Bilt Rewards exploded onto the points and miles scene in 2021 by giving people a way to earn transferable points on something that they normally wouldn’t earn travel rewards on: rent.
Some have criticized it for being a niche program with few ways to earn lots of points outside of paying rent, while others have praised its innovation in the space.
Whatever your opinion of Bilt Rewards is, there’s no denying that it has an excellent list of hotel and airline transfer partners, such as Hyatt and American Airlines. However, that’s going to change in June when Bilt loses its partnership with American Airlines.
Let’s take a look at what we know about this developing story.
Bilt Is Losing American Airlines as a Transfer Partner
One of the most unique things about the Bilt Rewards program was the fact that it was the only transferrable currency that offered 1:1 transfers to American Airlines (Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio.) That partnership is ending in June, as first reported by Gary Leff at View from the Wing.
This is a major change to the program that will dull its shine for many members. While it’s true that Bilt still has a solid list of transfer partners (including fan favorite Hyatt), losing American Airlines is a big deal.
The Bilt Rewards program is unique because it only has 1 credit card, the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card, which earns points on rent payments but doesn’t come with a welcome bonus.
Renters can use the card to earn points on rent and it earns double points on the first of each month (not including rent), but outside of that, it’s hard to accumulate lots of Bilt points quickly. Even with those challenges, many still flocked to the program because it offered a solid list of transfer partners, including American Airlines.
For some, losing American Airlines as a transfer partner won’t affect the appeal of Bilt Rewards. This program still offers the ability to earn points on rent and has some unique promotions like Rent Day, which has included some massive transfer bonuses lately. However, this is a huge blow for those who value the ability to transfer points to American Airlines.
Bottom Line:
Bilt Rewards is a program that allows you to earn points on rent, even if your landlord doesn’t accept credit cards. It offers a solid list of transfer partners, including World of Hyatt, United MileagePlus, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Air Canada Aeroplan, and more, but will be losing American Airlines this summer.
Final Thoughts
Bilt Rewards is losing American Airlines as a transfer partner in June 2024. This will be a big change as Bilt was the only currency that transferred to American Airlines at a 1:1 ratio.
However, Bilt still has a solid list of transfer partners so this change won’t be a deal breaker for Bilt loyalists who value the program’s ability to earn points on rent and huge Rent Day transfer bonuses.
We’ll keep you updated as more details emerge.
