Unlocking Travel Value in Hawaiʻi with the Bilt Card in 2026
If you live in Hawaiʻi, you know how hefty living costs can be with rent, utilities, travel, everything adding up. What if I told you one of your largest monthly expenses could earn you travel rewards instead of just draining your budget? That’s where the Bilt Card comes in.
In this article, we’ll walk through exactly how it works, why it makes a lot of sense for our Hawaiʻi locals and how you can apply today and start earning.
What is the Bilt Card?
The Bilt Card (officially the Bilt World Elite Mastercard®) is issued by Wells Fargo and integrates with the Bilt Rewards program. According to NerdWallet, it “lets you earn travel rewards on your monthly rent payment without tacking on extra transaction fees.
Key features:
$0 annual fee.
Earn “Bilt Points” on rent (1× point per $1 up to certain annual cap).
Bonus categories: 3X dining, 2X travel, etc.
Transfer your points 1:1 to numerous airline/hotel loyalty programs.
In short: if you’re renting (or plan to), this card lets you earn meaningful travel rewards on what might otherwise be a “dead” expense.
Why It’s Especially Relevant for Hawaiʻi Readers
Here’s where the local flavor comes in:
High rent & cost of living: Many residents in Hawaiʻi pay relatively high rent compared to the national average. Turning that big monthly cost into rewards is smart.
Travel-centric lifestyle: Whether you’re hopping between islands, flying to the mainland, or planning international trips, those points transfer to major airline/hotel programs that Hawaiʻi travellers use.
Zero annual fee: Without an annual fee, the barrier to use is low.
Unique benefit for renters: Many credit-cards simply don’t allow rent payments (or they charge hefty processing fees). Bilt removes that friction.
Local dining & travel leverage: If you dine out in Honolulu, Maui, Kauaʻi, or Hawaiʻi Island and travel inter-island or beyond, you can use the bonus categories to stack extra value.
Referral push potential: As you gear up for your upcoming Bilt promotion, you’ll be helping local folks take advantage of something that aligns with their actual spending patterns, not just generic travel-cards.
The BILT card earns 3% on Dining Purchases.
How the Card Works — Step by Step
Here’s a more tactical breakdown for Hawaiʻi renters and travellers:
Apply via our referral link (APPLY HERE) and get approved for the Bilt Card.
Pay your rent through the Bilt app/portal or via your landlord if compatible, the card allows rent payments with no transaction fee.
Use the card at least 5 times per statement period (including but not limited to your rent payment) so you qualify for the rewards.
Pay attention to bonus categories:
Dining earns 3× points per dollar (and on the first of the month you can earn double in bonus categories)
Travel purchases earn 2× points.
Standard spend (outside rent, dining, travel) earns 1× point.
Transfer your points to partner programs — for example World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, etc.
Redeem for travel, hotel stays, inter-island flights or beyond — this is where your Hawaiʻi-based travel goals meet the points strategy.
Track milestone & “Rent Day” bonuses — the first of each month (“Rent Day”) triggers potential extra points for qualifying purchases (excluding rent).
BILT Card holders earns 1% back on rent payments.
Transfer-Partner Power: Why It Matters
One of the most compelling features of the Bilt Card is that the points you earn aren’t locked into just one redemption path, they’re flexible, thanks to a wide range of transfer partners. According to sources, Bilt Rewards “allows members to transfer points to over 20 airline and hotel loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio.”
What does that mean for Hawaiʻi travellers?
Whether you’re planning an inter-island hop, a mainland escape or international adventure, you’re not chained to a single airline or hotel.
You get to pick the best value redemption from among partner programs — instead of being forced into one program’s limited awards.
Because of this, even though you’re earning points via rent payments (something many cards skip), you’re still plugging into the same kinds of travel-redemption options as premium travel cards.
Here are some of the standout transfer partners for Bilt:
Programs like World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors for hotel redemptions.
A strong list of airlines: Flying Blue (Air France/KLM), Aeroplan (Air Canada), LifeMiles (Avianca), and many more.
Most importantly for Hawaiʻi-based travellers: the transfer path into Atmos Rewards.
The Atmos Rewards Connection: A Hawaiʻi Travel Win
Here’s where the strategy gets especially relevant given your Hawaiʻi-centric audience.
The new Atmos Rewards program, combining Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines loyalty programs, is a major step for Pacific-region travellers.
Here’s how Bilt connects with Atmos:
You can transfer Bilt Rewards points into Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. For example, every 1,000 Bilt points becomes 1,000 Atmos Rewards points.
That means if you’re using the Bilt Card in Hawaiʻi (rent + bonus categories) you can accumulate points and then transfer into Atmos, giving you access to award flights or upgrades on Hawaiʻi-relevant carriers and hubs.
Why this matters for Hawaiʻi readers:
One of the carriers in Atmos is Hawaiian Airlines → that directly impacts island-to-island or Pacific routes.
As Hawaiʻi travellers we often value flexibility, so being able to earn via rent / everyday spend and then convert into a program that serves our region is a strong play.
Because Bilt’s transferring is same-day / near instant in many cases, you can act fast when you spot award space.
Example scenario for Hawaiʻi:
You pay your rent via the Bilt Card (earning Bilt points), you stack dining or travel bonus categories, then when you see a good redemption from Hawaiʻi (say a flight or upgrade via Atmos on Hawaiian Airlines or Alaska Airlines) you transfer your Bilt points to Atmos and book. You’re effectively converting “money paid for rent” into “travel value” that works for your home state.
My ticket in the Leihoku Suites on Hawaiian Airlines was paid for by BILT points transferred to ATMOS REWARDS.
Scottie’s Take
If you’re renting in Hawaiʻi and you travel (even just a little), this card is worth taking a hard look at. The rental expense is real and recurring; turning it into travel points is smart fuel for your next island getaway or mainland escape.
Yes, it won’t replace a premium travel card with huge sign-up bonuses, lounge access or red-carpet perks. But for a no-annual-fee card that matches a real-world Hawaiʻi spending habit, it hits a sweet-spot.
So if you’re ready to level-up how you earn points, use your rent as a lever, and lean into the transfer partners and strategies we discuss at Hawaii Reward Travel, I strongly encourage you to consider the Bilt Card via my link.
Let’s turn those monthly rent payments into island stays, inter-island flights, and memories.
Mahalo for reading, and here’s to smarter travel from Hawaiʻi.
