François CharronPowered by Milesopedia

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • +First Year Annual Fee Rebate ($150 annual fee rebated)
  • +Welcome Bonus: 115,000 points
  • +Up to 5x on Travel

Cons

  • Foreign Transaction Fee (2.5%)

Our Review

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of the best World Elite Mastercard credit cards with travel points in Canada.

With our exclusive welcome offer, you can earn up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points (worth $770 for travel).

Here’s how to earn the welcome offer points:

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

Plus, there is no annual fee for the first year for the primary cardholder and additional cardholders.

You can also take advantage of 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*
  • Six months of Instacart+ membership plus a monthly $10 Instacart credit with an eligible card*

Offer ends: 2026-07-31

Rewards

All Spending

1x

BMO Rewards pts per dollar

Travel

5x

Restaurants

3x

Streaming

3x

Recurring

3x

Entertainment

3x

Telecom

3x

Credit Card Rewards Calculator

See how much you could earn with this card based on your spending.

¢/ point
0.34¢2.01¢
Groceries1x
$700/month
Gas & EV1x
$200/month
Transit1x
$100/month
Restaurants3x
$300/month
Pharmacy1x
$50/month
Travel5x
$150/month
Bills & recurring payments3x
$250/month
Telecom3x
$150/month
Entertainment & streaming3x
$100/month
Office supplies1x
$0/month
All other spending1x
$500/month

Points Earned

56,400

BMO Rewards/yr

Estimated Value

$378

After Fees

+$378

1st Year Value

$1,148

incl. welcome bonus

Annual rewards breakdown

Groceries$8,400/yr × 1x8,400 pts
Gas & EV$2,400/yr × 1x2,400 pts
Transit$1,200/yr × 1x1,200 pts
Restaurants$3,600/yr × 3x10,800 pts
Pharmacy$600/yr × 1x600 pts
Travel$1,800/yr × 5x9,000 pts
Bills & recurring payments$3,000/yr × 3x9,000 pts
Telecom$1,800/yr × 3x5,400 pts
Entertainment & streaming$1,200/yr × 3x3,600 pts
All other spending$6,000/yr × 1x6,000 pts
Total annual spend$30,000
Monthly spend$2,500
Average earn rate on spend per year1.88x
Average earn rate on spend 1st year with welcome bonus5.71x
Total points earned on spend56,400 pts
Welcome bonus points+115,000 pts
  • Earn 115,000 BMO Rewards after $20,000 in purchases in 12 months
Total points earned171,400 pts
Value of accumulated points$1,148

Travel Insurance

Travel Medical

Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days

Trip Cancellation

Up to $1,500

Trip Interruption

Up to $2,000

Delayed Baggage

Up to $500

Lost Baggage

Up to $500

Flight Delay

Up to $500

Hotel Burglary

Up to $1,000

Travel Accident

Up to $500,000

Purchase Protection

Purchase Protection

Included

Extended Warranty

+1 year(s)

Auto Rental

Up to $65,000 / 48 days

Interest Rates

  • Purchase Rate
    21.99%
  • Cash Advance
    23.99%
  • Foreign Transaction Fee
    2.5%

Perks & Benefits

Airport Lounge

4 visits/year

Eligibility

Personal Income

$80,000

Household Income

$150,000

Terms & Conditions

Card Features

Exclusive welcome offer: Get up to $1,700 in value, including up to 115,000 points, the Mastercard Travel Pass program and 4 complimentary airport lounge passes, a statement credit for NEXUS and the annual fee waived in the first year for the primary cardholder and authorized users*.

Additionally, enjoy a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 12 months as well as a 2% balance transfer fee.*

  • 5x the points for every $1 spent on eligible travel purchases,*
  • 3x the points for every $1 spent on eligible dining and entertainment purchases and recurring bill payments,*
  • 1 point for every $1 spent everywhere else.*
  • Free membership to the Mastercard Travel Pass app provided by DragonPass*, with 4 complimentary passes per year*
  • Enjoy six months of Instacart+ and a $10 monthly Instacart credit when you enroll your eligible BMO Credit Card.*
  • Extended Warranty*
  • Purchase Protection*
  • BMO Ascend World Elite Total Travel and Medical Protection:
    Get Collision Damage Waiver benefits on rental cars, 21 days of Out-of-Province/Out-of-Country Emergency Medical coverage of up to $5 million, and more.*

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Conditions apply. All information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Card details, rewards, and offers are subject to change at any time. Always verify the latest terms on the issuer’s website before applying. François Charron may receive compensation through affiliate links. This does not affect our editorial choices or card rankings. © 2026 BMO. All trademarks are property of their respective owners.