{"id":8037,"date":"2023-10-05T02:09:46","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T02:09:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/bilt-faq-frequently-asked-questions-about-my-new-favorite-card\/"},"modified":"2023-11-03T08:42:56","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T08:42:56","slug":"bilt-faq-frequently-asked-questions-about-my-new-favorite-card","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topat10.com\/?p=8037","title":{"rendered":"Bilt FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About My New Favorite Card"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Posted<\/strong>: 9\/15\/23 | September 15, 2023<\/p>\n

The Bilt Mastercard\u00ae<\/a> is one of my favorite travel credit cards. While I have a handful of others in my wallet, Bilt is my go-to for most of my day-to-day spending.<\/p>\n

Plus, it\u2019s still the only credit card that allows you to earn points on rent (up to 100,000 in a calendar year) entirely for free \u2014 no annual fees<\/a>, tricks, or gimmicks. You just pay your rent each month and earn points you can use for free travel.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve already written an in-depth review of the Bilt card<\/a> and highlighted the essential things to know about it<\/a>, yet there are still a lot of misconceptions. I get emails about it every week.<\/p>\n

So today I wanted to take the opportunity to answer some frequently asked questions about Bilt. Hopefully, this will clear up any confusion you might have \u2014 and convince you sign up and start earning your own points today!<\/p>\n

Why is Bilt my current favorite travel credit card?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Bilt is the only credit card that allows you to earn points on rent \u2014 up to 100,000 per year. Plus, there is no annual fee<\/a>. If you live in the US and rent (especially in costly cities like NYC or SF), it is a no-brainer.<\/p>\n

Another reason I love Bilt is because it\u2019s the only non\u2013American Airlines card that transfers to American Airlines. This is great news for frequent AA fliers, or travelers with specific upcoming trips for which they want to use AA points.<\/p>\n

For example, this year, for my birthday, I flew to Japan<\/a> on JAL in first class (one of my favorite first-class experiences) by optimizing my spending to amass a lot of Bilt points. AA is a partner with Japan Airlines, so I could transfer my Bilt points to AA, and then use those for a seat on a flight operated by JAL.<\/p>\n

Finally, Bilt makes it easy to earn points, with 3x on dining, 2x on travel, and 5x on Lyft \u2014 and double those figures on all categories (except rent and Lyft) on the first of the month (aka Rent Day). You\u2019ll also earn 2,500 points per referral (with every 5th successful referral getting you an additional 10,000 points) \u2013 up to 2 million bonus points. Plus, you\u2019ll get the points on a rolling basis, so you don\u2019t have to wait until your statement closes to use them.<\/p>\n

Just note that you must make five purchases each statement period (with no minimum spending requirement) to earn points. (Further info on rewards & benefits here.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

In summary, Bilt has lots of solid bonuses. But the main draw is earning points on rent. If you aren\u2019t doing that, you\u2019re literally leaving money on the table.<\/p>\n

How do you earn points paying rent with Bilt?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Once you open a Bilt Mastercard, you simply go to the Bilt app or website to set up your recurring monthly rental payments.<\/p>\n

First, you\u2019ll set up a Bilt Rent Account with Wells Fargo (the bank behind Bilt). This is basically a legal \u201cdummy\u201d account created as a workaround for credit card processing fees. You do not use it for anything else (you do not withdraw money from it or deposit into it).<\/p>\n

Whenever these unique routing and account numbers are used to pay rent (whether you use an online portal, Venmo, or PayPal), your Bilt Mastercard is charged for the same amount. You then pay off the balance each month (in full!) by connecting it to your usual bank account, as you would any other credit card.<\/p>\n

If your landlord only accepts checks, you can still pay with your Bilt card through the Bilt Rewards app, and Bilt will send a check on your behalf.<\/p>\n

My rental payment portal charges a processing fee for paying by credit card. Will I get charged a fee for using Bilt to pay my rent? <\/span><\/h3>\n

Nope! With a Bilt Rent Account (see above), you\u2019re technically<\/em> paying your rent with a bank account, not a credit card. So you won\u2019t incur any fees!<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the annual fee for Bilt? <\/span><\/h3>\n

There is NO annual fee, which is part of what makes Bilt so awesome! (Full card terms here.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

What are the best transfer partners for Bilt?<\/span><\/h3>\n

My favorite transfer partner is American Airlines, because, besides AA credit cards, this is the only way to earn AA points.<\/p>\n

You can also transfer points 1:1 to 13 other travel partners:<\/p>\n