Why Bilt card is my number one credit card in 2025 [ Review ]

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Today, we’re breaking this down into two parts. First, a high-level overview of the Bilt Mastercard for folks who don’t know about it. In the second part, I’ll go over the new partnership between Japan Airlines and Bilt Mastercard and how we can get max value for our Bilt Points (aka Japan Airlines miles).

If you already have the card, jump to section two. If you don’t have the card yet, I highly recommend you watch the overview first.

Let’s jump in.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Bilt Mastercard Overview

This is the no-annual-fee Bilt Mastercard. As of this Post release, the Bilt card is my number one credit card in 2025. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, this is a card you needed yesterday. It comes loaded with bells and whistles, not to mention no annual fee.

But what gets me really excited is that Bilt just added one of the rarest and arguably most valuable transfer partners in the entire game: Japan Airlines. This means we, as Bilt card members, now get exclusive access to flights to and from Japan on the cheap via transferability—a benefit other credit cards do not offer.

Card Overview

Signup Bonus:
Right now, the Bilt Mastercard does not offer a standard signup bonus. However, some people reportedly get an offer to earn 5x points on all spend within the first 5 days upon signing up. This offer seems inconsistent. Personally, I didn’t get it, but others have.

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Earnings:

  • 3x points for Dining
  • 2x points for Travel
  • 1x point on all other purchases
  • 1x point for paying rent (max of 100,000 points from rent per year, other categories are unlimited)
  • A unique category: 0.5x for buying a home. You don’t swipe the card. Instead, if you work with a Bilt-partnered real estate agent to buy a home (up to a four-family residential), you earn one point for every $2 of the home purchase price.

Important Rent Payment Note:
To earn points on rent, you must swipe your Bilt card five times every statement cycle. The process is simple: Bilt provides an account and routing number, can mail a check to your landlord, or integrates with platforms like Venmo or PayPal.

Key Benefits (The Highlights):

  1. Rent Day: On the first of every month, Bilt offers bonuses like elevated earning rates on categories (e.g., extra on travel/dining) or transfer bonuses to airline partners (often 50% to 100% bonuses).
  2. Transfer Partners: You can transfer Bilt points to airlines and hotels like Alaska Airlines and Hyatt. The game-changer is that this is a no-annual-fee card offering transfer partners, while competitors charge $100 to $700 annually.
  3. Student Loan Redemption: You can redeem points to pay back student loans.
  4. 25% Redemption Bonus: Get a 25% bonus when you redeem points for travel through the Bilt travel portal (compared to cash back).
  5. Point.me Partnership: Access a tool to search for award flight availability.
  6. Bilt Neighborhood Dining: Earn additional bonus points (often 3x-5x extra) on top of the 3x base rate at select dining partners.
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That wraps up the high-level overview. Now, let’s dive into the exciting new partnership.

Part 2: Bilt’s Partnership with Japan Airlines – How to Get Max Value

Everyone is excited about this partnership. Here’s why it’s a big deal:

  1. Destination Demand: Everyone wants to go to Japan. The food, shopping, and culture are incredible.
  2. Better Availability: Japan Airlines tends to have more available award seats in its own program compared to what it releases to partner airlines like Alaska or American Airlines. You can also book further in advance.
  3. Exclusive Access: No other major credit card can transfer points directly to Japan Airlines. While Marriott points can transfer, the ratio is poor. Bilt is the first to offer this directly.

How the Partnership Works

  1. Link your Bilt account to your Japan Airlines Mileage Bank account within the Bilt app.
  2. Pro Tip: As a Bilt member, if you create a new Japan Airlines account, you can redeem miles after just 7 days (instead of the standard 60-day wait). Create and link your account ASAP.

Maximizing Your Points: Use Cases & Examples

1. Economy Class to Japan:

  • Cash Price: ~$1,600+ roundtrip from NYC.
  • With Points: 50,000 Japan Airlines miles + ~$500 in taxes/fees.
  • How to Earn: Transfer 50,000 Bilt points. If you pay $4,000/month in rent with roommates, you’d earn nearly enough points for this roundtrip in a year.

2. Business Class (The Sweet Spot):

  • Cash Price: Over $5,000+.
  • With Points: 50,000 Japan Airlines miles + ~$200+ in taxes/fees for a one-way ticket in a brand new, fully enclosed suite.
  • Why it’s great: Direct access to Japan Airlines’ award space means much better availability to book these incredible seats.
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3. Other Uses for Japan Airlines Miles:

  • Upgrades: Use miles to upgrade from economy to a higher class on existing tickets.
  • Domestic Japan Flights: Use miles instead of cash for travel within Japan.
  • Aspirational: First Class: An aspirational use is booking First Class from North America to Japan on Japan Airlines’ newest aircraft. Direct access through Bilt makes finding this rare space more feasible.

Final Thoughts

This is a huge win for the Bilt card, a huge win for those who want to fly to Japan, and an absolutely massive win for those who want to do it in business or first class.

While Bilt lost American Airlines as a partner last year, adding Japan Airlines—alongside Alaska Airlines—more than fills that gap.

TL;DR Summary:

  1. If you want a no-annual-fee credit card, get the Bilt Mastercard.
  2. If you want a travel credit card, get the Bilt Mastercard.
  3. If you want to travel to Japan (or anywhere) using a no-fee card, get the Bilt Mastercard.
  4. If you pay rent, you should get the Bilt Mastercard.

Catch you on the next one. Peace.

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