Quick overview of the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
BMO’s newest premium travel rewards card, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card comes with a hefty welcome bonus, high rewards earning rates, fine dining experiences, lounge access*, and plenty more. If you’re an avid traveler or someone who enjoys the finer experiences, read on to see if this card is worth its annual fee and a slot in your wallet.
Who's it for?
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card is for high income individuals who love to travel and enjoy fine experiences. It is clear that this card will not be accessible to many Canadians due to its strict eligibility requirements but for those who qualify, there is no doubt this card has a lot to offer.
Our favourite part of this credit card is easily the rewards scheme. Earning 5 BMO Rewards points on every dollar spent on travel, dining, gas, groceries, and drug store purchases is a robust rewards scheme that is hard to match in Canada. Add to that bonus points earned by additional cardholders, and this credit card could make you a mountain of points from everyday spending.
Pros and cons of the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
Pros
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Strong welcome bonus
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High rewards earning rate*
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Earn more when you add supplemental cards*
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Annual lifestyle credit*
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Mobile device insurance*
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Extensive travel insurance*
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Extended warranty and purchase assurance*
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Visa Airport Companion membership and 6 complimentary airport lounge visits per year - over $250 USD* in value
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Access to Visa Infinite Dining Series and Visa Infinite Wine Country*
Cons
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High annual fee
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High eligibility requirements
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The welcome bonus is not awarded immediately
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High rewards earning rate reduces after $50,000 spend
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card welcome offer
When you start spending with the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card, you’ll be awarded 50,000 BMO Rewards points when you reach $6,000 in purchases within your first three months. Receive an additional 40,000 BMO Rewards Points after you spend a minimum of $100,000 within the first twelve months after account open date bringing you to a total of up to 90,000 BMO Rewards points* in your first year. 150 BMO Rewards points are worth $1 when redeemed for travel (approx. $0.0067 per point), so this bonus has a maximum value of about $600.
Annual fee and interest rates
This credit card is a premium card, and so it has a premium fee. The annual fee for this credit card is $499, and there are no additional fees to add an additional cardholder. The purchase interest rate on this credit card is 20.99%, and cash advances are subject to an interest rate of 23.99% (21.99% for Quebec residents).
Not everyone will qualify for this credit card, due to the stringent requirements set out by BMO. To be approved for the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card, you’ll need a personal income of at least $150,000, or a household income of $200,000. You’ll also need an excellent credit score.
Earning rewards with the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
As we mentioned above, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card lets cardholders earn an impressive 5 BMO Rewards points per $1 spent in essential categories like travel, dining, gas, groceries, and pharmacy*. This bonus applies up to an annual threshold of $50,000, and after that, you’ll earn 1 BMO Rewards point per $1 spent in these categories. Other purchases will earn 1 BMO Rewards point per $1 spent*. Overall this is an excellent earn rate, which we would expect from a premium travel rewards credit card with a hefty annual fee.
If you have multiple members of your household spending, you can boost your earning even more. Adding another cardholder will increase your earnings by 25%, for both the primary cardholder and supplementary cardholder*.
Redeeming BMO rewards
Following the regrettable devaluation of BMO Rewards points by BMO in 2021, the value of 1 BMO point when redeemed for travel, including flights, car rentals, hotel rooms, and vacation packages, is now approximately $0.0067 (150 points = $1 in redemption value). Other redemption options include:
- Redeeming BMO Rewards points for gift cards or merchandise
- Investing BMO Rewards points in a BMO Investment Account
- Cashing in points for statement credit (with a maximum value of $0.005 per point)
Cardholders should note that the value they receive for their points varies depending on the redemption method chosen. Please refer to the table below for detailed information.
Learn more about the BMO Rewards program by reading our complete BMO Rewards Guide.
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* card insurance coverage
The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* card comes with comprehensive insurance coverage, especially for travel. Here's a breakdown of the insurance benefits that comes with this card:
- Common carrier accident insurance: This policy covers up to $500,000 in the event of your accidental death or injury on any licensed common carrier.
- Out-of-province/country emergency medical insurance: This policy includes up to $5 million of coverage for 25 consecutive days (for card holders under 64 plus their spouses and dependents) or the first three days (for travellers aged 65 and older) on out-of-province trips.
- Trip cancellation insurance: You're covered for up to $2,500 per insured person and $5,000 per trip overall.
- Trip interruption insurance: You're covered for up to $5,000 per insured person and $25,000 per trip for all insured people overall.
- Baggage delay, loss, and damage insurance: If any harm comes to your luggage while you're on a trip, this coverage covers up to $2,500 of losses incurred.
- Car rental collision and loss damage insurance: This policy covers a rental period of up to to 48 consecutive days and a value of up to $85,000.
- Hotel burglary insurance: In the event of a hotel burglary, you are covered up to $2,500.
- Mobile device insurance: Cardholders are covered for up to $1,000 for their new mobile devices.
- Extended warranty and purchase security insurance: When you make purchases with this credit card, those purchases are protected for 120 days from theft or damage. Also, all purchases with warranty will have their coverage automatically doubled, up to a maximum of one year.
Extra card benefits
Priority pass
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card members enjoy a Visa Airport Companion membership and 6 complimentary airport lounge visits per year – valued at more than $250 USD.*
Lifestyle credit
You’ll receive an annual statement credit of $200*, called a “lifestyle credit,” that you can choose to either pay down your balance or spend on whatever you’d like.
Exclusive Visa experiences
Visa cardholders have priority access to exclusive entertainment events, including the Toronto International Film Festival and the Visa Infinite Dining Series. The dining series features exclusive events with chefs across the country. You’ll also have access to exclusive tastings at wineries in Ontario, B.C. and California via Visa Infinite Wine Country. Finally, the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection entitles you to automatic room upgrades when available, complimentary breakfast for two, and food and beverage credits at hotels worldwide.
What people say
It's fine for the first year but it's very mediocre once you're paying the annual fee and not getting the bonus points.
/u/SlashNXS
Due to the low dollar value attached to each BMO Rewards point, like this card user mentions, you may find the rewards less appealing once you use up the bonus points. See below for other great cards to consider.
How the BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card compares
BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card vs. The Platinum Card
| Card name | BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card | The Platinum Card® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Up to 90,000 points* | Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points (conditions apply) |
| Rewards | 5x points per dollar spent on travel, dining, gas and groceries, and at the pharmacy*1x point per dollar spent on everything else* | Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible dining and food delivery in Canada, 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases on eligible travel, and 1 point for every $1 in all other card purchases extra points for travel booked through American Express |
| Lifestyle credit | $200* | $200 Travel Credit/$200 Dining Credit |
| Supplementary cards | Additional card holder is $99 | Additional card holder is $250 |
| Other extras | Visa Airport Companion membership and 6 complimentary airport lounge visits per year – valued at more than $250 USD*, mobile device insurance*, travel insurance*, exclusive VISA experiences* | Airport lounge access, and priority security lines, travel insurance, exclusive hotel experiences, fast-tracking to higher earning tiers with hotel loyalty programs, exclusive American Express invites, points transfer to other frequent flyer programs |
| Annual fee | $499 | $799 |
| Minimum income required | $150,000 individual or $200,000 household | No minimum income requirement stated |
There aren’t many rewards credit cards that compare to the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card, but The Platinum Card® from American Express comes pretty close. The Platinum Card® has a $799 annual fee, and for that fee, you receive many of the same benefits as the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card.
Where The Platinum Card® excels is in the extra travel perks. If you’re a real globe-trotter, you’ll be able to take advantage of the ability to transfer your points to any major loyalty rewards programs (such as Aeroplan) and the ability to level up your hotel loyalty points.
That said, if you aren’t likely to use those particular perks, the less expensive BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card will be the better choice.
BMO Eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card vs. Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite*
If you're looking for a travel rewards credit card with a lower annual fee and comprehensive travel insurance, you can consider the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* card. This card comes with complimentary Dragon Pass membership, which gives you six free lounge visit passes annually as well as no fx fee on any foreign transactions. You also get access to Scotia's Scene+ rewards program which allows you to redeem points for travel credit, statement credit, free movie tickets and gift cards.
Is it worth it?
Overall, if you are a power credit card user with a high income, the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card is an excellent way to supercharge your rewards earnings. The up to 90,000 points welcome bonus* and $200 annual lifestyle credit* makes this card very compelling and the multitude of extra benefits and perks is one of the best we’ve seen on the market.
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card eligibility requirements
Not everyone will qualify for this credit card, due to the stringent requirements set out by BMO. To be approved for the BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege* Card, you’ll need a personal income of at least $150,000, or a household income of $200,000. You’ll also need an excellent credit score.
*Terms and conditions apply
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information click the Apply now link. 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.
Jordann Brown is a freelance personal finance writer whose areas of expertise include debt management, homeownership and budgeting. She is based in Halifax and has written for publications including The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and CBC.
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