How to Get a (Nearly) Free Vacation to Europe Just by Paying Your Rent

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As a bank card editor, I see quite a lot of card offers — however it’s uncommon that I discover one I am excited to leap on myself. 

That is why, when the Bilt Mastercard’s Might Lease Day deal landed in my inbox, I knew I needed to share it… proper after I checked my very own Bilt account to see if I had sufficient factors to take benefit. 

On the primary of each month (aka “Lease Day”), Bilt often drops a brand new particular promotion. For Might, the Bilt Mastercard is providing a 100% switch bonus to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, on Might 1 solely. For those who stack this take care of Flying Blue’s personal month-to-month promo rewards — discounted fares for choose routes that change every month — you possibly can probably e book a flight to Europe for six,000 Bilt factors a technique (or 12,000 factors spherical journey), plus taxes and charges. 

Here is the whole lot you have to know concerning the Bilt Mastercard, the deal, and the flights obtainable — and the ideas and tips to get probably the most out of this card and bonus.

Concerning the card

Redeeming Bilt factors

Bilt presents a number of level redemption choices, together with credit score towards your lease funds, Store with Factors at Amazon.com and unique merchandise, however there’s solely actually one choice that is price spending your factors on: transferring your factors to journey companions.

Bilt has 12 airline companions and two lodge companions. You possibly can switch your factors to a accomplice in increments of 1,000 or 2,000 (relying in your Bilt Rewards Standing) at a 1:1 switch ratio. However sometimes Bilt presents particular switch bonuses that supply much more worth in your factors: just like the Flying Blue switch supply going stay Might 1.

Why this supply is a giant deal 

For Might’s Lease Day, Bilt is providing a 100% switch bonus to Flying Blue — the rewards program shared by Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airways and their accomplice airways. This implies you may redeem one Bilt level for 2 Flying Blue Miles (as an alternative of the standard 1:1 switch ratio), primarily doubling the worth of your factors. A 100% switch bonus is a uncommon deal, far larger than the standard 25% switch bonuses we often see for this rewards program (such because the one at the moment energetic from Chase).

This supply is out there solely on Might 1 from 12 a.m. ET till 11:59 p.m. PT, so be sure you switch your factors throughout the window. After Might 1, you may nonetheless switch your Bilt factors to Flying Blue, however it’ll be on the regular 1:1 switch ratio. 

The best way to e book your dream European trip with 6,000 factors

A 100% switch bonus is already an important deal, however Flying Blue’s personal month-to-month promo rewards sweeten the pot much more. Each month, Flying Blue presents reductions on choose reward flights, sometimes for bookings throughout the subsequent six months. Might’s promo fares embody flights to Europe between Might 1 and Oct. 31 that begin at 11,250 miles a technique — which you will get for under 6,000 Bilt factors in the event you make the most of the 100% switch bonus on Might 1. 

Here is a pattern of some Might promo fares to and from Europe, and their costs in Flying Blue Miles (not together with taxes and charges). For those who’re benefiting from Bilt’s switch bonus, divide the Miles value in half to find out what number of Bilt factors you will want.

Financial system to Europe

• To/From Boston beginning at 11,250 Flying Blue Miles a technique.
• To/From Dallas beginning at 15,000 Flying Blue Miles a technique.
• To/From Los Angeles beginning at 20,250 Flying Blue Miles a technique.

Premium Financial system to Europe

• To/From Houston beginning at 30,000 Flying Blue Miles a technique.
• To/From Washington-Dulles beginning at 22,500 Flying Blue Miles a technique.
• To/From Newark beginning at 22,500 Flying Blue Miles a technique.

Enterprise Class to Europe

• To/From Newark to Paris beginning at 41,250 Flying Blue Miles a technique.
• To/From Houston beginning at 48,750 Flying Blue Miles a technique.
• To/From Atlanta beginning at 52,500 Flying Blue Miles a technique.

For the total listing of promo rewards for Might, try the Flying Blue web site on Might 1. 

To e book a flight, first join your Flying Blue account to your Bilt account within the Bilt app. Then you may switch your Bilt factors to your Flying Blue account and e book your flight instantly by way of the KLM or Air France web site utilizing your newly transferred Flying Blue Miles.

Different ideas for getting probably the most out of your Bilt Mastercard

• If you do not have sufficient Bilt factors to cowl the total value of a flight (and you probably will not in the event you’re a brand new cardholder), it’s also possible to switch factors to Flying Blue by way of American Specific Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Final Rewards® and Citi ThankYou Factors. Though you will not get the identical 100% switch bonus Bilt is providing (although Chase is providing a 25% switch bonus to Flying Blue via Might 15), transferring your factors from these issuers can nonetheless be a viable technique to high off your Miles and get the flight you need.
• For those who do not at the moment have the Bilt card and are contemplating signing up, know that you just seemingly will not be capable to rack up sufficient cut-off dates to essentially make the most of the Flying Blue switch bonus on Might 1. However this card presents nice ongoing worth even exterior of those particular offers, and new Lease Day promos come round each month, so you possibly can seize one of many subsequent ones.
• Flying Blue fees reasonable gasoline surcharges on some award flights. You probably have a premium journey bank card just like the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card, you need to use it to pay for the gasoline surcharges and taxes and charges in your award flight to make the most of the cardboard’s journey safety advantages. 
• Flying Blue’s promo fares final your complete month (topic to availability), so don’t be concerned if you cannot e book your flight on Might 1 precisely. This system presents new promo rewards each month, so if you wish to fly with Air France or KLM (or one among their airline companions) however cannot discover any flights you need proper now, it might nonetheless be price benefiting from Bilt’s particular switch bonus and banking the miles in your account till you discover the flight you need. (I usually suggest in opposition to transferring factors till you are able to e book, however a 100% switch bonus is perhaps one of many uncommon conditions the place it is sensible to financial institution your factors for a future flight.)
• You may get 100 Bilt factors for every journey accomplice you hyperlink to your account — that is a possible 1,400 further factors you will get simply by signing up (free of charge) to every lodge’s or airline’s loyalty program and linking your account to Bilt.
• Additionally try Bilt’s different Lease Day presents, which embody the possibility to win a month of lease or a free journey to Europe by way of the Bilt Lease Day Problem, the possibility to win 250 further factors by way of the “Level Quest” Trivia sport, and extra.

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