How are the 100,000 BMO Rewards points unlocked on the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard?

The 100,000-point welcome bonus is split into two milestones. You earn 60,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months and another 40,000 points after spending $50,000 in the first 12 months. Your annual fee of $150 is also waived for the first year. At BMO Rewards' standard travel value of about 0.67 cent per point, the full 100,000 points are worth roughly $670 toward flights, hotels or car rentals booked through the BMO Rewards portal — closer to $700 if you redeem against premium cabin fares.

How does the airport lounge access work on the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard?

The card includes a Mastercard Travel Pass membership powered by DragonPass with four complimentary lounge visits per year. Additional visits cost US$32 each. The network covers more than 1,300 lounges worldwide, including major hubs like Toronto Pearson, Montreal-Trudeau and Vancouver. To use it, activate the DragonPass app, link your Ascend card, and present the in-app QR code at the lounge entrance. Note that the four-visit cap is shared between the primary cardholder and supplementary cardholders, so couples typically use them on the same trip.

Is the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard accepted at Costco?

Yes. The Ascend is a Mastercard, so it works at every Costco warehouse and Costco gas bar in Canada. Costco purchases earn the base 1 BMO Reward point per dollar — they don't trigger the 3x dining or 5x travel category bonuses. Many milesopedia members still keep the Ascend as their Costco card because the base points stack with the welcome bonus during the qualifying period and contribute to the $50,000 spend threshold for the second 40,000-point milestone.

What is the minimum income required for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard?

BMO requires a personal income of $80,000 or a household income of $150,000 to be approved for any World Elite Mastercard, including the Ascend. Applicants below those thresholds are typically downgraded into the no-fee BMO eclipse rise Visa Card or the BMO CashBack Mastercard. You should also have a credit score of around 700 or higher and a clean recent credit history. Self-employed applicants will need to show net income — line 150 — that meets the $80,000 personal threshold.