BMO, the Canadian-founded bank, has added a new travel option to its portfolio of credit cards. Launched on Aug. 18, 2025, the BMO Escape Credit Card charges a $150 annual fee and features a metal design. Here’s what the card offers.
BMO Escape Credit Card: Basics
Welcome bonus: Earn 45,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 within the first 3 months of opening your account.
The card earns the following ongoing rates, though the bonus categories are subject to caps*:
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4 points per $1 spent on airfare and dining.
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3 points per $1 spent on hotels, tours, travel agencies and cruises.
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2 points per $1 spent on rideshare services, taxis and car rentals.
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1 point per $1 on everything else.
*NOTE: Cardholders can earn bonus rates up to $3,000 in purchases per bonus category per calendar quarter, and then 1 point per $1 after that. Point values vary depending on what you redeem them for. They can be redeemed for flights, hotels, cruises, vacation packages, car rentals, merchandise, gift cards and statement credit.
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Up to $240 hotel credit per year. You’ll get this credit as $20 statement credits each month you spend $200 on your card at any hotel worldwide.
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TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS statement credit of up to $100, once every four years after an application fee is charged to your card.
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Two complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits. After that, your BMO Escape Credit Card will automatically be charged the typical $35 member and guest fee every time you visit a Priority Pass lounge.
🤓Nerdy Tip
BMO offers another card that earns rewards for travel-related purchases: the $95-annual-fee BMO Premium Rewards Credit Card. The card comes with fewer travel rewards and benefits than the BMO Escape Credit Card. The bank also offers two cash-back cards, a 0% APR card and a secured card option (as of this writing).
Should you get this card?
The BMO Escape Credit Card is the highest-end card the bank offers — though with an annual fee of $150, it’s more affordable than some similar travel or metal cards (for those that value a “plunk” — that heavy-metal feel) on the market. And because it’s not tied to a specific airline or hotel brand, you can flexibly earn rewards in its 4x and 3x categories, up to a cap, at least.
However, the Escape’s more accessible price point means that you don’t get the same shiny perks that higher-end travel cards come with. For instance, other travel cards feature a higher $120 credit toward TSA PreCheck/Global Entry, not to mention much more robust airport lounge access. (Just two Priority Pass visits? Paltry indeed.) And while a hotel credit may sound nice, this one isn’t automatic: You’ll have to hit a minimum spending threshold each month to qualify for it, and even then, it’s doled out in small $20 increments, not all at once.
If your goal is a moderately priced travel card, the BMO Escape card can fit the bill. But if your priority is luxurious travel perks, it falls pretty short.