Most people think you need the Bilt credit card to earn Bilt Rewards points. You don’t. The Bilt app is free to join, and it lets you earn transferable points on everyday spending like dining, fitness classes, Lyft rides, and even Walgreens runs, using whatever credit or debit card you already have in your wallet.
Those points transfer 1:1 to airlines like Turkish, Air France, and Cathay Pacific, and hotel programs like Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott. That puts them in the same league as Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, except you’re not paying an annual fee to earn them.
Here’s exactly how to set it up and start stacking points.
How to Create Your Free Bilt Rewards Account
Signing up takes about two minutes and costs nothing.
- Create a free Bilt Rewards account
- Enter your name, email, and phone number
- Verify your account
- Start exploring Neighborhood Benefits in your area
Once you’re in, you’ll have access to thousands of earning opportunities at restaurants, fitness studios, pharmacies, and rideshare services. No credit card application, no annual fee, no credit check.
Create your free Bilt Rewards account →
How to Link Your Existing Cards
This is the part that makes Bilt Rewards different from every other rewards program. You don’t need a Bilt credit card to earn Bilt points. You link whatever cards you already carry, and when you spend at participating merchants, you earn Bilt points on top of whatever rewards that card already gives you.
So if you’re paying for dinner with a card that earns 3x on dining, you get those 3x points plus Bilt points on the same transaction. Double dip.
Here’s how to link a card:
- Open the Bilt app
- Tap Wallet
- Tap Add Card
- Enter your credit or debit card details
- Verify the card
You can link multiple cards, so there’s no need to pick just one. Add your everyday debit card, your dining card, your travel card, whatever you use most. They’ll all earn Bilt points at participating merchants.
How to Earn Bilt Points on Lyft Rides
Once your account is set up, connect Lyft to start earning automatically on every ride.
- Open the Bilt Rewards app
- Go to Neighborhood
- Tap Rideshare at the top
- Link your Lyft account (your phone numbers need to match)
- Set Bilt as your active loyalty partner in the Lyft app
Once connected, you’ll earn 2x Bilt points on every Lyft ride automatically. If you pay with a linked card, you’re stacking your card’s rewards on top of those Bilt points as well.
You can also redeem Bilt points directly inside the Lyft app to pay for rides, which is a solid option if you’re sitting on points and don’t have a trip planned yet.
How to Stack Bilt Points with Rakuten
This is one of the most underrated ways to earn Bilt points. If you have a Rakuten account, you can set it to pay out in Bilt points instead of cash. That means every time you shop through Rakuten at thousands of online stores, you’re earning Bilt points on top of whatever your linked credit card already earns you.
So on a single purchase you could be earning your credit card rewards, Rakuten bonus points paid out as Bilt points, and any Amex Offer or portal bonus that applies. Three layers of rewards on one transaction.
To set it up, link your Rakuten account to Bilt Rewards and toggle your cashback preference to Bilt Rewards points in your Rakuten settings. We wrote a full walkthrough with screenshots here: How to Earn Bilt Points Through Rakuten.
Where You Can Earn Bilt Points
Bilt partners with thousands of businesses across dining, fitness, pharmacy, and rideshare. You don’t need to change where you spend, just make sure you’re using a linked card at a participating merchant.
Dining (20,000+ Restaurants)
You earn 2-3x Bilt points at participating restaurants when you pay with any linked card. At select partners, you’ll also get complimentary gifts from the kitchen just for being a Bilt member. Open the Bilt app and check the Neighborhood tab before you go out to see which spots near you participate.
Fitness (9 Brands, 1,200+ Locations)
Bilt partners with Barry’s Bootcamp, SoulCycle, Y7 Studio, Rumble Boxing, CorePower Yoga, CycleBar, Pure Barre, BFT, and YogaSix. You earn 2-3x points on every class booked through Bilt, and most locations include a free perk: a fuel bar shake at Barry’s ($12+ value), free shoe rental and water at SoulCycle ($9.50 value), free mat and towel at Y7 ($11 value), and similar freebies at the others.
Pharmacy (Walgreens)
You earn 1x points on most Walgreens purchases, 2x on Walgreens branded products, and 10 points on prescription refills. It also automatically identifies HSA/FSA eligible savings.
Rent Day (1st of Every Month)
Even without the Bilt credit card, the first of every month unlocks bonus transfer promotions to airlines and hotels, complimentary fitness classes, exclusive neighborhood experiences, and giveaways. Worth checking the app on the 1st even if you don’t pay rent through Bilt.
One thing to remember: always open the Bilt app before you shop, dine, or work out to confirm the merchant is a partner. Pay with any linked card, and points typically post within 3-7 days.
How Much Are Bilt Points Worth?
This is one of the most searched questions about Bilt, and the answer depends entirely on how you use them.
The baseline value is around 1 cent per point if you redeem for gift cards or Lyft rides. But the real value comes from transferring to airline and hotel partners, where you can get 1.5 to 3+ cents per point on premium redemptions.
Some of the strongest transfer values right now:
- World of Hyatt (1:1 transfer): Consistently one of the best hotel redemptions in the game. A Category 4 Hyatt that costs $300/night can be booked for 15,000 points, giving you 2 cents per point.
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (1:1 transfer): Business class round trip to Europe for 63,000 miles on a ticket that would cost $3,000+. That’s close to 5 cents per point.
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1 transfer): Watch for monthly Promo Rewards with discounted award pricing. Business class to Europe can drop to 53,000 miles one way.
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 transfer): Strong for business class to Asia, especially on partner airlines like JAL and Qatar.
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1 transfer): One of the best ways to book ANA first class to Japan at 72,500 points each way.
The worst use of Bilt points is booking travel through the Bilt portal or redeeming for merchandise. Stick to transfer partners and your points are worth significantly more.
You can use our Cash vs. Points Calculator to check whether a specific redemption is worth the points.
Best Ways to Use Bilt Points
If you’re sitting on Bilt points and wondering what to do with them, here’s how to think about it in order of value:
Flights in premium cabins give you the highest return. Transferring to JAL, Virgin Atlantic, or Air France for business or first class bookings regularly returns 2-5 cents per point. This is where Bilt points punch way above their weight.
Hotel stays through Hyatt are the best hotel redemption. The 1:1 transfer to World of Hyatt consistently delivers 1.5-2.5 cents per point, especially at higher category properties, even with recent news of devaluations.
Avoid redeeming for gift cards, merchandise, or the Bilt travel portal. You’ll get 1 cent per point at best.
Bilt Rewards vs Credit Card Points
One of the most common questions is whether Bilt points are as good as Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards. Here’s the short answer: they’re comparable in value, but you earn them differently.
Amex MR and Chase UR require a premium credit card ($250-$695 annual fee) and you earn points on everything you spend. Bilt points are free to earn but only accumulate at participating merchants or through linked platforms like Rakuten and Lyft.
The transfer partner overlap is significant. Bilt, Amex, and Chase all transfer to programs like Air France, Singapore, and Virgin Atlantic. But Bilt has some exclusive partners too, and the 1:1 Hyatt transfer is one that Chase UR cardholders know well.
The smart play is to use both. Earn Bilt points passively through the app on dining and fitness, earn your credit card points on everything else, and combine them through shared transfer partners when you’re ready to book.
Is Bilt Rewards Worth It?
Yes, if you actually use the points for travel. The membership is free, there’s no credit card required, and the transfer partners are genuinely premium. Even if you’re only earning a few thousand points a month from dining and Rakuten purchases, those points transfer 1:1 to programs where a single redemption can be worth hundreds of dollars.
If you’re not going to transfer points to airlines or hotels and would only use them for gift cards or Lyft rides, the value drops significantly. You’d still be earning something for free, but you wouldn’t be getting the most out of the program.
For anyone who already plays the points game with Amex or Chase, Bilt is a no-brainer addition because it costs nothing and stacks on top of what you’re already earning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need the Bilt credit card to earn points? No. You can earn Bilt points using any credit or debit card linked to your account at participating merchants. You can also earn by linking your Rakuten account, which earns points on thousands of online stores.
How much are Bilt points worth? It depends on how you redeem them. Gift cards and Lyft rides get you about 1 cent per point. Transferring to airline partners for premium cabin flights can get you 2-5+ cents per point.
How do Bilt points compare to Amex or Chase points? Bilt points transfer 1:1 to many of the same airline and hotel partners, making them comparable in value. The difference is you can earn Bilt points for free through the app, not just through credit card spending.
Can I really use any credit or debit card? Yes. Link your cashback card, travel card, or debit card. You’ll earn Bilt points on top of whatever rewards that card already gives you at participating merchants.
Can you stack Bilt with Rakuten? Yes. Set Rakuten to pay out in Bilt points, shop through Rakuten with a linked card, and you’ll earn your card rewards plus Bilt points on the same purchase.
How long does it take for points to post? Points typically appear within 3-7 days after a qualifying purchase.
Are there any fees to join Bilt? No. Bilt Rewards membership is completely free with no annual fee or hidden costs.
Start Earning Bilt Points Today
Bilt is one of the few rewards programs where you can earn genuinely valuable, transferable points without paying an annual fee or opening a new credit card. Link the cards you already use, connect Rakuten and Lyft, and you’ll start stacking points on spending you’re already doing.
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