BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege Card review

How the eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege earns

The card’s strength is breadth. Travel, dining, groceries, gas and drugstore purchases all earn 5 points per dollar, and everything else earns 1 point. Those five categories cover a large share of most household budgets, so much of your spending can earn the top rate without juggling cards.

For example, a household spending $1,000 a month on groceries, $400 on dining, $250 on gas and $100 at drugstores puts $1,750 a month into the 5x categories. That’s 8,750 points a month, or 105,000 points a year, before travel or any other spending.

Everything outside those categories earns just 1 point per dollar, which is low for a card at this price, so the card rewards you most when you route as much spending as possible through the five bonus categories. If your spending in them is very high, check BMO’s terms for any annual limit on the 5x rate.

The welcome offer

A welcome offer may be available on this card, but our data doesn’t include its current terms, such as how many points it pays, what spending it requires or how long you have to meet the target.

Check BMO’s website for the current offer before applying. If it comes with a spending target, make sure the spending fits your normal budget rather than stretching it to earn the bonus.

Lounge access and the NEXUS rebate

Two travel perks are listed: airport lounge access and a NEXUS rebate. Lounge access makes long layovers and early departures more comfortable, and the NEXUS rebate is useful if you cross the Canada–US border often.

Check BMO’s terms for which lounges are included, how many visits you get and whether guests are covered, since those details decide how much the perks are worth to you.

Fees, interest and the fine print

The annual fee is $599, the highest among the BMO cards on our site, which works out to just under $50 a month. Foreign currency purchases carry a 2.5% fee, so $1,000 spent abroad adds about $25.

Purchases are charged 20.99% interest and cash advances 22.99%. Carrying a balance on a card like this undercuts the reason for paying a premium fee, so plan to pay the full statement balance by the due date each month.

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

The eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege suits a high-income household that spends heavily across groceries, dining, gas and drugstores and also travels enough to use lounge access. The 105,000 points a year from the household example is the kind of volume this card is built for.

If your personal income is below $200,000, you won’t meet the requirement. If you spend much less than the example each month, a cheaper card with similar categories will likely leave you further ahead after the fee.

How it compares

The BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Card costs $120 a year, $479 less, and earns up to 5 points per dollar on dining. It’s worth a look if dining is your biggest category and the Privilege card’s fee or income requirement is out of reach.

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege Card has the same $599 fee but charges no foreign transaction fee, and earns up to 6 Scene+ points per dollar through the Scene+ travel portal. It may suit people who spend more abroad than at home.

Before you apply

The card is aimed at applicants with a credit score of 760 or higher, and you’ll need to meet the $200,000 personal income requirement. BMO decides using your full credit profile. Confirm the current welcome offer, fee and terms on BMO’s website before you apply.