Link: Apply for the no annual fee Bilt Mastercard®
I’ve written extensively about the Bilt Mastercard® (review), which is an innovative and rewarding credit card. The greatest selling point of the card is that you can earn points for paying your rent (and anecdotally your HOA as well). Best of all, the points are quite valuable, which is also why this is a card that I applied for.
Bilt offers an elite status program, whereby you can unlock extra perks for either spending a certain amount on the Bilt Mastercard, or racking up a certain number of points. A great new benefit has just been rolled out for top-tier members.
In this post:
Bilt Platinum members receive Air France-KLM Flying Blue Gold status
As of February 29, 2024, Bilt Platinum members are able to enroll to receive Air France-KLM Flying Blue Gold status for a period of 12 months:
- After qualifying for Bilt Platinum status, members can go into the Bilt app and can activate the status match request
- In order to activate the status match, you’ll need to make a transfer of 10,000 points to the Flying Blue program; you can still redeem those Flying Blue miles however you’d like, but you do need to make the transfer
- Flying Blue Gold status can take up to three days to be activated
- Flying Blue Gold status will be valid for 12 months from successful activation, so you might want to time your request carefully, based on your travel needs
- All Bilt Platinum member are currently eligible to enroll in this status match in 2024; you’ll be able to request this again in the future, but only if you’ve requalified for status in subsequent years (which suggests that this is an ongoing perk)
To activate this offer, just go to the “Status” tab of your Bilt account, and then click on the “Elite status match” section.
You’ll then be brought to the page where you can initiative the points transfer and request your status match.
The value in Flying Blue Gold & SkyTeam Elite Plus status
Flying Blue Gold status is the mid-tier status in the Air France-KLM frequent flyer program. This unlocks SkyTeam Elite Plus perks, which is the top-tier status in the SkyTeam alliance. This offers benefits like SkyTeam lounge access on international itineraries, as well as priority check-in, priority boarding, an extra baggage allowance, and much more.
So this status can even offer value on domestic Delta itineraries, as you receive all kinds of priority services (though not lounge access on wholly domestic itineraries).
Another awesome aspect about Flying Blue Gold status is that it allows you to reserve the best Air France business class seats in advance, as the airline has amazing bulkhead seats on its Boeing 777-300ERs and Airbus A350-900s with new cabins. For that matter, Air France and KLM have started charging for seat assignments in business class, so Flying Blue Gold lets you avoid those fees.
Bottom line
Bilt Platinum members can now unlock Air France-KLM Flying Blue Gold status, by simply making a transfer of 10,000 points to the program. Flying Blue Gold status gets you SkyTeam Elite Plus status, and even unlocks Air France’s best business class seats. This is a very nice new perk.
To Bilt Platinum members, will you take advantage of this benefit?
Wake me when there a sub on this card. Transfer partners & occasional transfer bonuses good but still a non-starter without a sub.
if all you look for is a SUB, then you really are missing out on the benefits that beats any sub so far. The 75-125% transfer bonus i did to fly blue and air canada gave me an extra 100K that wouldnt have existed for me from chase/AMEX
This is OBVIOUSLY a silly advertisement. Bilt must pay well.
Lol. How much spend does it take to get Bilt Platinum status? This is purely a referral ad. Ben usually talks about opportunity cost of spending on 1 card vs another. Who the hell has this status without manufactured spend?
Me
Ditto.
Platinum was not too hard last year when rent payment and multiplier counted. This year it is much harder. I wonder if they will also status match a hotel. E.g. Hyatt globalist world be nice.
I don’t do any MS on this card and have Platinum status and will continue to have it under the new higher requirements. I do all my Bilt spend on the 1st of the month for 2x, and am more than happy to get 2x with them to qualify for 150% transfer bonuses. Even without the transfer bonuses, I’d rather earn 2x with Bilt than the alternatives. There is no opportunity cost for me here...
I don’t do any MS on this card and have Platinum status and will continue to have it under the new higher requirements. I do all my Bilt spend on the 1st of the month for 2x, and am more than happy to get 2x with them to qualify for 150% transfer bonuses. Even without the transfer bonuses, I’d rather earn 2x with Bilt than the alternatives. There is no opportunity cost for me here and the value is pretty great. Adding FB status is a nice extra perk that I’ll also take advantage of.
At least Ben doesn’t spend half the post bragging about how many hundreds of thousands of Bilt points he’s earned/transferred while providing zero transparency as to how (coughGarycough, we all know it’s referral bonuses Mr Leff, quit trying to act like you’re some non-blogging mega spender)
Sorry, but I just don't understand the logic here. Does Bilt not realize this relationship makes Bilt look bad? What is the marketing team doing? Why is Bilt admitting their inferiority by matching their "Platinum" to lowly "Gold" customer of flying blue? How about matching Platinum to Platinum?
I'm holding out for FB Platinum AND a pony. And, I'm going to stomp my feet and hold my breath until I get them.
Is this sarcasm?
You think AF will let someone match to Platinum? Lol
They're apparently offering a status match to Platinum in the UK right now.
Yeah, but with a EUR 399 fee?
The UK status match is absurdly expensive - EUR 399 for Platinum - so apples and oranges. Completely different from what Bilt is offering here.
Maybe Amex black card holders on personal card. Although, Amex centurion card is not what it was from inception till 2010. It was special then, now almost anyone can get the card if willing to pay the charges Amex imposes.
Anyone, please respond on the value this card has versus when it was truly elite and kept on down low. Heck. I can spend just as much on a green card.
I only...
Maybe Amex black card holders on personal card. Although, Amex centurion card is not what it was from inception till 2010. It was special then, now almost anyone can get the card if willing to pay the charges Amex imposes.
Anyone, please respond on the value this card has versus when it was truly elite and kept on down low. Heck. I can spend just as much on a green card.
I only see reason people have it is as a status symbol in order so they feel better. But Amex wins, because lots people want it for that reason and willing to pay.
There's nothing "lowly" about FB Gold. The UK status match is matching LH Senator to FB Gold. No, that's not a "match" either. But the differences between FB Gold and Plat are of the sort that you have to fly a lot to appreciate: Plats pick their free seats in front earlier than Golds and have a dedicated support line. That's about it, unless you're looking to upgrade into AF La Première for a few...
There's nothing "lowly" about FB Gold. The UK status match is matching LH Senator to FB Gold. No, that's not a "match" either. But the differences between FB Gold and Plat are of the sort that you have to fly a lot to appreciate: Plats pick their free seats in front earlier than Golds and have a dedicated support line. That's about it, unless you're looking to upgrade into AF La Première for a few hundred thousand miles. And in that case, a Gold match gets you a leg up: only three transatlantic flights in business with connections and change gets you Platinum.
Or, probably, FB is charging Bilt $60/match for Gold, and they wanted three times that for Platinum. After all, it's not "one year of FB Gold" but that plus one of Silver. And Platinum gets you two years of soft landings.
Actually it's been updated - LH SEN now matches to FB Plat
Well done! Another step towards world domination.
To those of you scoring at home, my estimate on the price is also a WAG, and undoubtedly far from the mark, but nobody can call me out on it while using their real name.
seems to me the biggest difference in FB plat v gold is that plat can can award tickets for free, whereas Gold must pay 70 Euro per award ticket.
It's not about what Bilt wants. It's about what Flying Blue is willing to give . . . and that's Gold. What other credit card is securing that for cardholders? It's a freebie (without proof of any volume of air travel) and people are complaining. Status match point of reference: Delta will match AA CK and UA GS to Platinum only. Not Diamond and certainly not Delta 360.
Wow… I know as soon as I apply, all the fun is going to stop, but I guess I should apply at this rate…