mortgage

Transferring to airline and hotel partners offers the highest potential value per point. Rent credits offer the lowest rate.

According to a detailed analysis on Physician on Fire, Bilt points are generally valued between 0.7 cents to 2 cents per point, with an average value around 1.5 cents per point. This valuation can vary significantly depending on how points are redeemed.

Another source, MoneyGeek, confirms that users can typically expect a value of about 1.65 to 2 cents per point when transferring points to travel partners. However, redeeming points for rent payments yields a much lower value of approximately 0.55 cents per point, indicating that redemption strategy greatly influences the overall value received.

A user discussion on Reddit further breaks down the redemption values, noting that using points for Amazon purchases results in a value of around 0.7 cents per point, while fitness classes and travel portal redemptions provide better returns at about 1 cent and 1.25 cents per point, respectively.

Overview of the Bilt Rewards Program

First, a quick overview of how Bilt functions:

• Bilt Mastercard – Primary card for earning Bilt points through category bonuses.
• 1x points on rent payments up to 100,000 points annually.
• 2x points on travel purchases.
• 3x points on dining.
• “Bilt Days” bonuses on the 1st of every month.
• Bilt App – Manage your account, track points, and initiate redemptions.
• Transfer Partners – Move points to various airline and hotel loyalty programs.
• Redemption Portal – Use points for rent, shopping, fitness classes, travel, and more.

Understanding the components of the Bilt ecosystem is key to maximizing the value of your points.

Redemption Types

The monetary value of Bilt points varies significantly depending on how they are redeemed:

Transferring Points to Travel Partners

• Value: 1.5 to 2 cents per point or higher
• Example: 50,000 points = $750 to $1000 in travel

Using for Rent Payments

• Value: 0.5 to 0.7 cents per point
• Example: 50,000 points = $250 to $350 in rent credits

Shopping Redemptions

• Value: 0.7 cents per point
• Example: 50,000 points = $350 in shopping credits

Mortgage Payments

• Value: 1 to 1.5 cents per point
• Example: 500,000 points = $5,000 to $7,500 mortgage payment

As you can see, transfer partners provide the highest redemption value, while rent credits on the lower end.

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Transferring Bilt Points Gets the Best Value

Transferring points to travel partners like American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Hyatt and more offers the highest redemption value – often over 2 cents per point. Here’s why:

• Access to premium cabin awards at high valuation rates, like first class flights.
• Ability to book high-end hotel suites that can be worth multiple cents per point during peak seasons.
• Leveraging transfer bonuses and seasonal hotel promotions to extract even more value.
• Taking advantage of sweet spots in award charts, like short-haul economy flights that are a bargain in points.

Families can often get 5-10 cents per point when redeeming smartly for flights and hotels using Bilt’s travel partners.

Using Bilt Points for Rent

Paying rent with Bilt points offers a lower redemption rate of around 0.5 to 0.7 cents each based on average property costs. When does this option make sense?

• To bridge a temporary cash flow gap in a certain month.
• If you have points expiring soon and can’t transfer to travel partners.
• As a fallback if you won’t otherwise use points optimally.
• To offset a rent increase and ease the financial impact.

While not the best monetary value, rent redemptions provide flexibility in certain financial situations.

Shopping and Fitness

Bilt allows using points for:

• Online shopping at retailers like Amazon with average value around 0.7 cents per point.
• Fitness classes through partners like SoulCycle and Rumble, typically around 1 cent per point.
• Home decor and purchases via the Bilt Collection, usually around 0.8 cents per point.

These redemption options can make sense for purchasing incremental wants rather than needs. The value rates are lower than transfers but offer more flexibility.

Mortgage Down Payment

One unique Bilt redemption is applying points to a mortgage down payment:

• Requires a minimum 500,000-point redemption.
• Provides a solid boost in value – around 1 to 1.5 cents per point.
• Allows renters to turn lease payments into home buying savings.

This distinctive option isn’t right for everyone but presents an intriguing opportunity for some Bilt members.

Contrasting Bilt and Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

How does Bilt’s value structure and ecosystem compare to a leading competitor in Chase Ultimate Rewards?

• Bilt has an advantage for renters with bonus spend categories tailored to renting.
• Chase offers its own bonuses more aligned with homeowners like groceries, gas, and home improvement.
• For transfers, both programs have excellent airline and hotel partners. Chase edges ahead in luxury redemptions.
• Bilt lets you use points for a mortgage down payment unlike Chase.

Ultimately, Bilt Rewards provides a compelling loyalty option specifically for renters that competes well in the market for those optimizing point value.

Expert Strategies

We asked travel rewards experts for their tips on optimizing Bilt point redemptions:

“Take advantage of Bilt’s bonus categories like 5x on travel booked via the Bilt portal and 3x on dining for quick points. This diversifies beyond just rent.” – Alton Wells, The Points Guy

“Don’t leave points sitting idle – transfer them to airline and hotel partners for maximum value even if you don’t have a redemption in mind yet.” – Priya Kudumula, Million Mile Secrets

“Think aspirational and save Bilt points for special redemptions like first-class international flights and high-end hotel rooms to maximize value.” – Ryan Pineda, UponArriving Blog

“Follow point valuations closely and monitor for transfer bonuses and sweet spot opportunities to get the most bang for your Bilt points.” – Jordan Allen, Trip Astute

“Consider pooling points with family members or partners to enable redemptions you couldn’t achieve on your own.” – Holly Johnson, Club Thrifty

Carefully tracking valuations, leveraging bonuses, and redeeming smartly gives you the best ROI on Bilt points.

Answers to Common Questions

How much is 1000 Bilt points worth?

The value of 1000 Bilt points depends on redemption method, ranging from approximately $5 if redeemed for rent credits up to $20 when transferred to book travel. The average value is $15 to $18 if used efficiently.

How much are Bilt points worth when paying rent?

When redeemed to pay rent, Bilt points are typically worth around 0.5 to 0.7 cents per point. This is on the lower end of potential value, so transfer for travel if possible.

How many points can you get a year with Bilt?

With the Bilt Mastercard, users can earn up to 100,000 points on rent payments per year, plus unlimited points in other rewarded categories like dining and travel purchases. The 100,000 rent cap renews annually.