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Author: Sarah Pritzker

By Sarah Pritzker

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Best Air Miles Credit Cards In Canada

Best air miles credit cards in Canada

Skycolors / Shutterstock

Author: Sarah Pritzker

By Sarah Pritzker

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Please be aware that some (or all) products and services linked in this article are from our sponsors.

We adhere to strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make decisions with confidence. Please be aware this post may contain links to products from our partners. We may receive a commission for products or services you sign up for through partner links.

Nothing beats a free vacation, and that’s exactly what air Miles give you. With air miles, you earn points whenever you show your air miles membership card when making a purchase at one of the many participating merchants in Canada. Once you earn enough air miles, you can redeem them for flights and vacations, movie tickets, or other free items.

Air miles is Canada’s most popular loyalty program, partly because we love free vacations, and partly because it is so diverse. There are over 100 merchants that participate in air miles, plus you can earn air miles points even faster by using a BMO or Amex air miles credit card to pay for your purchase. Air miles never expire and can be redeemed for so many different things – kitchen appliances, electronics, and even cash balances at participating stores.

What are the best air miles credit cards for 2023?

Credit card
Bonus
Annual fee
Reward miles
Card review
BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®*
2,000 miles
$120 first year waived*
Get 3x the miles for every $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Reward Partners* and 2x the miles for every $12 spent at any eligible grocery store*; one mile per $12 spent everywhere else*
Read more
BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®*
800 Miles*
$0
Get 3x the miles for every $25 spent at participating AIR MILES Partners and 2x the miles for every $25 spent at any eligible grocery store*. Get one mile for every $25 spent everywhere else*.
Read more

Best air miles high earn rate credit card

Apply now ►

Quick Facts

Who’s eligible?

Minimum credit score: Excellent

Minimum income: $80,000 individual or $150,000 household

Age: Age of majority in your province or territory

Other requirements: No bankruptcies in the last seven years

BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®*

You have an air miles credit card to earn air miles, so it might make sense to choose the card that lets you earn them as quickly as possible, even if it comes with a $120 annual fee. The BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®* earns 3x the miles for every $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Reward Partners* and 2x the Miles for every $12 spent at any eligible grocery store* with one mile per $12 spent anywhere else.* Those who spend $3,000 with the card in the first three months can also get a welcome bonus of 2,000 miles*. BMO even waives the annual fee of $120 in the first year*. Travel insurance is the icing on the cake.

  • Annual fee: $120 (first year fee waived)*
  • Welcome offer: 2,000-Mile welcome bonus*; first year annual fee waived*
  • Earn rates: Get 3x the Miles for every $12 spent at participating AIR MILES Reward Partners* and 2x the Miles for every $12 spent at any eligible grocery store*, 1 mile per $12 spent anywhere else*
  • Extra features: Travel insurance*; exclusive 25% discount on one worldwide AIR MILES flight redemption during the calendar year*; complimentary membership in Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass*

Click here to apply or learn more by reading our complete BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®* review.

*Terms and conditions apply

Best no annual fee air miles card

Apply now ►

Quick Facts

Who’s eligible?

Minimum credit score: Good

Minimum income: $15,000

Age: Age of majority in your province or territory

Residency: Resident of Canada

Because the BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* has a $0 annual fee, you basically earn air miles for free whenever you shop. The card has a welcome bonus of 800 air miles* (when you spend $1,000 within the first three months). That’s enough for $80 towards purchases with AIR MILES Cash*. You’d otherwise have to spend $20,000 to earn that many miles.

On top of the basic earn rate of one air mile per $25 charged*, you can receive a discount on car rentals*. The 0.99% introductory interest rate for balance transfers in the first nine months means that the card can also help you consolidate credit card balances and reduce the amount you pay in interest (2% fee applies to balance amount transferred)*.

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Welcome offer: Get 800 air miles bonus miles!* That’s enough for $80 towards purchases with Air Miles Cash*.
  • Earn rates: Get 3x the Miles for every $25 spent at participating air miles partners and 2x the miles for every $25 spent at any eligible grocery store*. Get one mile for every $25 spent everywhere else*.
  • Extra features: 0.99% interest rate on balance transfers for the first nine months (2% balance transfer fee applies)*; discount on car rentals*

Click here to apply or learn more by reading our complete BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®* review.

*Terms and conditions apply

Summary of the best air miles credit cards

Credit card
BMO AIR MILES®† World Elite®* Mastercard®*
BMO AIR MILES®† Mastercard®*
Annual fee
$120
$0
Supplementary card
$50
$0
Sign-Up Bonus air miles
2,000*
800*
Interest rate on purchases
20.99%
20.99%
Base earn rate
1 Mile : $12*
1 Mile : $25*
Earn rate at AIR MILES PARTNERS
3 Miles : $12*
3 Miles : $25*
Perks and bonuses!
Exclusive 25% discount on one worldwide air miles flight redemption during the calendar year*; Complimentary membership in Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass*
Car rental discounts*
Insurance
Emergency medical; trip cancellation; extended warranty; purchase protection*
Extended warranty; purchase protection*
More information
Apply
Apply

What are air miles?

Air Miles, also called air miles points, are a form of rewards points. You earn Air Miles by showing your membership card in participating online and brick and mortar stores, using an Air Miles credit card for any purchase, or by buying extra Miles online. After you’ve collected enough Miles you can redeem them for cash, movie tickets, flights, or other items.

Everyone always asks what their Air Miles are worth in cash terms, but it’s not so easy to answer. It depends on what you plan to redeem them for and where you go to redeem them. We estimate one Air Mile to be worth something between $0.12 and $0.194.

How to apply for an air miles credit card

The hardest part about applying for an Air Miles credit card in Canada is choosing from the many options available. The best Air Miles credit card is different for everyone, depending on your spending habits and financial situation. Here are some crucial features to look for:

  • Annual fee
  • Basic air miles earn rate
  • Accelerated air miles earn rate and where you can earn
  • Welcome bonus
  • Additional special offers like discounts and travel insurance
  • Interest rates for balance transfer

You might opt to simplify your selection process by utilizing our automated Air Miles calculator below. Just input your monthly spending and the features of the Air Miles credit card you’re considering, and the calculator will tell you how much value the credit card will give you in a year. Check out this article if you’d like to learn more about how the calculator works.

FAQs

  • How do air miles credit cards work?

    +

    Air miles credit cards allow you to earn air miles, which are the points within a popular travel rewards program in Canada. You can choose to earn cash miles, which can be redeemed for discounts at partner retailers either in store or online, or you can choose to earn dream miles, which can be redeemed for travel or merchandise.

  • Are credit cards with airline miles worth it?

    +

    Travel rewards credit cards that earn airline miles can definitely be worth it, provided you pick a card that matches your spending habits. For instance, you can maximize the number of miles you collect by using a credit card that earns miles in the purchase categories where you spend a lot of money—like groceries or gas—or in store brands where you shop frequently.

  • Is it worth reviewing an air miles credit card?

    +

    The good ole' days of frequent international travel may be slow to return, but it might be nonetheless worthwhile to renew an air miles credit card, provided you at least plan to travel domestically within the next couple of years. And remember, air miles only expire 24 months after your last account activity, so you could elect to keep racking up miles by using your air miles credit card, and then saving the miles for a dream vacation once we arrive in a post-COVID world.

  • Is air miles going out of business?

    +

    The air miles program has lost some big in-store partnerships in recent years (like Sport Chek, LCBO, Lowe's, etc.), and interest in the program took a hit with the onset of COVID-19. But at this point it seems unlikely that it will go out of business in the near future, and more likely that it will shift its focus toward partnering with more online retailers.

About our author

Sarah Pritzker
Sarah Pritzker, Freelance Contributor
More from this author

Sarah Pritzker has been writing for Money.ca since 2017, and loves learning about the latest trends in Canadian personal finance. Topics of particular interest to Sarah include investing, debt consolidation, debt counselling, and rewards programs. When she's not researching credit cards or loan repayment strategies, Sarah is most likely hanging out with her husband and three kids.

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