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Head-to-Head: BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard vs. National Bank World Elite Mastercard

Head-to-Head: BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard vs. National Bank World Elite Mastercard
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BMO and National Bank each offer a World Elite Mastercard credit card with travel rewards:

At first glance, they may seem to be identical, especially because of their name! But which one is the most advantageous?

Exclusive
Annual fee
$0 $150
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$150
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueAnnual fee rebated$150Total$150Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
First Year Annual Fee Rebate
$150 annual fee rebated
Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now

on National Bank's website

With Milesopedia, take advantage of an exclusive offer: your first-year annual fees are refunded with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available on the Milesopedia network, from June 30 to November 4, 2026.

  • Refund of the first-year annual fee (a $150 value) for the primary cardholder. This fee is charged to your new card account, then refunded as a credit on your statement within five months of opening your account, provided it remains open and in good standing.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.

With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:

  • 5 points per dollar for groceries and restaurants
  • 2 points per dollar on gas and electric recharge purchases
  • 2 points per dollar on recurring bills
  • 2 points per dollar on À la carte Travel
  • 1 point per dollar for all other purchases

And since it’s an NBC mycredit Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.

With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:

  • Airport parking
  • Baggage fees
  • Seat selection
  • Access to airport lounges
  • Airline ticket upgrades

What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.

Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$80,000
Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGroceries
  • 2xTravel
  • 2xBills & recurring payments
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$778
2nd Year Value$923

Card benefits

Airport lounge access$400
Travel creditsIncluded

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 60 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 31 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Travel AccidentIncluded

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+2 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days
Annual fee
$0 $150
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$921
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$771Annual fee rebated$150Total$921Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 115,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Ends Nov 30, 2026
Apply Now

on BMO's website

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of the best World Elite Mastercard travel rewards credit cards in Canada. With our welcome offer, you can get up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points, for a total value of up to $1,900, including up to $200 in Instacart benefits.

Plus, there’s no annual fee in the first year for the primary cardholder and additional cardholders, and you benefit from a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 12 months (with a 2% balance transfer fee).

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you get:

  • 5 points per dollar on eligible travel*
  • 3 points per dollar on eligible dining, entertainment, and recurring bill payments*
  • 1 point per dollar on all other purchases*

The card also offers:

  • 4 complimentary airport lounge accesses per year via Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass*
  • comprehensive travel insurance, including emergency medical coverage up to $5 million for 21 days*
  • A NEXUS statement credit in the first year*
  • Up to $200 in Instacart benefits*
  • Six months of Instacart+ membership plus a monthly $10 Instacart credit with an eligible card*

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$80,000
Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xTravel
  • 3xRestaurants
  • 3xStreaming
  • 3xBills & recurring payments
  • 3xEntertainment
  • 3xTelecom
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,249
2nd Year Value$289

Card benefits

Airport lounge access$160

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 21 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Let’s look at each of their features in detail to distinguish these two credit cards.

Welcome Bonus

Carte Mastercard World Elite de la Banque Nationale

Through Milesopedia, you can have your first-year annual fee rebated (a $150 value) with this exclusive welcome offer for the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This promotion runs from June 30 to November 4, 2026 for new primary cardholders, provided you have not held a National Bank personal Mastercard in the past 24 months.

Carte Mastercard BMO Ascend World Elite

You can earn up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points, worth up to approximately $670 in travel, plus the first-year annual fee waiver of $150 with this welcome offer for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard.

  • 60,000 points after $5,000 in purchases within the first 110 days of account opening
  • 20,000 points after $10,000 in purchases within the first 180 days of account opening
  • 35,000 points after $20,000 in purchases within the first 365 days of account opening

This offer is based on spending during the first year. The more you spend, the more points you accumulate that can be redeemed for travel, in addition to the savings on the annual fee.

Advantage: BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard Mastercard

Thanks to a welcome offer that can reach a higher value, along with the first-year annual fee waiver, the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard gains the advantage in this comparison.

Minimum Income

Carte Mastercard World Elite de la Banque Nationale

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard requires:

  • $80,000 individual income
  • $150,000 household income
  • or assets under management of $400,000 or more
Carte Mastercard BMO Ascend World Elite

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard requires a minimum income of:

  • $80,000 (individual)
  • $150,000 (combined)
Draw

Both World Elite Mastercard cards require the same criteria to qualify.

The Benefits

Annual Travel Credit

Carte Mastercard World Elite de la Banque Nationale

Each calendar year, the holder of a National Bank World Elite Mastercard has a total of $150 available on certain travel-related expenses:

  • Airport parking
  • Baggage fees
  • Seat selection
  • Access to airport lounges
  • Airline ticket upgrades
Carte Mastercard BMO Ascend World Elite

No annual travel credit for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard. However, as mentioned above, you can take advantage of the first-year annual fee waiver of $150, as well as a NEXUS credit of up to $200 in the first year.

Advantage : National Bank World Elite Mastercard

With the reimbursement of up to $150 in travel expenses, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard wins this round.

It should be noted that these two cards share similar privileges, being Mastercard World Elite cards:

Access to lounge airport VIP area Montreal-Trudeau

Being able to access an airport lounge before a flight is a definite convenience.

Carte Mastercard World Elite de la Banque Nationale

The National Bank card gives you unlimited free access to lounge National Bank.

The cardholder, 1 guest and up to 2 children (under 12) are admitted to lounge on presentation of the card. National Bank World Elite Mastercard.

Carte Mastercard BMO Ascend World Elite

As with all Mastercard World Elite cards, you can purchase admission to the Banque Nationale and Air France lounges, both members of the DragonPass network.

This card entitles you to 4 free visits a year to these lounges.

Advantage : National Bank World Elite Mastercard

For unlimited access, the advantage is for the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This is especially convenient for the cardholder and their family.

Earning Reward Points

Both credit cards offer purchase categories that allow you to earn more rewards points.

Purchasing Categories

Carte Mastercard World Elite de la Banque Nationale

With the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, you can earn up to 5 points per dollar:

CategoryPoints
Grocery and Restaurant5*
Gas and EV charging2
Recurring bill payments2
À la carte Travel2

For the Grocery and Restaurant category, you can earn 5 points per dollar up to $2,500 in total monthly card purchases. Starting at $2,501, points are accumulated at a rate of 2 points per dollar for 5 X points categories.

Carte Mastercard BMO Ascend World Elite

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you can earn 5 BMO Rewards points per dollar spent on travel purchases.

And you get 3 points for every dollar you spend on:

  • Dining
  • Entertainment
  • Recurring Bill payments
IT’S A DRAW

With an accumulation rate of up to 5 points per dollar, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard has the edge over BMO’s Card for everyday spending.

On the other hand, if you make a lot of travel purchases with your credit card, it will be more attractive to opt for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard®*.

Basic Earning Level

Outside of these accelerated purchase categories, the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard and the BMO Ascend World Elite MasterCard offer a basic rate of accumulation. National Bank World Elite Mastercard offer a basic accumulation rate.

Carte Mastercard World Elite de la Banque Nationale

With the National Bank World Elite Mastercardyou can earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

This represents a value of approximately 1%.

Carte Mastercard BMO Ascend World Elite

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you can earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

IT’S A DRAW

For out-of-category purchases, both cards offer a similar return of approximately 1% per dollar of purchase.

Redeeming Points

Both cards are reward point cards, mainly for travel.

However, the loyalty programs are completely different:

This means that the ways you can redeem your points are different.

Points redeemed for trips purchased with the card

You can use the points from both credit cards for travel.

Carte Mastercard World Elite de la Banque Nationale

With the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, you can apply your points to travel purchases.

The redemption rate is:

  • 10,000 points = $100 for purchases made through Travel À la Carte
  • 11,000 points = $100 by redeeming at least 55,000 points for any travel purchase you’ve booked yourself with the À la carte Travel card.
  • 12,000 points = $100 for any travel purchase you’ve booked yourself with the card

A minimum of 12,000 points must be applied (or 10,000 points via the À la carte Travel Agency, i.e. a minimum of $100).

Carte Mastercard BMO Ascend World Elite

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you can redeem your points through the BMO Rewards portal.

The redemption rate is 10,000 points = $67 for travel purchases via BMO Rewards.

Advantage : National Bank World Elite Mastercard

To achieve a good redemption rate, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard does not require dealing with a specific agency or redeeming a large number of points.

Points for Other Rewards

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard and the National Bank World Elite Mastercard both allow you to use points for other rewards: everyday purchases, gift cards, products, investments.

But we do not recommend these uses because of the low value.

Carte Mastercard World Elite de la Banque Nationale

To redeem your National Bank World Elite Mastercard Rewards points, you’ll need to log in to your online account at NBC à la carte Rewards. You can contribute to an RRSP or TFSA, or pay off your all-in-one line of credit or mortgage: 12,000 points = $100.

You can also get a gift card: 12,000 to 13,500 points for a $100 gift card.

Finally, you can apply your points to everyday purchases for a Statement credit: 25,000 points = $100.

Carte Mastercard BMO Ascend World Elite

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you can redeem your points through the BMO Rewards portal.

Redemption10,000 PointsValue of 1 point
Travel$670.67¢
Investment$670.67¢
Experiences$62¢0.62
Merchandise$60¢0.60
Gift cards$54¢0.54
Statement Credit$33.3¢0.33
IT’S A DRAW

It’s hard to tell the difference between the two cards in this respect: the utilization rate will be similar. Better to use the points for travel!

Annual Fee

Both credit cards have similar annual fees.

Carte Mastercard World Elite de la Banque Nationale

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard has an annual fee of $150. However, this card offers an annual travel credit of $150, so it costs you almost nothing each year!

Carte Mastercard BMO Ascend World Elite

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard has an annual fee of $150 (but has an annual fee waiver for the first year).

However, it comes with 4 passes to airport lounges, which may justify its cost.

Advantage : National Bank World Elite Mastercard

By using the $150 annual travel credit, your National Bank World Elite Mastercard could be virtually « free » year after year.

Insurance

Both credit cards offer extensive insurance.

InsuranceNational Bank World EliteBMO Ascend World Elite
Trip Cancellation InsuranceUp to $2,500 per personUp to $2,500 per person
Trip Interruption InsuranceUp to $5,000 per personUp to $2,000 per person
Out-of-Province/Country Emergency Medical InsuranceUp to $5,000,000 for up to 60 daysUp to $5,000,000 for up to 21 days (under 65 years old)
Flight delay insuranceUp to $500 after 4 hoursUp to $500 per person
Delayed Baggage InsuranceUp to $500 after 6 hoursUp to $500 per person
Lost or stolen luggage insuranceUp to $1,000Up to $500 per person
Hotel Burglary InsuranceUp to $1,000
Car Rental Theft and Damage InsuranceUp to $65,000Up to $65,000
Travel Accident Insurance$500,000$500,000
Purchase Protection PlanUp to 2 additional yearsUp to 1 additional year
Buyer’s Assurance Protection PlanUp to $1,000 180 days90 days
Advantage : National Bank World Elite Mastercard

With its more generous insurance coverage, the National Bank World Elite Mastercard has the edge over the BMO Card.

Conclusion

So? Which Card is the winner?

First of all, it’s worth noting that both are excellent credit cards to use at Costco!

With the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

  • Best insurances for your trips ;
  • Best insurances for your purchases ;
  • High earning rate for certain spending categories, including groceries, restaurants, gas and electric vehicle charging, recurring bills, and purchases made through the Voyage À La Carte agency;
  • Free unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal in the international zone;
  • Annual Travel Credit up to $150.

Against it, the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard®* stands out for:

  • Earn 5 points per dollar for travel and 3 points for everyday purchases;
  • Four annual airport lounge passes included;
  • A NEXUS credit of up to $200 in the first year;
  • A welcome offer of up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points.

This credit card is perfect for people who travel regularly and require extensive insurance.

Note that both cards offer interesting advantages; they are accepted at Costco and have excellent insurance coverage. It’s up to you to choose between these two excellent credit cards according to your needs!

Exclusive
Annual fee
$0 $150
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$150
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueAnnual fee rebated$150Total$150Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
First Year Annual Fee Rebate
$150 annual fee rebated
Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now

on National Bank's website

With Milesopedia, take advantage of an exclusive offer: your first-year annual fees are refunded with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available on the Milesopedia network, from June 30 to November 4, 2026.

  • Refund of the first-year annual fee (a $150 value) for the primary cardholder. This fee is charged to your new card account, then refunded as a credit on your statement within five months of opening your account, provided it remains open and in good standing.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.

With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:

  • 5 points per dollar for groceries and restaurants
  • 2 points per dollar on gas and electric recharge purchases
  • 2 points per dollar on recurring bills
  • 2 points per dollar on À la carte Travel
  • 1 point per dollar for all other purchases

And since it’s an NBC mycredit Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.

With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:

  • Airport parking
  • Baggage fees
  • Seat selection
  • Access to airport lounges
  • Airline ticket upgrades

What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.

Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$80,000
Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGroceries
  • 2xTravel
  • 2xBills & recurring payments
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$778
2nd Year Value$923

Card benefits

Airport lounge access$400
Travel creditsIncluded

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 60 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 31 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Travel AccidentIncluded

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+2 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days
Annual fee
$0 $150
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$921
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$771Annual fee rebated$150Total$921Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 115,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Ends Nov 30, 2026
Apply Now

on BMO's website

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of the best World Elite Mastercard travel rewards credit cards in Canada. With our welcome offer, you can get up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points, for a total value of up to $1,900, including up to $200 in Instacart benefits.

Plus, there’s no annual fee in the first year for the primary cardholder and additional cardholders, and you benefit from a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 12 months (with a 2% balance transfer fee).

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you get:

  • 5 points per dollar on eligible travel*
  • 3 points per dollar on eligible dining, entertainment, and recurring bill payments*
  • 1 point per dollar on all other purchases*

The card also offers:

  • 4 complimentary airport lounge accesses per year via Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass*
  • comprehensive travel insurance, including emergency medical coverage up to $5 million for 21 days*
  • A NEXUS statement credit in the first year*
  • Up to $200 in Instacart benefits*
  • Six months of Instacart+ membership plus a monthly $10 Instacart credit with an eligible card*

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$80,000
Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xTravel
  • 3xRestaurants
  • 3xStreaming
  • 3xBills & recurring payments
  • 3xEntertainment
  • 3xTelecom
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,249
2nd Year Value$289

Card benefits

Airport lounge access$160

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 21 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

BMO Ascend and NBC World Elite Cards – Frequently Asked Questions

Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about these two cards.

Which card has the best welcome bonus?

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard currently offers up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points (about $770 in travel value), plus the first-year annual fee waiver (a $150 saving). The National Bank World Elite Mastercard offers a first-year annual fee rebate (a $150 value). The BMO Ascend clearly wins on the welcome offer, especially with the first-year annual fee waiver that adds even more net value.

What are the earn rates for both cards?

The BMO Ascend World Elite earns 5 points/$ on travel, 3 points/$ on dining, entertainment, and recurring bills, and 1 point/$ elsewhere. The National Bank World Elite offers up to 5 points/$ on groceries and restaurants (capped at $2,500/month), 2 points/$ on gas, bills, and travel, and 1 point/$ elsewhere. The National Bank World Elite excels for everyday spending thanks to its 5x grocery/restaurant category, while the BMO Ascend dominates for regular travel.

Which card offers the best travel benefits?

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard includes 4 complimentary airport lounge passes via Mastercard Travel Pass, a NEXUS credit of up to $200 in the first year, and medical insurance up to $5 million. The National Bank World Elite offsets its fees with a $150 annual travel credit and offers exceptional travel insurance. For frequent travelers, both cards are competitive, with a slight advantage to National Bank due to the recurring annual credit.

Which card should I choose between the BMO Ascend and National Bank World Elite?

The choice depends on your habits: the BMO Ascend World Elite is suitable for travelers (5x on travel, lounges, NEXUS, more generous welcome bonus). The National Bank World Elite is better for households with high grocery/restaurant spending (up to 5x on $2,500/month) and for those who want an automatic $150 travel credit. Both have a $150 annual fee and a minimum income requirement of $80,000/$150,000.

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