Bilt Rewards adds Marriott Bonvoy as a transfer partner
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In just a few years time, the Bilt Mastercard® has won its way to being one of the best credit cards out there, and it’s easy to see why.
Between its monthly Rent Day promotions, ability to search for award availability within the app, opportunity to earn points on dining out and many strong loyalty partnerships, this credit card can easily have a top spot in your wallet. And fortunately, the program just got even better.
Starting today, Bilt Rewards members can transfer their points to Marriott Bonvoy, bringing the number of loyalty partners up to 15 programs. With over 8,500 Marriott properties worldwide, there’s now even more possibilities when it comes to redeeming your Bilt points for a hotel stay.
But how does this program stack up against the other partner loyalty programs? Let’s dive into the details on this partnership.
Transfer your Bilt Reward points to Marriott Bonvoy
Similar to the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, Bilt Reward points transfer at a steady 1-to-1 ratio. This means for every 1,000 Bilt points transferred over, you’ll earn 1,000 points or miles within the respective partner loyalty program.
However, since Marriott Bonvoy points aren’t traditionally worth as much as some of the other partner programs, Bilt is taking an extra step in making the partnership worthwhile. While the ratio is still 1-to-1, for every 20,000 Bilt points transferred in a single transaction, you’ll receive 5,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points.
Assuming you transfer in 20,000-point increments (and receive the 5,000-point bonus), this puts a 1.05 cents per point valuation on your Bilt points when transferred to Marriott Bonvoy. While this is still significantly less — almost half — than the current valuation of Bilt points at 2.05 cents apiece, you still might find a great opportunity.
Also, you’ll receive your fifth night free when using Marriott Bonvoy points — giving your points even more value. But, those looking to get the best value out of their Bilt points probably won’t find as much value in this transfer partner.
And since you can always use your Bilt points to book any hotel (as well as flight, car rental and more) through the Bilt travel portal at a fixed 1.25 cents per point, you’ll want to do the math to see which scenario makes the most sense for your next Marriott stay. Just remember, when booking through a third-party booking site like the Bilt travel portal, you won’t receive elite status perks or earn points on your stay.
Alternatively, transferring Bilt points to Marriott can make sense if you’re short on points and need to transfer over a certain amount to top off your account to be able to book your desired hotel reservation.
In addition, you’ll earn 100 Bilt points simply by linking your two accounts within the Bilt Rewards app — regardless if you transfer your Bilt points to Marriott Bonvoy. This 100-point bonus holds true for all loyalty partners, giving you an easy way to earn 1,500 bonus Bilt points.
Bottom line
With Bilt’s new partnership, you can now transfer your points to Marriott Bonvoy, opening more doors when it comes to a hotel stay. And while the valuation of transferring your points might be slightly less than what you’ll receive from other partners, there’s still a lot of value for many — especially due to the sheer presence of Marriott properties around the world.
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Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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