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Big news for points and miles fans: you can now earn Bilt Points from Rakuten.
Traditionally, Rakuten has been one of the easiest ways to rack up Amex Membership Rewards points, but with Bilt in the mix, it might be worth a switch. Why? Because Bilt arguably has the strongest points currency in the game—with the most high-quality transfer partners and some of the best transfer bonuses around.
Notable transfer partners include World of Hyatt, Alaska Airlines Atmos, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles and announced today, Etihad Guest.
Bilt Rewards added Etihad Guest to its growing list of transfer partners, marking the fourth addition in the last six months, following Southwest Rapid Rewards, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club. Bilt Points can now be transferred to Etihad Guest at a 1:1 ratio, with a minimum transfer of 1,000 points. This gives members a new way to access this somewhat under-the-radar airline loyalty program.
Bilt continues to innovate, and these are two more exciting improvements that make their program even more favorable for those of us who book travel using points and miles.
Our Take
Our experience suggests you should carefully compare Etihad Guest with other Bilt transfer partners like Air Canada Aeroplan and Air France-KLM Flying Blue before making any transfers. Always check that your desired award is actually bookable through Etihad Guest for your specific dates and flights. Remember that once you transfer points to Etihad Guest, you cannot reverse the transaction.
As far as the Rakuten and Bilt partnership, we’re excited to see another option open up on Rakuten, as it was formerly only cash back or Amex points that you could earn. Being able to diversify your points earnings through Rakuten is big news not only for Bilt but for Rakuten and those who use it frequently.
New to the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best card to start with.
With a bonus of 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.