Bilt has extended the end date for existing cardholders who wish to make the “seamless” transition to Bilt 2.0 cards to 2/1/26, so if you are an existing cardholder who wants one of the new cards, you still have time to do that as a transition instead of a new card application later. Additionally, Bilt has confirmed that double points for non-housing purchases (up to 1,000 bonus points per month) on Rent Day will continue for all Bilt 2.0 cards (new and transitioning) through January 1, 2027. Despite the low cap, that is good to hear for Bilt 2.0 members.
Bilt offers double points on Rent Day, up to 1,000 bonus points, from 12:00am Eastern time through 11:59pm Pacific time on the 1st of the month. With February 1st being on a Sunday this month, note that there is probably some risk of some types of purchases not processing until Monday. That varies by merchant.
The good news here is that Bilt has confirmed that this Rent Day bonus will continue with Bilt card 2.0 through January 1, 2027, for both new and transitioning cardholders. In other words, beginning in March, Bilt 2.0 cardholders will be set to earn:
- Blue Card: 2x
- Obsidian Card: 6X on dining or grocery, 4x on travel, and 2x on everyday purchases
- Palladium Card: 4x on everyday purchases.
- Note that cardholders will still earn a maximum of 1,000 bonus points each Rent Day
- Bilt Cash will not be doubled, and neither will housing points.
This means that, for example, Bilt Palladium cardholders will earn 4x on up to $500 in non-housing purchases on the first of the month or Obsidian cardholders could earn 6x on up to ~$333 in purchases in their chosen 6x category. The low cap limits the extent of the excitement, though I’ll be scheduling a monthly bill to pay on the first of the month on a Palladium card, and I will be happy to collect those 1,000 bonus points each month. I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to grocery shop or dine on the first of the month for the extra points, but I’ll be happy to automate the extra points with a bill I was going to put on the card monthly anyway.
Many folks had asked about whether this benefit would continue with card 2.0, so we were glad to finally get confirmation that it will. Existing cardholders will have their last Rent Day with Bilt Card 1.0 tomorrow (2/1/26). Note also that Bilt has confirmed that they will be waiving the 5-transaction minimum to earn points on rent for Bilt card 1.0 cardholders whose housing payments are made via the Bilt card on 2/1/26.
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I’m kind of afraid to ask this but I looked on the website and everyplace else I can think of to confirm “Additionally, Bilt has confirmed that double points for non-housing purchases (up to 1,000 bonus points per month) on Rent Day will continue for all Bilt 2.0 cards (new and transitioning) through January 1, 2027.” Also, “Note also that Bilt has confirmed that they will be waiving the 5-transaction minimum to earn points on rent for Bilt card 1.0 cardholders whose housing payments are made via the Bilt card on 2/1/26.” Did they just give this information to the points and miles bloggers or has it been put out there by Bilt somewhere and I missed it. If I missed it, great. If not, this is one heck of a way to run a financial product.
Also Stephen wrote on January 27: “We will be waiving the 5 minimum transaction requirement for anyone who has pending points at conversion.” Your statement today is slightly different–the 5 transaction minimum to earn points is only waived if you are making housing payments on the Bilt card on February 1. One of those two statement is wrong. I do not make housing payments using Bilt so the answer actually matters to me, and I can’t find this information coming from Bilt.
I agree that documentation online has not done a good job of anticipating the common questions that people will ask. We have had to ask questions repeatedly since launch because the materials are not clear or comprehensive.
This was the question that Stephen asked:
“A reader asked how things will be calculated for rent payments on February 1 for existing cardholders. Will they still need to have made five transactions in their current billing cycle to earn points? What happens if much of their billing cycle will take place during Bilt 2.0 card membership?
e.g. If someone’s new billing cycle begins on January 31, will they need to make five transactions on their card by February 6 in order to earn points on February’s rent, even though three weeks of the billing cycle will be on their new card (if applicable)?”
This was the response:
“We will be waiving the 5 minimum transaction requirement for anyone who has pending points at conversion.”
In hindsight, the way that Stephen wrote it was clearer, but the way that I wrote it was incorporating the actual question he asked. I didn’t realize he had already published it – I missed that.
Thanks Nick. I love complexity and I love the Hobby and I love being able to do crazy things like Sydney to JFK two days ago in Flagship Business on both the long flight and the A321T for 80,000 miles per ticket. I was also an early fan of Bilt due to Rent Day. But, this is the reason I am basically out. I signed up for the Blue card today because there is basic information that is just not being disseminated out there or even worse, contradictory information. Bilt’s web site now still says you need five transactions to get double points on Rent Day. It is not stale information because it is on a page that says “Unlocks 02/01” and the page says: “When you make at least 5 transactions in a statement period using your Bilt Mastercard, you’ll earn double points on qualifying net purchases (purchases minus returns/credits), excluding rent, for this promotional offer.” I truly think this is worse than not anticipating common questions people may ask. This is disseminating contradictory information simultaneously through multiple channels, so people don’t know what to believe.
So, got new Palladium; same card number as Bilt 1.0 MC. Did not opt out of Wells Fargo Autograph… will that be a hard-pull or 5/24 hit?
this is kinda silly now. I’ll just automate it too.
It’s silly goofballs, that’s for sure. The bamboozle continues! Oof.
The big question. For those who opted for the point multiplier with the Palladium. If they spend on the 1st, the cap will be $500 or $333?
How’s the double points on rent day going to work if you have a points accelerator active?
What an absolute disaster of a launch. Worse than the new Strata Elite and Sapphire Reserve. They just keep adding on extra compensation to the point that I’m exhausted even trying to keep up with what you actually get with this card. I wouldn’t even churn it at this point.
What was not perfect about the Strata Elite launch?
Were you asleep during the entire Strata Elite incident? Literally reported on by WSJ. C’mon…
Not affected by it. And they fixed it very generously.
Next?