How to Use Bilt Points on American Airlines

Bilt Rewards is one of the best transferable points programs around, with a robust portfolio of travel partners that includes five hotel brands and 13 airlines. And with a 1:1 transfer ratio for nearly all of them (Accor’s is 3:2), members can score pretty lucrative redemption rates on award flights and hotel stays.

That said, Bilt Rewards did stop counting American Airlines AAdvantage as one of its partners back in June 2024. So if that’s your favorite loyalty program, unfortunately, it’s no longer possible to transfer Bilt points directly to it.

On the bright side, there are some workarounds, so you can still redeem Bilt points for flights on American Airlines. You’ll just need to try one of two methods: booking your flights via the Bilt Travel portal, powered by Expedia, or transferring them to one of AA’s Oneworld alliance partners that are also tied to Bilt Rewards — namely, British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. Although it’s not the most lucrative option, you could also transfer Bilt points to Marriott Bonvoy, then convert those at a 3:1 ratio to AAdvantage miles.

Whether you’re just getting started with points and miles or are a seasoned enthusiast, here’s what you need to know about using Bilt points to book American Airlines flights.

Booking AA flights using the Bilt travel portal 

Redeeming Bilt points for flights, hotel stays, travel packages, rental cars, and other trip elements — like Blade helicopter rides — is fairly straightforward. The Bilt Travel portal is powered by Expedia, offering options beyond the scope of Bilt’s 18 travel partners. There aren’t any blackout fees either.

There are some downsides, though. With a fixed redemption rate of 1.25 cents per point, you may yield a lesser value by booking your flight through the portal versus transferring Bilt points to a partner at a 1:1 ratio (One Mile at a Time values them at 1.7 cents per point if redeemed that way). It’s still a decent use of points, however, if you’re especially fond of flying with American Airlines.

Start by logging into the Bilt Rewards app or going straight to the Bilt Travel portal at travel.biltrewards.com (the screenshots below are from the website, but the app shares a similar interface). Click on “Flights” to plug in your travel dates and departure and arrival cities, then press “Search.”

Let’s try looking for a round-trip flight on American Airlines from Dallas (DFW) to Los Angeles (LAX) in early May. You’ll get a results page that shows all your points and cash options, plus a peek at some dates that might be more affordable.

From there, you can search by airline, the class you prefer to fly in, or various ticket options (refundable or nonstop flights only). To search for flights on American Airlines, click on “Airlines” and choose “American Airlines.”

After choosing the flight you want, a window pops up showing points and cash pricing, and details regarding what’s included with your fare regarding seats, bags, and booking flexibility. Scroll to the right to see basic economy, main economy, or refundable tickets.

For this example, I’m choosing the main cabin economy ticket. After picking out your return trip, another window will pop up with more details about your fare, baggage fees, seats, and your total. Choose “Check out” to continue.

You’ll need to fill out your personal information on the last booking page. It’s also where you can see the total and choose how many Bilt points you want to redeem. If you only use some, the system will recalculate the balance that must be paid in cash. Here’s what it looks like if you don’t have enough points to cover the full amount.

With this sample flight search, you’d need a total of 23,917 Bilt points, including taxes and fees. For comparison, the same flights are being offered via the American Airlines website for a total of 27,000 AAdvantage miles, plus $11.20 in taxes and fees. By booking your American Airlines flight through the Bilt Travel portal, you’d end up saving about 3,083 points and $11 in taxes, making it a good redemption option overall.

Booking American Airlines flights using Bilt points on partners 

To redeem Bilt points for award flights aboard American Airlines — even though it’s no longer a Bilt travel partner — you just need to use the carrier’s Oneworld alliance partners as the middleman. In this case, you’re able to transfer Bilt points to British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, or Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, then use those miles to book an American Airlines flight. Best of all, Bilt points can be transferred to these programs at a 1:1 ratio. 

While not recommended, you can also transfer Bilt points to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio, then switch them over to American Airlines AAdvantage at a less lucrative 3:1 transfer ratio. You’ll get a better value by using Marriott points to book hotels, however.

Either way, be sure to double-check award availability and have a redemption in mind before you transfer any points from Bilt Rewards to your preferred loyalty program, as they’ll be moved immediately, and the process cannot be reversed. 

It’s also a good idea to keep track of common transfer partners so you can “pool” your points from various transferable rewards programs to increase your balance. For instance, British Airways Executive Club is a transfer partner of each of the major points programs — Capital One Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy — in addition to Bilt Rewards, so you could transfer points over from each one.

Oneworld alliance members

There are a few things to be aware of when using Oneworld partners to book flights on American Airlines. For starters, Bilt points can be transferred to British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, and Aer Lingus AerClub — and from there, to any other Avios-associated loyalty program, including each other — at a ratio of 1:1.

While they all use Avios as their main points currency, each program has its own partners and rules when it comes to calculating points needed for redemptions. Iberia’s partner list, for instance, includes the usual Oneworld suspects, plus a handful of its own partners, including Level, LATAM, Binter, and Vueling. 

It’s also possible to save more on taxes and fees by redeeming points through Iberia Plus or Aer Lingus AerClub instead of British Airways Executive Club, so be sure to run the numbers through point.me to see what makes sense for you.

You’ll need to use Great Circle Mapper to calculate the distance between the airports you wish to fly to and from, as British Airways Executive Club uses a distance-based award pricing system. Think of it this way: The shorter the distance you’re flying, the fewer points you’ll need to redeem, whether for domestic or international flights.

Here’s a look at the British Airways Avios guidelines for redemption flights on American Airlines within North America:

• Zone 1 (0–650 miles): 12,000 Avios in economy or 24,000 in business/first
• Zone 2 (651–1,150 miles): 16,000 Avios in economy or 32,000 in business/first
• Zone 3 (1,151–2,000 miles): 18,000 Avios in economy or 40,000 in business/first
• Zone 4 (2,001–3,000 miles): 20,000 Avios in economy or 50,000 in business/first

For point redemptions on international flights, you must use the British Airways award chart for partners outlined in this article to score a seat on American Airlines.

Keep in mind that the carrier calculates the distance for each segment you fly — not just the whole trip — so you’ll save more by booking short-haul domestic hops on American Airlines. Of course, the total value will vary by where in the U.S. you’re flying from and the airline partner you prefer.

You can also check the Reward Flight Finder on the British Airways website to see how many Avios you’ll need for your redemption — just make sure to choose a flight on American Airlines (other options from Oneworld alliance partners will also appear).

To redeem points, log into your British Airways Executive Club account (or make a free account) and pick “Book a Flight With Avios” under the “Book” tab at the top. 

A recent sample search for one-way business-class flights on American Airlines from Philadelphia (PHL) to Dallas (DFW) in early June showed options from 40,000 Avios and $5.60 in taxes. 

That corresponds with the British Airways Avios award chart (40,000 Avios for business/first seats when flying between 1,151 and 2,000 miles) since the total distance between those airports is 1,303 miles.

For comparison, one-way business-class flights on the same day range from 34,500 to 78,000 AAdvantage miles when redeemed directly through the American Airlines website. You’d end up paying the same amount in taxes ($5.60) and pay only 5,500 more Avios — so it’s a pretty decent redemption overall.

Remember, for international flight redemptions, you’ll need to consult the partner award chart mentioned in this article to calculate the number of Avios needed, though the process is similar. Here’s a sample search for a one-way economy flight on American Airlines from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) in early September. 

This matches up with the partner award chart, requiring 20,750 Avios and $268 in taxes since the distance between JFK and LHR is 3,451 miles. The guidelines show it costs 20,750 Avios for economy, 41,250 Avios for premium economy, 62,000 Avios for business class, and 82,500 in first class for distances between 3,001 to 4,000 miles.

For comparison, if you booked the same flight on American Airlines, you’d need to redeem 19,000 AAdvantage miles and pay $5.60 in taxes. It’s a pretty comparable redemption (only a difference of 1,750 points), but the amount of taxes may be the real dealbreaker here, as it would cost $262.40 more to book with British Airlines Avios.

Oneworld alliance members: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Transferring Bilt points to Alaska Airlines opens up opportunities to fly with the carrier’s Oneworld partners, including American Airlines, as well as additional partners like Icelandair, Aer Lingus, Korean Air, Air Tahiti Nui, Porter Airlines, Singapore Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Condor, Hainan Airlines, Oman Air, and STARLUX Airlines. 

Thanks to a recent acquisition, you can also transfer Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles to Hawaiian Airlines at a 1:1 ratio, or vice versa, for flights to Hawaii.

To redeem Bilt points for American Airlines flights via Alaska Airlines, consult Great Circle Mapper to calculate the distance between your desired airports, then check that against the Alaska Airlines partner award charts linked here. The amount of points you’ll need to redeem varies by world region (Americas; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; and Asia Pacific). Here’s a look at the Americas award chart, for example. 

Book your redemption flight through the Alaska Airlines website, and make sure you’re selecting one aboard American Airlines metal. Here’s a sample one-way economy flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Dallas (DFW) in late January, costing 7,500 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles and $19 in taxes.

In most cases, you’ll find Alaska Mileage Plan pricing to be competitive with or lower than the rates being offered by the AAdvantage program. The same flights from the example above are listed on the AA website for 14,000 AAdvantage miles and $5.60 in taxes.

Oneworld alliance members: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

It’s also possible to transfer Bilt points to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, another Oneworld partner of American Airlines. Start by making a free Asia Miles account, logging in, and going to the Redeem Flight Award page. Note that while you may be able to track down some award availability this way, it’s easier to call Cathay Pacific’s customer service department and have a representative assist with your search. 

Like the other loyalty programs, Asia Miles uses a distance-based award system, though it doesn’t publish a chart. A recent search for economy one-way flights on American Airlines from New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) revealed options from 15,000 Asia Miles and $10 in taxes.

The same flights offered directly through the American Airlines website are offered for about the same amount of AAdvantage miles (in this case, 15,000 plus $5.60 in taxes), so it’s a pretty comparable redemption option if you have Bilt points to spare.

The best AA flights to book using Bilt points

Determining the best flight redemptions has a lot to do with your travel preferences and financial needs. You could very well use Bilt points to treat yourself to a luxurious lie-flat seat in Flagship Business or Flagship First, complete with signature onboard dining and lounge access. 

Or, you could save your points and transfer them to a partner like British Airways Executive Club to book a few short-haul domestic trips in economy class, which could be a very lucrative redemption option if you have some U.S. trips coming up.

How point.me helps you book AA flights with Bilt points

Searching for the perfect flight redemption is easy, thanks to point.me. Just plug in the airports or cities you want to visit, your travel dates, and the class you prefer to fly in. Then, filter your search results further by airline or loyalty program to reveal every available option.

Create an account to view search results that are tailored to the credit card and airline loyalty programs you’re a member of. You’ll also be able to see all taxes and fees, as well as the retail prices of the tickets you’re searching for, in addition to the number of points you’ll need for the redemption.

Frequently asked questions about booking American Airlines flights with Bilt points

Can I use Bilt points for AA flights?

Yes, but only if you book your American Airlines flight directly through the Bilt Travel portal or transfer Bilt points to one of AA’s Oneworld partners that’s actually part of the program — in this case, British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus (and by extension, Aer Lingus AerClub), Alaska Airlines, or Marriott Bonvoy (as a last resort since it’ll be a 3:1 transfer ratio to American Airlines). Once Bilt points are transferred over, you can reserve your flight redemption aboard AA aircraft through that loyalty program’s website.

What other airlines can I transfer Bilt points to?

There are 13 airline partners plus five hotel partners to which you can transfer Bilt points. Hotel partners include Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, World of Hyatt, Hilton Honors, and Accor Live Limitless. Those airline partners include Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Red (a partner of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club), British Airways Executive Club, Alaska Airlines, Iberia Plus, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Aer Lingus AerClub, United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca Lifemiles, Emirates Skywards, TAP Miles&Go, and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles. All partner programs allow you to transfer Bilt points at a 1:1 ratio, except for Accor Live Limitless, which has a 3:2 transfer ratio.

Can I partially pay for an American Airlines flight with Bilt points?

Yes, you can partially pay for an American Airlines flight with Bilt points. As you go through the booking process on the Bilt Travel portal, you’ll be asked how many points you want to redeem for your flight. This can be just a portion or all of them. If you choose to just use some points or don’t have enough to cover it, the system will calculate the remaining balance, which must be paid in cash.

Summary

Since American Airlines is no longer one of Bilt’s travel partners, it’s not possible to transfer Bilt points directly to the AAdvantage loyalty program. That said, there are still a few workarounds you can do to book an award flight with the carrier. 

Booking your trip through the Bilt Travel portal is one option, as it allows you to reserve flights aboard non-transfer partner airlines like American Airlines and pay for a portion of it (or all of it) using Bilt points. 

Alternatively, you could transfer your Bilt points to one of American Airlines’ Oneworld partners that are also connected to Bilt Rewards at a 1:1 ratio — in this case, British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus (and Aer Lingus AerClub, by extension), Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, or Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. In a pinch, you could also transfer Bilt points to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio, and then from Marriott Bonvoy to American AAdvantage at a 3:1 ratio. 

Once you’ve converted your Bilt points, they can be used to book your American Airlines flight through that particular loyalty program’s website — but only if there’s award availability. Remember to check for that first.