Category Archives for Credit Cards.
I was about to place a GrubHub order when I realized something that does not get enough attention about Bilt Cash.
Used the right way, it can be worth a full dollar on the dollar toward something you were already going to buy anyway. That is far better than stretching for a redemption that feels more exciting but delivers less real value. And because this works through a GrubHub gift card, it can stack with monthly card credits and be saved for later use.
Robinhood just unveiled a $695 “platinum-plated” credit card aimed at premium spenders, but the headline benefit is the metal, not the earning. Outside of portal rebates and limited categories, it’s just 1% back, and the real value is locked behind a long list of monthly credits with restrictions, minimums, and timing rules. In other words: it’s an expensive coupon book that only works if you want to manage it like one.
Bilt Palladium’s earn rates and transfer bonuses can generate outsized value — especially if you’re redeeming to expensive partners like Hyatt or stacking a big Rent Day bonus to Japan Airlines. The problem is simple: swipe fees don’t cover that, particularly for heavy spenders who maximize housing earn. It needs cross-subsidy: less engaged members redeeming cheaply and leaving value on the table to fund power users who extract it.
Chase has added Wyndham Rewards as a transfer partner for its Ultimate Rewards program. Here’s how to think about this option for your points.
I love my Bilt Palladium Card—it’s currently my favorite card for everyday spending, points-earning, and perks—but the authorized user experience drives my wife (and me) crazy. It comes with an unnecessary annual fee, tedious activation requirements, inconvenient charge authorization texts, and earns fewer points than the primary card, leaving me frustrated and hoping for improvements.
The Bilt Palladium Card is already a powerhouse for turning housing payments into huge points—but here’s how savvy cardholders can creatively leverage home equity lines to earn an unmatched 4 points per dollar on everyday spending.
American Express just slammed shut a popular loophole that let Delta cardholders easily turn hotel booking credits into cash—and has started reversing statement credits for cardmembers who try it.
This week’s Frequent Miler On The Air podcast offered a really insightful point that I think is worth repeating.
Bilt Rewards cardholders were furious when the company replaced their easy ‘free points’ earned from paying rent—but in their outrage, many overlooked new benefits and higher value that could actually leave them better off. Here’s what went wrong in the rollout, why consumers were so angry, and what analysts miss.
Citi is surveying a refresh of the American AAdvantage small business card that looks meaningfully better than what’s sold today — even with a higher annual fee. The two hooks: authorized-user spend would earn Loyalty Points too, and the card would add a simple flight-based bonus (4 qualifying flights = 4,000 Loyalty Points, up to 12,000 a year), with credits used to sell the higher fee.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
