The BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* is a fine entry point for anyone who’s looking to collect AIR MILES®† with a lower income, a newer or weaker credit history, or a desire to avoid paying annual fees. There’s also a version of the card for students.

Bonuses & Fees

As a welcome bonus, BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* offers 1,500 AIR MILES®† upon spending $1,000 within the first three months† That's not bad for a beginner card with no annual fee.

The card has no annual fee, making it a good choice to keep open as a free primary or backup credit card, all while supporting the longevity of your credit history. You could also downgrade to this card after collecting the bonus on a higher-tier BMO AIR MILES®† credit card to preserve your account history.

Authorized users can be added for no fee as well.† and in addition cardholders get a 0.99% introductory interest rate on Balance Transfers for 9 months, 2% fee applies to balance amounts transferred*†

Earning Rewards

The BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* has a two-tier earning structure. You'll earn:

• 3 AIR MILES®† for every $25 spent at eligible AIR MILES®† partner retailers†
• 2 AIR MILES®† for every $12 spent at eligible grocery stores, wholesale clubs, and alcohol retailers†
• 1 AIR MILES®† for every $25 spent on all other eligible purchases†

These are far from the best earning rates on the market, and are quite mediocre even compared to other no-fee credit cards. Unless you're specifically aiming to collect AIR MILES®† with a no-fee credit card, there are much more valuable points currencies towards which you could put your daily spending.

Redeeming Rewards

AIR MILES®† are redeemed in two categories: Cash Rewards and Dream Rewards. You can set your preference on the AIR MILES®† website in any ratio (e.g., 95% Cash Rewards, 5% Dream Rewards), but keep in mind while you can change this later, the miles cannot be reallocated. Cash Rewards can be redeemed at a rate of 95 AIR MILES®† = $10 (10.5 cents per point) at participating merchants, including the Sobeys and Metro grocery chains. Dream Rewards are best redeemed for travel, including short-haul flights, hotels, car rentals, and attraction tickets. You should always aim to redeem Dream Rewards for at least 10.5 cents per point against the cash price, as otherwise you would've been better off collecting Cash Rewards instead.

Perks & Benefits

As a no-fee card, the BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* comes with a limited set of perks. As a cardholder there is a 7¢/L discount on Shell V-Power®± premium fuel and 2¢/L on all other Shell fuel every time you fuel up. In addition, you can save up to 20% on National Car Rental®†† and Alamo Rent A Car®†† and up to 5% on Enterprise Rent-A-Car®†† at locations worldwide using the Car Rental Booking tool

Insurance Coverage

Insurance benefits on the BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* are also fairly small-scale. The card does not offer any types of travel insurance; instead, its coverage is limited to extended warranty (doubling the manufacturer's standard warranty, up to one additional year) and purchase protection (against accidental damage or theft within 90 days).†