Posted: 10/16/2023 | October sixteenth, 2023
The Bilt Mastercard® is my favourite journey bank card. It’s been making waves within the journey world as the only credit card that allows you to earn points simply by paying your rent (as much as 100,000 factors on lease per 12 months), making it vital for any renter.
And while you can’t earn Bilt Points if you pay a mortgage, in all honesty, it’s an amazing card to have in your pockets even should you personal your home, because it comes with a number of different standout options.
A kind of options, which is exclusive to Bilt, is Lease Day.
Lease Day is Bilt’s different to a welcome supply. A welcome off is often a one-time supply of numerous factors given to you in change for spending a sure amount of cash in your card inside a set time-frame (normally the primary 3-6 months).
Welcome presents normally equate to a free flight or free lodge keep(s) so they’re used to encourage individuals to get a card and spend cash on it. As such, they’re an enormous a part of incomes factors and miles totally free journey — probably the most vital elements.
However Bilt doesn’t have a welcome supply. It has Lease Day as an alternative, which, for my part, is simply pretty much as good (if not higher).
I normally advise towards getting a brand new card except it has a stellar welcome supply. However Lease Day occurs 12 occasions a 12 months, which means that you’ve that many extra probabilities to maximise your factors earnings. It’s really among the best options of the cardboard.
That will help you maximize your factors, right here’s all the pieces it’s essential learn about Bilt’s Lease Day.
What’s Bilt’s Lease Day?
For many renters, lease is due on the primary of each month, making it one thing of a dreaded day. However Bilt goals to show at the present time into one you possibly can look ahead to, with methods to earn extra factors (as much as 10,000 bonus factors) every time.
I’ll go over every of those in additional element within the sections under, however the primary options of Lease Day are these:
- Double incomes capabilities on all classes (besides lease funds)
- Level Quest
- Free lease giveaways
- Distinctive perks that change every month (i.e. alternative ways to earn or spend extra factors)
- SoulCycle Lease Day rides (complimentary SoulCycle rides)
There are solely two issues it’s a must to do to just be sure you’re making essentially the most out of Lease Day.
The primary is without doubt one of the most important things to know about the Bilt card, which is that it’s essential to use the cardboard no less than 5 occasions every assertion interval to earn any factors, together with any earned on Lease Day. When you’ve used your card 5 occasions in a press release interval, you’re good to go and can earn all of your factors.
The second factor to recollect is to obtain the Bilt app, as some Lease Day advantages are solely out there on the app (like Level Quest; extra on that under).
Whereas it truly is that easy, right here’s how one can begin making the most of all that Lease Day has to supply.
Earn Extra Factors on Lease Day
Since Bilt first launched Lease Day in October 2022, double factors on all classes have been a most important characteristic, and it’s a straightforward one to get. All it’s a must to do is use your Bilt Rewards Mastercard to make purchases on the primary of the month, and also you’ll immediately get double the factors on that buy.
Meaning you’ll earn:
- 4x factors on journey (flights, accommodations, and automotive leases)
- 6x factors on eating
- 11x factors on Bilt Eating (eating at choose eating places)
- 2x factors on all different purchases (excluding lease)
It’s a no brainer to make a behavior of utilizing your Bilt card for something you purchase on the primary of the month. That approach, you’ll get extra factors and be that a lot nearer to hitting your required 5 transactions for the month.
Professional tip: For any reoccurring funds (like subscriptions) that hit your account on the primary of the month, change the fee card on file to Bilt (assuming you possibly can’t earn extra factors on these purchases with a distinct card). That approach you’ll mechanically get no less than 2x factors for these (extra in the event that they’re in journey or eating classes), whereas ticking off a few of these 5 required transactions.
If in case you have subscriptions processing on different days of the month, name the corporate and see should you can transfer your billing to the first so you will get these additional factors.
Level Quest
Whereas it’s simple to earn double factors in your purchases on the primary of the month, this Lease Day profit makes you’re employed to your factors.
Level Quest is a recreation performed on the Bilt app in which you’ll earn factors for proper solutions to trivia questions. There are at all times 5 inquiries to reply, and also you’ll get 150 factors should you get all of them proper, plus a sixth query, value 100 factors all by itself. Meaning you may earn as much as 250 Bilt factors taking part in Level Quest every month.
The questions are normally centered on that month’s theme. For instance, when Bilt supplied 5x factors on sports activities tickets and NFL bins as a Lease Day characteristic, the Level Quest questions have been sports activities associated. However don’t fear — the questions aren’t that onerous. Even should you don’t know a lot in regards to the theme that month, chances are high you’ll nonetheless be capable of reply no less than a number of questions.
Bear in mind to obtain the app with the intention to play. It takes simply a few minutes and is a straightforward strategy to get some additional factors on Lease Day.
Lease Giveaways
One other widespread characteristic of Lease Day is the month-to-month free lease giveaways. This has taken totally different kinds over the months, however the central tenet is similar: you may earn a month’s free lease simply by taking part in.
Up to now, Bilt created Lease Challenges during which you needed to clear up a puzzle of some variety as a way to safe your entry to the giveaway. Challenges included discovering Bilt’s emblem hidden inside a scene or fill-in-the-blank sentences to finish an idiom or widespread saying. Some months, finishing these challenges entered you to win not solely a free month’s lease however free flights to locations that Bilt was highlighting that month (e.g., in February 2023, Bilt partnered with Hawaiian Airways and supplied free flights to Hawaii).
Over the previous couple months, these challenges have been changed with the Lease Free Recreation Present, during which comedians, creators, and different personalities reply questions to assist Bilt members earn an opportunity to get their lease paid (as much as $2,500 USD).
It really works like this: Every month, Bilt randomly asks a thousand Bilt Members hypothetical questions. (These questions set the baseline for solutions. Even should you aren’t randomly chosen to take part, you possibly can nonetheless win free lease.) These questions are all over, and prior to now, have included issues like: “The place is the worst place to get proposed to?” and “What meals do choosy eaters hate?” and even “What’s the most important pink flag you see on relationship apps?”
The Lease Free visitor (the comic or different persona) then tries to guess the consensus of Bilt members who answered. The extra they get proper, the extra individuals’s lease Bilt can pay (as much as 10 winners every month).
Then, on Lease Day, Bilt members have the prospect to reply those self same questions within the Lease Day tab of the app. For those who guess appropriately, you’ll be entered to win free lease for that month. To this point, it doesn’t look like there’s any restrict on what number of occasions you possibly can attempt, so don’t fear should you guess flawed initially. Simply hold making an attempt till you get no less than three right solutions, and also you’ll be entered to win!
You may watch the sport present on the Bilt app too, although it’s not required for entry.
Earlier Lease Day Prizes
Whereas Bilt doesn’t announce its Lease Day prizes too far upfront, to provide you a way of what they’re like, you possibly can have a look at perks from the previous. Whereas it’s good that there are some Lease Day bonus mainstays, a part of the enjoyable of Lease Day is that you simply by no means know what they may supply up subsequent month!
To present you an concept of what to anticipate, previous lease day advantages have included:
- United Airways Elite Standing Match
- 7 days of double factors: Black Friday by means of December Lease Day
- 100% switch bonuses (extra on these under)
- 50% Bilt Level redemption bonus for Amazon
- As much as $25 Lyft credit score
- 5x factors on sports activities tickets and an opportunity to make use of factors to e-book NFL Field Seats
As you possibly can see, most of those perks are one-offs, however one has occurred a number of occasions (albeit with totally different companions): switch bonuses.
Perk Spotlight: Switch Bonuses
I wish to discuss somewhat extra about Lease Day switch bonuses, as a result of whereas this isn’t a perk each month, it’s occurred sufficient occasions that it’s protected to say we will most likely count on them in some type on future Lease Days.
Bilt factors are often called transferable factors as a result of you possibly can transfer them to a wide range of totally different applications. Bilt has a wide range of nice switch companions, and, most crucially, it’s the one card with American Airways as one.
Right here’s Bilt’s listing of present journey companions:
- American Airways
- AerClub (Aer Lingus)
- Aeroplan (Air Canada)
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Emirates
- Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
- Hawaiian Airways
- Iberia
- IHG (Intercontinental Resorts Group)
- Turkish Airways
- United
- Virgin Atlantic
- World of Hyatt
Usually, Bilt factors switch 1:1, which means that should you switch 25,000 Bilt factors to, say, United, you’ll then have 25,000 United factors.
However switch bonuses are once you get extra to your factors when transferring them to a different program. For instance, if United is working a 100% switch bonus in partnership with Bilt, you’d get double when shifting your Bilt factors to your UnitedPlus Mileage account. That signifies that these 25,000 factors would develop into 50,000!
As you possibly can see, that is an extremely invaluable Lease Day profit. Whereas bank card corporations like American Categorical and Chase frequently supply switch bonuses that run for durations longer than simply at some point, these are usually within the vary of 10-40%, not the 100% that Bilt has supplied on Lease Day a number of occasions now.
Previous Lease Day switch bonuses have included:
- 100% with IHG One Rewards
- 100% with Flying Blue (KLM/Air France)
- 100% with Hawaiian Airways
Switch bonuses are one among my favourite Lease Day shock advantages, as they’re a superb strategy to immediately flip your present factors into much more.
I’ll say that, ideally, you don’t wish to make the most of these switch bonuses except you have got a flight that you simply plan on reserving instantly. As a common journey hacking rule, you wish to hold your transferable factors as such as an alternative of preemptively transferring them to a particular airline or lodge, as a result of transferable factors are extra versatile.
For instance: say you took benefit of that hypothetical United bonus talked about above and transferred all of your Bilt factors to United as a way to double your factors. However what should you later go to e-book a flight and the most effective deal on the time is with Virgin Atlantic? You gained’t be capable of benefit from that flight since all of your factors are actually with United.
I like to recommend utilizing these switch bonuses in the event that they’re with manufacturers that you simply use frequently (as then you’ll ultimately use these factors), however not transferring all your Bilt factors. And when doubtful, hold your Bilt factors (or some other transferable factors) as they’re till you’re prepared to make use of them.
Is Lease Day Value Taking part In?
Sure! Contemplating it’s completely free to participate within the Lease Day festivities, there’s no purpose to not benefit from the varied perks and advantages that Bilt presents on at the present time. Whilst you may be extra excited in regards to the distinctive choices some months than others, there are at all times double factors, Level Quest, and giveaways totally free lease to look ahead to.
To sum up, right here’s take advantage of Lease Day:
- Use your Bilt card for any buy you make on the primary of the month
- Obtain the Bilt App and hold notifications on (they’ll let a number of days beforehand what that month’s advantages shall be)
- Play Level Quest
- Play Lease Free
- Make no less than 5 transactions that assertion interval to be sure to get the factors you earn on Lease Day!
Try this, and also you’ll be capable of maximize your Bilt factors and get one step nearer to free journey!
Bilt Lease Day Ceaselessly Requested Questions
What number of Bilt factors do you get on Lease Day?
You may earn as much as 10,000 Bilt Factors on Lease Day. There isn’t any class cap, which means that you may earn all these factors in a single class (similar to journey), or unfold out throughout many alternative ones.
What’s the most Bilt factors you possibly can earn per 12 months?
You may earn as much as 100,000 Bilt Factors yearly on lease, however there’s no cap on what number of Bilt Factors you possibly can earn per 12 months on different purchases.
Is it onerous to qualify for Bilt?
The beneficial credit score rating to use for Bilt is within the good-to-excellent vary (670–850), although this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Different components in your credit score historical past might come into play when your software is evaluated.
Can I exploit Bilt to pay my mortgage?
No. You presently can’t use Bilt to pay your mortgage. Nevertheless, even householders may wish to take into account getting Bilt for its different advantages, together with Lease Day (which, once more, anybody can take part in). It’s no doubt the best no-fee travel credit card on the market, with a variety of journey companions, free point.me (search engine for finding award flights) and Awayz access (search engine for finding award hotel stays), and stable journey insurance coverage.
Do Bilt Lease Day factors expire?
Nope! Bilt Factors of any variety — together with these earned on Lease Day — don’t expire so long as your account stays open and lively. (Bilt defines “lively” as any account on which there was exercise within the final 18 months. That features utilizing the Bilt Mastercard for normal purchases, paying your lease by means of Bilt, redeeming Bilt Factors, or collaborating in any Bilt sweepstakes.)
Lease Day presents a number of ever-changing advantages and perks and is without doubt one of the causes that Bilt is my favourite card in my pockets proper now. Whilst you can solely earn a welcome supply as soon as, Lease Day comes 12 occasions a 12 months, yearly, which means that as a Bilt cardholder, you’ll have that many extra alternatives to earn extra factors — and possibly even a month’s free lease should you’re fortunate!
For those who pay lease and stay within the USA, this card is a should. I actually can’t advocate it sufficient!
Guide Your Journey: Logistical Ideas and Tips
Guide Your Flight
Discover a low cost flight through the use of Skyscanner. It’s my favourite search engine as a result of it searches web sites and airways across the globe so that you at all times know no stone is being left unturned.
Guide Your Lodging
You may e-book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you wish to keep someplace aside from a hostel, use Booking.com because it constantly returns the most cost effective charges for guesthouses and accommodations.
Don’t Overlook Journey Insurance coverage
Journey insurance coverage will shield you towards sickness, harm, theft, and cancellations. It’s complete safety in case something goes flawed. I by no means go on a visit with out it as I’ve had to make use of it many occasions prior to now. My favourite corporations that supply the most effective service and worth are:
Wish to Journey for Free?
Journey bank cards assist you to earn factors that may be redeemed totally free flights and lodging — all with none additional spending. Take a look at my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get began and see the most recent finest offers.
Able to Guide Your Journey?
Take a look at my resource page for the most effective corporations to make use of once you journey. I listing all those I exploit once I journey. They’re the most effective in school and you may’t go flawed utilizing them in your journey.