BMO VIPorter Black Friday: Share 50 Million Bonus Points

BMO is offering a special Black Friday bonus on the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard: applicants who apply and receive approval between November 12 and December 8, 2026, then spend $2,000 within 50 days of account opening, will share equally in a pool of 50,000,000 bonus VIPorter points! Of course, this is in addition to the standard welcome bonus.

This is actually a card I keep in my wallet for the perks it offers; here at PMB, we love our aspirational redemptions, but that’s not how most people actually travel. Even on those aspirational trips, you usually have to position within North America first. Porter isn’t the sexiest option, but it’s often the most practical and frequently beats Air Canada on price.

As such, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard is more rewarding than at first glance: it doesn’t unlock luxury travel; it makes your actual travel experience better.

BMO VIPorter Black Friday Offer – Share 50,000,000 VIPorter Points

If you’re thinking of signing up, BMO’s running a rather clever Black Friday promotion only for the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard (the BMO VIPorter Mastercard is not eligible). BMO will divide a pool of 50,000,000 VIPorter points equally among eligible applicants who apply and receive approval between November 12 and December 8. The terms and conditions require both application and approval within this window.

You must also spend $2,000 in net purchases within 50 days of account opening. That’s really the only requirement!

How it works is as straightforward as it sounds: if 10,000 eligible cardholders meet the minimum spend during the offer period, each will receive 5,000 VIPorter points (50,000,000 total VIPorter points / 10,000 cardholders = 5,000 VIPorter points per cardholder).

Points don’t arrive right away: BMO will determine eligibility on January 26, 2027, then credit each qualifying account with an equal share of the points within eight weeks.

BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard – Apply Now

• Eligibility: Minimum $80,000 (individual) or $150,000 (household) annual income required.
• Annual Fee: $199 (annual fee waived for the first year )
• Welcome Bonus Offer: Up to 70,000 VIPorter points;
  • 20,000 points with $5,000 spend within the first 110 days after the account open date.
  • 20,000 points + $0 Companion Pass (pay taxes and fees only) + $1000 Qualifying Status boost with $9000 spend within the first 180 days after the account open date.
  • 30,000 points with $18,000 spend within the first 365 days after the account open date.
• Earn Rate: 
  • 3 points for every $1 spent on Porter purchases.
  • 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: 
  • Complimentary VIPorter Venture status
  • Priority check-in, priority security screening, early boarding, priority re-accommodation for flight delays
  • One complimentary checked bag and carry-on bag on all Porter fare types
  • Complimentary PorterClassic seat selection
  • Earn $1 of Avid Traveller Qualifying Spend for every $25 in eligible credit card spend.
  • 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.

Porter Gets Economy Right

It’s a bit of a weird contrast: the booking experience feels like that of a low-cost carrier, but the onboard experience feels premium. No digital boarding passes in basic economy, but also the first airline in Canada to offer free Wi-Fi, plus genuinely good snacks and drinks.

And that’s Porter’s biggest strength. It makes flying economy feel like a vacation rather than like cattle herding: no middle seats across the entire fleet and consistently good service. With how strong Atmos Rewards redemptions are, it’s replaced Air Canada as my go-to for short-haul flights like Toronto–Montreal or Ottawa–New York.

The issues? Booking Porter still feels like flying a low-cost carrier, as you’re sold add-on after add-on. The elite status program isn’t particularly exciting, either, but that’s more a function of what Porter is (a leisure-focused airline).

If You Fly Porter, This Card Is a No-Brainer

Porter basic economy has all the usual basic economy issues: no checked bags, no carry-on, and no seat selection. My biggest gripe with Porter’s basic economy is the lack of digital boarding passes, meaning you have to line up at the check-in desk before the bag drop deadline, even if you only have a personal item.

If you fly Porter with any frequency, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard removes almost all of that friction. You get complimentary VIPorter Venture status, which effectively restores the experience you actually want:

• Complimentary PorterClassic (rows 8+) seat selection
• Complimentary carry-on bag
• Complimentary checked bag
• Priority check-in, reaccommodation, and call centre service
• Digital boarding passes, even in basic economy
  

Another way to see it is that this card makes it okay to buy basic economy. As you get most perks of Economy Standard by holding the card, the money saved by not upgrading your fare class easily offsets the annual fee if you pay cash for intra-North America flights a few times a year, as Porter is often more cost-effective than Air Canada.

While not technically a benefit and definitely “your mileage may vary,” I’ve heard multiple data points of being upgraded to Porter Reserve as a VIPorter Venture member.

The Best Companion Pass in Canada

So many airline co-branded cards include some kind of companion pass, but Porter’s is the best. Porter’s is the only one with a $0 base fare, so there is no case where using a companion pass actually costs you more (you’d be surprised how often that happens). Getting value out of this companion pass is dead simple: it applies to Porter’s entire network in economy class with no blackout dates.

Did you know Porter flies direct from Ottawa to Liberia, Costa Rica? This is a cool $383 in savings (base fare only).

In the first year, you get a companion pass as part of the sign-up bonus after spending $9,000 in the first 180 days. In subsequent years, you’ll need to spend $50,000 per year, definitely on the steeper end.

Who This Card Isn’t For

Obviously, if you’re on the Air Canada elite status train, then you should not apply for this card, as you’ll be purchasing Flex fares only to optimize SQC earning.

Also, don’t expect the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard to be the card that unlocks business class flights to Asia or 4+ CPP in value on every redemption. Frankly, redemptions aren’t the most compelling feature of this card because Porter cash fares are often reasonable and Atmos Rewards are the better option — even if you have to purchase them.

Why This Is a Long-Term Keeper Card

The real value of this card isn’t in the points, but rather, turning Porter economy into something that feels like a full-service airline. I primarily fly Porter by redeeming Atmos Rewards, and I keep this card for seat selection and free checked bags. I’ll also buy Porter cash fares, usually in basic economy, and getting digital boarding passes is a real quality-of-life improvement. With a few flights a year, the $199 annual fee is easily justified.

In any case, the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard is worth trying, since it offers a first-year annual fee waiver.

Ask the pilot for a trading card on your next Porter flight!

What About the BMO VIPorter Mastercard?

The BMO VIPorter Mastercard offers a lower-cost alternative, with an $89 annual fee waived in the first year. Its welcome bonus offers up to 40,000 VIPorter points after spending $10,000 in the first year, but it isn’t eligible for the Black Friday promotion.

The bigger distinction is the perks. You get VIPorter Passport status rather than Venture, so you don’t get the same baggage and seat-selection benefits that make the World Elite card worth keeping. If you meet the World Elite card’s income requirement and fly Porter regularly, I’d lean toward that version, especially with its first-year fee waiver. The lower annual fee only saves you money if you won’t spend the difference buying back those extras.

Redeeming VIPorter Points

VIPorter is a dynamic program where prices fluctuate. Also, with rising fuel costs, Porter is adding an additional $40 fee per one-way flight on all VIPorter redemptions. Here’s an anecdotal list of the one-way floor prices; all prices are in CAD:

• Toronto (YYZ) – Ottawa (YOW): 5,500 points + $119.17
• Toronto (YYZ) – Orlando (MCO): 7,000 points + $163.30
• Toronto (YYZ) – Cancun (CUN): 10,000 points + $253.70
• Ottawa (YOW) – Liberia (LIR): 10,000 points + $199
• Toronto (YYZ) – London (LGW)) on Air Transat: 25,000 points + $79.62
• Toronto (YYZ) – Portland (PDX) via Las Vegas (LAS) on Porter and Alaska: 13,000 points + $171.20

Prices tend to be lowest when booked far in advance, which I recommend.

Porter points can be of good value, but you have to book ahead and it’s priced dynamically

Takeaway

The Black Friday promotion makes this a more interesting time to apply for the BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard. The extra points add to the regular welcome offer, though your share of the 50 million-point pool depends on how many cardholders qualify. Treat it as a useful extra, with the companion pass still representing the spending sweet spot rather than chasing every last welcome bonus point.

This isn’t a card for aspirational redemptions; it’s a card for real travel. Complimentary bags, seat selection, and Venture status, including digital boarding passes on Basic fares, remove much of the friction from flying Porter. With the first-year annual fee waived, you can try those perks for yourself; how often you fly Porter will determine whether it’s worth paying $199 to keep them.