BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard®∗ Review

Already looking to optimize your VIPorter points as much as possible? Luckily, BMO has two Porter-Airline-focused options for you to choose from.

In this review, we’re going to break down the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, the premium older sibling of the BMO VIPorter Mastercard, complete with superior point-potential, better perks, and more comprehensive travel insurance.

Stick around to learn more.

How You Earn Rewards with the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

Let’s cut to one of the most important parts of any credit card, the rewards program.

With the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, cardholders are granted the following:

• 3 VIPorter points per dollar spent on eligible Porter purchases made through flyporter.com (capped at $20,000 in spending annually)
• 2 VIPorter points per dollar spent on eligible gas and transportation purchases (capped at $5,000 in spending annually combined)
• 2 VIPorter points for every dollar spent on eligible groceries and dining purchases (capped at $10,000 in spending annually combined)
• 2 VIPorter points per dollar spent on hotel accommodation purchases (capped at $5,000 in spending annually)
• 1 VIPorter point per dollar spent on everything else

Clearly, this BMO Mastercard was built to seamlessly support any upcoming trips by optimizing everyday spending and travel expenses.

With this card, cardholders are also automatically granted automatic VIPorter Avid Traveller Venture membership benefits, which provides 6 bonus VIPorter points per dollar spent on Porter flights – talk about takeoff incentive!

If that wasn’t enough, you can also collect $1 of Avid Traveller Qualifying Spend for every $25 in eligible credit card spend, ultimately unlocking more earning opportunities and perks over time.

Redeeming your Rewards with the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

Currently, VIPorter points are only redeemable towards Porter and partnered airline flights. Participating airlines include Porter’s North American network, plus its growing list of global airline partners, featuring journeys captained by Air Transat and Alaska Airlines. Altogether, Porter’s participating airlines provide passengers with over 3,000 flight routings to choose from. 

For example, Air Transat boasts 1,270 itineraries that connect 56 destinations across 28 countries in North America, Europe, South America, Africa, and the Caribbean. If you choose to fly with Air Transat to Europe, redemptions start at 25,000 points. On the other hand, if you’re hopping on an Air Transat aircraft to the Caribbean, redemptions start at 21,500 points. So it really all depends on the destination and the itinerary.

Let’s say you’re more interested in flying with Alaska Airlines. In that case, you’ll have your choice of 1,020 available connections that provide routes between 11 Canadian and U.S. cities, with redemptions to the U.S. starting at 9,500 points.

No matter which eligible airline you choose within the Porter network, you can find flights through flyporter.com.

If you don’t have enough VIPorter points to cover your flight, you can always take part in Porter’s Cash + Points redemption option, offering fares for around half of the points when you pay for part of the ticket in cash. These dual-payment opportunities start at 2,500 points + $35 (plus taxes and fees) for short-haul flights.

Of course, there are bound to be some exclusions. Keep in mind that your VIPorter points cannot be transferred or divided between accounts, except for in extreme cases, like death. Your points also cannot be redeemed towards flight taxes or third-party fees and fares. 

14 Benefits of the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

If you thought the benefits on the BMO VIPorter Mastercard were impressive, just wait until you see everything the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard has to offer.

Here’s a closer look at all of the perks you can expect on this premium Mastercard:

First-Year Annual Fee Rebate

Sure, for an airline loyalty card, the annual fee on the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard is pretty steep, but thankfully, this fee is completely waived in the first year of membership (valid until July 1, 2025).

Even afterwards, once you consider all of the perks that come with this premium card, you might find that the fee is offset through its benefits and overall value.

VIPorter-Point Sign-Up Bonus

After your application for the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard is approved, you’ll have the opportunity to earn up to 70,000 VIPorter points.

These points will be provided to you in increments based on set timelines and spending milestones.

Specifically, you’ll collect:

• 20,000 bonus VIPorter points 110 days after opening your account and spending at least $5,000
• An extra 20,000 VIPorter points 180 days after opening your account and spending at least $9,000
• An additional 30,000 VIPorter points 365 days after opening your account and spending at least $18,000

No VIPorter Points Expiry

Thankfully with the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, your VIPorter points never expire as long as you keep your account active with regular transactions here and there.

Full-Value Redemptions

Notably, VIPorter is the only airline loyalty program in Canada that grants cardholders full value for every dollar they spend on flights, meaning they receive 100% of their eligible points for every plane ticket purchase – even Basic economy fares. That said, points cannot be collected on any taxes or third party fees associated with the purchase.

No Seat Redemption Restrictions

The VIPorter loyalty program allows members to redeem VIPorter points for any seat across all Porter aircrafts and airline partners. Whether you’re looking for last seat availability, to book your ticket using only points, or to secure your seat using points and cash, you’ll never be restricted from doing so. In fact, with VIPorter, redemption opportunities aren’t even subject to blackout dates, so you can redeem freely at any time.

Automatic VIPorter Avid Traveller Venture Membership Benefits

A lot of the time, to earn associated membership benefits through a credit card, you need to meet certain credentials. Thankfully, with the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, you can receive VIPorter Avid Traveller Venture membership benefits automatically.

These benefits include:

• 6 extra VIPorter points per dollar spent on Porter flights
• Dedicated airport check-in
• Priority security screening
• Early boarding
• Priority re-accommodation for flight delays
• One complimentary checked bag
• A carry-on bag when purchasing a Basic economy fare 
• Complimentary PorterClassic seat selection

As you can see, these membership benefits alone are enough to make this card extremely perks-focused, and that’s before you consider all of the other perks outside of the VIPorter Avid Traveller Venture membership benefits.

Earn Avid Traveller Qualifying Spend

As stated in the rewards section, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard also earns cardholders $1 of Avid Traveller Qualifying Spend for every $25 in eligible credit card spend, benefiting members with more rewards and travel perks in the long run.

PorterReserve Flight Certificates

Another VIPorter perk are the PorterReserve flight certificates. These certificates start at $3,000 in annual Qualifying Spend.

As a PorterReserve passenger, you’ll gain access to travel benefits like:

• Flight modifications
• Upgraded seating
• Complimentary beverages
• Enhanced snack services
• Complimentary checked baggage

Annual Round-Trip Porter Companion Pass

Once you spend a minimum of $50,000 within the first year of opening your account, you’ll receive a round-trip Porter companion pass each year you qualify.

This companion pass offers an additional flyer on the same itinerary a full rebate off of the base fare of any Porter flight.

Sure, the spending requirement is quite high, but if you happen to be a big spender anyway, the pay-off is certainly worth it.

Complimentary Mastercard Travel Pass

Dragon Pass has teamed up with Mastercard to provide BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard members with a complimentary Mastercard Travel Pass that allows travellers to kick back in Dragon Pass airport lounges prior to takeoff. To enter each participating lounge, keep in mind that you will need to pay an entry fee. You’ll also want to make sure you register for your Mastercard Travel Pass online or through the mobile app.

Mastercard Travel Rewards Cashback Offers

Looking to collect points and cashback? With the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, you’ll have the opportunity to do both.

Access an entire network of Mastercard Travel Rewards cashback offers when you support Mastercard’s partnered brands in retail, dining, and travel.

Mastercard On-Demand and Subscription Services

Maybe you’re searching for even more digital perks. If so, Mastercard has a wide selection of on-demand and subscription services for BMO VIPorter World Elite cardholders – whether you want to stay connected internationally with FlexiRoam or stream your favourite live sports channels with Fubo.

Helpful Discounts

Lastly, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard’s benefits list wouldn’t be complete without some discounts.

As a cardholder, expect to save on:

• Rental cars at National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Admission to Cirque du Soleil performances touring Canada or resident shows in Las Vegas
• Prepaid hotel and rental property bookings made through Booking.com

Comprehensive Travel Coverage

To keep you covered on every adventure, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard comes with comprehensive travel coverage, including sought-after protections like trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance.

4 Downsides to the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard

So, is the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard too good to be true? With help from this next section, we’ll let you be the judge.

Below, you’ll find some drawbacks that might make certain applicants a little hesitant to submit an application – it all really depends on what type of spender and earner you are.

A Higher Annual Fee

We mentioned this briefly before, but it’s worth reiterating that after the first-year annual fee rebate, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard’s annual fee is pretty high for an airline loyalty card.

Remember though, if you intend on making the most out of this card’s perks and rewards program, you might find that you offset this fee on a yearly basis.

High Income Requirements

Annual fees aside, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard was technically designed for high-earners.

In order to be approved for this premium VIPorter contender, you’ll need to have either a personal annual income of $80,000 or a household annual income of $150,000.

Limited Redemptions

Assumably, you’re here because you’re on the lookout for a new travel credit card, and don’t get us wrong, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard is just that – with an important distinction.

The card was created specifically to optimize flights through Porter and partnered airlines, which is why the only way you can currently redeem your VIPorter points is through eligible flights.

This type of redemption loyalty may not be ideal for those who were hoping to have a couple of other travel redemption categories.

Spending Caps on Common Earn Categories

Of course, you’ll also want to keep an eye on the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard’s spending caps. Unfortunately, these caps are implemented upon common everyday spend categories like gas, transportation, groceries, and dining. Once you hit the spending limits imposed upon each combined category, you’ll be subject to the card’s standard base rate.

Comparison to Other Airline Loyalty Credit Cards

To ensure that we’ve provided you with the most comprehensive review of the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, we’ve also gone ahead and compared this card to some close competitors – one of which is also from the VIPorter loyalty program and the other is also from BMO but is branded by a different airline program.

Here’s a quick overview of the comparisons we’ll be making:

BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard vs BMO VIPorter Mastercard

We can’t wrap up this credit card review without comparing the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard to the BMO VIPorter Mastercard.

Both cards were released in March 2025 by BMO, and while the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard is the more premium VIPorter option, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard is much more accessible.

For starters, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard has a much lower annual fee than the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, plus this low fee is also waived for the first year of membership. Secondly, unlike the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard has absolutely no income requirements – so you don’t have to be a high-earner to qualify!

When comparing the two VIPorter cards’ welcome bonuses, you’ll find that the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard nearly doubles the bonus point potential of the BMO VIPorter Mastercard, earning cardholders up to 70,000 VIPorter points instead of up to 40,000.

Now, let’s get into the rewards program. The two cards offer up the same earn categories, but the BMO VIPorter Mastercard offers fewer VIPorter points per dollar spent on Porter flights, followed by fewer points on transportation, gas, groceries, and dining. The overall base rate on the BMO VIPorter Mastercard is also slightly lower than the base rate on the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard.

Instead of providing cardholders with automatic VIPorter Avid Traveller Venture membership benefits, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard actually grants cardholders VIPorter Passport Avid Traveller membership benefits – which includes nearly all of the same perks, except for the complimentary checked bag, the carry-on bag when purchasing Basic economy fare, and the complimentary PorterClassic seat selection.

Overall, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard also has more premium benefits like the above VIPorter Avid Traveller Venture membership benefits, the complimentary Mastercard Travel Pass from Dragon Pass, and the annual round-trip Porter companion pass that covers 100% of the base rate on all Porter flights in place of the annual voucher from the BMO VIPorter Mastercard that provides only 35% off base rate fares. However, it’s important to note that the BMO VIPorter Mastercard’s vouchers cover up to 4 travellers, whereas the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard’s companion pass only covers one additional traveller. With that in mind, the size of your travel party might influence which of these perks is most beneficial to you.

In terms of travel insurance, the BMO VIPorter Mastercard lacks important coverage like trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance – two inclusions you’ll find on the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard.

Ultimately, as a frequent Porter flyer, you’d likely only opt for the BMO VIPorter Mastercard over the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard if you don’t meet the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard’s income requirements, or you cannot support its much higher annual fee. By substituting the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard for the BMO VIPorter Mastercard, you’ll get lower reward rates, plus fewer benefits and coverage categories.

BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard vs BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard

While the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard also comes from BMO, it caters to the Air Miles loyalty program, which has a broader network of airlines, including Porter.

When it comes to collecting respective points, the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard earns cardholders solid points per $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners, plus decent Miles points per $12 spent on eligible grocery, liquor, and wholesale store purchases. So, similar to the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard, the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard focuses on optimizing both associated travel expenses and some everyday spend categories like groceries. Still, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard offers more earning opportunities and a better point-to-dollar-spent ratio (since you earn points per $1 not per $12). 

However, when it comes to redeeming points, within the Air Miles loyalty program, the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard’s Miles are worth more when redeemed towards eligible travel, but since you have to spent at least $12 to receive your point rates, accumulating these points might take a bit longer. Still, the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard has more redemption categories to choose from, specifically travel, statement credits, and merchandise. Even within the realm of travel redemption alone, the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard is more flexible since you can redeem points towards eligible plane tickets or vacation packages within this category. Alternatively, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard only allows you to redeem your VIPorter points towards Porter airline and partner airline flights.

Overall, the two cards offer the same insurance categories with similar coverage across multiple protections.

Moving on to benefits, both options feature some of the same perks like car rental discounts, an airport lounge Dragon Pass, and Booking.com savings. While the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard adds some premium perks like automatic Air Miles Onyx status, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard still comes out on top with valuable inclusions like its companion voucher, its free first checked bags, and it’s priority travel add ons – all contributing to a much more extensive and exclusive benefits list.

The BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard is cheaper annually and the cost is also rebated in the first year, but it shares the same high annual income requirements as the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard.

All in all, you might apply for the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard over the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard card if you want more redemption flexibility and a bigger network of airlines to choose from (including Porter). However, if Porter is your airline of choice (or perhaps one of its partners) then you’ll get much more overall value through benefits and rewards with the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard.

Final Verdict

If you’ve been holding out for the best Porter airline credit card, then you’ve lucked out with BMO’s latest launch. 

Even when compared to the BMO VIPorter Mastercard, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard is the most premium option, with higher point-potential, better and more extensive perks, and improved insurance coverage.

It’s true that there are other airline loyalty credit cards by BMO that offer more redemption flexibility, like the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard, but this option doesn’t offer the same annual value through top-tier travel benefits and earning opportunities.