Bilt Palladium vs SW Priority

Bilt Rewards vs Southwest Rapid Rewards — Bilt Palladium vs SW Priority — here's what separates them. Bilt Palladium transfers to World of Hyatt; SW Priority does not.

Quick Answer

For year-one net value (welcome bonus minus annual fee), SW Priority comes out ahead at ~$789 at a lower $149 annual fee vs $495. SW Priority sits in Southwest Rapid Rewards; Bilt Palladium sits in Bilt Rewards. The right pick still depends on which credits and category multipliers fit your spending pattern — full breakdown below.

Our Verdict

SW Priority wins for most people.

SW Priority's $149 annual fee is $346 less than Bilt Palladium, yet still delivers ~$1,118 in first-year value vs ~$605 for Bilt Palladium.

Exception: Bilt Palladium may be worth it if you're a frequent traveler who will max out its premium credits year over year.

Top Match

SW Priority

Highest first-year value among the 2 cards you're comparing — $1,118 after annual fee.

Bilt Palladium Card

Bilt

Bilt Palladium

Annual Fee

$495/yr

Signup Bonus

50,000 Bilt Rewards

Bonus Value

~$1,100

Benefits Value

Spend Req.

$4,000 / 3mo

Rewards Currency

Bilt Rewards

Network

Mastercard

Card Type

Personal

Benefits

No tracked benefits

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card

Chase

SW Priority

Annual Fee

$149/yr

Signup Bonus

75,000 Rapid Rewards

Bonus Value

~$938

Benefits Value

~$329/yr

Spend Req.

$3,000 / 3mo

Rewards Currency

Southwest Rapid Rewards

Network

Visa

Card Type

Personal

Benefits

✈️ travel credit

$75 Southwest Travel Credit

$75/yr

🛫 airline credit

4 Upgraded Boardings Per Year

$160/yr

🎁 other

7,500 Anniversary Bonus Points

$94/yr

Quick winners by category

The fast answer if you came here looking for one specific thing.

✈️

Best for Travel

SW Priority

Has a dedicated travel credit and stronger travel-category earning.

🍽️

Best for Dining

Bilt Palladium

Stronger dining category multiplier for everyday restaurant spending.

🛋️

Best for Lounge Access

Bilt Palladium

Includes Priority Pass access — the other card has none.

🔄

Best for Transfer Partners

Bilt Palladium

Bilt Rewards has 10+ transfer partners — better redemption flexibility.

🌱

Best for Beginners

SW Priority

Lower $149 annual fee makes the math safer for newer cardholders.

🏆

Best Overall Value

SW Priority

~$1,118 of first-year value after annual fee — wins the math.

👑

Best for Premium Travel

Bilt Palladium

Premium hotel credits, top-tier lounge access, and travel insurance built in — the luxury-travel pick.

🏨

Best for Hyatt Transfers

Bilt Palladium

Transfers points to World of Hyatt 1:1 — the highest-CPP redemption in the points game. Bilt Rewards owns this advantage.

What it's worth for your spending

Estimated first-year value (welcome bonus + benefits − annual fee) for four common spending profiles.

ProfileBilt PalladiumSW Priority
Light spender, building credit$781$1,294
Everyday family ($40K/yr spend)$1,199$1,658
Frequent traveler (2-3 trips/yr)$1,361$1,658
Premium traveler (5+ trips/yr)$2,045$2,018

Year-one value = welcome bonus + tracked benefits + estimated points value from spending − annual fee. Points valued at 1.5¢ each (transferable) or 1¢ each (cashback). Real-world value depends on how you redeem.

Side-by-side: every spec that matters

Higher value highlighted in green per row.

Bilt PalladiumSW Priority
Welcome bonus
50,000 Bilt Rewards (~$1,100)
75,000 Rapid Rewards (~$938)
Annual fee
$495/yr
$149/yr
Authorized user fee
$0
$0
Transfer partners
10+ partners (Bilt Rewards)
None (single program)
Travel credits
$235/yr
Lounge access
Priority Pass only
None
Dining rewards
1x
1x
Grocery rewards
1x
1x
Hotel rewards
3x
1x
Travel insurance
Comprehensive
Included
Cell phone protection
Included
Not standard
Foreign transaction fee
$0
$0
Mobile wallet
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay
Network
Mastercard
Visa

Who should get the Bilt Palladium?

  • You're a frequent traveler willing to absorb a $495 annual fee for premium credits and lounge access.
  • Travel is one of your top 3 spending categories and you want to earn faster on flights, hotels, and ride-shares.
  • You book aspirational hotels and want elite status, suite upgrades, and resort credits without earning them through stays.
  • You fly enough that airport lounge access alone justifies the annual fee.
  • You enjoy stacking multipliers, calendaring statement credits, and treating your wallet like a small portfolio — the extra cognitive load is worth real $ to you.
  • You're already over 5/24 — Chase approvals are unlikely for now, so Amex / Cap One / Citi cards are the realistic next move.
  • You only need to clear first-year math — welcome bonus + statement credits − AF — and are happy to downgrade or cancel before year two if the credits don't fit your life.

Who should get the SW Priority?

  • You travel or dine out enough that a $149 fee pays back via credits and category multipliers.
  • You fly a specific airline 4+ times per year and want elite-style perks (free bags, priority boarding).
  • You're under Chase 5/24 (≤ 4 new personal cards in the last 24 months) — that window is precious, so prioritise the Chase application now.

Break-Even Analysis

At what annual spend does one card permanently beat the other?

SW Priority wins at all practical spend levels

At any annual spend level, SW Priority wins on ongoing value because its annual benefits ($329/yr in tracked credits minus $149 AF) dominate. The earning rates are nearly identical so spending more doesn't shift the outcome — both cards earn similarly per dollar spent.

Break-even calculated on year-2+ ongoing value (benefits + earning − annual fee). Year-one welcome bonus math is separate — see the value scenarios table above.

Frequently asked questions

Which has a better welcome bonus, Bilt Palladium or SW Priority?

Bilt Palladium currently offers the stronger welcome bonus by estimated cash value (~1,100 vs ~938). Welcome bonus offers change frequently — check the current offer on each card's detail page before applying.

Is the Bilt Palladium worth the 495 annual fee?

For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~1,100) and statement credits alone typically cover the 495 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on your spending patterns. Use our Annual Fee Calculator with your actual numbers to verify before renewing.

Is the SW Priority worth the 149 annual fee?

For first-year cardholders the answer is usually yes — the welcome bonus (~938) and statement credits alone typically cover the 149 fee several times over. After year one, the math depends on your spending patterns. Use our Annual Fee Calculator with your actual numbers to verify before renewing.

Can I have both the Bilt Palladium and the SW Priority?

Yes — these cards are from different issuers (Bilt and Chase), so holding both is fine. Each card has its own welcome bonus and benefits with no overlap rules between the two issuers.

Which card is better for transferring points to Hyatt?

Bilt Palladium transfers to World of Hyatt at 1:1 through its Bilt Rewards ecosystem — one of the highest-CPP redemptions in the points game. SW Priority doesn't transfer to Hyatt — Southwest Rapid Rewards has no Hyatt partnership.

Which card has better airport lounge access?

Bilt Palladium includes Priority Pass. SW Priority doesn't include lounge access — you'd need to pay for it separately or upgrade to a premium card.

Which card has the better overall value?

Based on first-year math (welcome bonus + tracked statement credits − annual fee), SW Priority comes out ahead at ~1,118 of net value vs ~605 for the other card. After year one, the better card for YOU depends on how naturally you'll use the credits and category bonuses.

Does Chase's 5/24 rule affect approval for these cards?

Yes — SW Priority is issued by Chase, so the 5/24 rule applies. If you've opened 5 or more cards in the last 24 months, Chase will likely deny your application. Bilt Palladium is issued by Bilt and isn't subject to 5/24.

Which card has the easier minimum spend requirement?

SW Priority has the easier bar — 3,000 in 3 months — vs 4,000 in 3 months for Bilt Palladium. Don't manufacture spend just to hit a higher threshold — if you can't reach it through normal spending, the card isn't the right fit right now.

Which card has more transfer partners?

Bilt Palladium wins on raw partner breadth — 10 transfer partners vs 0 for SW Priority. More partners means more routing flexibility for award flights and hotel redemptions. That said, partner *quality* often matters more than partner *count*: a single great partner (e.g. Hyatt at 1:1) can outweigh a dozen weak ones.

How does CreditPoints compare {cardA} and {cardB}?

Every comparison uses the same fixed methodology: welcome offer value (bonus × current points valuation minus AF), category earning rates, annual fee vs benefit math, transfer-partner depth + redemption value, lounge tier, travel protections, and foreign transaction handling. Card facts come from issuer pages (verified via Playwright on the "Last reviewed" date), card-program award charts, and TPG monthly valuations. Nothing on this page is paid-placement — the Quick Winners, Real-World Scenarios, and Comparison Table are deterministic outputs from the data, not editorial opinion.

How often is the information on this comparison updated?

The comparison data regenerates on every site build (typically multiple times per week as offers change). Welcome offer terms, annual fees, and category multipliers are verified against issuer pages and refreshed as part of the catalog. Welcome bonuses, annual fees, and benefits can change at any time at the issuer's discretion — always confirm current terms on the issuer's application page before applying. The "Last reviewed" date in the trust strip below shows the most recent manual methodology + data-source audit.

Alternatives Worth Considering

If neither card is quite right, these are the next closest options.

American Express Gold Card

Amex

Amex Gold

$325/yr~$2,000 bonus

Broader transfer-partner network (21+ partners via Amex MR) than either card above.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital One

Venture X

$395/yr~$1,388 bonus

Broader transfer-partner network (17+ partners via Capital One Miles) than either card above.

Citi Strata Premier Card

Citi

Strata Premier

$95/yr~$1,425 bonus

Lower-cost entry point at $95/yr. First-year value ~$1,430.

Ready to apply?

Click through to the issuer's secure application page. Welcome bonus offers are confirmed at the time of approval, not at click time.

Bilt

Bilt Palladium

Welcome: 50,000 Bilt Rewards · ~$1,100 est. value

Apply for Bilt Palladium

Chase

SW Priority

Welcome: 75,000 Rapid Rewards · ~$938 est. value

Apply for SW Priority

Run your own numbers

These calculators use the same data this comparison runs on — plug in your spending and see net value.

How we compare these cards

Every pair on CreditPoints is evaluated against the same fixed set of criteria, regenerated on every build from verified card-level data. Nothing in this section changes based on who you are or how you got here.

Factors we evaluate

  • Welcome offer value (bonus points × current valuation, minus annual fee)
  • Earning rates per spend category (dining, travel, groceries, gas, base)
  • Annual fee vs benefit math (statement credits + perks priced to value)
  • Transfer partner depth + redemption flexibility (programs, ratios, sweet spots)
  • Lounge access (network tier, guest policy, in-airport coverage)
  • Travel protections (trip cancellation, baggage, rental-car CDW, cell phone)
  • Hotel and airline benefits (free nights, status, elite-night credits)
  • Foreign transaction fees + chip+PIN support for international use

How we evaluate rewards programs

We score transferable-points ecosystems (Chase UR, Amex MR, Citi TY, Capital One Miles, Bilt) by partner count + redemption value at each partner's sweet spot. Co-brand programs are evaluated against the loyalty program's published award chart and the realistic point earn rate from typical category spend.

How we evaluate transfer partners

Transfer-partner quality outranks transfer-partner quantity. A single 1:1 partner with strong sweet spots (Hyatt via Chase UR, ANA via Amex MR) often beats a dozen 2:1 partners with little redemption upside.

How we evaluate annual fees

An annual fee is justified only when the card's first-year value (welcome bonus + activated credits + benefits) clearly exceeds the AF for the typical reader profile. Our four spending scenarios (beginner, everyday, traveler, premium) show whether the math works for your situation.

How we evaluate travel benefits

Statement credits are priced at face value only when the activation barrier is low (broad-merchant credits, auto-redeem credits). High-friction credits (single-vendor, expiring monthly, claim-required) are discounted because most cardholders don't capture them.

Recommendations on this page are intended as educational guidance and are not financial advice. Always confirm current offer terms on the issuer's site before applying.

Last reviewed

2026-05-29

Data sources

Issuer pages (verified via Playwright on this date), TPG monthly valuations, public award charts.

Editorial note: CreditPoints may earn a commission when you apply through some of the links on this page, but the side-by-side ranking, Quick Winners and Real-World Scenarios are algorithmic and identical for all readers. We never accept payment to change ordering.

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