Depending on your intended redemptions, you might benefit from transferring your BA Avios to other Avios-based programs. :idea:

I would expect Bilt to have some agreement with BA that if they offer this bonus on the transfer, that BA wouldn't nuke their points value immediately afterward. I think that's likely a standard part of these contracts.

Most likely, when Bilt does one of these promos, they get a special rate from the related company. I suspect Bilt knew full well that this deval was coming.

Note that BA also offered a transfer bonus through Capital One which ended November 22. My guess is that BA does not share its pricing plans with transfer partner programs.

I neither think that's likely, nor do I think that they knew in advance. Many other companies run transfer bonuses to many airlines all the time. That's pure speculation IMHO.

Devaluations happen all the time, unannounced, we all hate them. No need to blame random third party programs for this. Blame BA.

SoFi via Rakuten is offering $400 cash back today...40K Bilt points on the table

Obviously a pretty big lift to direct deposit into a different bank account but could be worth it for some folks in need of a point infusion

BILT2.0 feels somewhat useless given the rest of the CC ecosystem. Essentially the decision to keep the built will boil down to: Can the monthly points received (from rent/mortgage) > AF. I will likely not use the credits that they have unless they're travel related (and also easy to use) -- the amex/chase coupon book would be such a regression. Anyways, I hope they keep the atleast 1x back on rent/mortgage with no AF.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think it's a pipe dream that 1x on rent/mortgage will happen with no AF. Also, in your equation of rent/mortgage points > AF, you'll also have to factor in the opportunity cost of whatever other spend/transaction requirements will be in place to earn those rent/mortgage points (assuming that spend could have gone on another card for more value).

I think they will be done with # of transaction requirements due to all the bananas being purchased previously and will go to a minimum amount of spend (maybe even in non-bonused categories?) to qualify for rent/mortgage earnings.

Again, not what I'm hoping for, just what I think will happen.

It's very simple for me. If 1x points with no annual fee goes away, I'm just dropping the card. No sweat off my back.

The Mesa card which gave rewards on mortgage payments just shut down so I highly doubt Bilt will give away 1x points away on rent for free anymore.

This. Although I could see a world where certain mortgage companies (i.e. UWM who they've already announced as a partner) subsidize points if you use them. For example, with a UWM mortgage, you can earn points on your mortgage with the no AF card; others must have at least the $95 AF card, or 0.5 ppd for non-UWM mortgages on the no AF card, etc.

Don't forget Ankur's claims of profitability. In retrospect, we all assume they relied on a lopsided contract with Wells Fargo, but maybe he's got some other magic sauce.

He of course would never state/confess/admit it, his claims of “probability“ most likely are completely self-centered and self-serving, referring to profitability for himself personally, similar to the way many individuals and many venture-capital firms are profitable for themselves personally, while their businesses suffer bankruptcy and their employees end up out of work.

This is likely the direction in which things are heading where you would need to have a certain affiliated mortgage or property management company. Bilt will likely give more points to customers who engage with the ecosystem, but I doubt many of us here are willing to give a higher share of wallet to Bilt.

I'm far more uncertain for myself. I pay nearly 3k in rent monthly, so it is a large expense, and getting any points is better than no points. I may well be talked into the $95 card, depending on overall value, or even accept the $0 card at, say 0.5x points for rent.

With that rent spend you’re better off paying for the $95 card if it is the difference between 1x and 0.5x points for rent.