Blue Rewards: BMO's AIR MILES successor

Verified: October 2026 — against official program terms

What Is Blue Rewards?

Blue Rewards is BMO's loyalty program, the successor to AIR MILES since 2 June 2026. It's free to join (you don't need to be a BMO customer), and you collect Blue Points at participating partners, online through Blue Rewards Shops, on receipt scans, and with eligible BMO debit and credit cards. Redeem at 1,500 Blue Points = $10 in store or on e-gift cards, or put points toward travel. The base return is modest: roughly 0.5% online and about 1.1% at Pharmasave, with the BMO World Elite Mastercard reaching ~6.7% at participating partners.

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Is Blue Rewards Worth It?

Without effort: Show your card at Pharmasave on $200/month → 16 Points per $10 = 320 Points/month → 3,840 Points/year → about $25.60/year.

With the 3 moves: Add a linked payment card at partners that pay 1 Point per $1 (for example $100/month at Instacart or Dollarama = about $8/year) and the odd bonus receipt scan → realistically about $34/year. Bonus amounts on receipts vary by offer, so don't count on a fixed figure.

Recent changes: Blue Rewards replaced AIR MILES on 2 June 2026. Miles became Blue Points, and Cash and Dream Miles were combined into one balance. Shell finished its exit on 25 May 2026 (2 March in Alberta). New partners include Porter Airlines, Accor (Fairmont, Novotel, SLS), Instacart, Dollarama and MTY restaurant brands. The Onyx tier is closed to anyone who enrolled after 31 May 2026.

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How Does Blue Rewards Work?

Where it works: Pharmasave, Global Pet Foods, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont, Avis & Budget, National, Alamo, Instacart, Dollarama, MTY restaurant brands (Thaï Express, Mr. Sub, Jugo Juice, Bâton Rouge) and Porter Airlines, plus online stores through Blue Rewards Shops. The partner directory on the Blue Rewards website is the final word. No longer partners: Shell, Sobeys, Safeway, Metro, LCBO, Staples, Rexall, Lowe's.

What you earn: The rate depends on the partner. Examples: 16 Points per $20 per online store (about 0.5% back), 16 per $10 at Pharmasave, Alamo and National (about 1.1%), 16 per $20 at Global Pet Foods (about 0.5%), 16 per $5 at IHG (about 2.1%), and 1 Point per $1 with a linked payment card at Instacart and Dollarama (about 0.67%; Dollarama needs $20 minimum).

How you get it back: 1,500 Blue Points = $10 in store at participating partners or on e-gift cards, in increments of 1,500 Points (daily limits apply). That's about 0.67¢ per point. On travel, redeem any amount of Points to reduce what you pay out of pocket, when using a combination of your BMO Blue Rewards credit card and Points.

What it costs: Free to join. Optional BMO cards have their own fees (see Pro Tips).

How to sign up: Free at the Blue Rewards website. You need a Canadian mailing address and email, and must be 16 or older. Your digital card shows your Member Number. You can scan your Blue Rewards card into SuperCards via screenshot after registering.

Member perks: holders of an eligible BMO chequing account other than Blue Rewards Chequing can opt in to earn Blue Points on their debit card: 1 Point per $2 on eligible grocery, wholesale, gas and EV charging purchases (up to $300 monthly spend). Onyx status is legacy only: Onyx tier benefits earned in 2026 end by 31 December 2027.

Good to know: Points can take up to 120 days to post following completion of the offer terms, and Points are collected under one Member Number only (household cards pay into your account). Screenshot your order confirmations.

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How to Get the Most From Blue Rewards

1. Show Your Card at the Highest-Paying Partners

Rates differ a lot by partner. IHG pays 16 Points per $5, Pharmasave, Alamo and National pay 16 per $10, while Global Pet Foods and online stores pay 16 per $20. Pick the better-paying partner when you have a choice, and keep your card in SuperCards so it's one tap at the register.

2. Link a Payment Card Where It's Offered

At Instacart and Dollarama you can pay with a linked payment card and earn 1 Blue Point per $1 spent, with no scanning needed.

3. Scan Receipts for Bonus Offers

Blue Receipts gives Bonus Points when you scan a receipt in the Blue Rewards app within 14 days of buying eligible products on a featured offer. It only works on time-limited offers, so check the offers before you shop and keep the receipt.

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How to Redeem Blue Rewards Points

In-store rebates at partner registers — 1,500 Points = $10. Clean and predictable, works at Pharmasave and other in-store partners.

E-gift cards — same 1,500 Points = $10 rate. Good flexibility.

Travel — redeem any amount of Points to reduce what you pay out of pocket, when using a combination of your BMO Blue Rewards credit card and Points. Convenient.

If Blue Rewards runs bonus-back redemption promotions, you could get more value from your Points — see Pro Tips below.

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Blue Rewards — What to Watch Out For

• Points can be cancelled after 24 months of inactivity. If no Points are posted to your account or used from it for 24 consecutive months, BMO may cancel them. Any activity resets the clock.
• The partner list has shrunk dramatically. Shell, Sobeys, Safeway, Metro, LCBO, Staples, Rexall and Lowe's are all gone.
• One Member Number per person. Terms say you collect under one Member Number only.
• Easiest mistake: forgetting to show your card. Most partners won't credit Points retroactively.

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When to Skip Blue Rewards

• If you shop primarily at Loblaw, Shoppers, or No Frills: PC Optimum gives 1–4% back with personalized offers, significantly better than Blue Rewards' roughly 0.5% online base.
• If you're a Sobeys / Empire / Cineplex shopper: Scene+ has the stronger grocery anchors and bigger retail partners. Stick with Scene+.
• If you want flat-rate simplicity: A 1.5–2% cashback credit card on everything beats Blue Rewards' base rates without the partner-by-partner complexity.

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Blue Rewards Quick Reference

As of October 2026