Bilt Obsidian
Bilt
$95/yrBilt RewardsNo foreign feeMastercardUsually needs 670+
View issuer offerComparison brief
Bilt Obsidian vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred
Browse all comparisons
Short answer: both charge $95, but they pay for different things. After the credits we count as usable, the Sapphire Preferred costs about $65 (its Global Entry credit is the only one we count). The Obsidian’s $100 hotel credit counts for $0 because it needs 2-night Bilt Travel hotel stays, so its cost stays $95. Choose the Obsidian if you pay rent: it is the only card of the two that earns on it, at 0.5x to 1.25x depending on how much other spending you put on the card. It also earns 3x on either dining or groceries (your choice, with groceries capped at $25,000 a year) and 2x on flights, hotels and car rentals bought directly (tours, attractions and other travel earn 1x). Choose the Preferred if you want 3x on dining, streaming, online groceries, and gas at once, plus Chase transfer partners. Their top travel rates (3x on flights and 4x on hotels at Bilt Travel; 5x at Chase Travel) apply only to bookings through each issuer’s own portal. The head-to-head run below solves both cards against your own spending.
2/4 selected
Ready
Overview
$95/yrChase Ultimate RewardsNo foreign feeVisaUsually needs 670+
View issuer offerSome links may become affiliate links; today none pay us. Commissions are not solver inputs or ranking criteria; issuer terms, eligibility, channel offers, and your assumptions control the modeled result. Read the affiliate disclosure
Which wins on my spending?
Runs the optimizer on these two cards alone, one card allowed, against your own monthly spending.
Earn rates
Everyday categories
Dining
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 3x
EV Charging
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 3x
Flights outside issuer portals
- Bilt Obsidian
- 2x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Gas stations (excluding Costco Gas)
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 3x
Groceries — online
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 3x
Hotels outside issuer portals
- Bilt Obsidian
- 2x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Other travel outside issuer portals
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Streaming
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 3x
Transit
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Travel - Car Rentals / Agencies / Cruises
- Bilt Obsidian
- 2x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Travel - Vacation Homes
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 3x
Everything else
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 1x
| Category | Bilt Obsidian | Chase Sapphire Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Dining | 1x | 3x |
| EV Charging | 1x | 3x |
| Flights outside issuer portals | 2x | 2x |
| Gas stations (excluding Costco Gas) | 1x | 3x |
| Groceries — online | 1x | 3x |
| Hotels outside issuer portals | 2x | 2x |
| Other travel outside issuer portals | 1x | 2x |
| Streaming | 1x | 3x |
| Transit | 1x | 2x |
| Travel - Car Rentals / Agencies / Cruises | 2x | 2x |
| Travel - Vacation Homes | 1x | 3x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
Issuer travel portals 8 categories — only earned when you book through that issuer’s portal
Amex Travel - Car Rentals / Cruises
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Amex Travel - Flights
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Amex Travel - Hotels
- Bilt Obsidian
- 1x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Bilt Travel - Flights
- Bilt Obsidian
- 3x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Bilt Travel - Hotels
- Bilt Obsidian
- 4x
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 2x
Chase Travel - Flights
- Bilt Obsidian
- —
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 5x
Chase Travel - Hotels
- Bilt Obsidian
- —
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 5x
Chase Travel - Rental Cars / Activities
- Bilt Obsidian
- —
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 5x
| Category | Bilt Obsidian | Chase Sapphire Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Amex Travel - Car Rentals / Cruises | 1x | 2x |
| Amex Travel - Flights | 1x | 2x |
| Amex Travel - Hotels | 1x | 2x |
| Bilt Travel - Flights | 3x | 2x |
| Bilt Travel - Hotels | 4x | 2x |
| Chase Travel - Flights | — | 5x |
| Chase Travel - Hotels | — | 5x |
| Chase Travel - Rental Cars / Activities | — | 5x |
These cards earn different reward currencies, so no highest rate is labeled; a larger multiplier does not necessarily mean more value. Listed rates can still be subject to portal, spending-cap, or category-selection rules; review each card's details before deciding.
Credits and benefits
Bilt Travel Hotel Credit
- Bilt Obsidian
- $0/yr estimated usableUp to $100/yrConditional
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- —
Annual Hotel Credit
- Bilt Obsidian
- —
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- $0/yr estimated usableUp to $100/yrConditional
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / NEXUS
- Bilt Obsidian
- —
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- $30/yr estimated usableEasy to use
Apple TV Benefit
- Bilt Obsidian
- —
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- $0/yr estimated usableUp to $156/yrConditional
DoorDash DashPass
- Bilt Obsidian
- —
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- $0/yr estimated usableUp to $120/yrConditional
Estimated usable credit value
- Bilt Obsidian
- $0/yr
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- $30/yr
Maximum face value
- Bilt Obsidian
- $100/yr
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- $406/yr
| Credit | Bilt Obsidian | Chase Sapphire Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Bilt Travel Hotel Credit | $0/yr estimated usable Up to $100/yr Conditional | — |
| Annual Hotel Credit | — | $0/yr estimated usable Up to $100/yr Conditional |
| Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / NEXUS | — | $30/yr estimated usable Easy to use |
| Apple TV Benefit | — | $0/yr estimated usable Up to $156/yr Conditional |
| DoorDash DashPass | — | $0/yr estimated usable Up to $120/yr Conditional |
| Estimated usable credit value | $0/yr | $30/yr |
| Maximum face value | $100/yr | $406/yr |
Estimated usable value applies the same conservative assumptions used by the optimizer. Maximum face value assumes every listed credit is used in full.
Find your modeled setup
The optimizer searches eligible portfolios against your stated spending—not just two cards at a time—and reports whether the result was proven within the selected catalog and run inputs.
Run the optimizer — free