Since Bilt just launched a partnership with Southwest Rapid Rewards for 1:1 points transfers from Bilt Rewards, it makes sense that the next Rent Day (May 1st) would involve a transfer bonus.
Now, if you are a Southwest loyalist, this is going to provide some outsized value at the upper end of the spectrum, meaning if you have Bilt status. But as I mentioned in the article about the new transfer partner, we only value a Southwest point at 1.25 cents each vs. 1.8 cents for Bilt points.
So let’s take a quick but closer look:
In this article
Get Up to a 100% Transfer Bonus from Bilt to Southwest Rapid Rewards
Members can enjoy a bonus of up to 100% when they convert their Bilt Points to Southwest Rapid Rewards points.
● Platinum: 100% transfer bonus
● Gold: 75% transfer bonus
● Silver: 50% transfer bonus
● Blue: 25% transfer bonus
Bonus applied on transfers made between May 1 at 12:00 AM ET – May 1 at 11:59 PM PT.
Analysis
Southwest lacks any partnerships for award redemptions. They have also been devolving the entire airline into a “me too” airline minus premium service or First Class cabins – or partner airlines for redemptions.
However, they do still have the famous Southwest Companion Pass which we show you how to earn for up to two full years, which gets you a companion on every flight paid with cash or points paying only their taxes and fees.
That can obviously amp up the value of a redemption!
With the caveat that I’d still rather use my own Bilt points (which I value at 1.8 cents each) for Hyatt, Alaska, or soon JAL for international premium cabin awards and luxury hotel stays, you might want to use for Southwest flights – especially if you have the Companion Pass.
Here’s how the baseline approximate value shake out:
● Platinum: 100% transfer bonus (2 Southwest points per 1 Bilt point) means a rough value of 2.5 cents per Bilt point on an average redemption. With a Companion Pass, that gets to around 5 cents per point. It’s hard to ignore that value – again, if you aren’t gunning for international premium cabin awards which these cannot get you.
● Gold: 75% transfer bonus = 2.185 cents per point (using the same formula as above) or around 4.4 cents using a Companion Pass.
● Silver: 50% transfer bonus = 1.875 cents per point (using the same formula as above) or around 3.75 cents using a Companion Pass.
● Blue: 25% transfer bonus = 1.56 cents per point (using the same formula as above) or around 3.12 cents using a Companion Pass.
However, before you get too excited (FIVE CENTS PER BILT POINT?!) – not so fast!! The Companion Pass applies to cash tickets all the same – so I leave it to you whether or not that counts in your calculation of whether you want to transfer or not. And you may not even have the Companion Pass!
Personally, I wouldn’t because I’d consider it no different than using cash meaning that if I’m Platinum, which I am, it’s 2.5 cents per point or just 0.7 cents more than my base value of a Bilt point.
As a Gold, you come out about .38 cents per point ahead of an average Bilt point redemption via transfer partners (as always, this isn’t the value you WILL get – it’s an approximation based on the various transfer partners).
At a Silver or Blue Bilt tier, you are below the Bilt point value and so that’s a no go for me.
Bottom line, if you are Platinum, have a Companion Pass, and fly Southwest often – this may well be a pretty darn nice transfer bonus!
If you are Gold with a Companion Pass…. it’s probably worth moving some?
If you are below Gold status with Bilt, I’d leave this one alone.
I hope that helps!
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Thoughts?
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