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BMO AIR MILES® Mastercard®* vs Students – BMO CashBack® Mastercard®*: Which one is better?
BMO AIR MILES® Mastercard®*
Students – BMO CashBack® Mastercard®*
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*. This offer ends on June 1, 2026.
Welcome Bonus
Get up to 5% cash back in your first 3 months, up to $2,500 in spend (max $125 cashback). This offer ends on January 31, 2026.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$63.16
Air Miles
First Year Bonus Value
+
$216
Air Miles
Annual Fee
-
$0
First Year Value
$329.16
$63.16 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$238.05
First Year Bonus Value
+
$94.3
Annual Fee
-
$0
First Year Value
$367.35
$238.05 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
How to Earn Rewards
- 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
How to Earn Rewards
- 3% cash back on grocery purchases (maximum $15 per statement)
- 1% cash back on recurring payments like bills or subscriptions (maximum $5 per statement)
- 0.5% cash back on all other purchases
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Insurance Included
Extended Warranty
1 yearPurchase Protection
90 days
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
Save up to 20% on National Car Rental® and Alamo Rent A Car® and up to 5% on Enterprise Rent-A-Car® at locations worldwide using the Car Rental Booking tool.Discount
Get 20% off admission to Cirque du Soleil shows touring Canada, and 15% off resident shows in Las Vegas.Hotel Booking Discount
Save up to 7% on your Booking.com prepaid hotel or property rental bookings at booking.com/mastercardcanada.
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%1
Cash Advance:
23.99%1
Balance Transfer:
23.99%1
1 Terms and conditions apply. Each balance transfer is subject to a fee of 2% which will be charged to your account on the date the balance transfer is posted to your Account.
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%
Cash Advance:
23.99%
Balance Transfer:
23.99%
Annual Fee
$0
Annual Fee
$0
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Loyalty Program
Loyalty Program
N/A
Point Redemption Options
Most Optimal
Travel
18¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
10¢ / point
Merchandise
9¢ / point
Point Redemption Options
Not Applicable
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?
We consider this card to be the best student credit card in Canada for it's competitive cashback rewards (3% on groceries, 1% on recurring bills), no annual fee and a generous welcome bonus. Plus, cashback redemption is flexible so no need to wait a year each time you want to get your cashback paid out.
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
- No annual fee, making it a cost-effective option for all students.
- Up to 3% cash back on groceries and 1% on recurring bill payments, giving fantastic rewards to students.
- Save up to 7 cents per litre at Shell stations when linked with Air Miles.
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 base earn rate of 0.5% cash back on non-bonus purchases.
- Limited insurance coverage (extended warranty and purchase protection only).
vs BMO VIPorter Mastercard®∗
vs BMO AIR MILES® World Elite®* Mastercard®*
vs BMO CashBack® Mastercard®
vs BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*
vs BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card
vs BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card
vs BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard®∗
vs BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard®
vs BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
vs BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard®
vs BMO VIPorter Mastercard®∗
vs BMO AIR MILES® World Elite®* Mastercard®*
vs BMO CashBack® Mastercard®
vs BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*
vs BMO eclipse rise Visa* Card
vs BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card
vs BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard®∗
vs BMO Preferred Rate Mastercard®
vs BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
vs BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard®
Legal
*Terms and conditions apply.
BMO AIR MILES Mastercard applications must be received between March 24, 2025 and June 1, 2026 (the “Offer Period”). 1,200 AIR MILES Bonus Miles offer is limited to new accounts. Existing BMO AIR MILES Mastercard customers who cancel their card during the Offer Period, and existing BMO Mastercard customers who transfer into this product during the Offer Period are not eligible.
Each balance transfer is subject to a fee of 2% which will be charged to your account on the date the balance transfer is posted to your Account.
BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information.
BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information.