The Bilt Obsidian Card is the premium tier in the Bilt Rewards lineup, carrying a $95 annual fee and targeting renters and homeowners who want to earn transferable points on housing payments without incurring the processing fees that typically accompany paying rent with a credit card. Bilt Rewards has gained attention as the only program that enables point earning on rent payments through a credit card with fee avoidance, and the Obsidian Card adds a higher earning structure, travel protections, and status benefits on top of the core rent-earning proposition. Whether the $95 annual fee is justified depends on how much rent or mortgage-related spend the cardholder has, how often Rent Day multipliers can be used, and how well Bilt’s transfer partner list aligns with the cardholder’s travel goals.
Bilt Rewards allows members to earn points on rent payments without paying the typical credit card processing fee of two to three percent. To use the feature, cardholders pay rent through the Bilt app, which generates a routing and account number that can be used as a bank account for rent payment portals, or the cardholder can send a check through Bilt if the landlord does not accept electronic payments. Bilt charges the cardholder’s credit card for the rent amount, and the points post without a processing fee. This mechanism is the core differentiator of the Bilt ecosystem and applies to both the no-annual-fee Bilt Mastercard and the Bilt Obsidian Card.
The number of points earned on rent depends on the card. The no-annual-fee Bilt Mastercard earns 1X on rent payments up to specified annual limits. The Bilt Obsidian Card offers a higher earning rate on rent and additional bonus categories that make it a more robust everyday card, particularly on Rent Day, which is the first of each month when earning multipliers increase.
The Obsidian Card earns points at tiered rates across spending categories, with elevated multipliers on Rent Day each month. On Rent Day, cardholders earn significantly more points on dining, travel, and other categories compared to standard days. The specific multipliers should be confirmed in the current Bilt cardmember agreement, but the Rent Day mechanic is a central feature that distinguishes the Obsidian Card from the base Bilt Mastercard. For cardholders who can concentrate discretionary spending on the first of each month, the Rent Day multipliers can generate substantial point totals above and beyond what other cards earn in the same categories.
Outside of Rent Day, the Obsidian Card earns competitive rates on dining and travel, placing it in the same conversation as the Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Gold for those categories, though the exact multipliers should be verified in the card’s current terms. The card also earns on everyday non-bonus spending at a base rate that may be higher than the 1X floor common on many rewards cards.
Bilt Rewards points transfer to a diverse set of airline and hotel partners, many at a 1:1 ratio. Notable transfer partners include American Airlines AAdvantage, which is rare among transferable points currencies, as well as United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Avios, Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy. The inclusion of American Airlines as a transfer partner sets Bilt apart from Chase, Amex, Citi, and Capital One, none of which transfer directly to AAdvantage. For travelers who fly American Airlines or its oneworld partners, the Bilt-to-AAdvantage pathway can be a meaningful advantage.
Transfers to most partners are typically instant or near-instant, though American Airlines transfers have sometimes been reported to process on the next business day. As with any points transfer, verifying current processing times in the Bilt app before initiating a transfer for time-sensitive award bookings is prudent. Bilt also allows point redemption for rent credits at a fixed value, though the transfer partner route generally yields better value for travelers with flexible travel goals.
The $95 annual fee puts the Bilt Obsidian Card in the same price tier as the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the American Express Green Card. The fee is justified if the cardholder earns more incremental points from the Obsidian Card’s higher earning rates on rent and Rent Day multipliers than the value of the fee. For a renter paying $2,000 per month in rent, the difference in rent earning between the Obsidian Card and the base Bilt Mastercard over a year may alone approach or exceed the value of the $95 fee, depending on the specific multipliers and point valuation.
Beyond the raw earning math, the Obsidian Card includes travel protections, purchase protections, and elite status benefits within the Bilt ecosystem that the base card does not offer. These include Bilt Silver status, which provides additional earning bonuses and transfer bonuses during promotional periods, as well as access to Bilt’s curated travel experiences. The value of these soft benefits varies by cardholder and should be weighed against the fee.
Bilt Rewards has specific rules around points and refunds. If a purchase that earned points is refunded, the points from that purchase are deducted from the account balance. If the cardholder has already transferred or redeemed those points, the account may show a negative point balance until future earnings offset the deduction. Rent payments that are refunded or reversed follow similar logic. Cardholders who transfer points shortly after earning them on large purchases and then have those purchases refunded should be aware that Bilt may claw back the points, and the transfer partner may reverse the transfer if the points are no longer available in the Bilt account.
Account management also involves maintaining activity to keep points active. Bilt Rewards points do not expire as long as the account remains open and the cardholder makes at least one qualifying transaction per period as defined in the program terms. Cardholders who stop using the card entirely may risk point expiration or account closure, so occasional activity on the card is advisable even if most spending goes on other cards.
The Obsidian Card fits renters who pay enough monthly rent that the higher earning rate on housing payments makes a material difference in annual point totals. It also suits travelers who value the American Airlines AAdvantage transfer option and who can concentrate spending on Rent Day to maximize multipliers. For renters whose monthly rent is modest or who cannot shift spending to Rent Day, the no-annual-fee Bilt Mastercard may deliver most of the core rent-earning benefit without the $95 fee. Homeowners with a mortgage can also use the Bilt platform for mortgage rewards in some cases, though the availability of mortgage earning should be verified in the current Bilt terms.
This article is based on publicly available Bilt Rewards program documentation, Bilt Obsidian Card terms and conditions, and transfer partner program rules as of July 2026. Earning rates, transfer partner lists, Rent Day multipliers, and annual fees are subject to change. All program details should be verified on the Bilt Rewards website or app before making application decisions.
Q: Can I earn Bilt points on mortgage payments? A: Bilt has expanded to include mortgage rewards in some cases, but availability varies. Check the current Bilt Rewards terms and the Bilt app for mortgage earning eligibility and any applicable caps or restrictions.
Q: How long do Bilt transfers to American Airlines AAdvantage take? A: Transfers to American Airlines AAdvantage typically process within one to two business days, though the exact timing can vary. Verify current processing time in the Bilt app before initiating a transfer for time-sensitive bookings.
Q: Does the Bilt Obsidian Card report rent payments to credit bureaus? A: Bilt offers the option to report rent payments to select credit bureaus to build credit history, but this is an opt-in feature. Check whether the Obsidian Card includes this option and how it interacts with the $95 annual fee tier.
Q: What happens to my Bilt points if I cancel the Obsidian Card? A: If you hold another Bilt card, your points typically remain active. If you cancel all Bilt cards without having redeemed or transferred your points, you risk forfeiting them. Review the current program terms before closing any Bilt account.
Q: Can Bilt points be transferred to multiple partners from a single balance? A: Yes. You can split your Bilt points across different transfer partners, transferring some to Hyatt, some to American Airlines, and so on, as long as each transfer meets any minimum transfer amount set by the partner.