Bilt Obsidian Card review: Earn valuable points in popular bonus categories
Editor's Note
The Bilt Obsidian Card (see rates and fees) is the mid-tier card in Bilt Rewards' Card 2.0 rollout.
For a $95 annual fee, cardholders can earn Bilt Points at an elevated rate in popular bonus categories, as well as 4% Bilt Cash on all nonhousing purchases. This is in addition to rewards earned on rent or mortgage payments.
New Bilt Obsidian cardholders receive $200 in Bilt Cash upon application and approval.
We love Bilt points here at TPG. Our January 2026 valuations place them at 2.2 cents per point, and they're transferable to solid transfer partners, including Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards and World of Hyatt.
The Bilt Obsidian Card is a good choice for Bilt enthusiasts who are pleased with a pair of bonus categories and some travel perks. However, the lackluster welcome bonus and slim benefits may leave some cardholders wanting more. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Bilt Obsidian: The basics
Let's get to know the Bilt Obsidian Card's core features.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Bilt Cash earning structure: Earn 4% Bilt Cash on all nonhousing purchases, if you choose.
- Bilt points earning structure: Earn 3 points per dollar spent on either dining or grocery purchases (on up to $25,000 per year), 2 points per dollar spent on travel, and 1 point per dollar spent on other everyday purchases.
- Housing earning structure: Earn up to 1.25 points per dollar spent through the tiered-rewards option, or up to 1 point per dollar spent if you opt to earn Bilt Cash.
- Travel credit: Receive $100 in Bilt Travel portal hotel credits each calendar year.
- Welcome bonus: Earn $200 in Bilt Cash when you apply and are approved. Current cardholders of the old Wells Fargo-backed Bilt Mastercard® are eligible for this offer.
The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: How good are Bilt's first-ever welcome offers? Earn up to 50,000 points
Bilt Obsidian pros and cons
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Bilt Obsidian key benefits
Since the Bilt Obsidian Card charges a $95 annual fee, you shouldn't expect a long list of perks. However, there are a few worth considering:
- $100 in Bilt Travel hotel credits each calendar year (split into two $50 biannual credits; minimum two-night stay required)
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, including Trip Delay Insurance
A note on Bilt Cash
The Bilt Cash you can earn with the Bilt Obsidian Card can be redeemed inside the Bilt Rewards platform in multiple ways, including:
- Fitness classes
- Home delivery orders
- Hotel bookings
- Lyft rides
- Unlocking points on mortgage and rent payments; redeem $30 in Bilt Cash to earn 1,000 Bilt points on mortgage or rent payments, up to the full price of your housing payments
Redeeming Bilt Cash is the sole way to ensure you're earning points on housing payments, so you'll want to use the Bilt Obsidian Card frequently enough to unlock its full points-earning capabilities.
For example, if you're paying $2,000 in rent, you'll need to redeem $60 in Bilt Cash to earn the full 2,000 Bilt points for your rent payment. However, if you redeem just $30 in Bilt Cash, you'll earn 1,000 Bilt points instead. You won't pay a transaction fee.
Bilt Cash expires at the end of each calendar year. Just $100 in Bilt Cash rolls over to the next year.
If you choose to earn through the tiered-rewards option, you'll need to spend 75% of what your housing payment costs in order to earn a full 1 point per dollar.
Using the same $2,000 rent example, you will need to spend $1,500 on everyday purchases in the same month to earn the full 2,000 points form your rent payments. There is also no transaction fee with this earning option.
How Bilt points work
How to earn Bilt points
The Bilt Obsidian Card earns:
- 4% Bilt Cash on all nonhousing spending†
- 3 points per dollar spent on your choice of either dining or grocery purchases (on up to $25,000 per year)
- 2 points per dollar spent on travel
- 1 point per dollar spent on all nonhousing purchases‡
- Up to 1.25 points per dollar spent on mortgage and rent payments
†Keep in mind that if you opt for the tier-rewards option, you won't earn Bilt Cash.
‡Tax payments and purchases with online resale marketplaces (such as eBay or Facebook Marketplace) do not earn points.
How to redeem Bilt points
The best way to get the most out of your points is to transfer them to one of Bilt's 23 airline and hotel partners. There are multiple high-value programs on this list, including Air Canada Aeroplan, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards and United Airlines MileagePlus.
I love transferring my points to Atmos Rewards to book short-haul domestic flights on American Airlines. I frequently find award availability to fly American from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) or Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) to visit friends for 4,500 to 6,000 points.
I also enjoy transferring points to World of Hyatt, one of the most award-friendly programs. Thanks to Hyatt's lucrative award chart, you can book award nights at luxurious properties for solid rates.
You could also redeem points toward:
- Amazon.com purchases directly
- Bilt Collection purchases
- Bilt Travel bookings
- Fitness classes
- Next month's rent or mortgage
However, these redemptions don't yield a value that matches our valuation of Bilt points at 2.2 cents apiece, so we don't recommend these routes.
Drawbacks to consider
It may be complicated for some cardholders to keep track of how much spending they'll need to put on the Bilt Obsidian Card to earn enough Bilt Cash to unlock full points on their housing payment (should they choose to earn this way).
Another factor to consider is that bonus points from grocery spending are capped at $25,000 in spending per year.
Finally, if you want more benefits and protections from a credit card, the Bilt Obsidian Card may not provide enough.
Comparing the Obsidian to other Bilt cards
If you're seeking a premium Bilt card with more perks (such as Priority Pass airport lounge access) and an elevated earning rate across all nonhousing purchases, the Bilt Palladium Card (see rates and fees) fits the bill.
The entry-level Bilt Blue Card (see rates and fees) is best if you don't want to pay an annual fee and won't maximize the bonus categories on the Bilt Obsidian, since it earns 1 point per dollar spent on all nonhousing purchases.
Related: Current Bilt cardholders: Key dates and deadlines as Bilt transitions to new card options
Bottom line
The Bilt Obsidian Card is a great option for Bilt Rewards enthusiasts who want to keep annual fees low and maximize bonus categories, while earning points on mortgage or rent payments.
If you don't plan to use the Bilt Obsidian Card frequently on nonhousing purchases, you should skip it. You'll want to spend enough on the card to unlock the full points-earning on your rent or mortgage payments.
And, if you want lounge access or more benefits (such as annual Bilt Cash), you're better off with the premium Bilt Palladium Card or another top-tier travel card.
A cardholder who's ready to focus on Bilt Rewards, avoid a high annual fee and spend frequently in the Bilt Obsidian Card's bonus categories is in the perfect position to apply. Given the high value and flexibility of Bilt points, you won't want to miss out on them.
Apply here: Bilt Obsidian Card
For rates and fees of the Bilt Obsidian Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Bilt Palladium Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Bilt Blue Card, please click here.