Bilt Palladium vs HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard®
Side-by-side comparison
| Bilt Palladium | HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $495 | $495 |
| Welcome offer | 50,000 points + Gold Status + $300 Bilt Cash | 60,000 bonus points |
| Dining | 2x | 2x |
| Groceries | 2x | 1x |
| Gas | 2x | 1x |
| Travel | 2x | 5x |
| Streaming | 2x | 1x |
| Everything else | 2x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $583 | $394 |
| 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 Palladium | HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 50,000 points + Gold Status + $300 Bilt Cash | 60,000 bonus points |
| To earn it | $4,000 in 90 days | $4,000 in the first 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $1,488 | $1,279 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $688 | $679 |
The Bilt Palladium wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*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 Palladium | HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Yes — Priority Pass | Yes — Priority Pass |
| Annual credits | ~$600/yr (2 credits) | ~$780/yr (4 credits) |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable to airline & hotel partners | Transferable to airline & hotel partners |
On perks and redemptions, the HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® carries the heavier credit stack (about $780 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 Palladium 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 Elite World Elite 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 Palladium earns about $583 a year in rewards and the HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® about $394, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Bilt Palladium charges $495, but carries about $600 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. The HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® charges $495, but carries about $780 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Bilt Palladium delivers more total value, about $100 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and groceries. 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 Bilt Palladium 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 Palladium if your spending leans toward groceries, gas, streaming. Pick the HSBC Elite World Elite Mastercard® if your spending leans toward travel.