Points Path Has Been Integrated Into Bilt Travel Search Results; See Cash & Award Pricing, but only for Bilt Partners

Key Takeaways

• Bilt now uses Points Path for award searches.
• Award pricing shown after clicking “Award availability”.
• Only one‑way flights and select Bilt partners supported.
• Non‑partner cash fares disappear when viewing awards.
• Future plans include partner awards and sorting by award price.

Summary

Bilt Rewards has replaced its partnership with Point.me by integrating Points Path into its travel portal, allowing members to view both cash fares and award pricing. Users must click the “Award availability” button to reveal a column with award costs, which defaults to economy but can be switched to higher cabins. The feature currently supports only one‑way flights, a limited set of Bilt transfer partners, and airline‑operated flights, with plans to broaden coverage. While the new tool offers faster searches than its predecessor, it hides non‑partner cash options when awards are displayed.

Pulse Analysis

Bilt Rewards’ decision to swap Point.me for Points Path reflects a broader industry push toward faster, more user‑friendly award search experiences. Point.me was criticized for sluggish response times, prompting Bilt to seek a partner that could deliver near‑real‑time pricing within its own portal. By embedding Points Path, Bilt gives members a single interface to compare cash fares with the value of their points at a standard 1.25 cents per point, a metric that resonates with savvy travelers looking to maximize redemption efficiency.

The current rollout, however, comes with notable constraints. Award data appears only after users activate the “Award availability” toggle, and the results are limited to one‑way itineraries on airlines that are direct transfer partners of Bilt. When award pricing is displayed, any cash‑only options from non‑partner airlines vanish, forcing travelers to toggle back and forth to see the full market. This friction contrasts with standalone tools like Google Flights paired with the Points Path browser extension, which can surface a wider array of award inventories, including British Airways Avios that Bilt’s integration uniquely surfaces.

Looking ahead, Bilt’s roadmap includes expanding award coverage to partner‑operated flights and adding sorting capabilities by points cost, features that would bring its portal closer to the flexibility of dedicated award search engines. For frequent flyers, the takeaway is clear: use Bilt’s integrated view for quick, on‑the‑spot comparisons, but supplement it with external tools to capture the full spectrum of award availability. This hybrid approach aligns with the evolving loyalty landscape, where seamless point‑cash comparisons drive higher redemption rates and deeper brand affinity.