Bilt Palladium Review

Overview

The Bilt Palladium is a flexible travel rewards card from Bilt, running on the Mastercard network. The Bilt Palladium keeps things simple, earning a flat 2x on every purchase with no categories to track or quarterly activations. It carries a $495 annual fee, so the real question is whether its rewards, credits, and perks clear that bar for the way you spend. New cardholders can earn 50,000 points + Gold Status after $4,000 in 90 days after $4,000 in 90 days.

It sits at the premium end of the market, trading a steep annual fee for lounge access, statement credits, and travel protections. That makes the decision less about the rewards rate and more about whether you will use the perks enough to come out ahead.

Our 4.5 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

The Bilt Palladium earns a flat 2x on every purchase. On a typical $29,160 of annual spending that comes to about $583 back a year, with nothing to track or activate.

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

The welcome bonus

The current welcome offer is 50,000 points + Gold Status after $4,000 in 90 days, earned after you spend $4,000 in 90 days. Valued honestly at a flat 1 cent per point, that is worth about $500. Stacking the welcome offer on top of a typical year of rewards and accounting for the $495 annual fee, the first year is worth roughly $588.

Is the annual fee worth it?

To come out ahead on the Bilt Palladium you need to clear its $495 annual fee. On typical spending it earns about $583 a year in rewards, and it carries up to $600 in statement credits. For anyone who spends in its categories, the fee is easy to justify.

Benefits and protections

Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:

• Earn Bilt Points on rent and mortgage, no transaction fee
• $400 annual hotel credit + $200 annual Bilt Cash
• Priority Pass lounge access with unlimited guests
• Dedicated Bilt concierge service
• Transfer points to 15+ airline and hotel partners at premium rates
• No foreign transaction fees
• Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
• Primary rental car coverage
• Purchase protection and extended warranty

Statement credits

• $400 annual hotel credit
• $200 annual Bilt Cash
• Priority Pass lounge access (unlimited guests)

Ecosystem and transfer partners

The Bilt Palladium 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.

Who should get it, and who should skip it

It is best for frequent travelers who will actually use the lounge access and annual credits. If you will not, a cheaper card leaves you further ahead.

Skip it if you will not use the lounge access and annual credits, or if you would rather not float a high fee and chase reimbursements every year.

How it compares

If the Bilt Palladium is not quite the right fit, these related cards are worth weighing against it:

Frequently asked questions