27 July 2023
Editor’s note: TPG founder Brian Kelly is a Bilt adviser and investor. This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Good news for Bilt Rewards members: Bilt Rent Day is coming back. On August 1, you’ll enjoy a transfer bonus to Virgin Red, play trivia to earn Bilt points, participate in a new game show for a chance to win free rent, enjoy double points on non-rent purchases and more.
The Bilt Rewards program is free to join, and you don’t need to have the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees) to participate in most Rent Day offers. Here’s what you need to know about the August 1 Rent Day.
Transfer bonus to Virgin Red
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This Rent Day, you can enjoy a transfer bonus to Virgin Red when you transfer Bilt points on August 1, though the exact percentage depends on your Bilt Rewards elite status. Specifically, here’s how the transfer bonuses break down by Bilt status tier:
Blue: 75% transfer bonus (1,000 Bilt points would become 1,750 Virgin points; you must transfer at least 2,000 Bilt points)
Silver: 100% transfer bonus (1,000 Bilt points would become 2,000 Virgin points)
Gold: 125% transfer bonus (1,000 Bilt points would become 2,250 Virgin points)
Platinum: 150% transfer bonus (1,000 Bilt points would become 2,500 Virgin points)
Bilt will base the bonus on your status as of August 1. However, it may take up to 96 hours after you make a transaction on your Bilt Mastercard for your status to be updated. So, if you’re just short of earning a higher Bilt status and want to be at the higher status tier for August 1 Rent Day, consider whether your status is likely to update in time.
You can use Virgin points to book various types of travel, including award flights through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. If you need some inspiration, check out our story about maximizing Virgin points on 22 airlines. And know that you can get great value when you redeem Virgin points for Delta flights. This includes when you redeem Virgin points for short-haul Delta flights, which start at just 7,500 points and $5.60 per person.
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There are many other ways to redeem Virgin points, including for cruises on Virgin Voyages ships. We saw some excellent cruise deals bookable with Virgin points earlier this year, including a seven-night Virgin Voyages cruise for just 40,000 points per person and an eight-night Virgin Voyages cruise for 50,000 points per person. You can also redeem Virgin points for stays at Virgin Limited Edition resorts, Sir Richard Branson’s collection of unique retreats and luxury hotels.
Related: How long do Bilt Rewards points take to transfer?
Earn Bilt points through trivia
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If you’re good at trivia, you can boost your Bilt Rewards balance for free on Rent Day.
Bilt gives its members five trivia questions through its app each Rent Day. The questions increase incrementally in difficulty and value. In particular, question one is worth 10 points, question two is worth 20 points, question three is worth 30 points, question four is worth 40 points and question five is worth 50 points.
If you get all five questions correct, Bilt will unlock a sixth question worth an extra 100 points. You could earn 250 Bilt points through trivia each Rent Day if you correctly answer all six questions.
Related: 6 of the best ways to redeem Bilt Rewards points for maximum value
Double Bilt points on non-rent purchases
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As on previous Bilt Rent Days, you’ll earn double points when you use your Bilt Mastercard to make non-rent purchases between midnight ET and 11:59 p.m. PT on the first day of the month. You’ll earn as follows for purchases you make on the August 1 Rent Day:
Dining: 6 points per dollar spent
Travel: 4 points per dollar spent
Other purchases (excluding rent): 2 points per dollar spent
Rent: 1 point per dollar spent
You can earn up to 10,000 bonus points during the August 1 Rent Day. However, you must use your Bilt Mastercard at least five times each statement period to earn points. Plus, if you dine at a Bilt Dining restaurant on Rent Day and use your Bilt Mastercard to pay, you can earn up to 11 points per dollar spent.
Related: Should you use the Bilt Mastercard? Why it’s a game changer for renters
Rent Free game show
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Bilt is changing how you can enter to win free rent for a month (up to $2,500) on Rent Day with its new Rent Free game show.
Each Rent Day, a new creator or personality will play a Family Feud-styled game, and their success will determine how many Bilt members win free rent that month (up to 10 members per month). The celebrity guest for August Rent Day is comedian and best-selling author Claudia Oshry.
Bilt has asked 1,000 members hypothetical questions to prepare for this game. The challenge for you and the celebrity guest will be to submit guesses to one of these questions. If you correctly guess three of the most popular answers, you’ll automatically be entered for the chance to get your August rent paid.
Related: Can you pay rent with a credit card? Everything you need to know
Rent Day SoulCycle rides
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Finally, Bilt will offer its monthly Rent Day SoulCycle rides. To participate, book a bike in a themed Rent Day Ride class at one of more than 50 participating locations.
You can reserve your bike on the SoulCycle website or app, but you’ll get 10 points per dollar if you book directly through the Bilt app. Regardless of how you book your Rent Day Ride, remember you can bring a companion on your Rent Day ride for no additional cost.
Related: Bilt Mastercard review: Zero-fee rent payments
History of Rent Day promotions
Bilt offers at least one special promotion each Rent Day in addition to its standard Rent Day offerings. You can enjoy a 75% to 150% transfer bonus to Virgin Red based on your Bilt status tier for the August 1 Rent Day. Here’s a summary of the promotions we’ve seen on previous Rent Days:
July 2023: Activate a $10 Lyft ride credit if you are a Bilt member without a Bilt Mastercard or a $20 Lyft ride credit if you have a Bilt Mastercard by the end of July 1. Plus get an additional $5 credit if you activate the offer, have Bilt set as your active Lyft loyalty partner and take a Lyft ride on July 1.
June 2023: Everyone wins a gift of Bilt points, points to use toward the Bilt Collection, Lyft ride credit, free rent or round-trip award flights when they solve the June 1 Rent Day Challenge puzzle.
May 2023: 100% transfer bonus to Air France-KLM Flying Blue on May 1.
April 2023: Bilt members could enroll between March 28 and April 1 to obtain World of Hyatt Explorist status for 90 days and then keep Explorist status through Feb. 2025 by staying 10 qualifying nights between April 17 and July 16. Alternatively, members could unlock Globalist status through Feb. 2025 by staying 20 qualifying nights between April 17 and July 16. Bilt also hosted member-only social events at three Hyatt properties on April 1.
March 2023: 50% bonus when you redeem points toward Amazon purchases on March 1; 50% off all items in the Bilt Collection on March 1.
February 2023: 100% transfer bonus to HawaiianMiles on Feb. 1; launch of Bilt’s exclusive five-piece capsule collection with SoulCycle.
January 2023: Bilt introduced trivia to Rent Day; Bilt offered its members 10 trivia questions worth 50 points each and an 11th question worth 100 points if you got all 10 questions correct on Jan. 1.
December 2022: 100% transfer bonus to IHG One Rewards on Dec. 1; double points on non-rent spending from 12:01 a.m. PT on Nov. 25 to 11:59 p.m. PT on Dec. 1.
November 2022: Bilt members could enroll in a complimentary United Airlines Premier status challenge between Oct. 27 and Nov. 1. Bilt Blue tier members could get Premier Silver while Bilt Silver, Gold and Platinum tier members could get Premier Gold. Premier status was valid for 120 days, but you could extend your status through Jan. 31, 2024, by getting 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQPs) and 4 Premier qualifying flights (PQFs) for Premier Silver and 2,000 PQPs and 6 PQFs for Premier Gold.
October 2022: Bilt launched Rent Day with double points on non-rent spending and themed SoulCycle Rent Day Rides on Oct. 1.
Related: The best time to apply for these 10 popular travel credit cards — based on offer history
Bottom line
If you’re a Bilt Rewards member, head to the Bilt app on the first day of each month to benefit from new Rent Day promotions. Whether you earn extra rewards through trivia, spending or both, Bilt Rewards’ Rent Day allows you to boost your points balance. You can also enjoy a status-based transfer bonus to Virgin Red during the August 1 Rent Day.
See Bilt Mastercard rates and fees here.
See Bilt Mastercard rewards and benefits here.