How to Maximize the Air Miles/Blue Rewards Program

Blue Rewards is BMO's revamped loyalty reward program, replacing AIR MILES. It's designed to make it easier for members to earn rewards for everyday purchases, without having to check complicated reward charts or gain status within the program.

Instead, you'll earn Blue Points, which can still be redeemed for travel, merchandise, eGift cards, and more. There are also new ways to earn points, including scanning your grocery store receipts.

This article walks you through the biggest changes to the program, explains what your new points are worth, and discusses the new Blue Rewards credit cards.

What is Blue Rewards?

Blue Rewards is the newly revamped loyalty reward program for BMO. This bank used to operate Air Miles, but it's shifting from a primarily travel-based program to one that rewards Canadians for everyday purchases too.

Collecting Blue Rewards starts with a free account (available in the Blue Rewards mobile app or on the website), a BMO Blue Rewards credit card, or a BMO Blue Rewards chequing account.

Members earn Blue Points by shopping, scanning receipts from retail partners, using a BMO-issued co-branded credit card, using a qualifying BMO chequing account, or booking travel through the Blue Rewards platform powered by Expedia.

Blue Rewards overview

Currency: Points

Reward categories: Merchandise, eGift cards, in-store rebates, travel, events and attractions

Pros:

• Free to join, no credit card required
• 250+ online stores awarding Blue Points
• 6 ways to collect Blue Points
• 6 ways to redeem points
• 2 Blue Rewards credit cards
• Near-flat rate redemption value
• No blackout dates on reward stays or flights
• Points can be gifted and pooled

Cons:

• Miles worth as little as 0.6 cents CAD each
• Points can't be donated to charity
• Points can't be bought or converted to other points
• Points expire after 24 months of inactivity
• Offers all have different conditions

The AIR MILES program featured elite status tiers (Gold and Onyx Collector Statuses) that allowed you to earn rewards faster, but BMO plans to phase these out by the end of 2027. Instead, it wants Blue Rewards to offer a more personalized experience for all members.

What are Blue Rewards points worth?

With the transition to Blue Rewards, BMO streamlined their reward denominations, so you no longer have to keep track of Cash Miles or Dream Miles with variable values. Instead, you can use your Blue Points for travel, discounts, merchandise, experiences, and gift cards, with their value remaining around 0.67 cents per point.

Previous Air Miles users will quickly realize that these values are significantly lower than they were with Air Miles.

Cost of reward in $CAD / cost of reward in miles x 100 = value in cents per point (CPP)

Blue Rewards members have several redemption options available:

Note that some options are only available in certain provinces.

How to earn Blue Points

There are more ways than ever to earn rewards for everyday purchases, including shopping in-store and online, booking travel, and using Blue Rewards credit cards.

Earn by shopping in-store with Blue Rewards partners

Head to a Blue Rewards merchant and scan your membership card or pay with your Blue Rewards credit card to start earning points. The exact rate you'll earn depends on the merchant, but you'll typically get 16 points per $10 to $20 spent.

Partners vary by province, but here are a few examples of popular retailers that participate:

• Pharmasave
• Timber Mart
• Ashley
• Best Buy
• H&M
• Jugo Juice
• Lids
• Manchu Wok
• Sephora

Earn by shopping online offers

For more shopping choices and even more Blue Points, head to earnmore.bluerewards.ca/en. Once you've logged in, you can browse Bonus Offers from over 280 online retailers, including:

• Amazon
• Apple
• Best Buy
• PetSmart
• Sephora
• Walmart

Some retailers offer a flat earning rate, such as 1 point per $20 spent before taxes and shipping, or Bonus Points on certain purchases.

To maximize your earnings, check the site regularly for deals and download the Shop Blue Assistant browser extension. Any points earned will appear in your account once the purchase is processed.

Earn by scanning grocery receipts

First, download the Blue Rewards mobile app, then check out the weekly offers and find something you want to buy. Visit the grocery store, make the purchase, and scan your receipt in the app. Once your scan uploads, your Blue Points are deposited into your account.

It's estimated that Blue Rewards can be earned at 97% of Canadian grocery stores – even Loblaws-owned stores – simply by scanning your receipts.

Earn by booking travel through Blue Rewards powered by Expedia

You can earn Blue Points for nearly every aspect of your next trip. Start by visiting the Blue Rewards travel platform that's powered by Expedia to book flights, vacation stays, rental cars, hotels, events or activities, packages, and cruises.

You'll earn 16 points per $15 spent, not counting taxes and fees. If you bundle 2 of these in a single booking, you'll earn 3x the points: flight, hotel, or car rental.

Earn by using a BMO Blue Rewards credit card

A BMO credit card is a must for anyone trying to maximize Blue Rewards.

BMO's former Air Miles credit cards are no longer available, and existing cardholders are being transitioned to new Blue Rewards Mastercards. You can still use your current Air Miles card until your new card arrives.

There are 2 BMO Mastercard options that earn rewards on everyday purchases and give you 10x the points when booking travel through the Blue Rewards website:

• BMO Blue Rewards Mastercard^®*
• BMO Blue Rewards World Elite^®* Mastercard^®*

Plus, you can earn Blue Points with any Canadian-issued Mastercard simply by linking your credit card to your Blue Rewards account. A linked Mastercard won't give you points on every purchase, but it'll make it easier for you to pick up Bonus Offers.

All BMO Air Miles credit cards are being automatically transitioned to Blue Rewards cards and linked to your new Blue Rewards account.

Earn by getting a BMO Blue Rewards chequing account

Open a BMO Blue Rewards chequing account to earn 1 point per $2 spent with your debit card. You'll also get 2x the Blue Points on groceries, gas, EV charging, and wholesale purchases (yes, that means Costco).

This account has a monthly fee of $17.95 and includes unlimited transactions, free unlimited Interac e-Transfers, a free Family Bundle, and complimentary OnGuard identity theft protection. Maintaining a $4,000 balance earns you an extra 500 Blue Points each month, too.

If you have a BMO Blue Rewards World Elite Mastercard and a Blue Rewards chequing account, you'll get 500 bonus points each month.

How to gift or pool Blue Points

It's easy to move, merge, or gift Blue Points by using the Transfer Points page or calling Customer Care.

Each gift will incur a fee of 15 cents per 16 points (plus tax), and this also applies to merging accounts between members from different households. There's no fee for merging accounts with someone who shares your address.

A deceased member's Blue Points may be transferred to one or more beneficiaries using the Blue Points Estate Matters form.

How to redeem Blue Rewards points

Most Blue Points redemption options are available on the Blue Points explore rewards website. From there, you can buy merchandise via the eShop, select gift cards, book travel or events, and find in-store discount opportunities.

Remember, the most valuable redemption options are in-store discounts and eGift cards, though the others aren't far behind in value.

Redeem for travel via Blue Rewards powered through Expedia

If you want to redeem your Blue Rewards points for travel, the Expedia-powered portal gives you booking options for:

• Accommodations
• Activities and excursions
• Car rentals
• Cruises
• Flights
• Vacation packages

Although the value of points has been devalued for travel, you can pretty much assume that booking any type of travel or experience will net you around 0.63 CPP.

The value stays steady regardless of whether you're booking economy, business, or first class fares across any airline. Plus, peak and off-peak travel dates won't impact your points' value.

Redeem for in-store discounts

Redeeming points for in-store discounts is a straightforward way to get 0.67 CPP. Present your Blue Rewards membership card or flash the app the next time you visit an in-store partner to trade 1,500 Blue Points for every $10 off the total (to a maximum of $750 per day).

Be aware that there aren't many in-store partners to choose from, and the retailers vary by province. For instance, Alberta only has 2 in-store partners, Pharmasave and live events powered by TFL, while Nova Scotia has 4 partners.

Redeem for eGift cards

Your options for redeeming Blue Points for eGift cards also vary by province, but there are quite a few available. The program has 85 eGift card partners to choose from.

The same redemption rates apply: 1,500 points for a $10 eGift card, which works out to 0.67 CPP in value. However, keep an eye on the redemption site, as there are often 5% bonuses, meaning you'll only need 1,425 for a $10 eGift card.

Some of the popular eGift card options include:

• Burger King
• Michaels
• Starbucks
• IKEA
• LEGO
• DoorDash
• Tim Hortons

Redeem for merchandise

The BMO Blue Rewards Merchandise site boasts an impressive number of partners and items, but the value of your points is underwhelming. We calculated the value of a dozen assorted items, and got 0.63 CPP – less than what you'd get for in-store discounts or eGift cards.

However, some items were on special and had values as high as 0.87 CPP. The best way to tell whether or not merchandise is worth it is to grab a calculator and check yourself:

Cost of reward in $CAD / cost of reward in points x 100 = value in cents per point (CPP)

Redeem for leisure and attractions

You can use your Blue Rewards points for movie tickets, museum and aquarium admission, airport lounge access, warehouse membership, safaris, zoo trips, and much more.

Leisure and attraction opportunities change often, and their point value varies more than your other redemption options. You can expect your points to be worth around 0.73 CPP.

Redeem for live event tickets

Redeeming your Blue Points for tickets to live events includes options for sports, concerts, and other theatre acts happening in your area – all of these offer a value of 0.67 CPP.

Whichever event you choose, you'll get $10 towards your purchase for every 1,500 points redeemed. You'll see a slider that lets you choose how many points to use, but the total redemption value stays the same.

Blue Rewards vs. Aeroplan

There's one more thing to consider besides points, earning methods, and redemption options: Aeroplan Rewards. Air Canada's official rewards program is Blue Rewards' biggest competitor – but which one is better for you?

Best Blue Rewards credit cards

There are only a couple of Blue Rewards Mastercards to choose from, but here's how they compare:

Card name	Annual fee and income requirements	Rewards	Insurance	Welcome bonus	Learn more
BMO Blue Rewards Mastercard	* $0 * $0 personal income * $0 household income	* 5 points per $1 spent at Blue Rewards partners* * 1 point per $1 spent on groceries, gas, electric vehicle charging, wholesale, and alcohol purchases* * 0.5 points per $1 spent on all other purchases*	2 types	$100 GeniusCash + Up to 20,000 bonus points (terms)	Learn more
BMO Blue Rewards World Elite Mastercard	$150 * $80,000 personal income * $150,000 household income	* 10 points per $1 spent at Blue Rewards partners* * 2 points per $1 spent on groceries, gas, electric vehicle charging, wholesale, and alcohol purchases* * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases*	12 types	$125 GeniusCash + Up to 100,000 bonus points, first year free (terms)	Learn more

FAQ

What is Blue Rewards?

Blue Rewards is the revamped loyalty rewards program operated by BMO. It used to be AIR MILES, but now you can earn BMO Points for everyday activities like purchasing groceries, shopping with retail partners, booking travel, and using a BMO chequing account.

What can I use Blue Rewards for?

Blue Rewards points can be put toward in-store discounts with partnering retailers, though these partners vary by province. You can also trade them in for eGift cards from retail partners or for rewards for travel booked through Expedia. Travel options include flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation packages, cruises, events and activities.

How do I spend my Blue Rewards?

To spend your Blue Rewards in the app, log in, click the "Rewards" menu icon, and select the redemption category that interests you most. Using a web browser, you sign in, click "Redeem," and choose your preferred option there. You can also redeem points in-store at the register with partner retailers by scanning your card or code in the app.

What's the best BMO Blue Rewards credit card?

Of the 2 Blue Rewards Mastercards, we'd say the premium BMO Blue Rewards World Elite Mastercard is the better option. It does have higher income requirements, but the welcome bonus is larger, and you'll earn 2x as many Blue Points. Plus, you'll get airport lounge access and travel insurance.

Why did Air Miles change to Blue Rewards?

BMO struggled with offering Cash Miles and Dream Miles, which complicated the program. Blue Rewards is an attempt to streamline its rewards program so it's easier to use and offers more everyday value to all Canadians, not just those with elite status from frequent travel.