BMO Rewards is Bank of Montreal’s proprietary points currency, earned on BMO credit cards and redeemable primarily through BMO’s travel portal. Unlike airline-specific programs, BMO Rewards offers flexible redemption on any airline, hotel, or car rental — no award inventory restrictions.
BMO Rewards at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program operator | Bank of Montreal (BMO) |
| Point value (travel) | 150 points = $1 (0.67¢ per point) |
| Point value (cash/statement) | 200 points = $1 (0.5¢ per point) |
| Points expiry | No expiry (account must stay open) |
| Transfer partners | Air Miles (150 pts = 1 mile — not recommended) |
| Membership cost | Included with BMO credit card |
Best BMO Rewards Credit Cards
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite — Best Everyday Card
Best for: Households with high grocery, dining, gas, or transit spending.
| Category | Earn rate |
|---|---|
| Groceries | 5× BMO Rewards |
| Dining and restaurants | 5× BMO Rewards |
| Gas | 5× BMO Rewards |
| Transit | 5× BMO Rewards |
| All other purchases | 1× BMO Rewards |
At 5× on groceries and dining, the eclipse earns 5 × 0.67¢ = 3.35¢ per dollar on food purchases — competitive with most premium Canadian cards in these categories.
The eclipse also includes a $50 annual lifestyle credit on your card anniversary, reducing the net annual fee from $120 to $70. Travel insurance includes trip cancellation/interruption, car rental collision, and purchase protection.
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard — Best for Travellers
Best for: Frequent travellers who book flights, hotels, and car rentals directly.
| Category | Earn rate |
|---|---|
| Travel (flights, hotels, car rentals) | 5× BMO Rewards |
| Dining and restaurants | 3× BMO Rewards |
| Entertainment | 3× BMO Rewards |
| Recurring bill payments | 3× BMO Rewards |
| All other purchases | 1× BMO Rewards |
The Ascend includes 4 annual complimentary Priority Pass visits (airport lounge access), trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and extended warranty coverage. The $150 annual fee is justified for travellers booking $3,000+ in travel annually.
| Card | Annual fee | Best earn categories | Earn rate | Key perk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMO eclipse Visa Infinite | $120 | Groceries, dining, gas, transit | 5× | $50 lifestyle credit |
| BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege | $499 | Groceries, dining, gas, transit, travel | 5× | Premium insurance + lounge |
| BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard | $150 | Travel, dining, entertainment | 5× / 3× | 4 Priority Pass visits |
How to Redeem BMO Rewards Points
BMO Travel (Best Value — 150 pts = $1)
Book through the BMO Travel portal at bmorewardstravel.com. Any available flight, hotel, or car rental can be paid with points at 150 points = $1. You can mix points and cash — useful if you don’t have enough points for the full cost.
Example: A $400 Toronto–Calgary round trip. Cost in points: 60,000 BMO Rewards. If earned at 5× on groceries ($12,000 in grocery spending at 5 pts/$1), you received an effective 3.35% return on that grocery spending.
Statement Credit (Lower Value — 200 pts = $1)
Redeem against your monthly statement at 200 points = $1. This delivers only 0.5¢ per point — 25% less than travel. Use only if you have no travel plans.
Gift Cards and Merchandise
Available through the BMO Rewards catalogue, but value drops to approximately 0.4–0.5¢ per point. Avoid these — BMO Travel is always a superior redemption.
Air Miles Conversion (Rarely Recommended)
Convert at 150 BMO Rewards = 1 Air Miles Dream Mile. The math can work for specific high-value Dream Flight redemptions (where Dream Miles are worth 10¢+ each), but for most situations, redeeming directly through BMO Travel at 0.67¢/point is better.
BMO Rewards vs Competing Canadian Programs
| Program | Point value (travel) | Best earn category | Flexibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMO Rewards | 0.67¢/pt | 5× groceries/dining/gas (eclipse) | High — any flight/hotel |
| Amex Membership Rewards | 1.0–2.5¢/pt | 5× dining (Cobalt) | Very high — Aeroplan transfer |
| RBC Avion | 1.5–2.0¢/pt | 3× on travel | High — any flight |
| TD Rewards | 0.5–1.0¢/pt | 8× on Expedia for TD | Moderate — Expedia portal |
| Aeroplan | 1.5–4.0¢/pt | 3× Air Canada + partners | Moderate — award inventory |
BMO Rewards sits between TD Rewards and Amex MR in flexibility and value. Its strength is the 5× earn rate on multiple everyday categories with the eclipse card — useful for households that want travel-redeemable points without managing an airline loyalty program.
BMO Rewards vs Air Miles
BMO Bank markets both BMO Rewards cards and BMO Air Miles cards. Which should you choose?
| Consideration | BMO Rewards | Air Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Best earn (general spending) | BMO eclipse (5× on groceries) | BMO Air Miles World Elite (25 miles/$100) |
| Travel value | 0.67¢/pt (any flight) | 7–15¢/Dream Mile (fixed routes) |
| Flexibility | Any airline or hotel | Dream Flights only (limited availability) |
| Companion benefit | None | Annual companion voucher (World Elite) |
BMO Rewards is more flexible; Air Miles offers a companion voucher and higher per-mile value if you hit Dream Flight sweet spots. If you shop at Shell or Rexall regularly, Air Miles is worth stacking. Otherwise, BMO Rewards through the eclipse card provides cleaner value.
Common BMO Rewards Mistakes
| Mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Redeeming for cash at 200 pts = $1 | Always redeem for travel at 150 pts = $1 |
| Converting to Air Miles without a specific redemption in mind | Only convert for specific high-value Dream Flights |
| Booking travel outside BMO Travel portal | Book through BMO Travel to get full 0.67¢/pt value |
| Using Ascend for groceries | BMO eclipse earns 5× on groceries at a lower $120 fee |
Sources
- Bank of Montreal. “BMO Rewards.” bmo.com/en-ca/main/personal/credit-cards/rewards
- Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. “Credit Cards.” canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency