| Written by: Derrick Dye

Bilt Transfers to Amtrak

Bilt Rewards is adding another unique transfer partner, and this one should be particularly interesting for anyone who regularly travels by train. Starting September 23, Bilt transfers to Amtrak Guest Rewards. This is the first time in more than a decade that a transferable points program has offered transfers to Amtrak Guest Rewards. While Amtrak points can provide excellent value, earning large quantities of them has generally required riding Amtrak, using an Amtrak credit card or purchasing points. This is an exciting update and we get into the specifics below. And if you have not started earning Bilt Rewards, there are 3 great credit cards to choose from.

Bilt Adds New Transfer Partner

As Bilt adds Amtrak Guest Rewards as its 26th transfer partner, you can always track partners in our ToP Partner Transfer Tool. Bilt transfers to Amtrak at a 2:1 transfer ratio. Bilt Rewards can be transferred in 1,000-point increments, with a 1,000-point minimum for those with Silver, Gold and Platinum status and a 2,000-point minimum for those with Blue status. The transfers are instant.

Bilt transfers at a 1-to-1 ratio (unless otherwise stated) to a roster of 25 other partners that includes:

  • Airlines
    • Aer Lingus AerClub
    • Air Canada Aeroplan®
    • Air France/KLM Flying Blue®
    • Atmos Rewards (Alaska Airlines + Hawaiian Airlines)
    • Avianca Lifemiles
    • British Airways Executive Club
    • Cathay Pacific
    • Emirates Skywards®
    • Etihad Airways
    • Iberia Plus
    • Japan Airlines
    • Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios
    • Southwest Airlines
    • TAP Miles&Go
    • Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
    • United MileagePlus®
    • Virgin Red®
    • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • Hotels
    • Accor Live Limitless*
      • *Note: Accor Live Limitless transfers at a 3:2 ratio.
    • Hilton Honors
    • IHG® One Rewards
    • Marriott Bonvoy™
    • Preferred Hotels I Prefer Hotel Rewards
      • *Note: Preferred Hotels I Prefer transfers at 1:2 ratio.
    • World of Hyatt®
    • Wyndham Rewards

How Valuable Are Amtrak Guest Rewards Points?

Amtrak Guest Rewards points are among the more valuable travel rewards currencies on a per-point basis. Depending on the redemption, members can frequently receive around 2.4 to 2.8 cents per point toward Amtrak travel. Even if you transfer Bilt to Amtrak at 2 to 1, this means you can regularly get 1.2 to 1.4 cents per point for all your train travel.

For example, assume an Amtrak ticket costs $250 or 10,000 Amtrak Guest Rewards points. That redemption would provide a value of 2.5 cents per Amtrak point. You need to transfer 20,000 Bilt Rewards to buy this ticket, resulting in a value of 1.25 cents per point. Mind-blowing value? No. But this is another way to get decent value for your points, especially when the redemption value creeps into the 2.8 cents per Amtrak point range.

Bilt Transfers to Amtrak

Should You Transfer?

The 2:1 ratio means we wouldn't routinely transfer Bilt Rewards to Amtrak simply because Amtrak points have a high valuation. However, there are plenty of instances where it makes sense to consider Bilt transfers to Amtrak.

First, Amtrak points redemptions start at only 400 points. For super cheap fares, you can transfer the minimum 1,000 Bilt Rewards to Amtrak and book the train ticket. I don't care if that ticket is only $10 or $15, I'll miss that money more than 1,000 points. You can easily re-earn those points on Bilt Rent Day each month.

Second, if you are someone who already has 8,000 Amtrak points but needs 10,000 points for a redemption, you could transfer 4,000 Bilt Rewards to generate the additional 2,000 Amtrak points. Being able to ToP off an Amtrak account for a specific redemption is something that hasn't been readily available through the major transferable currencies.

Third, Amtrak also allows Points & Cash bookings starting with as few as 100 points. This provides another option for members who don't have enough Amtrak points to cover an entire ticket and don't want to transfer a large number of Bilt Rewards. It still gives you value for your Bilt Rewards and saves you money.

As with virtually all transferable currencies, we wouldn't recommend transferring Bilt Rewards to Amtrak speculatively. Find the trip you want, compare the cash and points prices and transfer only when you're ready to book.

Bilt Transfers to Amtrak: ToP Thoughts

We like seeing Bilt adding new transfer partners and it does that more than any other points program. The best news about Bilt transfers to Amtrak Guest Rewards is this isn't simply another airline or hotel program that overlaps with several other transferable currencies. Bilt is providing members access to a loyalty currency that has impossible to obtain without riding Amtrak or using an Amtrak credit card.

Overall, this is a useful addition to Bilt's already impressive collection of transfer partners. We wouldn't transfer Bilt Rewards to Amtrak just because the option exists, but we're happy to have another way to use Bilt Rewards when the numbers make sense. Be sure to always compare the cash ticket price to the points cost. If you are getting 2.6 cents or higher for Amtrak points, it probably makes sense to transfer your Bilt Rewards and save some cash.

What are your thoughts on Bilt transfers to Amtrak Guest Rewards? Come over to our Facebook group and let us know.