The BMO World Elite Mastercard is no more – you can now say hello to the updated
It’s another update to a BMO credit card. And there have been quite a few of them over the last couple of years.
What does this refreshed credit card have to offer? And how does it compare to another BMO Rewards credit card – the
Here are the answers to those questions.
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BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard changes
So what has changed with this new card?
The only real change beside the name and new card art are in the rewards.
The previous BMO World Elite Mastercard earned the following on purchases:
- 3 points per $1 spent on travel, dining, and entertainment, and
- 2 points per $1 spent everywhere else.
But now, here’s what you’ll earn:
- 5 points per $1 spent on travel
- 3 points per $1 spent on dining, entertainment, and recurring bills
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Difficult to compare. So, based on our typical $2,000 monthly spend, here’s the difference in what you would earn for points.
| BMO World Elite Mastercard | BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Spend | Earn Rate | Annual Points Earned | Earn Rate | Annual Points Earned | |
| Travel | $100 | 3 points per $1 spent | 3,600 | 5 points per $1 spent | 6,000 |
| Dining & Entertainment | $150 | 3 points per $1 spent | 5,400 | 3 points per $1 spent | 5,400 |
| Recurring Bills | $300 | 2 points per $1 spent | 7,200 | 3 points per $1 spent | 10,800 |
| Everything Else | $1,450 | 2 points per $1 spent | 34,800 | 1 point per $1 spent | 17,400 |
| Total Points Earned | 51,000 | 39,600 |
It’s not great. You’re losing almost 20% in rewards.
Taking a maximum value of 0.67 cents per point, here are the annual rewards:
- BMO World Elite Mastercard: $342
- BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard: $265
So who is this card for? This card still has premium perks to offer. Here’s what it offers:
- 4 free airport lounge passes in Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass,
- 14 types of insurance, and
- World Elite Mastercard benefits.
Are they worth it? That’s up to you to decide.
GC: $125
$125 GeniusCash + Up to 
Current owners of the BMO World Elite Mastercard
A word for anyone who already had the BMO World Elite Mastercard. You’re now earning points with the new rates. You don’t have the option to keep the old rewards structure.
A new welcome bonus for the Ascend World Elite Mastercard
There is a terrific welcome bonus with the Ascend World Elite right now.
You can earn up to 70,000 points as a welcome bonus.
Those 70,000 points are worth up to $469 when redeemed for travel through BMO Rewards.
$20 GeniusCash offer
We’re also sweetening the deal with GeniusCash.
We’re offering an additional $20 to anyone who gets approved for the card using our link. Plus, you’ll be entered into a draw to win $10,000 and possibly a Tesla Model 3.
Here’s how GeniusCash works, and some of the other amazing offers available.
Comparing the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard to the Eclipse Visa Infinite
There’s another BMO Rewards card with a similar annual fee – the
Here’s how these cards compare.
Rewards
When it comes to rewards, the Eclipse is far above what the Ascend World Elite provides.
Here are the values of the annual rewards for each card:
- Ascend: $265
- Eclipse: $386
Not much of a comparison here – the Eclipse has more than $100 in annual rewards over the Ascend.
Perks & insurance
This category will depend on what you prefer.
For Eclipse, here’s what you’ll get:
- 6 types of insurance,
- $50 annual lifestyle credit, and
- 10% bonus points when you add an authorized user.
The insurance provided by the Ascend card is far superior, with 14 types included.
As for the other benefits, would you prefer better travel benefits, or discounts/more points? That’s up to you.
Psst: The BMO eclipse is running a GeniusCash offer of $125 right now.
Annual fee
Finally the annual fee.
The Eclipse has a lower annual fee of $120, compared to $150 for the Ascend.
The verdict?
Overall, the Eclipse card is your better option. It has more rewards and a lower annual fee.
However, if you’re looking for better insurance coverage or craving airport lounge access, the Ascend card would be better.
GC: $150
Your turn
It’s refreshing to see a credit card update, however, this one misses the mark. The only real change is to the rewards, which are now lower, while maintaining the same annual fee and benefits.
What are your thoughts on the change?
If you have the BMO World Elite Mastercard, will you keep it or switch to something else?
Let us know in the comments below.
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GC: 
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