Bilt Obsidian vs HSBC Premier World Mastercard®
Side-by-side comparison
| Bilt Obsidian | HSBC Premier World Mastercard® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | $95 |
| Welcome offer | $200 in Bilt Cash on account opening | 50,000 bonus points |
| Dining | 3x | 1x |
| Groceries | 3x | 3x |
| Gas | 1x | 3x |
| Travel | 2x | 2x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $490 | $473 |
| Points type | Transfers to airlines & hotels | Transfers to airlines & hotels |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Bilt Obsidian | HSBC Premier World Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $200 in Bilt Cash on account opening | 50,000 bonus points |
| To earn it | No minimum spend | $4,000 in the first 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $895 | $1,083 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $695 | $583 |
This one splits by time horizon. In year one the HSBC Premier World Mastercard® is ahead by roughly $188, thanks largely to its welcome offer. But the Bilt Obsidian earns more every year after, so if you keep it, it overtakes the HSBC Premier World Mastercard® after about 3 years. Chasing the sign-up bonus and open to canceling before the second annual fee? Take the HSBC Premier World Mastercard®. Planning to keep it for years? The Bilt Obsidian pulls ahead.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Bilt Obsidian | HSBC Premier World Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | ~$300/yr (2 credits) | ~$205/yr (4 credits) |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable to airline & hotel partners | Transferable to airline & hotel partners |
On perks and redemptions, the Bilt Obsidian carries the heavier credit stack (about $300 a year). Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Only the Bilt Obsidian earns transferable points. Its Bilt Rewards move to Alaska / Atmos, Air Canada, World of Hyatt, American Airlines, and Turkish, where a point can be worth several cents on a premium-cabin redemption, far above its cash value. The HSBC Premier World Mastercard® pays flat cash back, worth about a cent, so its ceiling is nearer a penny per point no matter how you redeem.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Bilt Obsidian earns about $490 a year in rewards and the HSBC Premier World Mastercard® about $473, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Bilt Obsidian charges $95, but carries about $300 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. The HSBC Premier World Mastercard® charges $95, but carries about $205 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Bilt Obsidian delivers more total value, about $64 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on dining. Both earn transferable points rather than flat cash, so the deciding factor is whose transfer partners reach the airlines and hotels you would actually book. On the sign-up bonus, the HSBC Premier World Mastercard® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Bilt Obsidian if your spending leans toward dining. Pick the HSBC Premier World Mastercard® if your spending leans toward gas.