Bilt Rewards runs bigger points transfer bonuses than any other program. But they last only a day – when they come around, it’s for the first of the month, “Rent Day,” since Bilt makes rent more rewarding.
They ran a 100% bonus to Hawaiian Airlines. And they’ve run bonuses up to 150%, based on status in their program, with Air France KLM and Virgin. I took advantage of both of those.
Now they’re running arguably the most lucrative transfer bonus yet, up to 150% to Air Canada Aeroplan. I don’t mean just the most lucrative Bilt transfer bonus. I mean the most lucrative transfer bonus that has ever existed, at least I’m confident of this if you’re eligible for the top bonus and even if you’re “only” eligible for a 125% transfer bonus.
Aeroplan is one of my all-around favorite loyalty programs and I’m torn. I already have a seven figure Aeroplan balance. That balance is a lot bigger than my Bilt balance! And I don’t have the Bilt points to keep up with all of these transfer bonuses. I may have to sit this one out, but if you have Bilt points you probably shouldn’t.
- General Member: 75% transfer bonus (2,000 Bilt Points = 3,500 Aeroplan points)
- Silver Member: 100% transfer bonus (1,000 Bilt Points = 2,000 Aeroplan points)
- Gold Member: 125% transfer bonus (1,000 Bilt Points = 2,250 Aeroplan points)
- Platinum Member: 150% transfer bonus (1,000 Bilt Points = 2,500 Aeroplan points)
Bonus is based on Bilt Rewards status as of February 1, and Bilt Status updates can take up up to 96 hours to reflect after any earn action (although in my experience this happens more quickly).
Aeroplan has more airline partners than any other carrier. For instance, they partner with Singapore Airlines (and have access to long haul premium cabin awards that most Singapore partners do not). They partner not just across Star Alliance (like Lufthansa, ANA and United) but also carriers like Oman Air and Gulf Air.
Their award chart is reasonable, and generally less expensive than redeeming same flights than United’s MileagePlus.
- U.S. East Coast – Europe at 60,000 miles (around 30% less than United charges to begin with)
- Travel on airlines like Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines as well as United and Air Canada
- With a 150% transfer bonus it’s just 24,000 Bilt points each way for business class
- And no fuel surcharges
The bonus will be live from Midnight Eastern on February 1 through 2:59am Eastern on February 2 (since that’s 11:59pm Pacific, i.e. still February 1).
If there’s a contender that this offer faces for the title of ‘best transfer bonus ever’ it would be another Bilt offer, the 100% bonus to Air France KLM that was available to all members and that coincided with promo awards offering business class from across their U.S. gateways (though with fuel surcharges).
- Double points-earning with their co-brand card. As they’ve done each rent day, Bilt Mastercard cardmembers earn 6x on dining; 4x on travel; and 2x on other spend (excluding rent) up to 10,000 bonus points total and as long as they use their card 5 times each statement period to qualify to earn points.
- SoulCycle Rides. Rent Day Rides offer a complimentary bike in special classes booked through the Bilt Rewards app starting January 29th, and one rider attending a ride that day gets a month of rent paid by Bilt.
- Free points trivia. Answer 5 questions in the Bilt app to win up to 150 points, and if you get them all correct you get a bonus 100 points as well.
- Family Feud-style game for free rent. 1,000 members have answered questions in advance, and you guess their answers. Correctly guess the three that are most popular and you’re entered for a chance at having December rent paid for you. This is all done with a celebrity guest. This time it’s Canadian professional tennis player Eugenie “Genie” Bouchard, and play starts January 26th at 9 a.m. Eastern.
Bilt also has Valentine’s Day reservations with special menus (that will appear in the Bilt app) bookable starting Noon Eastern February 1 at some top restaurants. Cost will be $200 or 15,000 Bilt points for a party of two.
- Miami: Los Fuegos – 7:00pm ET (5 reservations); 9:00 ET (5 reservations) or Pastis – 6:30pm ET (5 reservations); 9:00pm ET (5 reservations)
- Washington, DC: The Saga – 7:00pm ET (5 reservations); 9:00 ET (5 reservations) or Lyle’s – 7:00pm ET (5 reservations); 8:30 ET (5 reservations)
- Los Angeles: Republique – 7:30pm PT (5 reservations); 9:30 PT (5 reservations) or Crustacean Beverly Hills – 7:00pm PT (5 reservations); 8:30 PT (5 reservations)
- New York: Meduza – 7:15pm ET (5 reservations); 9:30 ET (5 reservations), Sartiano’s – 7:30pm ET (5 reservations); 9:30 ET (5 reservations), or Sake No Hana – 7:00pm ET (5 reservations); 8:30 ET (5 reservations)
- Boston: Bistro Du Midi – 7:30pm ET (5 reservations); 9:30 ET (5 reservations)
I don’t actually like going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day. It’s like traveling for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, amateur day. Restaurants generally charge more (higher demand) and offer a lesser product – they’re so slammed that the kitchen pre-preps as much as they can, leaving everything on sheet trays, and they’re too busy to offer the service you’d get on another evening.
Through Gary’s lens, and judging from the frequency of mentions it gets on this site, Bilt is bigger than American Express and Exxon combined.
@ Gary — Seriously? You really should work for a tabloid.
BILT is a good credit card, especially for renters…
Aeroplan is overrated and over priced. Haven’t found a single search where Aeroplan was enough less than other carriers for partner awards with Air Canada awards grossly over priced.
Add Aeroplan partner booking surcharge of $39 for online booking + $30 for their telephone contact center…Aeroplan is a non starter unless you are desperate…
I’ve invested points on Aeroplan thanks to the advice of Gary and the rest of the blogosphere. I’m a Bilt Platinum and I’ve got 100K points sitting in there waiting for a Rent Day offer. So, come the 1st, it’s 250K points added to my Aeroplan account. I’m saving up points for a European trip next year, and these should come in handy.
Holding out for a similar transfer bonus to British Airways.
Does Bilt allow transfers to someone else’s loyalty account? Thanks
@Sam – not currently an option
Tomorrow: Your points stuck in Aeroplan as half the partners are blocked and noone answers the phone as the website craps out.