The best Air Miles bank cards
By Keph Senett and Luca Tatulli on July 9, 2024
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
The air miles Loyalty program is one of the vital established and popular in Canada. Although it has lost a few of its luster lately, BMO acquired Air Miles in 2023 and relaunched this system in 2024 with latest partners and a concentrate on experiences. BMO offers three Air Miles bank cards, including a variation of the BMO Air Miles Mastercard for college students. There are also three Air Miles bank cards for businesses. Let’s take a take a look at the three cards designed for on a regular basis Air Miles collectors.
| Air Miles Credit Card | Main advantage |
|---|---|
| No annual fee BMO Air Miles Mastercard Annual fee: $0 |
Earn as much as 3 miles per $25 spent without paying an annual fee |
| For most income and advantages BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard Annual fee: 120 $ (not applicable in the primary 12 months) |
The fastest solution to earn airline miles and get travel advantages like travel insurance and free Dragon Pass membership |
| For students BMO Air Miles Mastercard for Students Annual fee: $0 |
Accessible to students and offers the identical advantages because the BMO Air Miles Mastercard |
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No annual fee
At a look: If you are in search of a fee-free bank card, why not select one which rewards you each time you employ it? With no annual fee and quite a lot of standard advantages like prolonged warranty and buy protection, the BMO Air Miles Mastercard is an ideal starter card. When it is time to redeem it, you’ll need the added satisfaction of knowing your reward – be it a toaster, money for groceries or a flight – didn’t include an annual fee.
Presented
BMO Air Miles Mastercard
Annual fee: $0
3 miles per $25 spent with Air Miles partners
2 miles per $25 spent at select grocery, liquor and wholesale stores
1 mile per $25 spent in all places else
Welcome offer: earn 1,500 AIR MILES bonus miles!* That’s enough for $150 for purchases with AIR MILES Cash*
Card details
| Interest charges | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on balance transfers |
| Required income | Personal income of $15,000 |
| Credit Score | 660 or higher |
| Point value | 1 Dream Mile = $0.0121 on average when redeemed for travel. 1 Cash Mile = $0.105 |
For most income and advantages
At a look: Canadians who use the Air Miles program primarily for travel will find the advantages and bonuses offered by the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard excellent. What really makes this card stand out is the many travel-specific perks available to account holders. First off, it comes with solid travel insurance, including $5 million in out-of-province/out-of-country emergency medical coverage for cardholders under 65. Members also receive a complimentary membership to the Mastercard Travel Pass by DragonPass.
Presented
BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard
Annual fee: 120 $
3 miles per $12 spent with Air Miles partners
2 miles per $25 spent at select grocery, liquor and wholesale stores
1 mile per $12 spent in all places else
Welcome offer: Earn 3,000 AIR MILES bonus miles! That’s enough for $310 in purchases with AIR MILES Cash!
Card details
| Interest charges | 20.99% on purchases, 23.99% on money advances, 23.99% on balance transfers |
| Required income | Personal income of $80,000 or household income of $150,000 |
| Credit Score | 760 or higher |
| Point value | 1 Dream Mile = $0.0121 on average when redeemed for travel. 1 Cash Mile = $0.105 |
For students
At a look: The BMO Air Miles Mastercard for Students offers the identical earning rates and advantages because the BMO Air Miles Mastercard. However, since it is a student bank card, there are fewer eligibility requirements, making it easier for college students with modest incomes to be accepted. To qualify, you need to be a student enrolled in an accredited post-secondary school, be between 18 and 24 years of age and the age of majority in your province, be a Canadian citizen or everlasting resident, and have income from employment, a scholarship/grant, student loan, or family assistance.
Presented
BMO Air Miles Mastercard for Students
Annual fee: $0
3 miles per $25 spent with Air Miles partners
2 miles per $25 spent at select grocery, liquor and wholesale stores
1 mile per $25 spent in all places else
Welcome offer: earn 1,500 AIR MILES bonus miles!* That’s enough for $150 for purchases with AIR MILES Cash*
Card details
| Interest charges | 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on money advances, 22.99% on balance transfers |
| Required income | not specified |
| Credit Score | 660 or higher |
| Point value | 1 Dream Mile = $0.0121 on average when redeemed for travel. 1 Cash Mile = $0.105 |
New ways to gather and redeem
BMO purchased Air Miles in March 2023 after this system’s owner, Loyalty Ventures Inc., filed for bankruptcy. In July 2024, the bank unveiled changes to Air Miles geared toward “reinvigorating one of Canada’s largest loyalty programs.” The changes include latest ways to earn and redeem Air Miles rewards. Read more in regards to the Air Miles relaunch.
Air Miles Partner
There are Dozens of Retailers and repair providers that provide Air Miles. When you shop at these stores, you’ll earn additional Air Miles in your purchases. The list of Air Miles partners includes:
- Alamo Car Rental
- Boston Pizza
- Budget Car Rental
- Decathlon
- Dollarama
- Global pet food
- Good 12 months
- HM
- Harry Rose
- Instacart
- porter
- Sleeve
- Simon’s
- By train
Which gas stations accept Air Miles?
Although Air Miles is widely accepted in Canada, this system is just offered at a limited variety of Canadian gas stations. Currently, Shell Canada and Irving Oil are the 2 gas stations in Canada where you may pay with Air Miles.BMO Air Miles cardholders also receive:
- 1 mile for each 10 liters of premium fuel and 1 mile for each 10 liters of bronze, silver and diesel fuel at Shell stations, plus 1 mile for each $5 spent on automobile washes or in-store products.
- 1 mile for each 20 litres of fuel purchased at an Irving Oil station, plus 1 mile for each $20 spent on food market products and automobile washes.
Dream Miles versus Cash Miles
Another feature of the Air Miles program is that you may choose from two different earning options: Cash Miles or Dream Miles.
Redeem miles will be used for on a regular basis groceries or gas purchases at participating partners. You can use your miles for garments at Lululemon, an evening at the films at Cineplex or perhaps a latte at Starbucks. The rate stays the identical and Cash Miles can easily be redeemed either in-store at Air Miles partners or online for Air Miles e-vouchers.
Dream miles are saved for a “Dream Reward” akin to travel, event tickets or home appliances. These are frequently high-priced items (“larger” than what you’d spend with Cash Miles) and the redemption rate varies. You can redeem your Dream Miles for a flight booked on one in all the Air Miles partner airlines.
As an Air Miles collector, you need to determine whether you must collect your miles within the Cash or Dream category – but don’t be concerned in regards to the commitment. You can select one or each. For example, if you must use all of your Air Miles for on a regular basis purchases, you may decide to convert 100% of your miles to money on the Air Miles website. If you must save all of your miles for a visit, select 100% Dream. Or you may split the 2 in any ratio you want: 50:50, 60:40, 80:20, or every other combination.
Airline distance Collector status
Previously, Air Miles members couldn’t convert Dream Miles to Cash Miles (and vice versa) after earning the rewards. However, with recent changes to this system, Air Miles can now be converted based in your earner status. Here are the three Air Miles tiers and tips on how to qualify for every:
- Blue: Every Air Miles collector routinely receives Blue status.
- Gold status: Earn 500 to 4,999 miles in a calendar 12 months or turn into a BMO Air Miles Mastercard cardholder to routinely qualify.
- Onyx Status: Earn 5,000 miles or more in a calendar 12 months or turn into a BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard cardholder to routinely qualify.
Gold and Onyx collectors can convert Dream Miles to Cash Miles and vice versa. Onyx collectors get unlimited transfers, while Gold collectors can transfer as much as 1,000 miles per 12 months. Gold and Onyx collectors also get more travel advantages and merchandise discounts. Each tier offers the chance to redeem a mixture of money and miles.
Other best bank cards in Canada:
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