How Your Rent Can Earn Points, Companion Certificates, and oneworld Status
This is a guide to paying your rent with the Atmos Summit credit card through Bilt to earn perks like points for flights, companion certificates, and oneworld Sapphire status with lounge access. Unlocking the biggest rewards takes real spending, so here is exactly what you get, what it costs, and how to set it up.
How Your Rent Can Earn Points, Companion Certificates, and oneworld Status
by Julia Portela
August 5, 2026 Reading Time: 8 min read
Advertiser Disclosure: Journey on Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products and may receive a commission at no cost to you.
Your rent is probably the biggest payment you make every month. In this guide, I will walk you through a simple strategy, step by step, that turns the rent you already pay into travel rewards. You do not need to be an expert, and I will explain every piece in plain language.
Here is what you can earn in a single year by paying your rent with one specific card, the Atmos Summit:
- Up to 150,000 points you can use for flights
- A 25,000-point companion certificate, so a second person can fly with you
- A 100,000-point companion certificate, once your yearly spending reaches $60,000
- oneworld Sapphire status, which gives you lounge access, free checked bags, and priority lines
It sounds like a lot, and it is. Getting the biggest rewards takes real spending, so I will be upfront about what that takes. Let me show you how it works, break down each reward one at a time, then give you the exact steps to start.
New to Bilt? Bilt is a free loyalty program, and the points you earn can go toward travel. Earning is simple: create a free account, link a qualifying card to your Bilt account, and use it with Bilt's partners.
Better yet, you don't need to rent, own a home, or carry a Bilt card to be a member. Anyone can open a free rewards account, link their cards, and earn points every time they spend with a Bilt partner, including restaurants, Lyft rides, pharmacies, fitness classes, and more.
In this post:
- How this works: Bilt and Alaska
- The points you earn
- The two companion certificates
- The airline status
- A real example
- The costs to know
- Who this is for
- How to get started
- Maximize Your Rewards With Bilt
- Common questions
- Bottom line
How This Works: Bilt and Alaska
Let me start with the two players, because the strategy depends on both.
Alaska Airlines runs a loyalty program now called Atmos Rewards (it covers Alaska and Hawaiian). The Atmos Summit is its premium credit card, and that card is where all the rewards come from: the points, the companion certificates, and the status.
Bilt is a free program that lets you pay your rent with a credit card, something most landlords normally do not allow. Bilt has a partnership with Alaska, so you can link your Atmos Summit card to Bilt and use it to pay your rent.
Put the two together and here is what happens: you pay rent through Bilt on your Atmos Summit card, and you earn 3 Atmos points per $1 on up to $50,000 of rent a year. A 3% fee applies to rent paid this way, and you earn points on that fee too. This works for rent only, not mortgage.
So think of it this way. Bilt is just the tool that lets your rent count as spending on the card. The Atmos Summit card does the rest. That is the whole engine behind this strategy.
Want the full walkthrough on paying rent (and mortgage) through Bilt? See my complete guide to earning points on rent.
Now let me break down each reward, one at a time.
The Points You Earn
This is the part that comes directly from paying rent. The Atmos Summit earns 3 Atmos points per $1 on rent paid through Bilt, on up to $50,000 of rent a year. That is up to 150,000 points a year. After $50,000, rent earns 1 point per $1.
These are regular points, yours to book flights with on Alaska, Hawaiian, and their partners. You're earning Atmos points, not Bilt points.
The Two Companion Certificates
These are benefits of the Atmos Summit card itself, not something Bilt gives you. Paying rent simply helps you reach them. A companion certificate lets a second person fly with you on the same trip for a set number of points. It is a certificate, not points added to your account.
- 25,000-point companion certificate: the card gives you this automatically every anniversary year, just for having the card.
- 100,000-point companion certificate: the card gives you this once you spend $60,000 in an anniversary year. Your rent counts toward that $60,000, which is what makes it reachable for most people.
Refer to this article for a complete guide to The Atmos Summit Visa card.
The Airline Status
Also a benefit of the card, not Bilt. The Atmos Summit earns 1 status point per $2 spent, plus 10,000 status points every anniversary. So $60,000 of spend gives you 30,000, plus the 10,000 bonus, which is 40,000 status points. That is exactly Atmos Gold, which is oneworld Sapphire: business class lounge access even when you fly economy, priority check-in and boarding, and two free checked bags across American, Qatar Airways, British Airways, Japan Airlines, and the rest of oneworld. Check oneworld's page for more info about the benefits.
A Real Example
Say your rent runs about $5,000 a month, or $60,000 a year, all paid on the Atmos Summit through Bilt. In a single year you would earn:
- Around 160,000 Atmos points (3x on the first $50,000, 1x on the rest)
- The 25,000-point companion certificate
- The 100,000-point companion certificate (unlocked at $60,000 spend)
- Atmos Gold, which is oneworld Sapphire status
All from a bill you were paying anyway.
The Costs to Know
Being upfront, here is what it costs:
- A 3% fee on rent paid through Bilt. So $60,000 of rent is about $1,800 in fees (though you do earn points on the fee).
- The Atmos Summit has a $395 annual fee.
- Rent only, not mortgage.
- The companion awards are certificates, meaning a companion flies with you, not 125,000 points in your account.
- Card terms can change, so always check the latest before you commit.
Who This Is For
This makes sense if you pay meaningful rent, travel regularly (especially on Alaska, Hawaiian, or oneworld airlines like American, Japan Airlines, Qatar, British Airways, and more), and will actually use the points, companion certificates, and status. If you rarely travel or your rent is small, the fees may not be worth it, though you still earn 3x and the 25,000 companion certificate.
How to Get Started
Ready to set this up? Here is the exact order:
- Create a free Bilt account. Sign up here.
- Get the Atmos Summit card. More info here.
- Link your Atmos Summit card in your Bilt Wallet. Link it here.
- Pay your rent through Bilt. The 3% fee is included at checkout.
- Earn the rewards. Your 3x points, companion certificates, and status build automatically.
Wallet check: I actually carry this card. If you want it too, applying through my link is what keeps these breakdowns free and detailed, at no extra cost to you. Same offer either way.
Maximize Your Rewards With Bilt
Sign Up for Free: If you're not yet a Bilt Rewards member, now is the perfect time to join and start earning points on rent, mortgage and everyday spending. Direct link
Link Your Lyft Account: Double-dip on rewards by linking your Bilt account with Lyft. Direct link
Dine Out and Earn: Connect your credit cards to your Bilt Wallet and automatically earn points when you eat at participating restaurants. Direct link
Common Questions
Rent or mortgage? Rent only. The airline cards do not earn on mortgage through Bilt.
Which card exactly? The Atmos Rewards Summit Visa, linked to your Bilt account.
Does rent really count toward the $60,000? Yes. Bilt rent is processed as a real card purchase, so it counts toward the spend for the companion award and toward status.
Are the companion certificates the same as points? No. A certificate lets a second person fly with you on the same trip for a set number of points. It is not points you can spend however you like.
How do I actually reach Gold? Status points: 1 per $2 spent, plus the card's 10,000 annual bonus. $60,000 of spend gets you to 40,000 status points, which is Atmos Gold. On spend alone, without the bonus, you would need $80,000.
What if my rent is under $60,000 a year? You still earn 3x points, the 25,000 companion certificate, and status points. You just need to reach $60,000 in total spend (rent plus anything else) to unlock the 100,000 companion certificate and Gold status.
Bottom Line
Paying rent with the Atmos Summit through Bilt turns a bill you already pay into points, companion certificates, and airline status. Just weigh the 3% fee and the $395 annual fee against how much you will actually use the rewards. If you travel and pay real rent, the value is significant.
Advertiser Disclosure: Journey on Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products and may receive a commission at no cost to you.
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.
