Mortgage has always been one of my largest recurring expenses, and for years it generated no rewards. Bilt changed that by turning rent and housing payments into transferable points rather than locking users into a single airline or hotel currency. That simplicity made Bilt 1.0 easy to use and easy to recommend. This post tells you about my Bilt Palladium upgrade experience.
If you are new to the program, here is all you need to know about Bilt Rewards, including transfer partners and earning mechanics. For a breakdown of the legacy structure, see our full guide to Bilt Rewards 1.0.
With the launch of Bilt 2.0, the program shifted meaningfully (and became significantly more complex). There has been significant confusion and chaos around the launch.
When I received an in-app notification inviting me to upgrade from Bilt 1.0 to the Palladium card, I decided to test it myself. These was no hard pull for this conversion, so you aren’t loosing a 5/24 slot.
Why I Upgraded to Bilt Palladium After Bilt 2.0
The Bilt 2.0 changes made it clear that passive use would no longer maximize value. Because I had large home and auto insurance premiums coming due, I saw an opportunity to test the new structure in a single billing cycle.
Rather than speculate about whether Palladium made sense, I ran real spend through the card and measured the results.
How the Bilt Palladium Upgrade Process Works
The entire upgrade took place inside the Bilt app. After accepting the Palladium offer, I chose to close my Bilt 1.0 card. I then transferred my existing balance, confirmed my linked bank account, and set up autopay. The process was clear and required no phone calls.
The new account activated quickly, and the physical Palladium card arrived in about a week.
Despite reports from some users about declined transactions during the Bilt 2.0 transition, I experienced no payment interruptions.
Testing Bilt Palladium With Large Bills
The card arrived in a very nice package. The card itself is rather nice.
The card came with $500 Bilt cash. I used $200 in Bilt Cash for the Point Accelerator, which unlocked 3x on purchases up to $5,000.
On significant spend, that multiplier meaningfully increases return in a short period. The bonus points posted without delay and reflected accurately in the app. My goal was use up the Bilt Cash since only $100 can roll over to the next year.
To properly evaluate the card, I charged my home and auto insurance premiums to it immediately after activation.
The transactions processed normally. Bilt Cash posted quickly after the charges cleared, which confirmed that Bilt 2.0 tracking worked as expected.
Earning Gold Status Under Bilt 2.0
The insurance payments and the sign-up bonus pushed me into Gold status for the year. The app tracked my progress clearly, and once I crossed the required threshold, my status upgraded automatically.
Gold status matters under Bilt 2.0 because it allows me to use Bilt Cash to upgrade to Platinum when transferring points to travel partners. During a transfer bonus, that flexibility can increase redemption value.
Is Bilt Palladium Worth It After Bilt 2.0?
The answer depends entirely on your spending pattern.
- Upgrade if you: have large upcoming expenses, plan to use Point Accelerators, transfer Bilt points to travel partners, and intend to engage actively with the Bilt 2.0 structure.
- Wait if you: have modest monthly spend, rarely transfer points, or prefer a simple earn-and-burn setup.
Final Thoughts on the Bilt 1.0 to Palladium Upgrade
So how was my Bilt Palladium upgrade experience? It was seamless. Transactions processed normally, rewards posted quickly, and status updated automatically. Operationally, the system worked exactly as designed.
The key question is not whether the upgrade functions. The real question is whether your spending strategy justifies engaging with Bilt 2.0. In my case, the sign-up bonus made it a no brainier. My plan to use it for a year and reassess.
