New BMO VIPorter Mastercard now available with up to 70,000 Points!

In partnership with BMO and Mastercard, Porter Airlines has launched two new credit cards under the BMO VIPorter Mastercard program. This marks Canada’s first travel credit card program that provides cardholders immediate airline status benefits, specifically granting automatic recognition into Porter’s VIPorter Avid Traveller membership tiers. The credit card suite also enables accelerated earning of travel rewards and expanded redemption opportunities through Porter’s network and its global airline partners like Air Transat and Alaska Airlines.

The new BMO VIPorter Mastercard credit cards enhance the ability to earn VIPorter points and redeem flights through everyday purchases while automatically granting VIPorter Avid Traveller benefits to the primary cardholder and any secondary cardholders on the account. Card benefits and the welcome offer include waived annual fees for the first year and up to 70,000 VIPorter points in welcome bonus offers. Let’s take a closer look at the new cards and associated benefits;

BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard 

• Eligibility: Minimum annual income of $80,000 (individual) or $150,000 (household) is required.
• Annual Fee: Waived for First Year for both primary and secondary cardholders
  • After First Year – $199 for Primary and $75 for Secondary Cardholders
• Welcome Bonus Offer: Up to 70,000 VIPorter Points (Additional 10,000 for those on the waitlist) with threshold spend requirements;
  • Month 3: Earn 20,000 Bonus Points with $5,000 spend
  • Month 6: Earn 20,000 Bonus Points + $0 Companion Pass (pay taxes and fees only) + $1000 Qualifying Status boost with $9000 spend
  • Month 12: Earn 30,000 Bonus Points with $18,000 spend
• Earn Rate: 
  • 3 Points for every $1 spent on Porter flights.
  • 2  Points for every $1 spent on transportation, gas, groceries, dining and hotel accommodations.
  • 1  Point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Additional Benefits: 
  • Cardholders are automatically granted VIPorter Venture membership benefits, including;
    • 6 Points for every $1 spent on Porter flights
    • Dedicated airport check-in, priority security screening, early boarding, priority re-accommodation for flight delays
    • One complimentary checked bag and a carry-on bag when purchasing a Basic economy fare, and complimentary PorterClassic seat selection.
  • Earn $1 of Avid Traveller Qualifying Spend for every $25 in eligible credit card spend.
  • An annual round-trip Porter companion pass that gives an additional passenger flying on the same booking 100% off the base fare of any Porter flight when spending at least $50,000 annually on the Card.
• Insurance Coverage:
  • Trip Cancellation/Interruption/Delay Insurance
  • 21-day out-of-province or country emergency medical insurance
  • Car rental – collision/loss + damage insurance
  • Common carrier insurance
  • Flight delay insurance
  • Baggage insurance
  • Hotel burglary insurance

A detailed list of benefits and perks of the Card is listed here.

BMO VIPorter Mastercard

• Annual Fee: Waived for First Year for both primary and secondary cardholders
  • After First Year – $89 for Primary and $35 for Secondary Cardholders
• Welcome Bonus Offer: Up to 40,000 VIPorter Points (Additional 10,000 for those on the waitlist) with threshold spend requirements;
  • Month 3: Earn 10,000 Bonus Points with $3,000 spend
  • Month 6: Earn 15,000 Bonus Points + Promo Code with $6000 spend
  • Month 12: Earn 15,000 Bonus Points with $10,000 spend
• Earn Rate: Cardholders are automatically granted VIPorter Passport Avid Traveller membership benefits, which includes the following Earn structure;
  • 2 Points for every $1 spent on Porter flights.
  • 1  Points for every $1 spent on transportation, gas, groceries, dining and hotel accommodations.
  • 0.5 Points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Additional Benefits: 
  • Cardholders are automatically granted VIPorter Passport membership benefits, including;
    • 6 Points for every $1 spent on Porter flights
    • Dedicated airport check-in, priority security screening, early boarding, priority re-accommodation for flight delays
  • Earn $1 of Avid Traveller Qualifying Spend for every $25 in eligible credit card spend.
  • Annual voucher for 35% off the Base Fare on any Porter flights for up to four people when spending at least $25,000 annually on the Card.
• Insurance Coverage:
  • 8-day out-of-province or country emergency medical insurance
  • Car rental – collision/loss + damage insurance
  • Common carrier insurance
  • Flight delay insurance
  • Baggage insurance
  • Hotel burglary insurance

A detailed list of benefits and perks of the Card is listed here.

Highlights of Porter’s VIPorter program

• All members receive 100% of their eligible points for every flight purchased, including Basic economy fares, excluding taxes and fees.
• Avid Traveller membership tiers provide accelerated point earning and additional travel benefits like airport service enhancements and flight-related privileges.
• Cardholders earn Qualifying Spend through credit card use, which makes it easier to maintain and advance Avid Traveller status.
• Points can be redeemed for any seat across Porter’s network without blackout dates. Redemption can be done via points or a combination of cash and points.
• Confirmed PorterReserve flight certificates can be earned starting with $3,000 in annual Qualifying Spend.
• The “Head Start” feature allows up to $3,000 in Qualifying Spending to be carried over into the following year, aiding in maintaining Avid Traveller status.
• Redemption options extend beyond Porter’s network to include global airline partners such as Air Transat and Alaska Airlines, with over 3,000 flight routings available for redemption to North American and international destinations.

Reflections and Take Away

The BMO VIPorter Mastercard suite sets a precedent in the Canadian travel credit card market by offering immediate status benefits to cardholders. Traditionally, airline co-branded credit cards require users to accumulate significant spending or flight activity to unlock elite status or comparable benefits. While the benefits associated with the cards are substantial, the annual spend requirements to earn the full Welcome bonus offers are steep—$18,000 annual spend (on VIPorter World Elite Mastercard) to earn 70,000 VIPorter points is aimed at the frequent traveller willing to adopt Porter as their primary flight carrier in North America. Similarly, an annual spend requirement of $25,000 (on VIPorter Mastercard) to earn 35% off the base fare is weak.

The ability to earn up to 9 VIPorter Points on Porter flights is impressive, but the earn rates on everyday purchases like gas, groceries, dining, and hotels fall short compared to other co-brand airline cards in the Canadian market.