Best Air Miles Credit Cards in Canada
Sara Skodak
Author
Kevin Shahnazari
Editor4 min read
Breaking down the best Air Miles credit cards in Canada isn’t too complicated, that’s because there are only two Air Miles credit cards on the market – both from BMO.
While some cardholders are concerned that Air Miles has cut back on some of its appeal since being taken over by BMO, there are still some perks worth getting excited about.
To help you decide which Air Miles credit card is the best credit card for you, or simply to determine whether or not the loyalty program is still worthwhile, we’ve put together this brief overview and comparison blog – complete with two defining categories.
Best Overall Air Miles Credit Card
BMO AIR MILES® World Elite®* Mastercard®*
3.6
Finly Rating
Welcome Bonus
Up to 300 AIR MILES Bonus Miles
Annual Fee
120 $0
Interest Rates
20.99% / 23.99%, for Quebec 21.99%
The BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is ideal for frequent Air Miles collectors looking for premium travel benefits and a strong rewards rate. With up to 3,000 bonus miles, a 25% annual flight discount, and automatic Onyx status, this card offers substantial value for those who frequently shop at Air Miles partners and travel often. Its comprehensive insurance coverage and first-year fee waiver also add to its appeal, though the high income requirement may limit its accessibility.
Pros
- Increased rewards: Earn 1 mile per $12 spent, tripled when shopping at participating Air Miles partners and doubled at eligible grocery, liquor, and wholesale stores.
- Travel perks: Includes a 25% discount on one Air Miles reward flight booking per year.
- Air Miles Onyx status: Automatic Air Miles Onyx status with exclusive benefits.
- Comprehensive insurance: 14 types of insurance coverage, including travel, trip cancellation, and rental car insurance.
- First-year fee waived: Try the card for free in the first year.
Cons
- High income requirements: Requires $80,000 personal or $150,000 household income, making it inaccessible for many.
- Lower rewards compared to other premium cards: While it offers good Air Miles rewards, other cards may provide more flexible or higher rewards.
Rewards
- 3x Miles points per $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners
- 2x Miles points per $12 spent on eligible grocery, liquor and wholesale store purchases
- 1x Mile point per $12 spent on all other eligible purchases
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
1 year
Trip Cancellation
$2,500
Trip Interruption
$2,000
Emergency Out of province Medical
15 days
Travel Accident
$500,000
Flight Delay
$500
Baggage Delay
$200
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$750
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$500
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Personal Effects
$750
Car Rental Accident
$200,000
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Car Rental Damage & Theft
yes
Car Rental Personal Effects
$1,000
Benefits
Details
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
Pass only - complimentary visits not included
Discount
Save up to 7% on your Booking.com prepaid hotel or property rental bookings
Discount
Up to 7 cents off per litre on Shell® fuel if you are an AirMiles collector
Car Rental Discount
20% off base rate of participating National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car and up to 5% on Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Discount
Get 20% off admission to Cirque du Soleil shows touring Canada, and 15% off resident shows in Las Vegas
Discount
Annual 25% discount on one worldwide AIR MILES flight redemption
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Status lift
Automatic Air Miles Onyx status
Eligibility
Credit Score
Good
Annual Income
$80,000 personal or $150,000 household
Overall, the best Air Miles Credit Card you can get is the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.
Fit for everyday shoppers and travellers alike, this card earns you solid Miles points per specified amount spent at participating Air Miles Partners, plus decent Miles points per specified amount spent on eligible grocery, liquor and wholesale store purchases.
If the mention of optimizing your purchases at Air Miles Partners piqued your interest, here’s a quick look at who some of those partners are:
To sweeten the deal, the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard also offers a welcome bonus of extra Miles within the first few months of membership when you spend enough money in net card purchases.
To complement its rewards program, the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard comes with a whopping 14 insurance categories. These comprehensive categories include valuable protections like trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance, personal effects coverage, car rental accident insurance, and car rental personal effects insurance.
The benefits on the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard are also impressive, they include:
- A Dragon Pass airport lounge membership (excluding free visits)
- Car rental discounts (at National Car Rental, Alamo Rent a Car, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car)
- Gas discounts at Shell
- Entertainment discounts off admission to Cirque du Soleil shows (with different discounts applied to shows in Canada and Las Vegas)
- An annual discount on one worldwide Air Miles flight redemption
- An automatic status lift to Air Miles Onyx status (which comes with merchandise discounts, travel month discounts, additional payment options, and no fees on select online travel bookings)
To compensate for all of these perks, cardholders will be expected to pay an annual fee, however, this annual fee is completely waived for the first year.
So, if you’re a frequent traveller looking to collect Air Miles, premium travel benefits, extensive trip insurance, and strong reward rates, then the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard is worth your consideration.
Best No-Fee Air Miles Credit Card
BMO AIR MILES® Mastercard®*
1.5
Finly Rating
Welcome Bonus
Up to 1500 AIR MILES Bonus Miles
Annual Fee
$0
Interest Rates
20.99% / 22.99%, for Quebec 21.99%
The BMO Air Miles Mastercard is an excellent option for those looking to collect Air Miles without paying an annual fee. With bonus earning opportunities at Air Miles partners and grocery stores, this card is ideal for regular Air Miles collectors. It also offers perks like fuel savings at Shell and a competitive balance transfer rate, making it a versatile card for everyday purchases. However, its limited rewards outside of partner stores may not make it the best fit for those who don't frequently shop at Air Miles-affiliated retailers.
Pros
- No annual fee: The card is free to hold, making it a cost-effective way to collect Air Miles.
- Bonus miles at partners: Earn 3x the miles at Air Miles partners and 2x the miles at grocery, liquor, and wholesale stores.
- Fuel savings: Save up to 7 cents per litre at Shell stations, with the potential to save up to $100 annually.
- Balance transfer offer: 0.99% promotional interest rate on balance transfers for the first 9 months.
Cons
- Low base earn rate: Earn only 1 Air Mile per $25 spent on all non-bonus purchases.
- Limited insurance: The card only offers basic insurance, such as extended warranty and purchase protection.
- Limited value outside Air Miles partners: Rewards earning potential is higher at participating partners, but significantly lower for general spending.
Rewards
- 3x Miles points per $25 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners
- 2x Miles points per $25 spent on eligible grocery purchases
- 1x Mile point per $25 spent on all other eligible purchases
Insurance
Coverage
Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
1 year
Benefits
Details
Discount
Save up to 7% on your Booking.com prepaid hotel or property rental bookings
Discount
Up to 7 cents off per litre on Shell® fuel if you are an AirMiles collector
Car Rental Discount
20% off base rate of participating National Car Rental and Alamo Rent a Car and up to 5% on Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Discount
Get 20% off admission to Cirque du Soleil shows touring Canada, and 15% off resident shows in Las Vegas
Eligibility
Credit Score
Good
Annual Income
N/A
In case a no-fee credit card is more your style (or simply better for your budget) BMO also offers the BMO Air Miles Mastercard.
As you may have guessed, this option comes at no annual cost which means cardholders will need to compromise when it comes to perks.
As far as rewards programs go, both the BMO Air Miles Mastercard and the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard optimize purchases made at participating Air Miles Partners and eligible grocery stores. The catch is the amount you need to spend to receive Miles points on the BMO Air Miles Mastercard is about double the amount you need to spend to earn Miles with the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard. Additionally, the BMO Air Miles Mastercard doesn’t optimize liquor or wholesale store purchases like the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.
Unlike those who own the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard (which comes with 14 insurance categories), BMO Air Miles Mastercard members will have to settle for standard coverage, which only includes basic extended warranty and purchase protection insurance.
Similarly, the BMO Air Miles Mastercard lacks some benefits, but cardholders will still receive car rental discounts at Alamo Rent a Car and Enterprise, discounts on Shell fuel, savings on Cirque du Soleil performances (more so in Canada than Las Vegas), plus discounts on Booking.com prepaid hotel or rental property bookings.
The real reason then that you might opt for the BMO Air Miles Mastercard over the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard would be because you’re looking to be more budget-friendly when it comes to annual fees and as a result, you don’t mind missing out on some of the extras provided by the BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an Air Miles credit card worth it?
An Air Miles credit card might be worth applying for if you want to earn Miles on everyday purchases and frequently shop at Air Miles partners to support your next trip. Becoming an Air Miles member through an Air-Miles-affiliated credit card is only beneficial for frequent travellers since Miles are worth the most when redeemed towards travel.
If you aren’t sold on Air Miles specifically as your travel card loyalty program, you can also browse other travel-oriented credit cards through our best credit cards catalogue. In all honesty, there are some other travel loyalty programs that offer even more perks for adventurous applicants.