The perfect Air Miles bank cards
The Air Miles loyalty program is among the most established and well-liked in Canada. Although it misplaced a few of its lustre lately, BMO acquired Air Miles in 2023 and relaunched this system in 2024 with new companions and a concentrate on experiences. BMO provides three Air Miles bank cards, together with a variation of the BMO Air Miles Mastercard for college kids. There are additionally three enterprise Air Miles bank cards. Let’s take a look on the three playing cards meant for on a regular basis Air Miles collectors.
| Air Miles bank card | Major profit |
|---|---|
| For no annual payment BMO Air Miles Mastercard Annual payment: $0 |
Earn as much as 3 Miles per $25 spent with out paying an annual payment |
| For probably the most earnings and perks BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard Annual payment: $120 (waived first 12 months) |
The quickest strategy to earn Air Miles and get journey perks, like journey insurance coverage and complimentary Dragon Go membership |
| For college kids BMO Air Miles Mastercard for College students Annual payment: $0 |
Accessible to college students and comes with the identical advantages because the BMO Air Miles Mastercard |
Why belief us
MoneySense is an award-winning journal, serving to Canadians navigate cash issues since 1999. Our editorial staff of skilled journalists works intently with main private finance consultants in Canada. That can assist you discover the most effective monetary merchandise, we evaluate the choices from over 12 main establishments, together with banks, credit score unions and card issuers. Be taught extra about our promoting and trusted companions.
For no annual payment
At a look: In the event you’re on the lookout for a no-fee bank card, why not select one which rewards you each time you utilize it? With no annual payment and a set of normal perks like prolonged guarantee and buy safety, the BMO Air Miles Mastercard is a good entry-level card. When your time involves redeem, you’ll have the added satisfaction of figuring out your reward—whether or not it’s a toaster oven, money for groceries or a flight—didn’t come at the price of an annual payment.
featured
BMO Air Miles Mastercard
Annual payment: Annual payment: $0
3 Miles per $25 spent at Air Miles companions
2 Miles per $25 spent at eligible grocery, liquor and wholesale shops
1 Mile per $25 spent all over the place else
Welcome supply: earn 1,500 AIR MILES Bonus Miles!* That’s sufficient for $150 in direction of purchases with AIR MILES Money*
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on steadiness transfers |
| Earnings required | Private revenue of $15,000 |
| Credit score rating | 660 or greater |
| Level worth | 1 Dream Mile = $0.0121 on common when redeemed for journey. 1 Money Mile = $0.105 |
For probably the most earnings and perks
At a look: Canadians who use the Air Miles program primarily for journey will discover the advantages and bonuses with the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard to be excellent. What actually places this card into its personal class are the quite a few travel-specific perks for account holders. To start out, it comes with sturdy journey insurance coverage, together with $5 million in out-of-province/out-of-country emergency medical for cardholders below 65 years of age. Members additionally get complimentary membership in Mastercard Journey Go offered by DragonPass.
featured
BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard
Annual payment: $120
3 Miles per $12 spent at Air Miles companions
2 Miles per $25 spent at eligible grocery, liquor and wholesale shops
1 Mile per $12 spent all over the place else
Welcome supply: earn 3,000 AIR MILES Bonus Miles! That is sufficient for $310 in direction of purchases with AIR MILES Money!
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 20.99% on purchases, 23.99% on money advances, 23.99% on steadiness transfers |
| Earnings required | Private revenue of $80,000 or family revenue of $150,000 |
| Credit score rating | 760 or greater |
| Level worth | 1 Dream Mile = $0.0121 on common when redeemed for journey. 1 Money Mile = $0.105 |
For college kids
At a look: The BMO Air Miles Mastercard for College students comes with the identical earn charges and advantages because the BMO Air Miles Mastercard. However as a scholar bank card, there are fewer eligibility necessities, making it simpler or college students with modest incomes to get authorized. To qualify, you’ll must be enrolled as a scholar at a acknowledged post-secondary faculty, aged 18 to 24 and the age of majority in your province, a Canadian citizen or everlasting resident, and earn an revenue from employment, scholarship/grant, scholar mortgage or household allowance.
featured
BMO Air Miles Mastercard for College students
Annual payment: Annual payment: $0
3 Miles per $25 spent at Air Miles companions
2 Miles per $25 spent at eligible grocery, liquor and wholesale shops
1 Mile per $25 spent all over the place else
Welcome supply: earn 1,500 AIR MILES Bonus Miles!* That’s sufficient for $150 in direction of purchases with AIR MILES Money*
Card particulars
| Rates of interest | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on steadiness transfers |
| Earnings required | None specified |
| Credit score rating | 660 or greater |
| Level worth | 1 Dream Mile = $0.0121 on common when redeemed for journey. 1 Money Mile = $0.105 |
New methods to earn and redeem
BMO purchased Air Miles in March 2023, after this system’s proprietor, Loyalty Ventures Inc., filed for chapter. In July 2024, the financial institution unveiled modifications to Air Miles aimed toward “reinvigorating one in all Canada’s largest loyalty applications.” The modifications embody new methods to earn and redeem Air Miles rewards. Learn extra about the Air Miles relaunch.
Air Miles companions
There are dozens of retailers and repair suppliers that supply Air Miles. If you store at these shops, you’ll earn further Air Miles in your purchases. The record of Air Miles companions consists of:
- Alamo Automotive Rental
- Boston Pizza
- Price range Automotive Rental
- Decathlon
- Dollarama
- International Pet Meals
- Goodyear
- H&M
- Harry Rosen
- Instacart
- Porter
- Shell
- Simons
- Through Rail
Which gasoline stations take Air Miles?
Whereas Air Miles is broadly accepted in Canada, this system is barely provided at a restricted variety of Canadian gasoline stations. At the moment, Shell Canada and Irving Oil are the 2 gasoline stations in Canada that mean you can pay with Air Miles. BMO Air Miles cardholders additionally get:
- 1 Mile for each 10 litres of premium gas, and 1 Mile for each 10 litres of bronze, silver and diesel gas at Shell Stations, plus 1 Mile for each $5 spent on automobile wash or in-store merchandise.
- 1 Mile for each 20 litres of gas bought at Irving Oil gasoline stations, plus 1 Mile for each $20 spent on comfort retailer merchandise and automobile washes.
Dream Miles versus Money Miles
One other function of the Air Miles program is that it enables you to select from two other ways to earn: Money Miles or Dream Miles.
Money Miles can be utilized in direction of on a regular basis buying at groceries or gasoline at taking part companions. You would use your Miles on garments at Lululemon, on an evening on the motion pictures with Cineplex, and even on a latte from Starbucks. The speed stays the identical, and Money Miles are easy to redeem both in-store at Air Miles companions or on-line for Air Miles e-vouchers.
Dream Miles are saved towards a “dream” reward, like journey, occasion tickets or home equipment. These are usually big-ticket gadgets (“larger” than what you’ll use with Money Miles), and the redemption fee varies. You would redeem your Dream Miles for a flight booked on one of many Air Miles companion airways.
As an Air Miles collector, you need to select whether or not to earn your Miles within the Money or Dream classes—however don’t fear concerning the dedication. You may select both or each. For instance, if you wish to use your whole Air Miles for on a regular basis purchases, you’ll be able to go on the Air Miles website and choose 100% of your Miles going to Money. Or, if you’d like your whole Miles to enter financial savings in opposition to a visit, you’d select 100% Dream. Or, you’ll be able to cut up between the 2 in any proportion you need: 50:50, 60:40, 80:20, or another mixture.
Air Miles collector standing
Beforehand, Air Miles members couldn’t switch Dream Miles to Money Miles (and vice versa), as soon as the rewards had been earned. Nonetheless, with the current modifications to this system, Air Miles can now be transformed relying in your collector standing. Listed below are the three Air Miles tiers, and methods to qualify for every:
- Blue: Each Air Miles collector is robotically given Blue standing.
- Gold standing: Get 500 to 4,999 Miles in a calendar 12 months, or be a cardholder of the BMO Air Miles Mastercard to robotically qualify.
- Onyx standing: Get 5,000 Miles or extra in a calendar 12 months, or be a cardholder of the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard to robotically qualify.
Gold and Onyx collectors can convert Dream Miles to Money Miles and vice versa. Onyx collectors get limitless transfers, whereas Gold collectors can switch as much as 1,000 Miles per 12 months. Gold and Onyx collectors additionally get extra journey advantages and merchandise reductions. Every tier comes with the power to redeem with a mix of money and Miles.
Extra of Canada’s finest bank cards:
What does the * imply?
Affiliate (monetized) hyperlinks can generally lead to a fee to MoneySense (owned by Ratehub Inc.), which helps our web site keep free to our customers. If a hyperlink has an asterisk (*) or is labelled as “Featured,” it’s an affiliate hyperlink. If a hyperlink is labelled as “Sponsored,” it’s a paid placement, which can or could not have an affiliate hyperlink. Our editorial content material won’t ever be influenced by these hyperlinks. We’re dedicated to all accessible merchandise out there. The place a product ranks in our article, and whether or not or not it’s included within the first place, is rarely pushed by compensation. For extra particulars, learn our
MoneySense Monetization coverage.
