Bilt Rewards adds Alaska Airlines as a strategic partner for transfers and more
Quick summary
TPG founder Brian Kelly is a Bilt adviser and investor.
Bilt Rewards keeps adding enhancements and transfer partners at a pace unmatched by most other credit card rewards programs. Now, Bilt Rewards has announced a new strategic partnership with Alaska Airlines.
Effective immediately, Bilt Rewards members can transfer Bilt Points to Alaska Mileage Plan at a 1:1 ratio. This is huge news for award travelers, as Marriott Bonvoy points are the only other major transferable currency that transfers to Alaska Mileage Plan.
Due to award chart devaluations, Alaska Mileage Plan miles have become less valuable over the years. Alaska Mileage Plan implemented its most recent award chart changes earlier this week. Now, the starting rates for many awards are higher than ever — and, of course, the award rates you see may be much higher than the listed starting rate. But there are still some high-value uses of Alaska miles, and you can still book free stopovers with Alaska Mileage Plan.
The partnership between Bilt Rewards and Alaska Airlines extends beyond point transfers, though. Later this spring, Alaska Airlines cardholders will start earning 3 miles per dollar spent (on up to $50,000 annually) when using their Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card to pay rent through Bilt. That's even better than the 1 point per dollar spent on rent payments (up to 100,000 points per calendar year) offered by the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees). You must use the card five times each statement period to earn points (see rewards and benefits).
Related: 6 reasons I love my Bilt Mastercard as a renter in the most expensive city in the US
You can read more about this partnership on Bilt's website. Brett Catlin, vice president of loyalty at Alaska Airlines, stated via press release:
We have a rich history of connecting communities across the United States. This extraordinary new partnership with Bilt will reward our guests where they live while also connecting them to Alaska Airlines and our oneworld partners' 1,000+ destinations across the globe.
Meanwhile, Bilt Rewards CEO Ankur Jain commented via press release:
From the Northwestern tip of Alaska to the most southeastern point of Florida, at Bilt we want to continuously reward our members no matter where they live in the United States. As one of the most loved brands in aviation, this first-of-its-kind partnership with Alaska Airlines not only broadens Bilt's members' ability to travel everywhere Alaska and its partners fly but also exemplifies our commitment to providing Americans with more valuable ways to earn and redeem rewards on their largest monthly expense, rent, and within their local neighborhood.
Related: How to earn 'interest' on your points balance with Bilt Rewards
Bottom line
This new partnership is one more reason to utilize the Bilt Rewards program. If you pay rent, it may also be worth adding the Alaska Airlines Visa credit card to your wallet to earn 3 miles per dollar spent when paying rent through Bilt starting later this spring. Check out our Alaska Airlines Visa credit card review to learn more about this card.
For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
Updated as of 4/18/2024.