Bilt sits in a strange place in the points world. It's the only major transferable currency you can earn by paying rent, and as of mid-2026 it transfers to 24 loyalty partners, more than Chase, Amex, or Capital One. It also has one partner nobody else has: Alaska Atmos Rewards, the rebranded Alaska Mileage Plan, which remains a Bilt exclusive among major transferable currencies.

That's the headline. The unheadline is that most of those 24 partners aren't worth using. The Bilt-to-Hyatt and Bilt-to-Alaska transfers are doing the heavy lifting for serious points earners. A few others are situationally great. The rest are filler, programs Bilt added to pad the partner count and make the comparison chart look impressive.

This is the guide I'd hand a friend who just got the Bilt Mastercard and asked which transfer partners actually matter. We'll go partner by partner in ranked tiers, talk about the mechanics that catch people out, work through the Rent Day bonus cadence, and finish with how I'd seed loyalty accounts on day one. The goal is a real take on each program, not a neutral encyclopedia entry.

Transfer mechanics

Every Bilt transfer runs at a 1:1 ratio. There are no exceptions, no enhanced ratios for elite Bilt members, no degraded ratios for any partner. 10,000 Bilt points becomes 10,000 miles in the partner program. The math is clean, which is rarer than it should be in this space. One small exception lives at the bottom of the chart, Accor Live Limitless, which transfers at 3:2, and I'll explain why that matters when we get to it.

Transfers are functionally instant for most partners. Hyatt, Air Canada Aeroplan, Alaska Atmos, Flying Blue, and Virgin Atlantic typically post within seconds. A few partners, including Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Marriott, can take a few hours to a full day. Plan accordingly if you're transferring for a same-day booking.

Transfer minimums depend on your Bilt Mastercard tier. Blue (the standard card) requires a 2,000-point minimum per transfer. Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers drop that to 1,000 points. After the minimum, transfers go in 1,000-point increments. You cannot transfer 1,500 or 2,500. Only 1k, 2k, 3k, and so on. That detail matters when you're stitching together an award price like 21,500 miles. You'll need 22,000 transferred over, and the 500 leftover sits in the partner account.

Two rules trip people up. First, the receiving loyalty account must match the name and address on your Bilt account exactly. Joint partner program accounts, slight name variants, or addresses Bilt doesn't recognize will cause transfers to fail or get held for review. Open the loyalty account before you transfer, not during. If you're applying for the Bilt Mastercard, sort out the address mismatch before the application so your Bilt profile and partner profiles agree from day one.

Second, transfers are final. Once Bilt points land in Hyatt or Alaska or Flying Blue, they're that program's miles forever. No reversals, no partial returns if the award you wanted isn't available. The cardinal rule of any transferable currency: confirm award availability before you transfer. With Hyatt and Alaska you can usually hold an award room or seat by phone while you initiate the transfer.

Top-tier partners (use these first)

Four partners do most of the work. If you only ever use these four, you're getting Bilt's full value.

World of Hyatt is the headline. Hyatt's award chart is still category-based, which means free-night certificates and points redemptions have real ceilings even when cash rates spike. Category 1 hotels run 3,500 to 6,500 points off-peak and peak. Category 4 properties, many of them solid full-service hotels in major cities, run 12,000 to 18,000 points. Park Hyatt Tokyo, a category 7 standard, runs 30,000 to 45,000 points. If you value Hyatt points at 1.7 cpp, which is conservative for premium properties, 30,000 Bilt points transferred to Hyatt is north of $500 in a room that frequently cash-prices above that.

I transfer to Hyatt more than any other Bilt partner. Suite upgrades, Globalist breakfast, free-night certificates from credit-card anniversaries, the program rewards engagement, and the points are worth the most when you actually stay. If you're not earning World of Hyatt status through stays or the co-branded card, Bilt points feeding Hyatt is the closest thing to a Hyatt-points printing press the points world has right now.

Air Canada Aeroplan is the best Star Alliance program in transferable-points world, and Bilt is one of only a handful of currencies that feeds it. Aeroplan's distance-based award chart prices short Star Alliance flights at 6,000 to 12,500 miles each way in economy. United-operated transcontinental flights in business often run 60,000 miles, fewer points than United charges for the same seat. The stopover-for-5,000-points trick on international itineraries is the program's signature move. If you fly Star Alliance carriers, Aeroplan should be one of your three home programs.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue is the workhorse for Europe and Africa. Promo Awards rotate monthly. 25% to 50% off specific routes, and Bilt transfers in time to take advantage. Standard Flying Blue economy awards to Europe run 50,000 to 60,000 miles round-trip from the US East Coast. Business class Promo Awards on Air France or KLM metal can drop to the 100,000-mile range round-trip, which is where the value gets serious. Check the monthly Flying Blue Promo Award page and time your Bilt transfer to whichever route you actually fly. There's no benefit to pre-transferring Bilt points into Flying Blue. Hold them and pull the trigger when the promo lands.

Alaska Atmos Rewards is the Bilt-exclusive. Alaska rebranded Mileage Plan to Atmos Rewards in 2026, but the partner award chart and sweet spots survived the rename. Hawaiian Airlines flights run 12,500 miles one-way in economy from the US West Coast. Japan Airlines business class to Asia runs 70,000 to 75,000 miles one-way, one of the strongest non-Aeroplan business-class redemptions left on the board. Cathay Pacific first class to Asia, when bookable, is 70,000 miles one-way, a rate that no longer exists meaningfully anywhere else. Bilt is currently the only transferable-currency path into Atmos. That alone justifies opening an account and earning some Bilt points each month if you're not already doing it.

Strong situational partners

The next tier earns its keep on specific use cases. These aren't programs I'd transfer to monthly, but when the right redemption pops, they're worth the move.

Avianca LifeMiles is Star Alliance's discount option. Awards on partners price below Aeroplan in many cases. Lufthansa first class to Europe runs 87,000 LifeMiles one-way, versus higher costs through United or Aeroplan. No fuel surcharges on most partners. The downsides: LifeMiles' phone support is rough, occasional account freezes have been reported, and devaluations land without notice. Use LifeMiles when the price gap is meaningful and you're comfortable taking the program risk.

Iberia Plus is the Avios sibling that prices economy to Europe brilliantly. Off-peak transatlantic economy on Iberia metal runs 17,000 Avios one-way from the Madrid hub. Pair it with the British Airways alternative when Iberia's calendar isn't cooperating. Avios are shared across Iberia, Aer Lingus, BA, and Qatar, so where you transfer matters less than where you redeem. The trick is moving Avios within the family after the Bilt transfer lands, and the family-pooling rules make this routine.

Aer Lingus AerClub prices East Coast-to-Europe economy at 13,000 Avios one-way off-peak. Direct flights to Dublin from Boston, New York, Chicago, and other US East Coast cities. This is the cheapest Europe economy option in Avios world during off-peak season, and Bilt transfers feed it directly. Business class on the same routes runs 60,000 Avios one-way off-peak, also bookable through AerClub.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is the program with the famous ANA business-class sweet spot. 60,000 to 95,000 miles round-trip depending on route, plus around $250 in taxes. Air France and KLM partners are bookable too. The catch is Virgin's hold policy and limited phone agent training. Bookings on partners sometimes need multiple call attempts. When it works, it's one of the best premium-cabin redemptions in the points game.

Use with caution

These partners have a place, but they're not where I'd put my points first.

United MileagePlus transfers from Bilt, which is convenient if you fly United domestically. The catch is United's dynamic award pricing. Short-haul economy can run 7,500 miles one-way (great) or 35,000 (not). Excursionist Perk on multi-city international itineraries can deliver real value. For Star Alliance redemptions, Aeroplan or LifeMiles almost always price better. United is the convenience partner, not the value partner. If you don't already have a meaningful United balance, transferring Bilt points there is rarely the optimal move.

British Airways Executive Club is in the Avios family. Short-haul partner awards (American Airlines under 1,151 miles) at 9,000 Avios one-way are the only redemptions worth transferring for. Long-haul BA awards carry massive carrier-imposed surcharges, $700 to $1,200 in cash on transatlantic business. Transfer to BA Avios only when the specific award you want is cheaper than the Iberia or Aer Lingus version. Otherwise, route through Iberia or Aer Lingus.

Marriott Bonvoy transfers at 1:1, which is the worst ratio you'll find in this guide because Marriott points are worth roughly half of Hyatt points. The Hotel + Flight package conversion (60,000 Marriott points to 25,000 airline miles, with a bonus) is the only Marriott-to-airline transfer that's defensible. If you want Marriott points for hotel stays, transfer Chase or Amex points to Marriott instead of Bilt. Bilt-to-Hyatt is almost always the better hotel play. Marriott is the program you transfer out of, not into, with Bilt points.

Rarely optimal

These exist on the transfer chart. They're rarely the right move.

Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles has legitimate sweet spots: domestic United flights at 7,500 miles one-way, Hawaii from the US mainland at 12,500 miles. But the booking process requires phone agents, occasional Turkish call-center hours, and award availability that doesn't always show online. For experienced bookers, fine. For most people, the friction outweighs the savings.

IHG One Rewards transfers at 1:1, and IHG points are worth roughly 0.5 cpp on most redemptions. That's a 50% haircut compared to Hyatt. The free-night certificate from the IHG Premier card is worth more than most point transfers, so if you want IHG stays, get the co-branded card and skip the Bilt transfer.

Hilton Honors transfers at 1:2, so 10,000 Bilt becomes 20,000 Hilton, which sounds better than it is. Hilton points are worth about 0.4 to 0.5 cpp. The math comes out roughly equivalent to a Hyatt transfer in raw cents, but Hilton's award pricing volatility makes redemptions less predictable. Hyatt's category-capped pricing is the stronger play almost every time.

TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go has occasional sweet spots to Lisbon, but the program devalues without warning and award availability is thin. Transfer only when you have a specific booking ready.

Spirit Free Spirit at 1:1 is filler. Spirit's award pricing is competitive with cash fares only on specific routes, and the savings rarely justify the transfer.

Accor Live Limitless transfers at 3:2, meaning 3,000 Bilt points becomes 2,000 ALL points. Accor points are fixed at 0.02 EUR each, roughly 0.022 USD. You're getting about 1.5 cpp on a great day, and you've lost a third of your points in the conversion. Skip it unless you're a regular Accor guest in Europe with a specific redemption in mind.

Rent Day transfer bonuses

The first of every month is Rent Day. Bilt runs a transfer bonus to a rotating partner, typically a 25% to 100% bonus, with the 100% bonuses reserved for less-common partners and the 25% bonuses landing on the headline ones. Air Canada Aeroplan and Hyatt have appeared in the rotation. Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, Air France-KLM, and Cathay Asia Miles have all hit at various levels over the program's history.

The cadence is stable. The specific bonus isn't announced until the start of the month. Plan around it by keeping Bilt points unallocated rather than transferring monthly. If you're stockpiling for a specific Hyatt redemption and Bilt runs a 25% bonus to Hyatt on the first, you've just turned 24,000 Bilt points into 30,000 Hyatt points. That's a real free-night-certificate-level uplift on the transfer.

The strategy: don't transfer Bilt points to a partner you don't need immediately. Hold them. Check the first of the month. Transfer in bulk if the bonus aligns with your booking. If it doesn't, wait another month. There's also a 24-hour transfer window most months, so you don't need to be camped at your computer at midnight to catch it. Plan a calendar reminder for the first afternoon of each month and check Bilt's app for the active bonus.

Common mistakes

Transferring before confirming availability. Bilt-to-Hyatt is instant, but the Park Hyatt you wanted may not have award space. Always pull up the award on the partner's site, confirm it's bookable at the rate you expect, and only then initiate the transfer. For Aeroplan and Alaska, you can usually hold the award by phone while points are in transit.

Ignoring the Bilt travel portal's 1.25 cpp floor. Bilt points redeem at 1.25 cents each through the travel portal for paid travel. That's your floor. If a partner transfer doesn't beat 1.25 cpp on the redemption, the portal is the right call. A 10,000-point domestic economy ticket priced at $135 cash is exactly portal territory.

Letting partner miles expire. Bilt points themselves don't expire as long as your card account is open and active. But once you transfer to a partner, those points follow the partner's expiration rules. Aeroplan expires after 18 months of inactivity. Flying Blue expires after 24 months of no qualifying activity. Don't transfer speculatively into a program you won't use within a year.

Account name or address mismatches. A loyalty account opened under a maiden name, a slightly different middle initial, or an address Bilt doesn't have on file will cause transfers to fail or get held for review. Open the loyalty account, log in, verify the name and address match your Bilt account exactly, then transfer.

When to use the Bilt travel portal instead

Three scenarios where transferring is the wrong move.

Domestic economy under $200 cash. Partner redemptions rarely beat 1.25 cpp on cheap domestic flights, and you're locking points into a program for a low-value ticket. Use the portal, keep the points fungible, and earn the cash booking's loyalty points on top.

Hotels not in Hyatt's footprint. If you want to stay at a specific Hilton, Marriott, or independent property and no Hyatt is nearby, the portal at 1.25 cpp often beats Hilton or Marriott point transfers, which run worse cents-per-point math than Hyatt. The portal also earns base loyalty points on most chains since the cash booking goes through.

Small redemptions where the transfer minimum doesn't fit. A 4,500-mile Avios redemption isn't a clean fit if Bilt's 1,000-point increments leave you with stranded balances elsewhere. Plan transfers around redemptions you'll actually book, not theoretical ones.

Getting started: opening loyalty accounts

If you're new to the Bilt ecosystem and want to set up your accounts properly before earning a meaningful balance, here's where I'd start.

World of Hyatt first. The redemptions are the highest-value, the program is engagement-friendly, and you'll likely transfer here more than anywhere else. Sign up, add it to your profile, and stay at a Hyatt within 24 months to keep status mechanics alive.

Air Canada Aeroplan second. Star Alliance access plus the best stopover rules in the points game. Even if you don't fly Air Canada metal, Aeroplan opens Lufthansa, ANA, United, EVA, Turkish, and others on partner awards.

Alaska Atmos Rewards third. The Bilt-exclusive. Open it before you have a use case. Getting blocked from a Cathay first-class redemption because you don't have an account is the wrong reason to miss a sweet spot.

Flying Blue fourth. Promo Awards make this the most-transferred partner during off-peak months, and the account is free to open.

Virgin Atlantic fifth, only when you have an ANA business class booking in mind. The Avios programs (Iberia, BA, Aer Lingus) share balances, so opening one and moving Avios across the family is fine. Iberia Plus is the strongest starting point if you fly to Europe regularly.

The Bilt-to-Hyatt and Bilt-to-Alaska transfers are the engine here. Aeroplan and Flying Blue are the supporting cast. Everything else is situational at best, filler at worst. That's the take. Use the four headline partners, layer in the situational programs when the math works, and ignore the rest unless you've got a specific edge case in mind. Pair this with a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer-partner deep dive and an Amex Membership Rewards transfer guide for the complete transferable-currency picture. Between Bilt, Chase, and Amex, almost every airline and hotel program worth using is covered, and the overlap (and non-overlap) is where the strategy gets interesting.

This article contains affiliate links. If you apply through our links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you, which helps us continue sharing points and miles strategies with the community.

Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you apply through these links. This helps us keep the site running and continue creating free content.