Bilt Palladium vs Costco Anywhere Visa®
Side-by-side comparison
| Bilt Palladium | Costco Anywhere Visa® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $495 | $65 |
| Welcome offer | 50,000 points + Gold Status + $300 Bilt Cash | No current offer |
| Dining | 2x | 3x |
| Groceries | 2x | 1x |
| Gas | 2x | 4x |
| Travel | 2x | 3x |
| Streaming | 2x | 1x |
| Everything else | 2x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $583 | $452 |
| Points type | Transfers to airlines & hotels | Cash back only |
| Network | Mastercard | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified September 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Bilt Palladium | Costco Anywhere Visa® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 50,000 points + Gold Status + $300 Bilt Cash | None |
| To earn it | $4,000 in 90 days | No minimum spend |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,488 | $387 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $688 | $387 |
The Bilt Palladium wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Bilt Palladium | Costco Anywhere Visa® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Yes — Priority Pass | None |
| Annual credits | ~$600/yr (2 credits) | None |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable to airline & hotel partners | Cash back only |
On perks and redemptions, only the Bilt Palladium gets you into airport lounges; the Bilt Palladium carries the heavier credit stack (about $600 a year); the Bilt Palladium earns transferable points with a higher redemption ceiling, while the other is capped nearer a flat cent. Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Only the Bilt Palladium earns transferable points. Its Bilt Rewards move to Alaska / Atmos, Air Canada, World of Hyatt, American Airlines, and Turkish, where a point can be worth several cents on a premium-cabin redemption, far above its cash value. The Costco Anywhere Visa® pays flat cash back, worth about a cent, so its ceiling is nearer a penny per point no matter how you redeem.
These barely overlap: the Palladium is a premium travel-points card whose signature trick is earning transferable points on rent, the Costco card is a cash-back card for warehouse members.
The Palladium’s edge is twofold, it earns points on rent (usually an un-rewardable expense) with no payment fee, and its Bilt Cash point-boost mechanic can push effective return toward 3x on everyday spend when stacked. The Costco card just pays reliable cash, with elite gas rewards, and doubles as your membership card. Premium points-on-rent vs Costco cash.
Pros and cons
- Earns transferable points on rent with no payment fee
- 2x on everything, and Bilt Cash can boost redemptions well above 1:1
- Transfers to strong partners like Hyatt, American, and Alaska
- Premium status and travel perks with a sizable welcome package
- $495 annual fee
- Top value requires learning Bilt Cash and transfers
- Points (not a multiplier) on rent, and 2x elsewhere
- Overkill if you don’t rent or won’t use transfers
- 4% cash back on gas (up to $7,000/yr), 3% dining and travel
- 2% at Costco, doubles as your membership card
- Low $65 fee
- Simple cash back, no learning curve
- Requires a paid Costco membership
- Rewards pay out once a year as a Costco certificate
- 1% on groceries and general spend
- No travel transfers or premium perks
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | Bilt Palladium | Earns transferable points on rent; the Costco card earns nothing there. |
| Gas & everyday cash | Costco | 4% gas and 3% dining as cash. |
| Redemption ceiling | Bilt Palladium | Transfers + Bilt Cash boost can beat cash; Costco is flat cash. |
| Annual fee | Costco | $65 vs $495. |
| Simplicity | Costco | Set-and-forget cash vs the Palladium’s active optimization. |
The verdict
If you pay rent and want premium travel value, the Palladium is genuinely unique, almost no card earns transferable points on rent without a fee, and stacking Bilt Cash to boost redemptions can lift your effective return toward 3x on everyday spend, which no cash card matches. For an engaged renter who’ll use transfers, it can be worth the $495.
If you’re a Costco member who wants dependable cash with no homework, the Costco Anywhere Visa wins on simplicity and cost, elite gas rewards and solid dining and travel cash for a tenth of the Palladium’s fee. The decision is really about you: a renter chasing premium travel value should look hard at the Palladium; a Costco shopper who wants cash should stick with the Costco card. They solve different problems.