Blackbird, Basics

How $FLY works, what the membership tiers unlock, and why it stacks with your credit card.

Blackbird is a dining rewards app built around its own points currency, $FLY. You check in at a participating restaurant, pay your bill through the app with Blackbird Pay, and earn $FLY on the total - no separate card or wallet balance required, since you're still charging your own credit or debit card behind the scenes.

How $FLY works

Every 100 $FLY is worth $1 toward a future check at a Blackbird restaurant, so the points are really just cash back in disguise. $FLY doesn't expire, and because Blackbird Pay charges your linked card rather than a prepaid balance, your card still earns its normal rewards on the same purchase - you're stacking, not choosing one or the other.

Three tiers, three earn rates

You move up by spending through the app - Regular and Friends & Family also come with perks like priority reservations and early access to new restaurants, on top of the better rate. Even at the base Member tier, 4x $FLY works out to about 4% back, on top of whatever your card already earns.

The check-in bonus

Beyond the per-dollar rate, Blackbird also credits a small bonus - a few extra cents - just for checking in when you arrive, whether or not you end up paying through the app that visit. It's small, but it's free, so there's no reason to skip it.

This is a general guide, not a substitute for checking the app - tier thresholds, rates, and perks can change over time.