BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card review

How the eclipse Visa Infinite earns points

The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card has a two-tier structure. Dining earns 5 points per dollar, and everything else earns 1 point per dollar. That makes it a very focused card: almost all of its value depends on how much you spend at restaurants.

Take a household that spends $500 a month on dining and $2,000 a month on everything else. Dining earns 2,500 points and the rest earns 2,000, for 4,500 points a month, or 54,000 points a year. More than half of those points come from dining, even though it’s only a fifth of the spending.

Making the most of the 5x rate

Each dollar on dining earns 4 more points than it would at the base rate. Put another way, every $2,500 of restaurant spending earns 10,000 more points than the same amount on a 1x card. The more often you eat out, the faster that gap grows.

Because everything outside dining earns 1 point per dollar, many people pair a card like this with a second card that earns more on groceries, gas or bills. Use the eclipse for every restaurant bill and the other card for the rest, and you get the high rate without giving up much elsewhere.

Fees, interest and the fine print

The annual fee is $120, waived for the first year. From the second year, that works out to $10 a month. The first-year waiver gives you a full year to see how many points your real dining habits produce before you pay anything.

Purchases made in a foreign currency carry a 2.5% foreign transaction fee, so $1,000 of spending on a trip abroad adds about $25, even when it’s spent at restaurants. Purchases are charged 20.99% interest and cash advances 22.99%. Paying your statement balance in full by the due date avoids purchase interest.

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

The eclipse Visa Infinite suits people who eat out several times a week or regularly pay for group meals, and who are happy to use a second card for other spending. The Visa network also means it’s widely accepted at restaurants.

It’s a weaker fit if you rarely dine out, since most of your spending would earn just 1 point per dollar against a $120 fee from year two. People who spend a lot abroad should also keep the 2.5% foreign transaction fee in mind.

How it compares

The American Express Cobalt Card also earns 5 points per dollar on eats and food delivery, in the form of Membership Rewards points. It costs more, at $191.88 a year, and American Express isn’t accepted at every restaurant, so it suits people who already favour Amex and want food delivery covered too.

If you’d rather not pay a fee, the BMO eclipse rise Visa Card has no annual fee and earns 2.5 points per dollar on recurring bill payments, with a welcome offer of up to 25,000 BMO Rewards points. You give up the 5x dining rate in exchange for a card that costs nothing to keep.

Before you apply

The recommended credit score is 720 or higher, and BMO makes the final decision based on your full credit profile.

A welcome offer may be available, but its size and spending requirement aren’t confirmed here. Check the BMO website for current terms, rates and fees before you apply.

If your dining spending varies a lot, track a few months of restaurant bills before you apply. Multiply that monthly total by 4 to see how many extra points the 5x rate would add over a 1x card, and decide whether that’s worth $120 a year once the fee applies.