Bilt just added its 26th transfer partner — and its first rail partner — in the form of Amtrak Guest Rewards.
Starting Sept. 23, Bilt members can transfer points to Amtrak Guest Rewards at a 2:1 ratiot Points you transfer to Amtrak, you’ll get 500 Amtrak points
After linking their Amtrak Guest Rewards account to their Bilt account, members can transfer points to Amtrak in increments of 1,000 Bilt points, with a minimum of 1,000 Bilt points per transfer. Bilt says transfers will complete almost instantaneously.
TPG’s September 2026 valuations don’t include Amtrak Guest Rewards. But, if they did, the value of Amtrak points would likely be around 2.6 cents each.
As for Bilt points, TPG’s September 2026 valuations deem 1,000 Bilt points to be worth $22; transferred to Amtrak, they become 500 points worth roughly $13 toward Amtrak travel.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t transfer Bilt points to Amtrak. After all, transferable points are often more valuable than the currencies you can transfer them to. So, while you may get more value when transferring Bilt points to other partners like World of Hyatt, Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards and Air Canada Aeroplan, transferring to Amtrak is more valuable than redeeming toward rent or statement credits.
You can redeem Amtrak points for travel to more than 500 destinations in 46 states and parts of Canada. Importantly, this includes travel between Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; New York City; and Boston along the Northeast Corridor. It also covers over 40 other rail routes throughout the U.S., including some beautiful long-haul routes.
Amtrak doesn’t use a traditional award chart. Instead, the number of Amtrak Guest Rewards points you’ll need to redeem is usually tied to paid rates. To book an award journey, log in to your Amtrak Guest Rewards account and select the “Use points” option when searching for a trip.
For example, I could book this Northeast Regional train between New York and D.C. for 938 points or $25 in coach, or 9,675 points or $258 in business class.
I could also book this Empire Builder train from Seattle to Chicago for 8,438 points or $225 in coach, or 26,813 points or $715 in a private room. I traveled on this route in 2019, and I still remember the beautiful sights I saw from the train windows and the interesting people I met along the way.
Remember, though, that Amtrak points expire after 24 months without qualifying earning or redemption activity. So, you’ll only want to transfer Bilt points to Amtrak when you’re about to book an award. And I wouldn’t recommend transferring points unless you’re confident you’ll take the trip or know you’ll have other opportunities to travel on Amtrak before your points expire.
Bottom line
The 2:1 transfer ratio means Amtrak likely won’t be the most valuable option for redeeming Bilt points. But if you regularly travel by train — or simply need to top off your Amtrak Guest Rewards account for a specific redemption — it’s useful to have another way to earn Amtrak points. And it’s particularly notable since Amtrak hasn’t partnered with a major transferable points program since its relationship with Chase Ultimate Rewards ended in 2015.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Source: thepointsguy.com
