BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Review: Point Value, Spending Caps, Comparisons
Nerdy Verdict
People who spend primarily on groceries, gas, dining and transit rather than flights or hotels. Its 5x rate is among BMO’s highest for everyday spending, with an annual fee that’s partially offset by the $50 annual lifestyle credit.
Not ideal for:
Big grocery bills. The 5x multiplier is limited to just $6,000 per year, or roughly $500 per month. Travellers looking for lounge access or broad travel insurance coverage won’t benefit either.
Why we like it:
The bonus categories cover common purchases. The $50 lifestyle credit is easy to unlock and can be spent on anything.
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite is BMO’s everyday spending rewards card. It earns 5x the BMO Rewards points on gas, groceries, dining and transit. This is in stark contrast to the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, which only hands out that many points when you spend on travel.
Because BMO Rewards points are only worth 0.67 cents, the 5x multiplier equals a return of 3.33% back. The biggest caveat though, is that this card has strict spending caps that can catch you off guard.
None of this makes it a bad card — it just means you need to calculate your spending carefully to ensure you get the best value.
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Points on groceries.
Points on dining.
Points on gas.
Points on transit.
Point for every $1 spent on everything else.
Built for everyday spending, this mid-tier points card boasts a competitive 5x earn rate on popular spending categories and point-boost incentives for adding an authorized user. But its limited travel insurance may disappoint frequent jetsetters. Best for: Shoppers who spend big on food and commuting.
Pros
- $50 statement credit annually.
- Earn up to 10% more points when you add an authorized user to your account.
Cons
- Limited travel insurance.
- No airport perks.
- Get up to $1,150 in value including up to 70,000 Bonus points, monthly streaming statement credit, $50 statement credit, and no annual fee in your first year.*
- Earn 5x the BMO Rewards points on groceries, dining, gas and transit.*
- Get 1 BMO Reward for every $1 spent on everything else.*
- Get a $50 annual lifestyle credit to spend however you want.*
- Mobile Device Insurance that covers you for up to $1,000.*
- Earn 10% more points when you add an authorized user to your account.*
- Pay with Points by browsing your recent transactions & redeem your points for as little as $1.
- Enjoy six months of Instacart+ and a $10 monthly Instacart credit when you enroll your eligible BMO Credit Card.*
- *Terms and conditions apply.
- 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.
1. What your points are actually worth
BMO Rewards points are worth up to 0.67 cents each when you redeem them for eligible travel purchases, meaning you can earn up to 3.3% on purchases with the highest earn rates, which are:
5 points per dollar on groceries.
5 points per dollar on gas and transit.
5 points per dollar on restaurants and takeout.
All other eligible purchases earn you 1 point per dollar.
Doing the math for the 70,000-point welcome bonus, you get up to $467 in travel value. If you redeem it for statement credits, it will drop to $350.
Heads up: If you cancel the card, you will have 90 days to either redeem the points or reinstate them by reopening the account or opening a new eligible BMO Rewards account and linking the points account.
A major red flag is that you can only redeem your points for gift cards and merchandise within that period, two options where your points are worth less than the 0.67 cent maximum that you’d normally receive. If you fail to redeem or reinstate your points entirely, they will expire.
2. Spending caps can sneak up on you
The card’s annual spending caps can matter for households with higher grocery or dining bills. Two bonus categories, groceries and dining, are capped at $6,000 annually, or about $500 per month. Exceed the annual limit and you’ll drop from the 5x boosted rate to the 1x base rate.
If your family spends $750 on groceries per month in a typical year, the well will dry up by the end of August (if that spending begins in January).
Gas and transit purchases, which have a $20,000 annual cap for each category, give you a lot more earning potential.
3. Two perks that actually pay
There is an annual lifestyle credit that you can easily earn. If you make a purchase of $50 or more in each annual period, you’ll get a $50 statement credit applied to your account.
Note: For your second year and beyond, your purchase needs to be made after your annual fee is posted. The credit will appear on your account within two statement cycles of eligibility.
The second perk is for those who plan to add a supplementary card. Both you and the second cardholder will get 10% more points on qualifying 5x-category purchases. However, the $50 annual fee for each additional cardholder applies, so it only makes sense if you were already planning to add a second cardholder.
4. It compares favourably to the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard in terms of everyday spending
BMO offers several cards that earn BMO Rewards, but these are the two most relevant premium options to compare here. What works best for you depends on where you spend your money and whether you can make the most of travel perks for an increased annual fee.
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite | BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard | |
|---|---|---|
Earn rates | 5x on groceries, dining, gas and transit | 5x on travel, 3x on dining, entertainment and recurring bills |
Annual bonus-category spending caps | $6,000 each on groceries and dining; $20,000 each on gas and transit | $15,000 on travel; $10,000 each on dining, entertainment and recurring bill payments |
Welcome bonus | 70,000 BMO Rewards points | 115,000 BMO Rewards points |
Travel insurance | Emergency medical for 15 days for those under 65. Also includes common-carrier and rental car coverage. | More comprehensive coverage, including trip cancellation/ interruption, flight delay, baggage, hotel burglary, and rental car coverage. Emergency medical coverage for up to 21 days for those under 65. |
Lounge access | None | 4 free passes per year |
Other perks | $50 annual statement credit | $200 NEXUS application rebate (first year only) |
Annual fee | $120 (first year free) | $150 (first year free) |
Income requirements | $60,000 personal or $100,000 household or $15,000 in declared annual spend | $80,000 personal or $150,000 household |
BMO Ascend works best as a travel option. You can earn more points on travel bookings and score more valuable travel perks like lounge passes, comprehensive insurance, and a first-year NEXUS rebate.
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Points for every $1 spent on eligible travel purchases.
Points for every $1 spent on eligible dining purchases.
points for every $1 spent on eligible entertainment purchases.
Points for every $1 spent on eligible recurring bill payments.
Point for every $1 spent everywhere else.
This card offers a healthy return on travel spending, complimentary airport lounge access and robust travel insurance for added peace of mind. But high annual income criteria will put it out of reach for some. Best for: Higher-income earners seeking competitive rewards on travel dollars spent.
Pros
- Up to 5x points per eligible dollar spent.
- Four free airport lounge visits annually.
Cons
- High $80,000 individual or $150,000 household annual income criteria.
- Limited Time Offer: Get up to $1,900 in value including up to 115,000 points, Mastercard Travel Pass & 4 Complimentary Lounge Passes, NEXUS Statement Credit and the annual fee waived in the first year for both the primary cardholder and authorized users.* Plus, get a 0% introductory interest rate on Balance transfers for 12 months with a 2% 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.*
- Complimentary membership in Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass,* with four annual complimentary passes.
- Extended warranty and purchase protection*
- 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.*
- Up to $200 Instacart benefit*
- 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.
Where the eclipse card comes out on top is on everyday spending. The point value is the same on both cards, but eclipse earns more on groceries, gas, transit and dining. Ascend earns more on travel, entertainment and recurring bills; both cards earn one point per dollar outside their bonus categories.
Cautious comparison: Both cards have spending caps on purchases to keep an eye on.
The eclipse card is stricter, with $6,000 each in groceries and dining, as well as $20,000 each for gas and transit.
Ascend’s limits include $15,000 for travel and $10,000 each for dining, entertainment and recurring bills.
5. What it takes to earn the $1,150 first-year value
BMO advertises up to $1,150 in first year value and the math does hold up. It isn’t all cash value, but rather five separate offers with different conditions and different ways to get that value.
$467 in welcome bonus points, if you spend $12,000 in the first year. This arrives in three stages: 30,000 for spending at least $4,000 within 110 days, 20,000 more at $7,000 within 180 days, and the last 20,000 at $12,000 in 365 days.
$50 in an annual lifestyle credit, after your first purchase of $50 or more per annual period.
$240 in monthly $20 statement credits for streaming services. These are locked behind a minimum general spending requirement of $500 per month.
$120 annual fee waiver in the first year.
$280 that comes from “everyday purchases based on first year average spend”.
Alternatives to the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite
Aside from the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, other travel-focused options may suit your spending and lifestyle better.
Choose the RBC Avion Visa Infinite for a higher base earn rate. If your spending falls outside of BMO’s bonus categories, you’ll be getting up to 2 cents per point in value compared to BMO’s 0.67 cents.
Choose the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ for travel benefits beyond our borders. It earns travel points worth 1 cent each, and offers lounge visits, better travel insurance and most importantly, no FX fees. You’ll pay a $150 annual fee, though, and there are no annual lifestyle credits.
Choose the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite if you want travel perks without a high annual fee. The annual $100 travel credit effectively reduces the annual fee to only $39, and you still get lounge passes. The point value of this card is lower, however, at just 0.5 cents per point.
Conclusion
Overall, the BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite can be a useful card to have, especially if you spend a lot on groceries, dining and getting around. This makes it a good card for families that keep their spending within reasonable limits, as this card is among the highest earners in the BMO realm.
The annual fee is also reasonable, especially considering you get a $50 lifestyle credit every year. Having a supplementary card grants even more rewards than a single card alone, which is even better for those with a partner or spouse.
If you travel often, the lack of insurance and travel benefits make the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard a better option, and if you spend a lot of money, the spending caps may make you feel like you’re running out of runway towards the end of the year.
Nerdy Verdict
Best for:
People who spend primarily on groceries, gas, dining and transit rather than flights or hotels. Its 5x rate is among BMO’s highest for everyday spending, with an annual fee that’s partially offset by the $50 annual lifestyle credit.
Not ideal for:
Big grocery bills. The 5x multiplier is limited to just $6,000 per year, or roughly $500 per month. Travellers looking for lounge access or broad travel insurance coverage won’t benefit either.
Why we like it:
The bonus categories cover common purchases. The $50 lifestyle credit is easy to unlock and can be spent on anything.
DIVE EVEN DEEPER
Athena Cocoves
Barry Choi