Oct 7, 2023, 1:25 pm
Last edit by: Dr Jabadski
Bilt Rewards Mastercard WikiPost
(10/7/23 Original author (Dr Jabadski) note: As I posted here on 9/9/23 Considering Ive been salivating about simple no-cost points-etizing (like monetizing) my condo payments for about 25 years, I see Bilt as a game changer. I should have added almost a Holy Grail (a thing that is eagerly pursued or sought after). I successfully applied for a Bilt Mastercard 1 month ago thus Im far from an expert. Both before and after approval I posted multiple questions many times on this thread and several other FTers were highly gracious and informative. Thought a WikiPost might save some others a good deal of time, effort and aggravation, at least in not repeating my questions and searching for the answers. I certainly hope the experts will edit and update this WikiPost as necessary. Im also exercising Writer's Prerogative to officially coin the term pointsetize, like monetize convert into or express in the form of currency, to earn points from payments which otherwise would not earn points.)
Bilt Rewards Mastercard (Bilt MC) was first launched in mid-2021, in good part as a no fee way to charge and pointsetize rent payments. (Perhaps the only no fee way to pointsetize rent payments.) There are multiple reports of earning Bilt points for paying condominium monthly maintenance/common charges, sometimes even when the word condo or condominium is in the transaction description.
Bilt MC is a personal credit card, WF reports credit card information to the various credit bureaus and Bilt MC will count toward Chase 5/24.
This post and this post (both from 9/7/23) describe shutdown reports perhaps related to micro transactions, fluctuating rent payment amounts or multiple rent payments. This 10/11/23 post includes several references to Reddit user quotes about shutdowns and several Reddit Bilt quotes in response.
Linksto Bilt Rewards Terms of Use and Evolve Bank & Trust (Bilt Technologies) Customer Account Agreement. The Terms state Bilt may make available to you a Bilt Rent Account (Account), which is a transaction bank account that can be used by you solely to make rent payments. The Agreement states: For the avoidance of doubt, the Account is a transaction bank account that can be used by you solely to make rent payments. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not an account that you may use to deposit or withdraw funds for any other purposes outside of rent payments.
Bilt MC is a metal card weighing ~16 grams (comparisons: AmEx biz plat 18.5 gm, AmEx Gold 15 gm, Chase Sapphire Reserve 13 gm, traditional plastic card 5 gm).
Bilt Mastercard is issued and managed by Wells Fargo. Bilt Rewards is a separate website and app (which contains some credit card information but not as much as WF website).
Most reports are of instant approvals, Wells Fargo reconsideration phone number and experiences are not well documented. Reported initial Credit Limits vary $4,000 - $30,000 with higher limits more commonly reported. This post (9/1/23) describes one instance of a Something went wrong message upon application and the steps toward approval several days later.
In March/April 2025 Bilt initiated a new and different process for paying rent and HOA fees which requires preauthorization and/or "auto-pre-authorization" within 5 days of payment.Rent payments can be made in multiple different ways. Bilt will provide a (bank) routing number and account number. ACH rent payments can be sent (deposited) by Bilt or withdrawn by a managing company.
Bilt MC is shipped via trackable no-signature-required First Class mail in a small (4.5 x 6.5) white box with unique packaging inside as pictured at the bottom of this post. As of Feb 2024 no reports of expedited shipping.
Reports on this thread starting in late November 2023 indicate this "quasi-SUB" may be offered randomly and/or only to some people, selection criteria unknown. This post may be the only report of being offered the quasi-SUB prior to Bilt Mastercard application, based on existing Bilt Rewards account. Bilt's quasi-SUB" is offered via an email and a text message notification the same day as card receipt informing of 5x/5 days/max 50K (email quoted verbatim in this post). (Quasi* due to very short duration in contrast to many traditional SUBs of 3 month duration.) Please note this quasi-SUB maxs out at $12,500 (not $10,000) and tax payments will count. No reports yet of returns and their effect on quasi-SUB. (* quasi- a combining form meaning resembling, having some, but not all of the features of, used in the formation of compound words: quasi-definition; quasi-monopoly; quasi-official; quasi-scientific.)
Newly earned Bilt points will display as pending until 5 transactions per statement cycle. After 5 transactions, points will post and become available shortly after a transaction, before statement date. The Bilt Rewards website has a transaction counter which disappears upon reaching 5.
Bilt points for linking partner programs (100 points each) and for adding a credit card to Bilt Wallet (100 points each for first 3) post immediately. Original author received 500 point bonus for first rent payment.
Bilt Rewards points are transferable at 1:1 usually within a few minutes to multiple different airline and hotel programs.
Theres discussion of the long term viability of Bilt with some of those posts linked at the bottom of this post after BREAK.
Bilt Status Tiers: Blue - anyone enrolled in Bilt Rewards with under 25,000 points, Silver - 25,000 points earned, Gold - 50,000 points earned, Platinum - 100,000 points earned. Tier status earned at any point in a year remains active through the end of the following year. Earn Interest on Points (Silver, Gold, Platinum Tiers) is minimal, discussed on this post and this post.
Bilt Points Quest Trivia was discontinued as of July 2024.Bilt Points Quest Trivia on the first of each month offers up to 250 points for correctly answering, within 10 seconds, 6 (out of 15-20) questions. Must get first 5 questions (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 points) correct to see the 6th bonus 100 point question. Theres often a Reddit thread with the Q & A. (Point Quest - October 2023 Answers) The lower half of this post has comments from a highly experienced test taker regarding memory, recall and studying for Points Quest Trivia.
Bilt Rent Free may also have been discontinued in 2024 or 2025.Bilt also has various RentFree games, available a few days prior to and/or on the 1st of the month, different people get different games. Could be a Family Feud style question with enough time to Google answers or a Where's Wally? (Bilt Brick) type of game or something else. Successful completion enters to be one of 3 people for whom Bilt pays their monthly rent (up to $2500).
List of Bilts Rent Day promotions going back to October 2022 at the bottom of the page here: DEALSPOINTS.
June 2024: Bottom of this post describes one persons experience paying a significant assessment (and earning points) with Bilt MC, at this time (only 3 weeks later) no report of clawback or shutdown (based on using Bilt to pay rent more than once a month and/or for something other than rent/condo fees).
June 2024: Bottom of this post contains Bilt quotes regarding Bilt BiltProtect.
June 2024: Important post (and link) stating that WF is losing money every month on Bilt.
(10/7/23 Original author (Dr Jabadski) note: As I posted here on 9/9/23 Considering Ive been salivating about simple no-cost points-etizing (like monetizing) my condo payments for about 25 years, I see Bilt as a game changer. I should have added almost a Holy Grail (a thing that is eagerly pursued or sought after). I successfully applied for a Bilt Mastercard 1 month ago thus Im far from an expert. Both before and after approval I posted multiple questions many times on this thread and several other FTers were highly gracious and informative. Thought a WikiPost might save some others a good deal of time, effort and aggravation, at least in not repeating my questions and searching for the answers. I certainly hope the experts will edit and update this WikiPost as necessary. Im also exercising Writer's Prerogative to officially coin the term pointsetize, like monetize convert into or express in the form of currency, to earn points from payments which otherwise would not earn points.)
Bilt Rewards Mastercard (Bilt MC) was first launched in mid-2021, in good part as a no fee way to charge and pointsetize rent payments. (Perhaps the only no fee way to pointsetize rent payments.) There are multiple reports of earning Bilt points for paying condominium monthly maintenance/common charges, sometimes even when the word condo or condominium is in the transaction description.
Bilt MC is a personal credit card, WF reports credit card information to the various credit bureaus and Bilt MC will count toward Chase 5/24.
This post and this post (both from 9/7/23) describe shutdown reports perhaps related to micro transactions, fluctuating rent payment amounts or multiple rent payments. This 10/11/23 post includes several references to Reddit user quotes about shutdowns and several Reddit Bilt quotes in response.
Links
Bilt MC is a metal card weighing ~16 grams (comparisons: AmEx biz plat 18.5 gm, AmEx Gold 15 gm, Chase Sapphire Reserve 13 gm, traditional plastic card 5 gm).
Bilt Mastercard is issued and managed by Wells Fargo. Bilt Rewards is a separate website and app (which contains some credit card information but not as much as WF website).
Most reports are of instant approvals, Wells Fargo reconsideration phone number and experiences are not well documented. Reported initial Credit Limits vary $4,000 - $30,000 with higher limits more commonly reported. This post (9/1/23) describes one instance of a Something went wrong message upon application and the steps toward approval several days later.
In March/April 2025 Bilt initiated a new and different process for paying rent and HOA fees which requires preauthorization and/or "auto-pre-authorization" within 5 days of payment.
Bilt MC is shipped via trackable no-signature-required First Class mail in a small (4.5 x 6.5) white box with unique packaging inside as pictured at the bottom of this post. As of Feb 2024 no reports of expedited shipping.
Reports on this thread starting in late November 2023 indicate this "quasi-SUB" may be offered randomly and/or only to some people, selection criteria unknown. This post may be the only report of being offered the quasi-SUB prior to Bilt Mastercard application, based on existing Bilt Rewards account. Bilt's quasi-SUB" is offered via an email and a text message notification the same day as card receipt informing of 5x/5 days/max 50K (email quoted verbatim in this post). (Quasi* due to very short duration in contrast to many traditional SUBs of 3 month duration.) Please note this quasi-SUB maxs out at $12,500 (not $10,000) and tax payments will count. No reports yet of returns and their effect on quasi-SUB. (* quasi- a combining form meaning resembling, having some, but not all of the features of, used in the formation of compound words: quasi-definition; quasi-monopoly; quasi-official; quasi-scientific.)
Newly earned Bilt points will display as pending until 5 transactions per statement cycle. After 5 transactions, points will post and become available shortly after a transaction, before statement date. The Bilt Rewards website has a transaction counter which disappears upon reaching 5.
Bilt points for linking partner programs (100 points each) and for adding a credit card to Bilt Wallet (100 points each for first 3) post immediately. Original author received 500 point bonus for first rent payment.
Bilt Rewards points are transferable at 1:1 usually within a few minutes to multiple different airline and hotel programs.
Theres discussion of the long term viability of Bilt with some of those posts linked at the bottom of this post after BREAK.
Bilt Status Tiers: Blue - anyone enrolled in Bilt Rewards with under 25,000 points, Silver - 25,000 points earned, Gold - 50,000 points earned, Platinum - 100,000 points earned. Tier status earned at any point in a year remains active through the end of the following year. Earn Interest on Points (Silver, Gold, Platinum Tiers) is minimal, discussed on this post and this post.
Bilt Points Quest Trivia was discontinued as of July 2024.
Bilt Rent Free may also have been discontinued in 2024 or 2025.
List of Bilts Rent Day promotions going back to October 2022 at the bottom of the page here: DEALSPOINTS.
June 2024: Bottom of this post describes one persons experience paying a significant assessment (and earning points) with Bilt MC, at this time (only 3 weeks later) no report of clawback or shutdown (based on using Bilt to pay rent more than once a month and/or for something other than rent/condo fees).
June 2024: Bottom of this post contains Bilt quotes regarding Bilt BiltProtect.
June 2024: Important post (and link) stating that WF is losing money every month on Bilt.
Bilt Mastercard
Feb 9, 2025 | 9:19 am
#1141
Join Date: Sep 2024
Posts: 1,752
same, but i do use it for things that im not sure code as travel or when shopping.
Feb 9, 2025 | 12:54 pm
#1142
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: District of Columbia
Programs: AA ExecPl, AF Gold, Hyatt Globalist,IHG Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 2,670
Just a tiny FYI for anyone who uses Walgreens pharmacy for prescriptions. Even though it says you earn "100 miles for every prescription you fill through Walgreens...Get 100 points for every prescription refill.", their system only counts each pharmacy VISIT as a single prescription visit regardless of the number of prescriptions. Only 100 points, so I'm not going to push it, but I'll make sure not to combine prescriptions into one transaction in the future.
Mar 1, 2025 | 6:20 am
#1143
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 2,152
Anyone switch from CSR/CSP to Bilt MC? I'm considering it since the $250 AF on the CSR is a bit much for a card that at this point I pretty much use only for dining (3x on Pasmo is never coming back I don't think) since Bilt matches that with no AF and I have the Chase Ink Biz and Amex Plat anyway.
Mar 1, 2025 | 9:22 am
#1144
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: SQ Gold, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Caesars Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Atmos Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,228
Anyone switch from CSR/CSP to Bilt MC? I'm considering it since the $250 AF on the CSR is a bit much for a card that at this point I pretty much use only for dining (3x on Pasmo is never coming back I don't think) since Bilt matches that with no AF and I have the Chase Ink Biz and Amex Plat anyway.
Last edited by gudugan; Mar 1, 2025 at 11:21 am
Mar 1, 2025 | 1:03 pm
#1145
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, B6 Mosaic 2, AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 870
Anyone switch from CSR/CSP to Bilt MC? I'm considering it since the $250 AF on the CSR is a bit much for a card that at this point I pretty much use only for dining (3x on Pasmo is never coming back I don't think) since Bilt matches that with no AF and I have the Chase Ink Biz and Amex Plat anyway.
The transition from Evolve to WF has created a lot of credit limit reductions though, I wouldn't expect to have anywhere near what you may currently have on a Chase card
Mar 1, 2025 | 2:14 pm
#1146
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 35K|BA Silver|Marriott Plat|HH Diamond|Hyatt Globalist|ALL Plat
Posts: 2,814
I have had both Bilt cards and I would be wary of signing up at this point given the talk of "Bilt 2.0" which is more like 3.0 if you were an Evolve cardholder. It's probably going to be another round of switching issuing banks where they won't buy the book of existing accounts so you'll have to sign up yet again and none of their options from the Bilt 2.0 survey were compelling for dining spend like the current one is.
Any consideration of going Biz Gold to funnel it all through Suica at 4X? I guess if you're Tokyo based, using the $20 monthly coupons to buy GCs at Staples is not a viable option to cut down the effective annual fee though.
Anyone switch from CSR/CSP to Bilt MC? I'm considering it since the $250 AF on the CSR is a bit much for a card that at this point I pretty much use only for dining (3x on Pasmo is never coming back I don't think) since Bilt matches that with no AF and I have the Chase Ink Biz and Amex Plat anyway.
Mar 1, 2025 | 5:22 pm
#1147
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 2,152
I have had both Bilt cards and I would be wary of signing up at this point given the talk of "Bilt 2.0" which is more like 3.0 if you were an Evolve cardholder. It's probably going to be another round of switching issuing banks where they won't buy the book of existing accounts so you'll have to sign up yet again and none of their options from the Bilt 2.0 survey were compelling for dining spend like the current one is.
Any consideration of going Biz Gold to funnel it all through Suica at 4X? I guess if you're Tokyo based, using the $20 monthly coupons to buy GCs at Staples is not a viable option to cut down the effective annual fee though.
Any consideration of going Biz Gold to funnel it all through Suica at 4X? I guess if you're Tokyo based, using the $20 monthly coupons to buy GCs at Staples is not a viable option to cut down the effective annual fee though.
Mar 15, 2025 | 7:34 am
#1148
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Navy A-4 Skyhawk, B727 FE/FO, S80 FO, B757/767 FO, B737 CA
Posts: 1,416
Got 5x for 5 days up to $10,000 spend after a credit limit increase with Bilt.
I had read about this on DoC so thought I would give it a try. The call took about 20 minutes and they told me it would be a hard pull (I was ok with that, since my CC apps have dropped very low). Got a $3000 bump to $13000. Woke up this morning to to see an email stating that I had until Mar 20 to get the 5x bonus.
Some speculation about this. Not everyone is getting this spend bonus and there's no consensus on who would. For what it is worth, I did NOT get a spend bonus when I opened the card. Haven't seen any data points for folks who got it in both instances.
The bonus says earn 5x points on all purchases excluding rent. Then it lists some like groceries and travel. Curious if this is an ADDITIONAL 5x bonus or in place of (I'm using it for estimated tax, so it won't affect me). Not noted in the email, but on DoC the consensus is that the 5x is really 4x bonus on top of 1x spend. So that amounts to a total $2500 spend.
I had read about this on DoC so thought I would give it a try. The call took about 20 minutes and they told me it would be a hard pull (I was ok with that, since my CC apps have dropped very low). Got a $3000 bump to $13000. Woke up this morning to to see an email stating that I had until Mar 20 to get the 5x bonus.
Some speculation about this. Not everyone is getting this spend bonus and there's no consensus on who would. For what it is worth, I did NOT get a spend bonus when I opened the card. Haven't seen any data points for folks who got it in both instances.
The bonus says earn 5x points on all purchases excluding rent. Then it lists some like groceries and travel. Curious if this is an ADDITIONAL 5x bonus or in place of (I'm using it for estimated tax, so it won't affect me). Not noted in the email, but on DoC the consensus is that the 5x is really 4x bonus on top of 1x spend. So that amounts to a total $2500 spend.
Mar 15, 2025 | 7:47 am
#1149
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Choice Plat, BW DS, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards
Posts: 20,048
Got 5x for 5 days up to $10,000 spend after a credit limit increase with Bilt.
I had read about this on DoC so thought I would give it a try. The call took about 20 minutes and they told me it would be a hard pull (I was ok with that, since my CC apps have dropped very low). Got a $3000 bump to $13000. Woke up this morning to to see an email stating that I had until Mar 20 to get the 5x bonus.
Some speculation about this. Not everyone is getting this spend bonus and there's no consensus on who would. For what it is worth, I did NOT get a spend bonus when I opened the card. Haven't seen any data points for folks who got it in both instances.
The bonus says earn 5x points on all purchases excluding rent. Then it lists some like groceries and travel. Curious if this is an ADDITIONAL 5x bonus or in place of (I'm using it for estimated tax, so it won't affect me). Not noted in the email, but on DoC the consensus is that the 5x is really 4x bonus on top of 1x spend. So that amounts to a total $2500 spend.
I had read about this on DoC so thought I would give it a try. The call took about 20 minutes and they told me it would be a hard pull (I was ok with that, since my CC apps have dropped very low). Got a $3000 bump to $13000. Woke up this morning to to see an email stating that I had until Mar 20 to get the 5x bonus.
Some speculation about this. Not everyone is getting this spend bonus and there's no consensus on who would. For what it is worth, I did NOT get a spend bonus when I opened the card. Haven't seen any data points for folks who got it in both instances.
The bonus says earn 5x points on all purchases excluding rent. Then it lists some like groceries and travel. Curious if this is an ADDITIONAL 5x bonus or in place of (I'm using it for estimated tax, so it won't affect me). Not noted in the email, but on DoC the consensus is that the 5x is really 4x bonus on top of 1x spend. So that amounts to a total $2500 spend.
-J.
Mar 15, 2025 | 1:27 pm
#1150
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 552
Got 5x for 5 days up to $10,000 spend after a credit limit increase with Bilt.
I had read about this on DoC so thought I would give it a try. The call took about 20 minutes and they told me it would be a hard pull (I was ok with that, since my CC apps have dropped very low). Got a $3000 bump to $13000. Woke up this morning to to see an email stating that I had until Mar 20 to get the 5x bonus.
Some speculation about this. Not everyone is getting this spend bonus and there's no consensus on who would. For what it is worth, I did NOT get a spend bonus when I opened the card. Haven't seen any data points for folks who got it in both instances.
The bonus says earn 5x points on all purchases excluding rent. Then it lists some like groceries and travel. Curious if this is an ADDITIONAL 5x bonus or in place of (I'm using it for estimated tax, so it won't affect me). Not noted in the email, but on DoC the consensus is that the 5x is really 4x bonus on top of 1x spend. So that amounts to a total $2500 spend.
I had read about this on DoC so thought I would give it a try. The call took about 20 minutes and they told me it would be a hard pull (I was ok with that, since my CC apps have dropped very low). Got a $3000 bump to $13000. Woke up this morning to to see an email stating that I had until Mar 20 to get the 5x bonus.
Some speculation about this. Not everyone is getting this spend bonus and there's no consensus on who would. For what it is worth, I did NOT get a spend bonus when I opened the card. Haven't seen any data points for folks who got it in both instances.
The bonus says earn 5x points on all purchases excluding rent. Then it lists some like groceries and travel. Curious if this is an ADDITIONAL 5x bonus or in place of (I'm using it for estimated tax, so it won't affect me). Not noted in the email, but on DoC the consensus is that the 5x is really 4x bonus on top of 1x spend. So that amounts to a total $2500 spend.
edit: if these are the applicable terms then tax payments do not count. https://www.biltrewards.com/terms/5x5credit
Last edited by Clemson; Mar 15, 2025 at 5:52 pm
Mar 15, 2025 | 6:09 pm
#1151
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,678
Yeah - I would not expect that bonus with tax payments. They're pretty good about exempting certain things.
Mar 16, 2025 | 2:54 pm
#1152
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Navy A-4 Skyhawk, B727 FE/FO, S80 FO, B757/767 FO, B737 CA
Posts: 1,416
Good thing I saw the no tax payments...was going to do that today.
Mar 16, 2025 | 9:31 pm
#1153
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold 1.2MM (BIS), AA LT Plat (SUBs, BD/Bask), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 4,587
That's different than the Bilt quasi-SUB (5x for 5 days after receiving card, max 50k bonus points). After reading the above few posts, I checked my Bilt $ and points spreadsheet. I definitely received 5x Bilt points for IRS and NYS tax payments within 2-3 days of receiving my Bilt card in September 2023. In fact, when I saw that the 5x bonus maxes out at $12,500 (not $10,000) a day later, I made a 2nd NYS payment which also received 5x.
Interesting that tax payments is #1 on the long lists of exclusions. Perhaps an indication that Bilt (and other credit card issuers) know that many people use tax payments as a legitimate form of manufactured spend?
Interesting that tax payments is #1 on the long lists of exclusions. Perhaps an indication that Bilt (and other credit card issuers) know that many people use tax payments as a legitimate form of manufactured spend?
Mar 16, 2025 | 9:48 pm
#1154
Join Date: Sep 2024
Posts: 1,752
That's different than the Bilt quasi-SUB (5x for 5 days after receiving card, max 50k bonus points). After reading the above few posts, I checked my Bilt $ and points spreadsheet. I definitely received 5x Bilt points for IRS and NYS tax payments within 2-3 days of receiving my Bilt card in September 2023. In fact, when I saw that the 5x bonus maxes out at $12,500 (not $10,000) a day later, I made a 2nd NYS payment which also received 5x.
Interesting that tax payments is #1 on the long lists of exclusions. Perhaps an indication that Bilt (and other credit card issuers) know that many people use tax payments as a “legitimate” form of manufactured spend?
Interesting that tax payments is #1 on the long lists of exclusions. Perhaps an indication that Bilt (and other credit card issuers) know that many people use tax payments as a “legitimate” form of manufactured spend?
Mar 16, 2025 | 10:17 pm
#1155
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 552
That's different than the Bilt quasi-SUB (5x for 5 days after receiving card, max 50k bonus points). After reading the above few posts, I checked my Bilt $ and points spreadsheet. I definitely received 5x Bilt points for IRS and NYS tax payments within 2-3 days of receiving my Bilt card in September 2023. In fact, when I saw that the 5x bonus maxes out at $12,500 (not $10,000) a day later, I made a 2nd NYS payment which also received 5x.
Interesting that tax payments is #1 on the long lists of exclusions. Perhaps an indication that Bilt (and other credit card issuers) know that many people use tax payments as a legitimate form of manufactured spend?
Interesting that tax payments is #1 on the long lists of exclusions. Perhaps an indication that Bilt (and other credit card issuers) know that many people use tax payments as a legitimate form of manufactured spend?