👀 One of your rewards programs just changed

It's been over 72 hours since this newsletter was published, so some info and links might be out of date or expired.

Hellooooo, my friends.

I don’t know about y’all, but this week has been nuts. 🙃

I’ve legit been playing old Disney movies in the background just to feel something.

Little Mermaid. Mulan. The Freaking Sword in the Stone. Deep cuts.

Needless to say, I’m thankful it’s the weekend. Before we get too comfy, let’s quickly chat through some of the biggest news from the week… because it’s pretty huge.

✈️ Here’s how to book domestic flights with international airlines (and why you should!).

💳 Ok, Marriott! This hotel chain just added a sweet new benefit and offer.

🎲 United said… It’s game time! Mile Play is back — be sure to check your personal offer.

👀 Want to fly the world’s best first-class seat? Here’s exactly how to do it.

🎥 Bilt just made a ton of changes to its program, and you can get the visual in this week’s Daily Drop YouTube video.

🏆 Our Favorite Pick: Bilt 2.0 Is Here (And It’s… a Lot)

For a while now, Bilt has been teasing a major refresh.

Well… it’s finally here.

The short version is that Bilt now has three credit cards instead of one, a brand-new rewards currency called Bilt Cash, and a very different approach to earning points on rent and mortgages.

Bilt’s old setup was simple: one no-fee card, earn points on rent, and redeem for travel.

That era is officially over. Womp. Womp.

You can now choose between: Bilt Blue with no annual fee, Bilt Obsidian with a $95 annual fee, or the Bilt Palladium with a $495 annual fee (aka the spicy one 🌶️).

Photo by Bilt

And yes… for the first time ever, Bilt cards come with welcome offers.

The top-tier Palladium Card earns 50,000 Bilt Points after $4,000 in non-housing spend, $300 in Bilt Cash just for getting approved, and built-in hotel credits and Priority Pass.

That alone is a huge shift from old-school Bilt.

The biggest (and most confusing) change is the whole Bilt Cash situation.

Bilt introduced a new currency called Bilt Cash, which you earn on top of points.

Think of it as:

Dollar-for-dollar credits
Redeemable inside Bilt’s ecosystem (hotels, neighborhood spots, experiences)
Also used to unlock certain perks

Here’s the main thing you need to know: You no longer automatically earn points on rent or mortgage payments. To earn points on housing, you now have to use Bilt Cash to unlock it.

Soooo, the math goes:

$3 in Bilt Cash = 100 Bilt Points
You can earn up to 1 point per $1 of rent or mortgage
No annual cap
Works across multiple homes
Still no transaction fee

If you don’t want to use Bilt Cash, you can pay a 3% fee to earn points, which, frankly, is not a great deal for most people.

So… is this good or bad?

Honestly? Both.

On one hand, the program is way more complex than it used to be, and the whole “set it and forget it” vibe is out the door (at least in terms of rent payment).

On the other hand, you can now earn rewards on mortgages, there’s no housing points cap, your everyday spend earns points and 4% back in Bilt Cash, and the premium card actually has enough credits to justify its fee (if you’ll use them).

If you’re willing to put in a little more work, Bilt is definitely offering more value.

But if you loved Bilt for the simplicity (which is me, personally)… this will take some adjustment.

We wrote a much more detailed breakdown of all three cards, who each one is for, and how Bilt Cash really works in practice.

(You can also pre-order the new cards now, and they officially launch in February.)

✈️ One quick thing before you go

Tax season is back, and yeah… it’s the worst. 🫠

But if you’re already staring down a big tax bill, there might be a way to make it hurt a little less (and possibly turn it into a flight).

Mike walks through how paying taxes with the right credit card can actually be worth it, whether you’re using a big tax payment to knock out a welcome offer in one shot or earning solid everyday points that can be transferred for some bangin’ travel.

You’ll still pay a (small) processing fee – but in the right scenario, the points you earn can be worth far more than that cost.

It’s not a strategy for everyone, but if you’re self-employed, freelancing, or dealing with quarterly payments, it’s definitely worth a read.