Big news for points and miles enthusiasts: Rakuten now officially allows you to earn Bilt points instead of Amex Membership Rewards or cashback. This was floating around as a rumor for a few weeks, but it’s now live. And if you’re reading this before November 15th, 2025, you’re in an ideal position to take advantage and earn a meaningful number of Bilt points through your regular online shopping.

Why This Rakuten Partnership Matters

One of the biggest complaints about Bilt Rewards has always been that it’s hard to earn points quickly. There’s no huge welcome bonus or intro offer — most points are earned slowly through rent payments, dining, and using the Bilt Mastercard.

Now, with Rakuten as a partner, Bilt opens a fast-track way to earn points. Instead of creating their own shopping portal, Bilt teamed up with Rakuten, which already has great merchant coverage and frequent high-value promos. Now when you shop through Rakuten, you can choose to earn cashback, Amex Membership Rewards, or Bilt points, giving you more flexibility and control over your rewards strategy.

How Much Can You Earn?

For every $10 in Rakuten cashback, you’ll earn 1,000 Bilt points — the same rate Amex users currently get.

There is one caveat: after six months, Blue status members will earn half that rate (500 points per $10). Silver, Gold, and Platinum members will continue earning the full 1,000 points per $10. The good news? That reduced rate doesn’t kick in until later, so everyone earns the full amount through the holidays.

Rakuten only pays out four times per year — February 15th, May 15th, August 15th, and November 15th. To make sure your Bilt points post on the next payout cycle, switch your Rakuten payment option before November 15th.

How to Link Your Rakuten and Bilt Accounts

Open your Bilt Rewards app and tap Rewards at the bottom right.
Select Everyday Rewards at the top right.
Under “Earn points with Rakuten,” click Link Account. Make sure the email addresses you use for Rakuten and Bilt match.
Click Create Account and Link — even if you already have a Rakuten account. It will link your current account if the emails match.

Why Bilt Points Are Valuable

Bilt points transfer to Alaska Airlines, which is huge. Alaska miles are notoriously hard to earn outside of their own credit card, but they have some of the best sweet spots in travel. I recently booked four business class seats from the East Coast to Europe for 55,000 Alaska miles each way, and I was so glad I had transferred my Amex points to Hawaiian and then to Alaska before that loophole closed.

If you missed that transfer window, or just want to build up your Alaska balance, this Rakuten partnership could be your next best opportunity — no new credit card required.

Make Silver Status Your Goal

This is also a perfect reason to aim for Bilt Silver Status next year. Silver unlocks higher earning rates, better transfer bonuses, and makes your Bilt ecosystem compound faster. Combine this with the new Rakuten partnership, Bilt Dining, and Rent Day promos, and you can build a meaningful point balance quickly. With Bilt planning to award points on mortgage payments in 2026, this program is really starting to get interesting.

Other Transfer Partners: Hyatt

Bilt points also transfer to Hyatt, which is another big win — especially now that Chase has tightened approvals and referral bonuses. If you’re running low on Ultimate Rewards but still want to book high-value Hyatt stays, Bilt points are a smart way to keep your pipeline of transferable points flowing.

Crazy Rakuten Deals

Some Rakuten deals are absolutely wild. Think 90% cashback or high promo rates on LifeLock, NordVPN, or Blue Apron. You could spend $80–$90 and earn 20,000–30,000 Bilt points, or grab 5,000 points on a cheap Blue Apron box. It’s basically like buying points at a ridiculously low rate — and when you redeem them for business class flights or Hyatt nights, it’s a no-brainer.

Quick Bonus for New Rakuten Users

If you’re new to Rakuten, you can grab a referral bonus: earn $50 (or 5,000 Bilt points) after your first $50 purchase, and I’ll get $50 too. It’s an easy way to kickstart your Bilt balance while supporting the blog.

Get $50 bonus: www.rakuten.com/r/MARY9490?eeid=28187

What Should You Do Next?

So, are you switching your Rakuten earnings to Bilt points, sticking with Amex Membership Rewards, or keeping it simple with cashback?

Related Reads & Links:

Rakuten Now Lets You Earn Bilt Points — Here’s Why You Should Care