BMO AIR MILES® Mastercard®* vs BMO VIPorter Mastercard®∗: Which one is better?
BMO AIR MILES® Mastercard®*
2.8
BMO VIPorter Mastercard®∗
4.1
Finly Rebate
Finly Rebate
Promotional rebate expires on May 31, 2025
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
$242.03
VIPorter
First Year Bonus Value
$600
VIPorter
Annual Fee
$89
$0
First Year Waived
First Year Value
$842.03
$153.03 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
1 yearPurchase Protection
90 days
Lost or Stolen Baggage
Up to $500 per insured person to a maximum of $1,000 per trip for all insured persons combined
Baggage Delay
Up to $500 per insured person to a maximum of $1,000 per trip for all insured persons combined.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
Rental period up to 48 days, with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of up to $65,000
Travel Accident
Up to $500,000 per insured person
Hotel Burglary Insurance
Up to $1,000 per occurrence for all insured persons combined
Emergency Out of province Medical
Up to $5M per insured person, per trip, for 8 days per tripFlight Delay
Up to a maximum of $500 per trip for all insured persons combined
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 toolDiscount
Get 20% off admission to Cirque du Soleil shows touring Canada* and 15% off resident shows in Las VegasHotel Booking Discount
Save up to 7% on your Booking.com prepaid hotel or property rental bookings at booking.com/mastercardcanada *
Priority Travel
Priority check-in, security, and early boarding for up to 8 companions travelling on the same booking
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*
$89
$0
First Year Waived
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
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*
10,000 bonus VIPorter points after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 110 days, 15,000 bonus VIPorter points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 180 days (plus a 35% flight discount voucher), and 15,000 bonus VIPorter points after spending $10,000 in eligible purchases within the first 365 days. Offer ends July 1, 2025*
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*
- Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on eligible Porter purchases via flyporter.com (up to $10,000 in spending annually)
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on eligible gas and transportation purchases (up to $3,000 in spending annually combined)
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on eligible groceries and dining purchases (up to $5,000 in spending annually combined)
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on eligible hotel accommodation purchases (up to $3,000 in spending annually)
- Earn 0.5 points for every $1 spent everywhere else
- Primary cardholders will receive an annual discount of 35% on a Porter flight booking after spending a minimum of $25,000 in eligible purchases. On the anniversary date of your card, the calculation of the purchases will reset to zero and primary cardholders must qualify again for the new annual period (The flight voucher allows up to 3 companions to accompany the primary cardholder at a 35% discount on the flight booking’s base fare).
Point Redemption Options*
Most Optimal
Travel
18¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
10¢ / point
Merchandise
9¢ / point
Point Redemption Options*
Porter airline and partner flights
1.5¢ / 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?
This is one of the only credit cards in Canada that directly earns you VIPorter points and gives you premium travel benefits like priority security screening, early boarding and priority re-accommodation for flight delays on Porter (and its partners) flights. For frequent Porter travelers, this is a great low-fee card that can fast track your VIPorter status and earn even more travel benefits, although the rewards may be a bit lackluster.
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 in the first year!
- A massive welcome bonus valued at $600+ that also grants you a 35%-off flight discount voucher (valid for up to 3 companions) after meeting the minimum spend requirement
- Points can be redeemed across Porter's expanding North American network, as well as Porter's growing list of global airline partners, currently featuring flights operated by Air Transat and Alaska Airlines sold on flyporter.com.
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 spending caps on common categories like groceries and dining
- Having to spend $25,000 per year just to qualify for 35%-off flight booking discount
- Points can only be redeemed towards flights currently
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