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Holy Schmoly Guacamole. Bilt Rewards will be the only program to have Alaska Airlines as a 1:1 transfer partner…that’s a massive deal. Alaska miles are some of the most valuable in the industry and they recently became a full fledged member of One World meaning you can redeem on American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, the list goes on and on. ( I am a Bilt Investor and Senior Advisor btw ).
But they didn’t stop there.
Use an Alaska Airlines credit card to pay rent in the Bilt App and earn 3x Alaska Miles ( with a 3% fee ) Now live.
As part of the partnership, later this year, if you have an Alaska Airlines credit card you can pay your rent with it, up to $50k a year, and earn 3x Alaska miles. WOW, WOW, WOW. Paying rent with a credit card and incurring no transaction fees was unprecedented, but now integrating other credit cards into the app to earn their points on rent? That’s a double game changer. It’s like the movie Inception, they changed the game inside a game changer.
- Alaska Airlines is now a partner of Bilt Rewards
Later this year, Starting today, May 15th, load your Alaska Airlines credit card onto the Bilt App and earn 3x on Rent, up to $50k- Note that a 3% fee will be charged, so you’re effectively buying Alaska Miles at a penny a piece ( i’d value them around 1.5c, maybe bit more )
How does using the Alaska card count toward Bilt status?
- Long story, short, it doesn’t count
- Just like rent paid via Bilt – the spend doesn’t count towards the spend requirement of status
- And because you’re choosing to Alaska Miles vs Bilt Rewards you don’t earn any points toward status either
Bilt Rewards Transfer Partners
- Note that American will be dropped in June
Alaska Airlines Award Charts
Americas
Flights here in the Americas aren’t really that attractively prices unless you’re popping down to South America where you can hop in business class for 35k to 60k. That’s a darn good deal.
Asia Pacific
- Business Class
- to Japan is 75k
- Taipei/Hong Kong/SE Asia 85k
Europe/ME/Africa
- Business Class to most of Europe is 55k to 70k depending on routing and if you’re flying from East Coast or West Coast
- First Class from Dallas, ORD, East Coast is 82.500 ( which is a pretty darn good deal )
Overall
If I had to choose between having American Airlines or Alaska…I’d take Alaska all day every day. They still publish an award chart and their partners are outstanding. Well done Bilt.
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
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