BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®*
This card is aimed at travellers who want premium-style airport and travel perks without moving into an ultra-premium fee tier. It stands out for strong points earning on travel, solid everyday bonus categories and valuable first-year extras.
Welcome bonus
Earn up to 100,000 BMO Rewards points, a $200 NEXUS credit, and first-year fee waiver.
worth approximately $200
~$350 first-year value after $0 first-year fee
Earn rates
See what your BMO Rewards points are worth — worth ~0.67¢/pt
What this card earns you
Enter what you spend in a month. Caps are applied exactly as the card states them.
Annual spend
$21,600
$1,800 a month
Estimated rewards
$322
per year, after caps
After the annual fee
$172
less $150 fee
0.67%
$40
per year
0.67%
$12
per year
3x
$72
per year
5x
$80
per year
3x
$96
per year
1x
$20
per year
Estimates use each card's published earn rates and spending caps, annualized from your monthly figures. Where a cap is shared across categories it is split in proportion to what you spend in each. Welcome bonuses are not included.
Key facts
Annual fee
$150.00
$50 for Additional Card.
Purchase APR
21.99%
Cash advance APR
23.99%
Foreign transaction fee
2.5%
Income required
$80,000 personal / $150,000 household
Credit score
725+
Quebec residents — terms may differ
Cash advance rate is 21.99% in Quebec (vs 23.99% elsewhere), and a 5% minimum monthly payment applies.
Rates and fees sourced from BMO's official card page →
Perks & benefits
Welcome bonus up to 100,000 BMO Rewards points and a first-year fee waiver.
Earn 5x points on eligible travel purchases, and 3x points on dining, entertainment, and recurring bills.
Includes 4 complimentary airport lounge passes via the Mastercard Travel Pass framework.
Out-of-province medical covers up to $2 million in eligible medical expenses for extended trips up to 21 days (for those under 65).
Insurance coverage
- Out-of-province medical (up to $2M, 21 days, under 65).
- Car rental collision/loss damage ($65K up to 48 days).
- Purchase security (90 days).
- Extended warranty (1 year).
Pros & cons
Pros
- Strong travel earn rate with useful airport lounge access
- Large welcome offer adds strong first-year card value
- NEXUS credit and travel insurance improve travel utility
- Authorized users also get first-year annual fee waiver
Cons
- High income requirement may exclude some applicants
- Annual fee applies after the introductory first year
- Foreign transaction fee still applies on purchases abroad
- Best travel earn rate depends on eligible travel spending
Eligibility requirements
- Canadian resident, age of majority, no bankruptcy in 7 years.
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BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®*
$150.00/year