To cancel your Bilt credit card, you need to call the number on the back of your card or contact the issuing bank directly. There’s no online cancellation option for most credit cards, and the Bilt card is no exception. Before you pick up the phone, though, there are a few things worth handling first to make sure you don’t lose rewards or take an unnecessary hit to your credit.
What Happens to Your Bilt Points
This is where things get a little confusing, because there are two separate relationships at play: your Bilt credit card account (issued by a bank) and your Bilt Rewards membership (run by Bilt). Closing the credit card does not delete your Bilt Rewards account. According to Bilt’s own support documentation, closing your Bilt Card will stop you from earning rewards with the card, but your existing Bilt Points and Bilt Cash will remain in your account. You stay a Bilt member and can continue using the Bilt platform without the card.
That said, Bilt’s general terms and conditions include language stating that upon cancellation of your account “for any reason, you will lose all Points immediately.” The safest approach is to use or transfer your points before canceling the card. Transfer them to an airline or hotel loyalty program, redeem them toward travel, or apply them however you prefer. Don’t leave a large balance sitting there and hope for the best.
Use or Transfer Points Before You Call
Log into the Bilt Rewards app and check your points balance. If you have points worth keeping, you have several redemption options:
- Transfer to travel partners. Bilt lets you move points to airline and hotel programs like American Airlines, United, Hyatt, and others. Transfers are typically instant or take a few hours.
- Redeem for travel. You can book flights or hotels directly through Bilt’s travel portal.
- Apply toward rent. If you pay rent through Bilt, you can use points to cover part of a payment.
- Other redemptions. Bilt also allows redemptions for fitness classes, home decor, and statement credits, though transfer to travel partners generally gives you the best value per point.
Once your points are transferred or redeemed, you’re clear to move forward with cancellation.
Steps to Cancel the Card
Pay off any remaining balance on the card first. You can do this through your online account or the mobile app. If you have a recent payment still processing, wait until it posts so your balance shows zero.
Next, call the customer service number printed on the back of your card. When you reach a representative, tell them you want to close your account. They’ll verify your identity, confirm any remaining balance, and process the closure. The call typically takes 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes longer if the representative tries to convince you to stay.
After the call, follow up with a written request. A short secure message through your online banking portal or a letter to the bank’s address creates a paper trail. Ask for written confirmation that your account has been closed with a zero balance. Keep this confirmation in case any charges or errors appear later.
Check your credit report about 30 to 60 days after cancellation to verify the account shows as closed by the cardholder with a zero balance. If anything looks incorrect, dispute it with the credit bureau.
You Can Still Pay Rent Through Bilt
If you’ve been using Bilt to pay rent, canceling the card doesn’t shut that down entirely. You can still pay rent through the Bilt platform using a linked bank account, Venmo, PayPal, or check. You just won’t earn Bilt Points on those payments the way you would with the credit card. If rent payment was the main reason you signed up, weigh whether the convenience of the platform alone is worth keeping your Bilt Rewards account active.
How Cancellation Affects Your Credit Score
The Bilt card has no annual fee, which is one reason some people keep it open even if they rarely use it. Closing any credit card can affect your credit score in two ways.
First, it reduces your total available credit. If you have $20,000 in combined credit limits across all your cards and the Bilt card accounts for $5,000 of that, closing it drops your available credit to $15,000. If you carry balances on other cards, your credit utilization ratio (the percentage of available credit you’re using) goes up, and higher utilization tends to lower your score.
Second, account age matters. The closed account will continue to appear on your credit report for up to 10 years, so it still contributes to your average age of accounts during that time. But once it eventually falls off, losing that history can shorten your credit profile. If the Bilt card is one of your older accounts, this is worth considering.
For most people with several other credit cards and low balances, closing one no-annual-fee card causes a small, temporary dip at most. If you’re planning to apply for a mortgage or auto loan in the next few months, it may be worth waiting until after that approval comes through.
Retention Offers Worth Asking About
When you call to cancel, the representative may offer an incentive to keep the account open. These retention offers can include bonus points, a temporary spending bonus, or other perks. Since the Bilt card already carries no annual fee, retention offers tend to be modest compared to premium cards. Still, if you’re on the fence, it costs nothing to hear what they offer before making a final decision. You’re never obligated to accept.
After Cancellation Checklist
Once the account is closed, tie up any loose ends:
- Update recurring charges. If any subscriptions or autopay bills are linked to your Bilt card, switch them to another payment method before or immediately after cancellation. Charges that hit a closed account can result in missed payments or reactivation of the account.
- Save your records. Download or screenshot your final statement and the closure confirmation.
- Monitor your credit report. Check that the account status updates correctly within one to two billing cycles.
- Decide on your Bilt membership. Your Bilt Rewards account stays active independently. If you no longer want it, you can contact Bilt separately to close the loyalty account as well.