BMO Rewards

How points are earned

BMO frames the programme as a family of cards rather than a single product: it says it offers a variety of BMO Rewards credit cards, chosen according to a cardholder's spending habits and the kind of reward they want. [1] Earn rates are published on individual card pages rather than in one programme-wide table, so the multiples below apply to the named card only. [5]

On its page for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, BMO lists 5 points per $1 spent on eligible travel purchases, 3 points per $1 on eligible entertainment purchases, 3 points per $1 on eligible dining purchases, 3 points per $1 on recurring bill payments, and 1 point per $1 spent everywhere else. [5] The same page states a minimum annual income of $80,000 for an individual or $150,000 for a household, and advertises a limited-time welcome offer of up to 115,000 BMO Rewards bonus points, up to a $200 NEXUS statement credit in the first year, Mastercard Travel Pass membership with four complimentary lounge passes, and no annual fee in the first year for the primary cardholder and authorized users. [5] It also states a $150 annual fee, which BMO says is rebated annually with a BMO Premium Chequing Account. [5] Those figures belong to that one card and are not programme-wide terms. [5]

Travel and statement-credit redemptions

Pay with Points is the tool BMO describes for spending points against purchases: BMO says it can cover eligible travel purchases such as flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages and cruises, and that points can also be applied directly to other eligible purchases. [1] [4] The card page checked sets out the steps: sign in to bmorewards.com with BMO Online Banking credentials or through the BMO Mobile Banking app, open the Pay with Points tab, choose an eligible recent transaction, and decide how many points to put toward it. [5] In that flow points can be redeemed for as little as $1. [5] BMO's summary for the same card says points can be redeemed for flights, hotels or cruises and that the cardholder gets "the same great value every time". [5]

For how these mechanics compare with other Canadian programmes, see BMO Rewards travel redemption and Canadian card points programmes compared.

Merchandise, gift cards and account contributions

Beyond travel, BMO points can be spent in the BMO Rewards online catalogue, which BMO describes as featuring hundreds of products and gift cards from top brands. [1] [4] Points can also be put toward a contribution to a BMO savings or investment account, which BMO presents as a way to save for the future with points rather than spend them on goods. [1] [4]

BMO illustrates the catalogue side with example amounts: 42,000 points for dinner for two at a restaurant, 2,400 points for lattes for two, 12,600 points for a monthly gym membership and 16,800 points for a spa treatment. [5] Those examples sit beside a rewards calculator that BMO labels as illustrative, with values stated to be valid as of 6 March 2024, so they show what points could buy at that date rather than a standing price list. [5]

Exceptions and limits

• Transfers.
• Expiry.
• Fees are per card. The $150 annual fee, its first-year waiver and the Premium Chequing rebate are stated for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard only; fees for other BMO Rewards cards are not covered here. [5]
• Application requirements are per card. BMO lists them for the Ascend card as Canadian citizenship or permanent residence, no bankruptcy declared in the past seven years, the age of majority in the province of residence (18 in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan, 19 elsewhere) and meeting the minimum income requirement. [5]
• Other BMO programmes are separate. Cash Back, Blue Rewards and VIPorter are presented by BMO as alternatives to BMO Rewards, and their mechanics — for example cash back paid annually, as a recurring deposit or as a statement credit — are not BMO Rewards rules. [4]
• Changeable terms. Card names, earn rates, welcome offers and redemption options are set out on individual product pages and can be revised, so verify the current terms for the card you are considering. [1] [5]

Related pages

Read next: BMO Rewards travel redemption, Canadian card points programmes compared, card selection framework, transfer points checklist and the glossary of points terms.

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. BMO Cash Back, Blue Rewards and VIPorter are separate BMO programmes and are not covered here, and no airline or hotel loyalty programme is covered. [4]

1. BMO rewards credit cards overview, checked 18 October 2026
2. BMO credit cards: rewards programme comparison and redemption options, checked 18 October 2026
3. BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard card page, checked 18 October 2026