Good news if you earn Bilt points on your rent: since September 23, 2026, you can send them to Amtrak and ride the train on points. Before you get excited, though, know two things up front. You give up half your points in the conversion, and a transfer can't be taken back. That makes it a smart move for one specific trip, and a poor one for parking points "just in case."

What's new

Bilt has mostly been an airline-and-hotel points program. Amtrak is its first rail partner, which brings the list to 26 travel partners in total.

The way it works: you move points from Bilt into Amtrak Guest Rewards (Amtrak's loyalty program), then book train travel from there. Amtrak serves 500-plus destinations across 46 states, so for plenty of families this covers trips to see relatives or a quick weekend away.

How the math works

The conversion is 2 Bilt points to 1 Amtrak point. A few numbers to know:

  • Minimum transfer: 1,000 Bilt points, which gets you 500 Amtrak points.
  • On Bilt's entry-level Blue status: the minimum is 2,000 Bilt points (1,000 Amtrak points).
  • Award tickets start at 400 Amtrak points. Points & Cash, where you cover part of the fare with points and the rest with money, starts at 100 points.

The easy way to think about it: whatever Amtrak shows you, double it. A trip priced at 3,000 Amtrak points really costs you 6,000 Bilt points. Run that number before anything else.

Five rules to know before you move a single point

  • No take-backs. Points sent to Amtrak can't come back to Bilt.
  • Your names must match exactly on both accounts, and one Bilt account can only be linked to one Amtrak account.
  • Give it time. Points normally show up within 72 hours, and a security check can stretch that. Don't wait until the day you need to book.
  • Amtrak points don't last forever. They expire after 24 months with no account activity, unless you hold Amtrak's own credit card and keep it open.
  • The rider gets the points. Amtrak credits points to the person who actually travels, regardless of who paid.

Is it right for you?

It's a good fit if you already earn Bilt points on rent, you live near decent train service, and you have a real trip on the calendar, like a regional route you'd take anyway. Then points from money you were already spending cover a ticket you were already buying.

It's a poor fit if you just want somewhere to dump points. Losing half on the swap already hurts. Add points that can expire, and "I'll use them eventually" turns into wasted value. The big advantage of Bilt points is that they can go almost anywhere. Moving them early throws that away.

One more thing: some train fares are cheap. If your ticket is only a few dollars in cash, pay cash and save your points for something pricier. Always check the cash fare and the points fare for your exact route and date side by side.

My simple game plan

  1. Choose the trip first.
  2. Look up both the cash fare and the Amtrak points price for your dates.
  3. Double the points price to see the real cost in Bilt points.
  4. If it's still a good deal, link the accounts and transfer just what you need, no extra.

Bilt has offered transfer bonuses to partners in the past, so if your trip is months away, it's worth waiting to see if one shows up before you move anything.

I talk through stuff like this, including which uses of rent points are actually worth it, in short videos on YouTube at @PaulsPoints.