Bilt Rewards Becomes Alaska Airlines’ First-Ever Transfer Partner

Bilt Rewards is one of the best flexible point currencies out there — and the program continues to wow us with its fee-free rent payments, travel partner lineup, and unprecedented transfer bonuses.

Today, Bilt is adding the transfer partner we’ve all been begging for: Alaska Airlines. Here’s an inside look at this newest partnership.

Bilt Points Transfer to Alaska Mileage Plan

Alaska Airlines has never partnered with a flexible point program before, which is why this news is so exciting. Historically, you either had to earn Alaska miles by flying, spending on credit cards, or buying miles when they were on sale.

Now, Bilt Rewards members will be able to transfer their points over to Alaska at a 1:1 ratio, which means 1 Bilt point becomes 1 Alaska mile.

That matches the transfer ratio you’ll see with Bilt’s other partners, including World of Hyatt and Turkish Miles & Smiles.

Of course, the rub is that just one Bilt credit card is available on the market, and it doesn’t include a welcome bonus offer. This can make earning Bilt points more difficult than competing programs, such as American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards.

That being said, Bilt’s Rent Day promotion rolls around the first of every month and provides a solid opportunity to earn extra points. Those without the Bilt World Elite Mastercard^® Credit Card can still use the app to pay rent and earn points, albeit at a lower rate.

How to Maximize Alaska Miles

Alaska miles was once the absolute best mile currency around, thanks to its generous award chart. While the program has changed a lot — especially in the last year — there’s still great value to be had. Still, we estimate that Alaska miles are worth 1.8 cents each.

For example, here’s a one-way business class flight from San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo (NRT). Alaska will charge you just 75,000 miles for this partner ticket on JAL. The cash cost of that flight, meanwhile, is easily more than $7,000.

Using your miles for this ticket will net you a value of 10+ cents per point — an extraordinary redemption. There are plenty of other good deals to be had thanks to Alaska’s diverse breadth of airline partners, including other Oneworld carriers.

Final Thoughts

There’s no denying that we’re stoked Alaska finally has a transfer partner. Bilt has been making waves since its launch a few years ago and this is just another feather in its cap, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!