Why You Should Sign Up for Masterpass Right Now
To know me is to know that I'm an impatient person. I hate waiting in lines, which is why I'm so thankful for things like Global Entry, TSA PreCheck and CLEAR, which have all saved me countless hours while traveling over the years. However, I try to save as much time as possible in my non-traveling life as well — shopping online to skip long lines in stores and even ordering my Dunkin Donuts coffee in advance every day via an app so it's waiting on the counter. Whatever I can do to use technology to save time and hassle, I'm in.
Since I do most of my shopping online, I have been using the digital wallet Masterpass by Mastercard, which allows you to store your credit card and then check out seamlessly — saving time and also allowing you to get added protections for your purchase. It's free to sign up, and most credit and debit cards are supported — even non-Mastercard products.
Here's how you can use it:
Step 1: Visit Masterpass.com and create and account for free.
Step 2: Add your credit cards and address.
Step 3: Shop online wherever Masterpass is accepted (including JetBlue.com and United.com).
Your purchase will be processed via Masterpass, but you receive all points / miles as if it were bought directly from the retailer. For example, when purchasing via JetBlue, the transaction will still be coded as an airline so you get a bonus if you're using a credit card with a travel or airline bonus.
You can also sign up to get special offers for Masterpass users. If you have an Android phone, you can download the Masterpass app, which will let you swipe your phone at checkout at participating retailers — saving you the time for digging through your wallet for cards, and also adding protection. The NFC technology transmits a unique token, not your actual card number, adding an extra layer of protection.
Simply put, Masterpass is a free tool that saves time while shopping and gives extra purchase protection — a no brainer in my opinion.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.