10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. All values of Membership Rewards are assigned based on the assumption, experience and opinions of the 10xTravel team and represent an estimate and not an actual value of points. Estimated value is not a fixed value and may not be the typical value enjoyed by card members.
Bilt has added formal terms and conditions for upgrading and downgrading the Bilt credit cards. If you switch card versions, you will not earn a welcome bonus on the new version, that’s the headline change. Welcome bonuses are usually the fastest way to rack up a large point balance, so this matters if a bonus is part of your plan.
The good news: your existing Bilt points carry over when you switch, so you keep what you’ve already earned. Bilt also confirmed cardholders can limit how often they switch, so repeatedly upgrading and downgrading to chase multiple bonuses won’t work, and Bilt can deny a change if it looks like gaming the system.
Downgrading gets a bit more room to breathe. If your spending has changed and a higher annual fee no longer makes sense, you can move to a lower tier without the same restrictions applied to upgrades, giving members an easier off-ramp instead of being locked into a card they no longer want.
Welcome offer: $100
Bilt Cash
when you apply and are approved. At the end of each calendar, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
Welcome offer: $200
Bilt Cash
when you apply and are approved. At the end of each calendar, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
Annual Fee: $95
Our Take
If you want a welcome bonus, apply for a new card. Don’t product change into it. That’s the one thing to remember here.
The Bilt Palladium Card specifically is worth applying for outright if you want the bonus, since a product change into it won’t get you one. The Bilt card already earns points on rent with no transaction fee, so it holds value regardless. But the bonus only comes from a fresh application, not a switch.
If you’re not tied to the bonus and just want a lower fee, the new downgrade flexibility makes that move easier than before.
Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points
+ Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash. At the end of each calendar, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
Annual Fee: $495
New to the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best card to start with.
With a bonus of Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. , 5x points on travel booked through the Chase TravelSM Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. All values of Membership Rewards are assigned based on the assumption, experience and opinions of the 10xTravel team and represent an estimate and not an actual value of points. Estimated value is not a fixed value and may not be the typical value enjoyed by card members.
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
bonus cash back
after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
earn 75K bonus miles miles
once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
bonus points
after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Membership Rewards® Points
after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
