It looks like Bilt will become an option for cashing out at Rakuten along with cash and Membership Rewards points. I will definitely switch from Amex to Bilt for this.

Rakuten is a shopping portal, and often especially generous. What’s been great is that you might earn $50 in rebates at a store, but you can choose 5,000 American Express Membership Rewards points instead. Amex points are worth more than a penny apiece, so that’s leverage.

Their website lists Bilt as an option for cash out.

• That hasn’t been announced.
  
• And it doesn’t appear possible yet to set this up.
  
• So the most likely thing appears to be that this leaked early on the Rakuten website.

I’ll definitely choose Bilt over Amex for my Rakuten cash outs. I always have enough Amex points, but Bilt points can be harder to earn.

A single Bilt point is more valuable than any other transferable currency. You can redeem directly for travel at 1.25 cents apiece. They have more 1:1 transfer partners than anyone else, and run frequent transfer bonuses that are larger than anyone else’s. And they have better partners – like Hyatt, Alaska Airlines, United and Japan Airlines.

Hopefully Rakuten points transfers will even count as points earned for Bilt status. Their elite status got me free airport helicopter rides this year and Air France Gold status (free checked begs, priority and free exit row seats on Delta) and Accor Platinum status.

Bilt Rewards lets you earn miles paying rent with any credit card – not just the Bilt card. Soon they’ll offer points for paying mortgages, too.

Bilt Rewards is a must join program. I use it to great option for stacking earning on Lyft rides. You earn points with Walgreens. They have great restaurants for points-earning – the standard Rewards Network dining portfolio but actually good restaurants, also. And great monthly ‘rent day’ promotions for points transfers (bigger bonuses than anyone else has ever offered) as well as meals and comedy shows.

Right now Rakuten has its best-ever new member offer. First-time Rakuten shopping portal users get $50 (or 5,000 Amex points) for spending $50 at any of its merchants. The easy, quick win before this offer is just to go to GiftCards.com through the portal and buy a $50 gift card for Uber, DoorDash, Southwest Airlines or Delta. You get $50 or equivalent points back, making this a free $50 (or better, since the points are worth more than $50).

(HT: hamweinel)