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There's no arguing that Bilt is unique. It's not every day that you can earn
Well, Bilt is growing its list of transfer partners once again. It just launched its 25th transfer partner, and it's neither an airline nor a hotel program. Starting today, you can transfer your Bilt Points to Amtrak Guest Rewards at a 2:1 ratio. This new partnership makes train travel available to a wide range of award travelers for the first time.
Here's what you need to know about whether transferring Bilt points to Amtrak makes sense.
Bilt Launches Transfers to Amtrak Guest Rewards
If you aren't familiar, Amtrak goes to more than 500 destinations in 46 states and parts of Canada. You can redeem as few as 400 Amtrak Guest Rewards points to book a trip, or you can use just 100 points if you opt for a Points & Cash redemption.
To get started, you'll need to sign up for an Amtrak Guest Rewards membership. It's free, and once you are enrolled, you can start earning and redeeming points. Then link your Bilt and Amtrak accounts to transfer points to Amtrak at a 2:1 ratio in the Bilt app or online. You can transfer rewards in 1,000-point increments.
Keep in mind that Amtrak points expire, so only transfer your Bilt points if you know how you'll redeem them.
Once you've created your new
Should You Transfer Bilt Points to Amtrak?
Before this new partnership, the only way to earn Amtrak points was through Amtrak travel, an Amtrak credit card, or by buying Amtrak points. For most travelers, these options weren't fantastic. If you only travel by train once or twice a year, it likely doesn't make sense to sign up for a new credit card, and if you don't travel very often, you don't earn points organically. That leaves buying points, which is often a poor value.
In other words, Bilt points can now be a fantastic way to book train travel. That said, it might not yield the highest value.
A one-way journey from New York Penn Station to Washington, D.C. Union Station in November might cost $20 in economy or $114 in business. If you wanted to use points, you'll spend 750 Amtrak points in economy or 4,275 points in business. Thanks to the 2:1 transfer ratio, you'll spend 1,500 or 8,550 Bilt points, respectively.
This gives you a value of 1.33¢ per Bilt point. Although it's not terrible, AwardWallet users redeem Bilt points for 2.14¢ apiece on average, or as high as 3.36¢ apiece for a long-haul business class ticket.
How To Earn Bilt Points
There are plenty of ways to earn Bilt points. If you want to earn points on your housing payment and your everyday spending, consider applying for one of the three Bilt cards:
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 1X points on everyday spend
$95Rates & Fees
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 3X points on your choice of grocery (up to $25K/year) or dining. Your 3X category choice remains in effect for the entire calendar year.
- 2X points on travel
- 1X points on everyday spend
$495Rates & Fees
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
Bottom Line
New transfer partners are always exciting, especially when they open up a brand new mode of transportation. Whether you're a seasoned Amtrak traveler or you want to explore the joys of train travel, you can now transfer your Bilt points to Amtrak Guest Rewards at a 2:1 ratio.
Does the transfer ratio leave a bit to be desired? Sure, it certainly makes it harder to redeem your points for maximum value. Still, being able to redeem 1,500 Bilt points to travel from New York to Washington, D.C., is great, especially if you're on a budget.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Bilt Blue Card (Rates & Fees), Bilt Obsidian Card (Rates & Fees), and Bilt Palladium Card (Rates & Fees)
