BMO AIR MILES® Mastercard®* vs BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*: Which one is better?
BMO AIR MILES® Mastercard®*
2.8
BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*
3.1
Finly Rebate
Finly Rebate
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$63.16
Air Miles
First Year Bonus Value
$216
Air Miles
Annual Fee
$0
First Year Value
$279.16
$63.16 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$307.13
BMO Rewards
First Year Bonus Value
$301.5
BMO Rewards
Annual Fee
$150
$0
First Year Waived
First Year Value
$608.63
$157.13 in years after
Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Insurance Included*
Extended Warranty
1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Insurance Included*
Extended Warranty
Double up to 1 yearPurchase Protection
90 days
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500/person, $1K/trip
Baggage Delay
$500/person, $1K/trip.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$65,000 up to 48 days
Travel Accident
$500,000/person
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000
Emergency Out of province Medical
$5M up to 21 days
Trip Cancellation
$1,500/person, $5K/trip
Trip Interruption
$2K/person, $10K/tripFlight Delay
$500 after 4 hours
Extra Benefits*
Car Rental Discount
20% off base rate of participating National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car and up to 5% on Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Discount
Save up to 7% on your Booking.com prepaid hotel or property rental bookingsDiscount
Up to 7 cents off per litre on Shell® fuel if you are an AirMiles collectorDiscount
Get 20% off admission to Cirque du Soleil shows touring Canada, and 15% off resident shows in Las Vegas
Extra Benefits*
Car Rental Discount
20% off base rate of participating National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car and up to 5% on Enterprise Rent-A-CarDiscount
Up to 7% discount on Booking.com prepaid hotel or property rental bookingsDiscount
20% off admission to Cirque du Soleil shows touring Canada, and 15% off resident shows in Las VegasDiscount
FlexiRoam: Stay connected around the world without a SIM card and get up to 15% off a Global Data Roaming plan plus up to 3GB of data, free.
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
4 complimentary visits
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
21.99%1
Cash Advance:
23.99%1
Balance Transfer:
23.99%1
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
21.99%
Cash Advance:
23.99%
Balance Transfer:
23.99%
Annual Fee*
$0
Annual Fee*
$150
$0
First Year Waived
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Welcome Bonus*
Get 1,200 AIR MILES Bonus Miles when you spend $1,500 in net card purchases (less refunds and excluding cash advances, cash-like transactions, interest charges, fees, credit, or debit adjustments) in the first 110 days from the Credit Card open date. Get a 0.99% introductory interest rate on Balance Transfers for 9 months, 2% fee applies to balance amounts transferred*.
Welcome Bonus*
Get up to 90,000 points and the annual fee waived in your first anniversary for both the primary cardholder and authorized users.*
Rewards Rate*
- 3x Miles points per $25 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners
- 2x Miles points per $25 spent on eligible grocery purchases
- 1x Mile point per $25 spent on all other eligible purchases
Rewards Rate*
- 5x points per $1 spent on eligible travel purchases (up to $15,000 spent)
- 3x points per $1 spent on eligible dining, recurring bill payment and entertainment purchases (up to $10,000 spent per category)
- 1x point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
Loyalty Program*
Loyalty Program*
Point Redemption Options*
Most Optimal
Travel
18¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
10¢ / point
Merchandise
9¢ / point
Point Redemption Options*
Most Optimal
Travel
0.67¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash)
0.5¢ / pointMerchandise
0.45¢ / point
Financial Products
0.67¢ / point
Entertainment
0.64¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.48¢ / point
Is this card worth it?
The BMO Air Miles Mastercard is an excellent option for those looking to collect Air Miles without paying an annual fee. With bonus earning opportunities at Air Miles partners and grocery stores, this card is ideal for regular Air Miles collectors. It also offers perks like fuel savings at Shell and a competitive balance transfer rate, making it a versatile card for everyday purchases. However, its limited rewards outside of partner stores may not make it the best fit for those who don't frequently shop at Air Miles-affiliated retailers.
Is this card worth it?
The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is perfect for frequent travelers who want a premium card offering high earning rates on travel, dining, and entertainment, plus valuable travel perks like lounge access and comprehensive insurance coverage. If you travel often and can meet the income requirement, this card offers flexibility and peace of mind with both rewards and protection while you're on the go.
Pros
- No annual fee: The card is free to hold, making it a cost-effective way to collect Air Miles.
- Bonus miles at partners: Earn 3x the miles at Air Miles partners and 2x the miles at grocery, liquor, and wholesale stores.
- Fuel savings: Save up to 7 cents per litre at Shell stations, with the potential to save up to $100 annually.
- Balance transfer offer: 0.99% promotional interest rate on balance transfers for the first 9 months.
Pros
- Generous rewards: 5 points per $1 spent on travel, 3 points per $1 spent on dining, entertainment, and recurring bills, and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
- Lounge access: Includes 4 free annual lounge passes through Mastercard Travel Pass.
- Comprehensive insurance: 14 types of insurance, including emergency medical and trip cancellation coverage.
- First year fee waived: Try the card for a year without paying the $150 annual fee.
Cons
- Low base earn rate: Earn only 1 Air Mile per $25 spent on all non-bonus purchases.
- Limited insurance: The card only offers basic insurance, such as extended warranty and purchase protection.
- Limited value outside Air Miles partners: Rewards earning potential is higher at participating partners, but significantly lower for general spending.
Cons
- Low point value: Points are worth only 0.67 cents each, which is lower than other cards.
- High income requirements: Requires $80,000 personal income or $150,000 household income, making it inaccessible for many.
- Limited lounge availability: Users have reported issues with lounge access.
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