Bilt Obsidian Card
Best for Renters Who Want Hyatt & United
Apply NowThe 2026 Bilt cards are an earning engine, not a bonus play: no points welcome bonus, but the widest 1:1 partner list of any $95 card and the last 1:1 route into Hyatt for people without a Sapphire Reserve. Worth it if you rent and already spend enough on the card to unlock housing points.
Don't get the Bilt Obsidian Card if…
We'd rather lose you here than have you hold the wrong card.
- ✗Your plan needs a signup bonus — the Obsidian has none, so it only earns from spend.
- ✗You cannot put roughly 75% of your rent in ordinary spend on the card — housing points stay locked and rent earns nothing.
- ✗You do not pay rent or a mortgage — the whole design is built around housing.
What this card is actually worth
Computed at our 1.55¢-per-point valuation (updated 2026-09 — how we value points), with credits counted at what they're honestly worth to a typical cardholder — not face value. Everyday spending is on top of this; the planner models yours.
| First year | Every year after | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus (0 pts × 1.55¢) | $0 | — |
| Credits, honestly valued | $190 | $190 |
| Annual fee | −$95 | −$95 |
| Net, before everyday earning | $100 | $100 |
Holding this card effectively pays you $90 a year if the credits fit how you already spend — before a single point is earned.
+ Pros
- ✓Best transfer-partner roster of any $95 card (Hyatt + United + Alaska + Emirates)
- ✓Rent/mortgage earn with no fee if you spend enough on the card
- ✓$200 Bilt Cash on approval with no spend requirement
− Cons
- ✗NO points welcome bonus - only $200 Bilt Cash
- ✗3x is dining OR grocery, not both
- ✗Housing points require ~75% of rent in non-housing card spend (Bilt Cash unlock)
Rewards Breakdown
| Category | Rate | Monthly Spend | Annual Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining (chosen 3X) | 3X | $400/mo | $223 |
| Travel | 2X | $100/mo | $37 |
| Everything else | 1X | $1800/mo | $335 |
| Total Estimated Annual Rewards | $595 | ||
Perks & Credits
$50 every six months on Bilt Travel hotel stays of two nights or more.
Rent or mortgage points are unlocked with Bilt Cash earned on other card spend — plan on putting roughly 75% of your rent in non-housing spend on the card each month.
The credits, honestly
Face value is the brochure number. Our value is what we'd actually pay for each perk if it were sold as a standalone subscription — the only fair way to weigh a coupon you might not use.
| Credit | Face | Our value | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bilt Travel hotel credit | $100 | $40 | Two $50 halves, each needing a two-night Bilt Travel stay. |
| Bilt Cash on approval | $200 | $150 | Spends like cash inside Bilt; best used to unlock housing points. |
Where the points can go
Bilt Points transfers to these programs (ratios as of 2026-09). One warning before the table: transfers are a one-way door — once points leave, they can't come back.
| Program | Ratio | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 | |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 1:1 | |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 1:1 | |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards | 1:1 | |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 1:1 | |
| United MileagePlus | 1:1 | |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 | |
| World of Hyatt | 1:1 |
A trip this card can actually buy
Hyatt at 1:1 — the ratio Chase Sapphire Preferred lost in June 2026
Park Hyatt Tokyo 35,000–75,000 points per night vs. $900+ per night in cash
Planning numbers from our hotel catalog; confirm live award pricing.
Plan this trip with the Bilt Obsidian Card →Pairs well with
Chase covers the signup bonus, Bilt covers rent and keeps Hyatt at 1:1
Who This Card Is For
- →Renters/mortgage payers who already spend a lot on the card and want Hyatt/United/Alaska access at a $95 fee.
Who Should Skip This Card
- →Anyone optimizing for a signup bonus (Obsidian has none); renters who can't spend ~75% of their rent on the card each month; non-renters with no housing payment to route through Bilt.
How It Compares
| Card | Annual Fee | Best Rate | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bilt Obsidian Card (this card) | $95 | 3X | 4/5 |
| Chase Sapphire PreferredBest Starter Travel Card | $95 | 5X | 4.7/5 |
| Citi Strata Premier CardBest 3X Everyday Earner for $95 | $95 | 3X | 4.4/5 |
Offer history
What this card's bonus has looked like over time — useful before you decide whether to wait.
| When | Bonus | Spend requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-09 | $200 Bilt Cash, no points | none |
| 2026-02 | Card 2.0 launch: $200 Bilt Cash | none |
The fine print
The numbers card marketing keeps in the footnotes.
| Regular APR | Variable — see issuer terms |
| Penalty APR | See issuer terms |
| Balance transfer fee | See issuer terms |
| Cash advance fee | See issuer terms |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Last updated: 2026-09-10