AIR MILES calculator

Cory Santos Credit card editor
Hannah Logan Money.ca writer

Updated Mar 19, 2025

Our handy AIR MILES calculator quickly allows you to ensure that you can get the most rewards and determine how much your AIR MILES are actually worth.

While we adhere to strict editorial guidelines, partners on this page may provide us earnings.

Find out where your BMO AIR MILES can send you with our AIR MILES calculator.

BMO AIR MILES is one of the most popular rewards programs in Canada. Over 10 million Canadians use the AIR MILES reward program to collect points while shopping, booking their next vacation, or even purchasing points directly from the program. Find out how many points you could earn with an eligible BMO credit card with our AIR MILES calculator.

So, do you have enough AIR MILES for a flight?

AIR MILES calculator

Spending Categories

Fill in your approximate spending per month in each of the below categories

Earning Structure

Fill in the amount you need to spend on your card to earn 1 Mile, for each category

Card Features

1st Year Waiver:

How much are AIR MILES worth?

AIR MILES points vary in value depending on how you use them. For example, booking a flight with AIR MILES might require a wildly different number of points depending on when you want to fly (high vs. low season). Similarly, using AIR MILES for gift cards or merchandise will need different amounts of AIR MILES than booking travel.

Nevertheless, working with an average value when tracking your total AIR MILES points can be helpful. On average, BMO AIR MILES has a value of 10 cents per point.

AIR MILES point valuations by award option

As mentioned, the value of AIR MILES varies based on how you choose to redeem them. Here’s a rough breakdown of how much value you’ll get from AIR MILES when redeeming for different awards:

  • Cash back or statement credit: 10 cents per point
  • Travel (economy class flight): 10.5 cents per point
  • Travel (business class flight): 13 cents per point
  • Hotels: 9.8 cents per point
  • Vacation packages: 11 cents per point
  • Merchandise/gift cards: 7 cents per point

How many AIR MILES do I need to get a free flight?

The number of air miles needed for a free flight isn't set in stone—it can vary widely based on a few key factors. Firstly, where are you headed? A short domestic flight might not dent your miles stash too much, but an international jaunt could require a hefty sum. Then, consider when you want to travel. Peak travel times, like holidays and summer months, often demand more miles because, well, everyone wants to get away then.

Typically, you might need anywhere from 1,500 to 3,000 miles for a shorter domestic or international flight. Longer or more exotic destinations could start at around 5,000 miles and go up significantly from there. The best strategy? Keep an eye on the rewards chart provided by your AIR MILES program and plan ahead. Timing your bookings during less busy periods can make your miles stretch further, ensuring you get to your dream destination using fewer miles. 

Destination
Departure
AIR MILES needed
Estimated value
Toronto to Vancouver
Toronto
3,000 - 4,000
$600 - $800
Montreal to Calgary
Montreal
2,500 - 3,500
$500 - $700
Toronto to New York
Toronto
1,500 - 2,500
$300 - $500
Vancouver to Los Angeles
Vancouver
2,000 - 3,000
$400 - $600
Toronto to London (UK)
Toronto
6,000 - 8,000
$1,200 - $1,600
Montreal to Paris
Montreal
6,500 - 8,500
$1,300 - $1,700

Read more: AIR MILES rewards guide

What’s the best way to earn AIR MILES points?

You can earn AIR MILES in several ways, including shopping with eligible retail partners, purchasing with a BMO AIR MILES chequing account, or meeting special spending requirements during bonus promotions.

However, the easiest way to earn AIR MILES is with an eligible BMO AIR MILES credit card. BMO AIR MILES credit card offers enhanced earn rates on purchases in select categories, like travel, groceries, or gas, plus lucrative welcome bonuses worth hundreds of dollars.

BMO AIR MILES currently offers 2 credit cards for the Canadian market:

up to 7,000 MILES†

Welcome Bonus

$1,297

First Year Value

$297

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Get up to $1,000 in value including up to 7,000 AIR MILES Bonus Miles and no annual fee in your first year.† Expires Jun 01, 2025

Apply Now On BMO's Secure Site

1,200 AIR MILES*

Welcome Bonus

$263

First Year Value

$143

Annual Value

Welcome Bonus: Get 1,200 AIR MILES Bonus Miles‡ and a 0.99% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 9 months with a 2% transfer fee.† Expires Jun 01, 2025

Apply Now On BMO's Secure Site

Compare the latest AIR MILES welcome bonuses

Card Welcome bonus Spending requirement
BMO AIR MILES Mastercard 1,200 AIR MILES Bonus Miles* Spend $1,000 in the first 3 months
BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* for students 800 AIR MILES Bonus Miles† Spend $1,000 in the first 3 months
BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard up to 7,000 AIR MILES and first year free† Spend $3,000 in the first 3 months

Compare AIR MILES credit card earn rates

Card Earn rate Learn more
BMO AIR MILES Mastercard Earn 3x the Miles for every $25 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners
Get 2x the Miles for every $25 spent at any eligible grocery store*
Earn 2x the Miles for every $25 spent at any eligible wholesale clubs, membership-based retailers and alcohol retailers
Earn 1x the Mile for every $25 that you spend with your credit card everywhere else 		Apply Now
BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* for students Earn 3x the Miles for every $25 spent at participating AIR MILES Reward Partners
Earn 2 Miles for every $25 spent at any eligible grocery stores
Earn 1x the Mile for every $25 that you spend with your credit card everywhere else 		Apply Now
BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard Earn 3x the Miles per $12 spent at participating AIR MILES partners*
Earn 2x the Miles for every $12 spent at any eligible grocery store*
Earn 1x the Mile for every $12 in credit card purchases, everywhere you spend*

Apply Now

Read more: Best AIR MILES credit cards

Disclosures:

  • BMO is not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click on the Apply now link for the most up to date information
  • *Terms and conditions apply

FAQs

  • How can I redeem my BMO AIR MILES?

    +

    You can redeem AIR MILES in a number of ways, including flights, travel packages, car rentals, hotels, gift cards, merchandise or cash back (Cash Miles).

  • What’s the difference between AIR MILES Dream and AIR MILES Cash?

    +

    Dream Miles are used for travel, merchandise, and events.

    Cash miles are used for instant cash discounts at participating stores or cash back on your credit card.

  • Can I earn extra miles when booking travel through AIR MILES?

    +

    Yes! AIR Miles members can earn more rewards based on their status:

    Onyx Collectors: 1 Mile per $5 spent

    Gold Collectors: 1 Mile per $10 spent

    Blue Collectors: 1 Mile per $15 spent

  • Do BMO AIR MILES expire?

    +

    Nope! Your miles are yours to keep. AIR MILES removed their expiry policy in 2016, so your miles will stay valid as long as the program exists.

Cory Santos Credit card editor

Cory Santos is a finance writer, editor and credit card expert with nearly a decade of experience in personal finance. Cory joined Wise Publishing from BestCards, with bylines in numerous print and digital publications across North America, including the Miami Herald, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Debt.ca, AOL, MSN and Medium as well as financial podcasts like KOFE Talk.

Hannah Logan Money.ca writer

Hannah Logan is a Canadian freelancer writer and blogger who specializes in personal finance and travel. You can follow her adventures on her travel blog EatSleepBreatheTravel.com or find her on Instagram @hannahlogan21.

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†Terms and Conditions apply.