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Many credit cards reserve their best perks for their higher annual fee credit cards to provide value in exchange for that fee. Bilt's recent announcement is, once again, turning the credit cards reward space on its head. The Home Away from Home program is available on the no-annual-fee The Bilt Mastercard® (Rates & Fees) as an exclusive benefit to their elite members of the Bilt rewards program.
Here's what you need to know about the Home Away from Home platform.
What Is Bilt’s Home Away from Home Platform?
With this rollout, Bilt is wading into the curated luxury booking platform space. Like other issuers, this is akin to platforms the like of The Edit by Chase Travel℠, or Fine Hotels + Resorts® from American Express. Through this platform, you can find curated properties and make reservations that will award some additional benefits. The platform is a partnership with Virtuoso, one of the leading travel advisor agencies networks out there.
This is in addition to all of the other perks the Bilt Rewards program already offers its members. Plus, with the Bilt Mastercard you earn 2X Bilt Points per dollar spent on travel, which includes hotels. However, you'll need to use your card five times each statement period to earn points.
Home Away from Home benefits
Stays booked through the Home Away from Home platform will enjoy the following benefits. These are some of the perks you'd normally see if you were booking through a Virtuoso travel advisor. But through this partnership with Virtuoso, these reservations will also enjoy these perks.
- Room upgrade at check-in, if available
- Early check-in and late check-out, if available
- Daily breakfast for you and a travel companion
- $100 food and beverage credit at select properties
- Other additional benefits at select properties
Personally, this feels like a great addition to a flexible, transferable point program that already provides good value. I have stayed at a few of the properties listed in the program, or dined at some of their on-site restaurants. They truly seemed to have included top-notch sites that can all but guarantee an unforgettable stay.
For example, one of the highlighted properties is the Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt in Buenos Aires — where I regularly stay when visiting town — with a $100 food and beverage credit to one of its phenomenal restaurants.
Additionally, reservations will enjoy access to a dedicated Bilt travel concierge service — including travel advisors from Virtuoso agencies. If you've ever resorted to a travel advisor, Virtuoso or otherwise, you'd know they can elevate your stays beyond what you're normally used to.
For example, I generally ask my travel advisor to request sparkling water in glass bottles, or firm, no-feather pillows to be in the room upon arrival, and will provide other preferences for welcome amenities based on destination.
Later in 2025, Bilt will roll out personalized neighborhood guides relevant to the destinations you are visiting. The aim is to help travelers experience the ‘authentic spirit of each destination' at a more hyper-localized level. They are expected to showcase exclusive hidden gems and cultural experiences to further enrich your travels.
How to Book Through Bilt’s “Home Away from Home” Platform
Currently, only Gold and Platinum Bilt members will have access to the Home Away from Home platform. Bilt has committed to growing this platform to offer more and more of these properties with a curated experience that's deeply connected to your destination.
There was no announcement on whether lower-level Bilt elite members would gain access to this platform at a later date. This might justify stretching to that next level in your elite status journey with the program.
You can access this platform through the Bilt app or on Bilt's website — with only Gold and Platinum members seeing the option once they log in. You'll find the Home Away from Home under the Rewards tab.
Bottom Line
In my opinion, more is always better. These benefits that were previously unavailable through the Bilt program have the potential of enhancing your stays further than if you booked elsewhere. Since many of the properties aren't part of other rewards programs, having some of these perks generally exclusive to elite members of the hotel's own program is a beneficial change and a great addition to the already valuable Bilt program.
Add in the fact that all of this comes from a no annual fee credit card and you've got a yet another reason to add the Bilt Mastercard to your wallet.
- Select "How to Apply" to learn more about the product features, terms, and conditions
- 3x points on dining
- 2x points on travel
- 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year)
- 1x points on other purchases
- *You must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points—see Rewards & Benefits.
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