Bilt Rent Day Promo
up to 2,000 bonus points when you link cards to your account
On every rent day, BILT offers special promotions and discounts to its members and cardholders, allowing them to earn additional points. Today, on March 1st, one of our members (Thanks Chris!) shared an easy and quick offer that only required linking two credit cards to their account. If you are not already a BILT rewards member, you can sign up for free and quickly.
However, I wanted to make a quick post about the program and card as I have not discussed it much here.
What is BILT: Earn rewards on your renta?
BILT is a credit card issued by Wells Fargo, designed to cater to renters. It allows you to pay your rent without incurring the usual credit card processing fees, which can add up to 3.5% or more. This can be a huge relief for renters who pay thousands of dollars in rent each month. If your landlord doesn’t accept credit cards, BILT will issue a check on your behalf. This has also been a loophole for paying HOA fees.
The BILT card ‘unofficial Sign-Up Bonus’:
One of the major disadvantages of the BILT card, which can cause many people to overlook it (including myself), is that it does not offer an official Sign-Up Bonus. Cardholders earn one point for every dollar spent on rent each month. However, in the award travel community, they have what is known as an ‘Unofficial SUB’.
Once you are approved for the card, you can earn 5x the points for the first five days of receiving the card on all eligible purchases (excluding rent), up to a maximum of 50,000 points.
Outside of rent day, their earning categories are below:
- 3 points per dollar spent on dining
- 2 points per dollar spent on travel
- 1 point per dollar spent on rent payments (up to 100,000 points per year)
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
You are also required to make at least 5 transactions a month each statement period in order to earn these points
Sweet Spots of being a BILT Card Member
There may be some hesitation in signing up for the BILT card, even with the unofficial sign-up bonus. This is because spending $10,000 on a card like the American Express Business Gold can earn you a minimum of 140,000 AMEX MR points with the elevated offer. Despite the waived rental cost, the benefits of the BILT card may be outweighed by this.
However, BILT offers some of the top transfer partners in the award travel game, such as American Airlines, Hyatt, Air Canada, FlyingBlue, Emirates, United, Virgin Atlantic, and more. BILT has offered some of the BEST transfer bonuses and perks to its members during Rent Day specials of up to 150% for some carriers, such as Emirates, Flying Blue, Hawaiian Airlines, and more.
Lastly, they recently announced a 12-month status match oppurtinity with Flying Blue for its Platinum members which includes SkyTeam Elite Plus status benefits with AirFrance, Delta, KLM and more!
Final Thoughts
The BILT card provides its members with excellent perks, particularly when it comes to travel benefits, which can make up for the absence of an official sign-up bonus. I have also come across some data points (DPs) indicating that the company may introduce a similar program for homeowners paying their mortgage. This could be a game-changer and a no-brainer for some.
As with any travel card, it is essential to consider the pros and cons and how they apply to your specific situation before making a decision.
If you are a renter and interested in looking into the BILT card, click here
