BMO AIR MILES® World Elite®* Mastercard®* vs BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*: Which one is better?

BMO AIR MILES® World Elite®* Mastercard®*

BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*
Welcome Bonus
3,000 bonus Air Miles after spending at least $4,500 in net eligible purchases within the first 110 days after account open. 2,000 bonus Air Miles after spending at least $10,000 in net eligible purchases within the first 180 days after account open. 2,000 bonus Air Miles after spending at least $20,000 in net eligible purchases within the first 360 days after account open
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.** This offer ends on January 31, 2026.
Our Cash Offer
$75 $125 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth
Promotional rebate expires on Aug 31, 2025
Our Cash Offer
$75 $125 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth
Promotional rebate expires on Aug 31, 2025
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$425.73
Air Miles
First Year Bonus Value
+
$1,260
Air Miles
Annual Fee
-
$120
$0
First Year Waived
Finly Rebate
Exclusive Offer
First Year Value
$1,810.73
$305.73 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $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
Finly Rebate
Exclusive Offer
First Year Value
$733.63
$157.13 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
How to Earn Rewards
- 3x Miles points per $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners
- 2x Miles points per $12 spent on eligible grocery, liquor and wholesale store purchases
- 1x Mile point per $12 spent on all other eligible purchases
How to Earn Rewards
- 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
Insurance Included
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500/person, $1K/tripBaggage Delay
$500/person, $1K/tripCar Rental Damage & Theft
$65,000 up to 48 daysTravel Accident
$500,000/personExtended Warranty
double up to 1 yearPurchase Protection
90 daysHotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000Emergency Out of province Medical
$5M up 15 days/personTrip Cancellation
$1.5K/person, $5K/tripTrip Interruption
$1.5K/person, $10K/tripFlight Delay
$500
Insurance Included
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500/person, $1K/tripBaggage Delay
$500/person, $1K/tripCar Rental Damage & Theft
$65,000 up to 48 daysTravel Accident
$500,000/personExtended Warranty
Double up to 1 yearPurchase Protection
90 daysHotel Burglary Insurance
$1,000Emergency Out of province Medical
$5M up to 21 daysTrip Cancellation
$1,500/person, $5K/tripTrip 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-CarAirport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Pass only - complimentary visits not includedDiscount
Up to 7 cents off per litre on Shell® fuel if you are an AirMiles collectorDiscount
Save up to 7% on your Booking.com prepaid hotel or property rental bookingsDiscount
Annual 25% discount on one worldwide AIR MILES flight redemptionStatus lift
Automatic Air Miles Onyx status
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-CarAirport Lounge - Dragon Pass
4 complimentary visitsDiscount
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.
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%
Cash Advance:
23.99%
Balance Transfer:
23.99%
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%
Cash Advance:
23.99%
Balance Transfer:
23.99%
Annual Fee
$120
$0$
First Year Waived
Annual Fee
$150
$0$
First Year Waived
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Loyalty Program
Loyalty Program
Point Redemption Options
Most Optimal
Travel
18¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash)
10¢ / pointMerchandise
9¢ / point
Point Redemption Options
Most Optimal
Travel
0.67¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash)
0.5¢ / pointMerchandise
0.45¢ / pointFinancial Products
0.67¢ / pointEntertainment
0.64¢ / pointGift Cards
0.48¢ / point
Is this card worth it?
The BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is ideal for frequent Air Miles collectors looking for premium travel benefits and a strong rewards rate. With up to 2,000 bonus miles, a 25% annual flight discount, and automatic Onyx status, this card offers substantial value for those who frequently shop at Air Miles partners and travel often. Its comprehensive insurance coverage and first-year fee waiver also add to its appeal, though the high income requirement may limit its accessibility.
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
- Increased rewards: Earn 1 mile per $12 spent, tripled when shopping at participating Air Miles partners and doubled at eligible grocery, liquor, and wholesale stores.
- Travel perks: Includes a 25% discount on one Air Miles reward flight booking per year.
- Air Miles Onyx status: Automatic Air Miles Onyx status with exclusive benefits.
- Comprehensive insurance: 14 types of insurance coverage, including travel, trip cancellation, and rental car insurance.
- First-year fee waived: Try the card for free in the first year.
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
- High income requirements: Requires $80,000 personal or $150,000 household income, making it inaccessible for many.
- Lower rewards compared to other premium cards: While it offers good Air Miles rewards, other cards may provide more flexible or higher rewards.
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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Legal
*Terms and conditions apply.
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.
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard applications must be received between March 6, 2024 and January 31, 2026 (the “Offer Period”) to be eligible for this offer. This offer is not available to current or former BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard cardholders who reinstate a closed account or open a new account during the Offer Period. Existing BMO credit card cardholders who transfer into this product during the Offer Period are not eligible for this offer. This offer may be withdrawn or changed without notice.
In order to earn up to 90,000 bonus reward points, the following conditions must be met:
- 45,000 BMO Rewards welcome bonus points will be credited to primary credit cardholder’s Collector Account after you spend a minimum of $4,500 in net card purchases (less refunds and excluding cash advances, cash-like transactions, interest charges, fees, credit or debit adjustments) within the first 110 days after the account open date. This 45,000 BMO Rewards welcome bonus points will be credited within sixty (60) business days following the qualifying $4,500 spend, provided the account is open and in good standing.
- Starting on Day 111 after account open date, an additional 3,750 BMO Rewards bonus points will be credited to the primary credit cardholder’s Collector Account for each subsequent 30 day period during which at least $2,500 in net card purchases (less refunds and excluding cash advances, cash-like transactions, interest charges, fees, credit or debit adjustments) are posted to your account. This additional spend bonus will be earned only for the period beginning on Day 111 and ending on Day 482 from the account open date. 3,750 BMO Rewards bonus points will be credited within seven (7) business days after each 30 day period following the qualifying $2,500 spend, provided the account is open and in good standing.
The primary cardholder annual fee of $150 will be rebated in the first year and will appear as a fee and a credit on the primary cardholders first statement. Each Additional Card annual fee of $50 will be rebated in the first year if added at time of primary cardholder’s account opening and will appear as a fee and a credit on the first statement. After the first year, the annual fee plus any additional cardholder fees will appear on your Credit Card statement twelve (12) months after the Credit Card open date. If the Credit Card is cancelled within 365 days from the date it was opened, all Bonus Rewards earned within that period may be cancelled.