8 Reasons to Get the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard
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Picking the right travel credit card is one of the easiest ways to earn rewards, save money, and pay less for your next trips. For a wider view, you can also browse our ranking of the best credit cards in Canada.
By pairing strong earning rates with solid perks (free airport lounge access included), the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* earns a real spot in your rewards wallet.
Here are our top 8 reasons why we think the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* and BMO Rewards belong in your travel strategy.
1. Lucrative Welcome Offers
A welcome offer is a fast way to start, since it drops a big batch of points in your account soon after you get the card.
That is the first reason we like the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*: it almost always runs a strong welcome offer, adding tens of thousands of BMO Rewards points after you hit the minimum spend.
In addition to the welcome offer, new cardholders can also benefit from a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 12 months with a 2% transfer fee, making it easier to consolidate higher-interest debt.
The current offer reaches up to 115,000 points, worth about $770 in travel value. You can see the card’s current offer and value in the graphic below:
Exclusive
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-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.
- $921
- Welcome offerAfter $20,000 in 12 months
- Up to 115,000 points
- Ends Dec 7, 2026
Apply Now
on BMO's website
2. Earn Valuable Points
The second reason we like the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* is the earning rates. You collect between 1 and 5 BMO Rewards points per $1 spent, so your balance grows fast in the right categories.
The earning rates work like this:
- 5 points per $1 on eligible travel, on up to $15,000 in travel per calendar year
- 3 points per $1 on eligible dining, on up to $10,000 per year
- 3 points per $1 on eligible entertainment, on up to $10,000 per year
- 3 points per $1 on recurring bill payments, on up to $10,000 per year
- 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
3. Flexible Ways to Redeem Points
Every time you use the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*, you earn BMO Rewards points that you can then put toward several options.
Once you have some BMO Rewards points in your account, you can use them as follows:
- For travel (using Pay with Points) at a rate of 150 points = $1, the best value
- To cover everyday expenses (using Pay with Points) at a rate of 200 points = $1
- On gift cards (for example, 23,000 points = $100 gift card)
- For select merchandise (value varies, often around 20,000 points = $100 in value)
- By adding to your BMO savings or investment accounts at a rate of 15,000 points = $100
I always steer people toward travel here. At 150 points = $1, that is about 0.67¢ per point, while everyday expenses sit at 200 points = $1, so 0.50¢ per point.
Exclusive
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-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.
- $921
- Welcome offerAfter $20,000 in 12 months
- Up to 115,000 points
- Ends Dec 7, 2026
Apply Now
on BMO's website
4. Free Airport Lounge Access
One of the simplest ways to upgrade an airport day is to spend the wait in an airport lounge with free snacks, drinks, and more.
This is another strong point for the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*: membership to Mastercard Travel Pass with 4 complimentary airport lounge passes per year.
This perk gives you over 1,300 lounges worldwide through the DragonPass program, so you can sit down before your next flight.
5. $200 NEXUS Credit
If you cross between Canada and the US often, a NEXUS membership saves time and smooths out every border crossing.
The BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* gives you a statement credit of up to $200 toward the NEXUS application fee when you charge it to the card in your first year as a cardholder. Since the NEXUS application fee is US$120, that credit covers it in full.
6. Strong Travel Insurance Coverage
Another money-saving side of the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* is its travel insurance package.
With the card, you get the following coverage:
- Out-of-province and out-of-country medical insurance up to $5 million per insured person, for trips up to 21 days (cardholders under 65)
- Common carrier travel accident insurance
- Car rental collision and loss/damage insurance
- Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance
- Flight delay insurance
- Baggage delay and lost/stolen baggage insurance
- Hotel and motel burglary insurance
Credit card travel insurance and car rental insurance save you real money, especially since car rental insurance can run upwards of $25 a day.
7. Great Perks and Discounts
Another reason to add the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* to your wallet is the set of perks and discounts that save you money and keep your purchases more secure.
Perks
With the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®*, you get perks like:
Discounts
As a cardholder, you also get car rental discounts with National, Alamo, and Enterprise, special pricing on Cirque du Soleil shows in Canada and Las Vegas, and more offers through the World Mastercard portfolio.
Exclusive
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-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.
- $921
- Welcome offerAfter $20,000 in 12 months
- Up to 115,000 points
- Ends Dec 7, 2026
Apply Now
on BMO's website
8. Stay Connected
Our last reason for liking the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* is that it helps keep you online when you are travelling abroad, through its partnership with FlexiRoam.
As a World Elite Mastercard holder, you get a free or discounted eSIM, so you can keep in touch with family and friends from almost anywhere.
Want to compare your connectivity and data-security options? Read our guides on what an eSIM is and how to keep your data secure abroad.
Bottom Line
There you have it: 8 solid reasons we like the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* and why it is worth a look for your next credit card.
The welcome offer, the travel insurance, the 4 lounge passes, the strong rates in key categories, and the flexible ways to redeem points cover a lot of ground. My one caution: keep the $15,000 travel cap and $10,000 category caps in mind before you apply, because heavy spenders will hit them. To keep up with new offers like this one, you can also sign up for our newsletter.
If the $80,000 income threshold does not work for you, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite* Card is a lower-income alternative currently offering up to 70,000 BMO Rewards points.
If you are still weighing it, these head-to-head comparisons show how the BMO Ascend™ World Elite®* Mastercard®* stacks up against other strong options:
Exclusive
- Annual feeNo annual fee the first year
- $0 $150
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-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.
- $921
- Welcome offerAfter $20,000 in 12 months
- Up to 115,000 points
- Ends Dec 7, 2026
Apply Now
on BMO's website
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the annual fee for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard?
The annual fee for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is $150, and it is often waived for the first year for both the primary cardholder and the first additional card. Each additional card costs $50.
What is the minimum income requirement for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard?
To qualify for the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you need a personal annual income of at least $80,000 or a household annual income of at least $150,000.
Does the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard come with free airport lounge passes?
Yes. The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard comes with 4 free airport lounge passes per year through Mastercard Travel Pass, provided by DragonPass, with access to over 1,300 lounges worldwide.
What are the earning rates on the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard?
The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard earns 5 BMO Rewards points per $1 on eligible travel, 3 points per $1 on dining, entertainment, and recurring bill payments, and 1 point per $1 on everything else. The categories have annual caps: $15,000 in travel for the 5x rate, and $10,000 in each 3x category per calendar year. After a cap, that category drops to 1 point per $1. Within the cap, the 5x travel rate works out to about a 3.3% return on travel spending.
What insurance is included with the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard?
The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard carries a full insurance package for a $150 annual fee card: emergency out-of-country medical coverage up to $5 million for 21 days (cardholders under 65), trip cancellation, trip interruption, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, hotel and motel burglary, rental car collision and loss/damage, plus purchase protection and extended warranty. Add the NEXUS statement credit of up to $200 in the first year and complimentary Instacart+, and the extra benefits cover the annual fee for most active cardholders.
How can I redeem BMO Rewards points earned on the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard?
You can use BMO Rewards points in three main ways. Travel gives the best value, at 150 points per $1 (about 0.67¢ per point), with flexibility on airlines, hotels, dates, and routes, and no blackout periods. Statement credit for everyday purchases is lower, at 200 points per $1 (0.50¢ per point). You can also move points to a BMO RRSP, TFSA, or non-registered account at 15,000 points = $100, the same rate as travel.