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Canada’s 2 Best Blue Rewards Credit Cards

Last updated October 21, 2026

Canada’s 2 Best Blue Rewards Credit Cards

Best Blue Rewards Credit Cards

Blue Rewards, formerly AIR MILES, is BMO’s retail rewards program, with more than 400 partner brands across Canada where you earn and spend points.

Here are our picks for the best Blue Rewards credit cards in Canada, which earn points much faster than your member card alone.

Compare our picks

Best Overall Blue Rewards Credit Card

BMO Blue Rewards World Elite Mastercard

First-year value

$800

BMO Blue Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®*

Annual fee: $150First Year Free

Welcome bonus100,000 BMO Blue Rewards Points

• Earn 100,000 points upon spending $20,000 in the first 12 months

Earning rates

10xParticipating Blue Rewards Partners*2xGroceries2xGas2xEV Charging2xWholesale clubs2xAlcohol purchases*1xEverything Else*

Key perks

  • Complimentary Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass with 4 free passes per calendar year*
  • $150 annual fee rebated annually with a BMO Premium Chequing Account*
  • Complimentary Roadside Assistance Program*
  • Save up to 20% on National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car, up to 5% on Enterprise Rent-A-Car*
  • 6 months of Instacart+ membership plus a $10 monthly Instacart statement credit*
  • Get 20% off admission to Cirque du Soleil shows in Canada, and 15% off resident shows in Las Vegas*

The BMO Blue Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®* is the card to get if you shop at Blue Rewards partners often. It earns 10 Blue Rewards points per dollar at more than 400 partners, on up to $25,000 a year, and 2 points per dollar on groceries, gas, EV charging, wholesale clubs and alcohol.

At our valuation of 0.67 cents per point, that’s about 6.7% back at partners, and you still collect the points from tapping your Blue Rewards member card at the till.

The $150 annual fee buys four DragonPass lounge passes a year, emergency medical insurance and car rental insurance. With a BMO Premium Chequing Account, the fee is rebated every year. That makes this an easy card to keep for the long term.

Best No Fee Blue Rewards Credit Card

BMO Blue Rewards Mastercard

First-year value

$138

Welcome bonus20,000 BMO Blue Rewards Points

• Earn 20,000 points upon spending $1,500 in the first 4 months

Earning rates

5xParticipating Blue Rewards Partners*1xGroceries1xGas1xEV Charging1xWholesale clubs1xAlcohol purchases*0.5xEverything Else*

Key perks

  • No annual fee*
  • 0.99% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 9 months (2% transfer fee)*
  • Free additional cardholders for extra earning*
  • 3 months of Instacart+ and $5/month Instacart credit*
  • Get 20% off admission to Cirque du Soleil shows in Canada, and 15% off resident shows in Las Vegas*
  • Save up to 20% on National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car, up to 5% on Enterprise Rent-A-Car*

The BMO Blue Rewards Mastercard®* is the simplest way to earn Blue Rewards on a card, with no annual fee. It earns 5 Blue Rewards points per dollar at partners, on up to $15,000 a year, 1 point per dollar on groceries, gas, EV charging, wholesale clubs and alcohol, and half a point per dollar on everything else.

That’s about 3.3% back at partners at our valuation. The card skips travel insurance, but it covers your purchases with extended warranty and purchase protection.

If you spend less than about $4,500 a year at Blue Rewards partners, or you’d rather not pay a fee, this is the better of the two.

Blue Rewards Credit Cards: What You Need to Know

Blue Rewards is the new name for AIR MILES. BMO bought the program in 2023, renamed it in summer 2026 and is now the only bank that issues its credit cards. Cash and Dream balances merged into one Blue Rewards balance, so every point you earn now goes to the same place.

Why get a Blue Rewards credit card?

Blue Rewards is a retail program first. You earn at more than 400 partner brands across Canada, and you spend your points in-store at those partners, on eGift Cards, or on travel booked through Blue Rewards’ Expedia-powered platform.

A Blue Rewards credit card is the fastest way to build a balance, because it earns on top of the points you get for scanning your Blue Rewards member card. Tap the member card at a partner, pay with the credit card, and you collect both.

If you bank with BMO, there’s a second reason. A BMO Premium Chequing Account rebates the World Elite card’s $150 annual fee every year, and BMO chequing customers also earn Blue Rewards on debit purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, wholesale clubs and EV chargers.

What should you look for in a Blue Rewards credit card?

  • The partner rate. Both cards earn their highest rate at Blue Rewards partners: 10 points per dollar on the World Elite card, on up to $25,000 a year, and 5 points per dollar on the no-fee card, on up to $15,000 a year.
  • Everyday categories. The World Elite card earns 2 points per dollar on groceries, gas, EV charging, wholesale clubs and alcohol. The no-fee card earns 1 point per dollar on the same categories.
  • Insurance and travel perks. Only the World Elite card carries travel insurance and lounge passes. The no-fee card covers your purchases, with extended warranty and purchase protection.

How much are Blue Rewards points worth?

Our valuation is 0.67 cents per point. That’s the program’s benchmark rate: 1,500 points for $10 off at a partner or on an eGift Card. Travel booked through the Expedia-powered platform, merchandise and other redemptions usually return less.

At that value, the World Elite card returns about 6.7% at partners, 1.33% in its 2x categories and 0.67% on everything else. The no-fee card returns about 3.3% at partners, 0.67% in its categories and 0.33% on everything else.

What’s the optimal strategy for Blue Rewards credit cards?

Pick by how much you spend at Blue Rewards partners. The World Elite card earns 5 more points per dollar there than the no-fee card, which is worth about 3.3% at our valuation. Spend about $4,500 a year at partners and those extra points cover the $150 annual fee, before you count the higher grocery and gas rate, the insurance and the lounge passes.

With a BMO Premium Chequing Account the fee is rebated anyway, and the World Elite card is the clear pick. Below about $4,500 a year at partners, or if you’d rather not pay a fee at all, the no-fee card is the better fit.

Treat Blue Rewards as a second program next to your main travel points. Its points are worth a fixed amount and don’t transfer to airline or hotel programs, so for flights and hotels, a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards or Aeroplan points will go further. Blue Rewards earns its place on your everyday spending at its partners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some questions we frequently hear from readers about Blue Rewards credit cards.

What happened to AIR MILES?

AIR MILES became Blue Rewards in summer 2026. Cash and Dream balances moved into a single Blue Rewards balance, and BMO became the program’s only credit card issuer. Read our coverage of the change.

Can I transfer Blue Rewards points to an airline or hotel program?

No. Blue Rewards points are a fixed-value currency. You redeem them in-store at partners, on eGift Cards or on travel through the Expedia-powered platform, and most redemptions have no minimum balance.

Does banking with BMO help?

Yes. A BMO Premium Chequing Account rebates the World Elite card’s $150 annual fee every year, and BMO chequing accounts earn Blue Rewards on debit purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, wholesale clubs and EV chargers.

What income do I need for the World Elite card?

BMO asks for $80,000 in personal income or $150,000 in household income for the BMO Blue Rewards World Elite®* Mastercard®*.

Which credit bureau does BMO check?

BMO checks Equifax.

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