BMO AIR MILES Credit Cards: Additional multiplier for grocery spending

Starting August 1, you earn 2X the Miles on groceries (even at non-AIR MILES grocery stores). This is valid for BMO AIR MILES credit cardholders only.

So, you’ll earn with all your grocery purchases:

• 2 miles per $12 for non-AIR MILES partner grocery store purchases made with a BMO^® AIR MILES^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* card
• 2 miles per $25 for non-AIR MILES partner grocery purchases made with a BMO^® AIR MILES^® Mastercard^®*

Knowing that 1 Cash Mile is worth 10.5 cents, this represents:

• 1.75% cash back with the BMO^® AIR MILES^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*
• 0.84% cash back with the BMO^® AIR MILES^® Mastercard^®*

Here are a few examples of non- AIR MILES partner grocery stores:

• Maxi
• Super C
• Provigo, etc.

Currently, you earn 1 mile/$12 in purchases or 1 mile/$25, depending on the card (i.e. between 0.42% and 0.875%).

Thus, with their calculations, AIR MILES and BMO believe that the average member will earn 40% more miles with this change.

The earning rate for IGA, Les Marchés Tradition and Rachelle-Béry is unchanged. But remember that these partners will be leaving AIR MILES in early 2023.

Until then, earning miles for groceries at these AIR MILES partners in Quebec will continue to be :

• 3 miles per $12 for purchases made at these AIR MILES Partners with a BMO^® AIR MILES^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*
• 3 miles per $25 for purchases made at these AIR MILES Partners with a BMO^® AIR MILES^® Mastercard^®*

AIR MILES has decided to take action to limit the future loss of miles with the departure of its grocery partners.

Will this deter or encourage BMO AIR MILES cardholders?

Or would they turn to other credit cards offering more points or cash back for grocery spending? Here are some cards which are particularly advantageous at the grocery store:

• BMO^® CashBack^® World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* Up to 5% cash back on grocery purchases
• American Express Cobalt^® Card : 5% cash back on grocery purchases
• Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card: 5% cash back on grocery purchases (and even 6% at IGA starting in 2023)
• National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard^®: 5 points per dollar on grocery purchases (as of September 2022)
• CIBC Dividend^® Visa Infinite* Card: 4% cash back on grocery purchases
• Scotia Momentum^® VISA Infinite* card: 4% cash back on grocery purchases

Come and talk about it on our Facebook group.