Launched in 2021, the Bilt Card was the first—and is still the only—credit card that allows you to earn points for paying rent by helping to waive the fee.
Selfishly, as a homeowner, what about for those of us who have mortgages? Can we earn points too? Well, it turns out that’s exactly what’s in the Bilt Card’s future for us homeowners in 2026.
Let’s break down how homeowners and prospective buyers can now earn serious points.
Section 1: A Quick Overview of the No-Annual-Fee Bilt Mastercard
First, the core earnings on this card:
- 3x points on dining.
- 2x points on travel.
- 1x point on rent (with a max of 100,000 points per year from rent).
- 1x point on all other purchases.
Two quick notes:
- While the rent points are capped, points on all other categories are unlimited.
- To capture any points each month, you must swipe the card five times per statement cycle.
A fun fact: If you pay an HOA fee, you can earn points for that, and those fees are also waived.
Key Benefits:
- No annual fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Transfer Partners: This is a premium feature often reserved for cards with high annual fees. With Bilt, you can transfer points to valuable partners like Hyatt Hotels, Alaska Airlines, and Flying Blue (Air France/KLM). This is how you unlock outsized value, like booking business class to Europe for 50-60k points plus taxes.
- Travel Portal: If transferring points seems complicated, you can redeem through the Bilt travel portal for a 25% bonus.
- 5x on Lyft: Link your Bilt and Lyft accounts and pay with your Bilt card.
- Rent Days: This is a monthly bonus program where Bilt offers extra points, transfer bonuses, and other perks.
Section 2: The Big News for Homeowners in 2025
For Prospective Home Buyers: Earn Points for BUYING a Home
This is a recently launched, game-changing feature. You can earn 1 Bilt point for every $2 of a home’s purchase price.
How it works:
- You must work with a Bilt-partnered real estate agent.
- Purchase a home (up to a 4-unit multifamily property).
- Earn a massive points bonus at closing.
Example: On a $1.3 million home, you could earn over 670,000 Bilt points the day you close.
How to Find a Bilt-Partnered Agent:
Currently, you find them through the Bilt app:
- Go to the “Home” section.
- Browse for a home by entering a monthly budget or using the map feature.
- Schedule a showing. The agent who meets you is a Bilt partner.
- Complete any transaction with that agent to earn the points.
Pro Tip: You are not locked in with the first agent. If it’s not a good fit, Bilt support can reassign you to another partner agent. The points are funded by a portion of the agent’s commission—money that was going to be spent anyway.
For Current Homeowners: Earn Points for PAYING Your Mortgage (Coming Soon)
This is the big announcement for 2025. The CEO’s year-end letter heavily hinted at the next phase: earning points for mortgage payments.
While the exact mechanics (like point caps) and timing (Q1? Q2?) are still to be announced, the intent is clear. The CEO stated: “Looking ahead to 2025, we’ll announce the first phase of plans in the mortgage space, creating a whole new category of value for homeowners.”
Why you shouldn’t wait:
- The card has no annual fee, so getting it now costs you nothing and prepares you for the launch.
- There are data points that Wells Fargo (Bilt’s issuer) might implement an application rule similar to Chase’s 5/24 rule. Don’t risk getting locked out by opening other cards first.
Section 3: First 2025 Rent Day Benefits
Mark your calendars for January 1, 2025, Rent Day.
1. Double Points Day:
Earn 6x on dining, 4x on travel, and 2x everywhere else (still 1x on rent), up to a max of 1,000 bonus Bilt points.
2. AAdvantage Status Match Opportunity:
Based on your Bilt Elite status tier, you can match to American Airlines AAdvantage status.
- Bilt Blue/Silver: Activate complimentary AAdvantage Silver status.
- Bilt Gold: Activate complimentary Silver, or activate Gold status for 5,000 Bilt points.
- Bilt Platinum: Activate complimentary Silver, or activate Gold for 2,000 points or Platinum status for 5,000 points.
- These status matches last through December 31, 2025, with a shortcut to retain status the following year.
3. Neighborhood Dining Series:
A curated pre-fix menu experience at hot restaurants across the country. Bookings (with points or cash) go live December 27 at 12 p.m. EST (Bilt Platinum members get early access at 11:50 a.m.).
4. Comedy Series:
Special access to comedy events.
The Bottom Line
The Bilt Card is evolving from a renter’s secret weapon into a powerhouse for anyone involved in housing.
- It’s a phenomenal no-fee card for renters, diners, and travelers.
- If you’re buying a home, you can now earn a life-changing points bonus.
- If you have a mortgage, get the card now to be ready for the expected 2025 launch of mortgage point earnings.
- Don’t sleep on the valuable Rent Day perks, especially the AAdvantage status match.
Get your financial ducks in a row now so you can hit the ground running when these new benefits drop.