Summary Bilt Rewards offers a variety of transfer partners, like British Airways and United MilagePlus, for using points on travel rewards. Hawaiian Airlines was recently dropped as a transfer partner, but Alaska Airlines has joined the list for Bilt Rewards members to utilize. Bilt Rewards members can now earn points not only from rent, but also everyday purchases with the Bilt World Elite Mastercard.
We thought it was too good to be true: to be able to accrue travel rewards from paying our monthly rent . And even though services like Bilt Rewards do make it possible, customers will have to say “aloha” to one key transfer partner. Bilt Rewards has a long list of transfer partners, which allows customers to use points for airline tickets and hotel stays.
Some transfer partners of note include British Airways, United MilagePlus and World of Hyatt. Earlier this year, however, one key partner, American Airlines, was dropped. And while Hawaiian Airlines' HawaiianMiles was also once a prominent partner, it no longer has a space on the list, as of earlier this month.
Richard Kerr, Bilt Rewards’ vice president of travel, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to announce the retirement of Hawaiian Airlines as a transfer partner on Aug. 20, 2024. “As our original 3-year agreement came to a close with HA, we were confident as reported this morning that the merger with AS would be approved,” the tweet reads.
“Given we are the only transfer partner Alaska has at a 1:1 ratio, the ability to book Hawaiian with Bilt points should return shortly.” Kerr went on to explain the reason for dropping Hawaiian Airlines. He said that after their three-year contract ended, renewing th=e partnership would have taken quite a bit of time, money and effort.
“The legal and manpower overhead required to create a new agreement with HA didn’t make sense for either of us when we were confident the partnership would return shortly,” he added, insinuating their parting ways may not be for the long haul. And while this may come as a disappointment to avid island hoppers, a new airline has taken Hawaiian Airlines’ place. A few months ago, in June 2024, Bilt added Alaska Airlines as a transfer partner .
However, it seems the rewards programs may eventually merge, as there are rumors that Alaska Air may purchase Hawaiian Airlines . For those who aren’t already familiar with Bilt Rewards, it’s a one-of-a-kind credit card rewards program. It enables participants to accumulate points on rent payments.
These points can be transferred to the previously mentioned list of transfer partners (which no longer includes HawaiianAirlines but now includes Alaska Airlines). Customers can also take things to the next level by signing up for Bilt World Elite Mastercard. Cardholders can earn points from costs beyond rent — by making everyday purchases.
Bilt members can transfer their Bilt Points 1:1 to its travel partners. 1 Bilt Point equals one mile or point at the following loyalty programs: Eligible customers can now match their status with the loyalty program of the Dutch and French flag carriers. Partner airlines Alaska Airlines Avianca Lifemiles United MileagePlus® Air France/KLM Flying Blue® Virgin Red® Emirates Skywards® British Airways Executive Club Cathay Pacific Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Aer Lingus AerClub Iberia Plus Air Canada Aeroplan® Partner hotels Hilton Honors Marriott BonvoyTM World of Hyatt® IHG® One Rewards In April 2024, we reported that Bilt also formed a partnership with BLADE , which is a swanky helicopter shuttle service.
The partnership would exclusively allow Bilt Platinum Members to receive one annual complimentary helicopter flight from Manhattan to JFK, Newark or LaGuardia Airport — making the commute to the airport far more stylish than a typical Uber ride. This summer, the partnership extended beyond New York, by allowing travelers to use BLADE credits for flights between Monaco and Nice..
