How long do Bilt Rewards points take to transfer?
Bilt Rewards has developed a reputation as the company that lets you earn points for paying rent. Although Bilt Rewards is a relatively new player in the competitive rewards industry, it has an impressive list of transfer partners, including Aeroplan, World of Hyatt and, most recently, Alaska Airlines.
You can transfer your Bilt Points to 16 transfer partners 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 superfast.
Related: Bilt Rewards adds Hilton Honors as a new transfer partner
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.
Note that when linking Bilt to Virgin, you can select either your Virgin Atlantic account or your Virgin Red ID. As a reminder, Virgin Red 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: American AAdvantage is no longer a Bilt transfer partner
Tips for transferring Bilt Rewards points
It’s important to note that Bilt transfers are one-way, so once you transfer your points, you cannot move them back to Bilt.
Only a few airline programs allow you to hold award tickets before booking. These include four of Bilt’s partners: Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club/Virgin Red. While Bilt points usually transfer instantly, putting an award ticket on hold can still be a good idea to ensure the last seat isn’t sold before your points post.
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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. However, you can transfer your Bilt points to World of Hyatt and then transfer those to another member (subject to limitations). Some airlines allow this as well, but they often charge a fee for doing so.
Meanwhile, some programs — including Aeroplan, Flying Blue and MileagePlus — allow for family pooling.
Related: 25 airlines that allow families to pool miles
Is there a fee for transferring Bilt Rewards points?
Bilt does not charge a transfer or excise fee when you transfer points. 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 on rent payments (up to 100,000 points per calendar year)
- 1 point per dollar on other purchases
You must use your card at least five times during each statement period to earn points (see rewards and benefits). On the first of every month (dubbed Rent Day), Bilt offers double reward points in all nonrent categories to cardmembers, up to 10,000 points. However, starting Oct. 1, bonus rewards will be capped at 1,000 points.
The Bilt Mastercard also offers a suite of impressive perks, including complimentary cellular telephone protection, trip cancellation and interruption protection and no foreign currency conversion fees (see rates and fees). 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. Our recent tests indicate that Bilt points transfer almost instantly to all partners. While transfer times may vary from account to account, you can expect an experience similar to ours.
For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
