BMO has up to date the welcome affords for his or her BMO Rewards bank cards: the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card, and the BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®*.
Alongside increased headline bonuses, BMO has additionally leaned additional into lifestyle-style perks this cycle. Relying on the cardboard, that now consists of Instacart credit, annual life-style or streaming-style credit, and, on the premium finish, NEXUS software credit and airport precedence advantages.
Maintaining tempo with a aggressive bank card market, these updates are clearly designed to make BMO playing cards really feel extra “on a regular basis helpful” — not simply rewarding on paper, however simpler to justify maintaining yr after yr.
Let’s check out what’s at the moment on provide, and the way interesting these offers actually are when you think about spending necessities, alternative price, and the way a lot of the high-quality print you’re truly prepared to stay with.
Earlier than we dive in, recall that BMO Rewards factors have a fastened worth of 0.67 cents per level, or 150 factors = $1.
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card: As much as 70,000 Factors
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card is providing a signup bonus of as much as 70,000 BMO Rewards factors, damaged down as follows:
- Earn 30,000 factors upon spending $3,000 within the first 110 days
- Earn 20,000 factors upon spending a complete of $7,000 within the first 180 days
- Earn 20,000 factors upon spending a complete of $12,000 within the first 12 months
In comparison with the earlier monthly-bonus construction, this revised provide is a significant enchancment. As a substitute of forcing cardholders into inflexible $2,000 month-to-month spending targets over a full yr, BMO has shifted to cumulative thresholds, that are way more real looking for most individuals.
At most worth, 70,000 BMO Rewards factors is value about $467 in journey, which places this firmly within the “good however not spectacular” vary as soon as alternative price is taken into account.
The place the eclipse Visa Infinite continues to justify itself isn’t purely by the bonus, however by its day-to-day usefulness.
The cardboard earns 5x factors on eating, groceries, gasoline, and transit, which works out to an efficient 3.35% return on these classes. Add a supplementary cardholder and the earn charge will increase by 10%, pushing that return nearer to 3.7%, which stays among the many strongest fixed-rate returns in Canada.
Cardholders obtain a $50 annual life-style credit score, a $20 month-to-month streaming subscription credit score, and Instacart advantages, together with six months of complimentary Instacart+ and a $10 month-to-month Instacart credit score on eligible orders.
With the $120 annual charge waived within the first yr, these credit go a good distance towards boosting the cardboard’s first-year worth, even for those who by no means attain the complete 70,000-point headline bonus.
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card
- Earn 30,000 BMO Rewards factors upon spending $4,000 within the first 110 days
- Earn 20,000 BMO Rewards factors upon spending a complete of $7,000 within the first 180 days
- Plus, earn 20,000 BMO Rewards factors upon spending a complete of $12,000 within the first 12 months
- Complete of as much as 70,000 BMO Rewards factors
- Earn 5x BMO Rewards factors on groceries, eating, gasoline, and transit
- Obtain an annual $50 life-style credit score
- Obtain $20 month-to-month streaming subscription credit score
- Annual charge: $0 for the primary yr, then $120
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card: As much as 200,000 Factors
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card has additionally set an all-time excessive on paper, as much as 200,000 BMO Rewards factors. However as all the time, the satan is within the particulars:
- Earn 80,000 factors upon spending $6,000 within the first 110 days
Earn 60,000 factors upon spending a complete of $30,000 within the first six months
Earn 80,000 factors upon spending a complete of $75,000 within the first yr
There’s no denying that these numbers look huge at first look. However as all the time with BMO Rewards, the satan is within the spending thresholds.
The preliminary 80,000-point bonus for $6,000 of spending is completely affordable for a premium card. The place issues begin to unravel is all the things that comes after.
Reaching the second and third tiers requires committing $30,000 after which $75,000 in whole annual spending to a fixed-value factors foreign money capped at 0.67 cents per level. At these ranges, most points-savvy travellers would virtually actually be higher off directing their spending towards playing cards with transferable factors, increased marginal earn charges, or stronger class bonuses.
For that cause, we take a intentionally conservative method when evaluating this provide.
Relatively than assuming cardholders chase the complete headline bonus, we focus solely on the portion that delivers robust worth with out forcing outsized spending:
- 80,000 BMO Rewards factors from the welcome bonus
- 6,000 BMO Rewards factors from base incomes on $6,000 of spending
That brings the full to 86,000 BMO Rewards factors, value roughly $576 when redeemed for journey.
Subtract the $599 annual charge, then add the cardboard’s $200 annual life-style credit score, and the result’s a internet first-year worth of $177.
Past the mathematics, the eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card does justify itself for a narrower viewers. It consists of Visa Infinite Privilege airport advantages, six annual lounge visits by the Visa Airport Companion Program, precedence airport providers at choose Canadian airports, a NEXUS software credit score of as much as $200, and complete insurance coverage protection that applies even when solely taxes and costs are charged to the cardboard.
BMO has additionally prolonged its life-style perks to this card, together with six months of Instacart+ and a $10 month-to-month Instacart credit score, which provides some on a regular basis utility to an in any other case travel-heavy product.
The takeaway is straightforward: whereas the eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card carries a much bigger headline and extra premium airport perks, the common eclipse Visa Infinite* Card may very well ship extra sensible worth for a lot of households.
Between the decrease annual charge, the $50 life-style credit score, and the $20 month-to-month streaming subscription credit score, the usual Visa Infinite can quietly offset a big portion of its price for those who already pay for these providers anyway.
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
- Earn 80,000 BMO Rewards factors upon spending $6,000 within the first 110 days
- Plus, earn 40,000 BMO Rewards factors upon spending $30,000 within the first 180 days
- Plus, earn one other 80,000 BMO Rewards factors upon spending $75,000 within the twelve months
- And, earn 5x BMO Rewards factors on groceries, eating, gasoline, drugstores, and journey purchases
- Plus, obtain a $200 life-style credit score whenever you attain your first yr anniversary
- Dragon Cross membership with six free lounge visits per yr
- As much as $200 assertion credit score for the NEXUS software charge within the first yr.
- Minimal revenue: $150,000 private or $200,000 family
- Annual charge: $599
BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®*: As much as 100,000 Factors
The BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®* stays the long-standing spine of the BMO Rewards ecosystem, and it has quietly change into one of many extra compelling affords in BMO’s present lineup.
The cardboard is now providing a welcome bonus of as much as 100,000 BMO Rewards factors, structured as follows:
- Earn 45,000 factors upon spending $5,000 within the first 110 days
Earn 20,000 factors upon spending a complete of $10,000 within the first 180 days
Earn 35,000 factors upon spending a complete of $20,000 within the first twelve months
Not like a few of BMO’s different affords, this construction is cumulative slightly than month-to-month, which makes it way more achievable for cardholders who don’t wish to micromanage their spending.
That mentioned, incomes the complete headline bonus nonetheless requires $20,000 in whole spending inside a yr, which isn’t trivial for a fixed-value factors foreign money capped at 0.67 cents per level.
It’s additionally providing a first yr annual charge waiver, with a $150 annual charge thereafter.
On the perks aspect, the Ascend World Elite consists of 4 complimentary DragonPass lounge visits, a NEXUS software credit score of as much as $200 within the first yr, and now six months of Instacart+ with a $10 month-to-month Instacart credit score as soon as enrolled.
In some ways, the Ascend World Elite occupies a unique area of interest than the eclipse playing cards. It’s much less about life-style credit and subscription offsets, and extra about conventional journey advantages and insurance coverage protection, which stays one of many strongest in BMO’s portfolio.
For travellers preferring Mastercard acceptance, need lounge entry with out stepping as much as a $599 product, and worth a strong insurance coverage package deal on award journey, the Ascend World Elite continues to make a robust case, supplied you’re comfy incomes a fixed-value foreign money.
BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®*
- Earn 45,000 BMO Rewards factors upon spending $5,000 within the first 110 days
- Then, earn 20,000 BMO Rewards factors upon spending a complete of $10,000 inside the first 180 days
- Plus, earn 35,000 BMO Rewards factors upon spending a complete of $20,000 inside the first twelve months
- Get a DragonPass membership with 4 lounge passes per yr
- Obtain a NEXUS assertion credit score of as much as $200 within the first yr
- Annual charge waived in your first anniversary for major cardholders and licensed customers.
BMO Air Miles Playing cards: Ongoing Provides
BMO’s AIR MILES bank cards haven’t modified dramatically on the floor, however there have been a couple of notable updates that quietly enhance their day-to-day enchantment.
Most significantly, Instacart advantages have now been prolonged throughout the AIR MILES® lineup, which provides some tangible, on a regular basis worth to a program that has more and more leaned towards predictability over aspirational redemptions.
The BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®* continues to be the flagship possibility for collectors, providing a tiered welcome bonus of as much as 7,000 AIR MILES® tied to spending milestones within the first yr.
Along with stronger earn charges than the no-fee model, the cardboard’s headline perk stays its 25% low cost on one eligible AIR MILES® flight redemption every calendar yr, capped at 750 miles. For frequent AIR MILES® customers, this may meaningfully enhance redemption worth, particularly on short-haul or last-minute flights.
This card additionally consists of DragonPass lounge membership, computerized AIR MILES® Onyx standing, and now six months of Instacart+ with a $10 month-to-month Instacart credit score as soon as enrolled.
AIR MILES® is anticipated to merge right into a single factors foreign money in January 2026, impartial of present bank card provide timelines. It stays to be seen whether or not this transition unlocks any significant high-value redemption alternatives, or just reinforces AIR MILES® as a extra restricted, cash-equivalent rewards program slightly than one designed for outsized worth.
BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®*Mastercard®*
- Earn 3,000 AIR MILES®† upon spending $4,500 within the 110 days†
- Earn 2,000 AIR MILES®† upon spending $10,000 within the first 180 days†
- Earn 2,000 AIR MILES®† upon spending $20,000 within the first twelve months†
- Earn
1x3x AIR MILES®† per $12 spent at AIR MILES®† companions† - Earn
1x2x AIR MILES®†per $12 spent at grocery shops, wholesale golf equipment, and alcohol retailers† - Earn 1 AIR MILES®†per $12 spent whenever you spend along with your bank card in all places els†
- Use AIR MILES®† for Money Rewards or Dream Rewards†
- Minimal revenue: $80,000 private or $150,000 family†
- Annual charge: $120 (rebated within the first yr)†
On the entry degree, the no-fee BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* stays an easy solution to earn miles with out committing to an annual charge.
The present welcome bonus of 1,200 AIR MILES® for $1,500 of spending is modest, however affordable for a no-fee product. The earn charges are equally unexciting, although acceptable for gentle spending or topping up an current stability.
What meaningfully improves the cardboard is the addition of three months of Instacart+ and a $5 month-to-month Instacart credit score, which provides real-world worth that many cardholders will truly use.
As a long-term keeper card, the no-fee AIR MILES® Mastercard works properly for preserving credit score historical past, collaborating in periodic AIR MILES® promotions, or serving as a companion to a higher-tier AIR MILES® card.
Simply don’t anticipate it to be your major earner.
BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®*
- Earn 1,200 AIR MILES®† upon spending $1,500 within the first 110 days†
- Earn
1x3x AIR MILES®†per $25 spent at AIR MILES®† companions† - Earn 2x AIR MILES®† for each $25 spent at any eligible grocery retailer, eligible wholesale golf equipment, membership-based retailers and alcohol retailer†
- Plus earn 1x AIR MILES®† for each $25 that you simply spend along with your bank card in all places else†
- Use your AIR MILES for Money Rewards or Dream Rewards
- Annual charge: $0
General, BMO’s AIR MILES® playing cards are nonetheless finest fitted to current AIR MILES® collectors who worth simplicity, predictability, and partner-based incomes.
Should you’re ranging from scratch or seeking to maximize journey worth, there are stronger ecosystems elsewhere. However for these already dedicated to AIR MILES®, these playing cards stay serviceable — and barely extra helpful than earlier than because of the brand new Instacart perks.
Conclusion
BMO’s newest refresh isn’t about chasing the most important potential signup bonus — it’s about making their playing cards simpler to justify maintaining.
Relatively than dangling outsized factors totals, BMO is leaning into on a regular basis offsets: month-to-month streaming credit, Instacart perks, annual life-style credit, and NEXUS rebates. These advantages quietly cut back the actual price of holding the playing cards, even for those who don’t maximize each a part of the welcome provide.
That shift makes BMO’s playing cards really feel much less aspirational, however extra sensible. The worth isn’t in squeezing out most redemption worth, it’s in reducing recurring bills you’re already paying anyway.
AIR MILES suits neatly into that theme. With Instacart advantages layered in, the playing cards are extra helpful than earlier than, simply not designed for folks chasing outsized journey upside. They work finest for collectors already within the ecosystem.
On the time of writing, these affords are scheduled to run till October 31, 2026 (AIR MILES playing cards till June 1, 2026), although BMO has a historical past of extending or quietly adjusting promotions.
Should you view BMO’s playing cards as cost-reduction instruments slightly than points-optimization machines, the present lineup makes much more sense.




