Bilt Obsidian Review
Overview
Bilt Obsidian is the mid-tier Bilt card, adding stronger everyday earning, 3x on dining and groceries, on top of the signature rent-earning, for a $95 fee. If you rent and also want solid category bonuses, it is a step up from the free Bilt Blue.
The transferable Bilt points remain the real draw, but now you are paying a fee, so you want enough rent plus category spending to make it worthwhile.
Think twice if: you do not rent or spend much on dining and groceries, since those are what justify the fee over the free Bilt Blue.
Our 3.5 out of 5 rating
Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.
Rewards: how it earns
You earn 3x on dining and groceries, 2x on travel, points on rent, and 1x on other spending, in transferable Bilt points. The added 3x categories make this a more complete everyday card than the free Blue, and the points still transfer to strong airline and hotel partners for good value. As with all Bilt cards, you need several transactions a month to earn.
| Category | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dining and restaurants | 3x | Bonus category |
| Groceries | 3x | Bonus category |
| Travel | 2x | Bonus category |
| Gas | 1x | Base rate |
| Streaming | 1x | Base rate |
| Rent | 1x | Base rate |
| Everything else | 1x | Everything else |
Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.
Pros and cons
- 3x on dining and groceries
- Earns transferable points on rent
- Bilt points transfer to strong travel partners
- $95 fee over the free Bilt Blue
- Requires several transactions a month to earn
- Best value requires renting plus category spending
The welcome bonus
The welcome is a modest amount of Bilt Cash on account opening rather than a large points bonus. Fine, but not a big draw.
Is it worth the annual fee?
The $95 fee sits above the free Bilt Blue, so you want to be sure the extra 3x dining and grocery earning, plus your rent spending, clears it. For an active renter who also spends on food, it can be worth it; for a lighter user, the free Blue may be enough.
First-year value vs ongoing value
| Welcome bonus | $200 Bilt Cash + 50,000 points |
| To earn it | $4,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,395 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $695 |
The welcome bonus makes year one the high point: roughly $1,395 in value once you count the bonus, this card’s rewards, and its credits, minus the $95 fee. After that, the honest figure is about $695 a year, so judge whether it earns its keep on the ongoing number, not the first-year headline.
*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, on average spending.
Benefits and protections
Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:
- Earn Bilt Points on rent and mortgage, no transaction fee
- $100 annual Bilt Travel Hotel credit
- Transfer points to 15+ airline and hotel partners
- No foreign transaction fees
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Purchase protection and rental car insurance
Statement credits
- $200 Bilt Cash on account opening
- $100 annual Bilt Travel Hotel credit
Ecosystem and transfer partners
The Bilt Obsidian earns Bilt Points, one of the more valuable currencies in rewards because of where the points can go. You can move points 1 to 1 to 7 airline and hotel partners: United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, World of Hyatt, American Airlines, Air Canada Aeroplan, Emirates Skywards, and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. As a hub card, this is the one you route points through before transferring out. The sweet spots are usually premium-cabin flights and high-end hotel nights, where a single point can be worth well more than the 1 cent we value it at here.
Airline partners: United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada Aeroplan, Emirates Skywards, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.
Stop guessing at point values. Look up the real mileage price and live seat availability for a specific flight.
Search award flights on seats.aero →Hotel partners: World of Hyatt.
Look up the live points price and availability for a specific hotel stay before you book.
Search award stays on rooms.aero →Who should get it, and who should skip it
If you rent and put real spending on dining and groceries, Obsidian is a solid Bilt card, the 3x categories plus rent points plus transfers make for a well-rounded setup.
If your spending is light or you do not rent, the free Bilt Blue likely gives you most of what you need without the fee. Choose based on how much you will actually use the added categories.
How it compares
If the Bilt Obsidian is not quite the right fit, these related cards are worth weighing against it:
Frequently asked questions
Best-card guides featuring this card
Offer details verified against issuer sources as of July 2026. Editorial opinions are our own. Cardocrat values all points at a flat 1 cent and never inflates redemptions.
