BMO VIPorter Mastercard

Overview

The BMO VIPorter Mastercard is a co-branded credit card issued by BMO Bank of Montreal in partnership with Porter Airlines and Mastercard. It launched in March 2025 — one of the most recent co-branded airline cards introduced in Canada — and earns VIPorter points on eligible purchases. The card carries an $89 CAD annual fee that is waived in the first year, and it automatically grants cardholders VIPorter Avid Traveller loyalty status as long as the card remains open. There is no income requirement.

Who this card is for

This card is for Canadians who fly Porter Airlines regularly — particularly those who travel through Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Ottawa, Halifax, or any of Porter's expanding route network. The automatic Avid Traveller status provides practical travel perks without requiring a flight-based qualification threshold, which is a meaningful differentiator among airline co-branded cards. If Porter is your preferred carrier for Eastern Canada routes and you want to earn toward free flights while receiving priority travel benefits, this card is designed for that profile.

Key benefits

The card earns 2 VIPorter points per $1 on Porter Airlines purchases charged to the card, 1 VIPorter point per $1 on gas, transportation, groceries, and dining, and 0.5 VIPorter points per $1 on everything else. Separately, flying Porter as an Avid Traveller status holder earns its own VIPorter points on the flight itself — those are credited by Porter's loyalty program, not the card. When you combine a Porter booking charged to this card with the status-based flight earning, the stacked rate on Porter travel can reach higher than the card's own 2x; don't confuse the two.

The automatic VIPorter Avid Traveller status is the card's signature benefit. Status activates approximately two days after your application is approved and remains active for as long as you hold the card. Avid Traveller benefits include priority check-in, priority boarding, and priority seat selection on Porter flights — perks that normally require accumulated flying activity.

The welcome offer includes a meaningful VIPorter points bonus plus a percentage-off flight voucher for new cardholders — visit flyporter.com or bmo.com for the current promotional details, which are valid for applications received by October 31, 2026.

Potential drawbacks

VIPorter points are redeemable for Porter flights and, to some extent, partner redemptions — but the program is younger than Aeroplan or WestJet Rewards and has a narrower route network. Porter's routes are primarily focused on Eastern Canada and select US destinations; if you fly primarily to Western Canada or internationally on other carriers, this card's point currency has limited utility. The $89 CAD annual fee (after the first-year waiver) requires consistent Porter flying or significant everyday spending to justify.

How it compares

The BMO VIPorter World Elite Mastercard is the premium tier of the same co-branded programme — it earns at higher rates across Porter and everyday categories, grants VIPorter Horizon status (a tier above Avid Traveller), and includes comprehensive travel insurance, at $199 CAD annually with the first year waived. If you fly Porter frequently and meet the $80,000 CAD income requirement, the World Elite provides meaningfully more value. For occasional Porter flyers who still want status perks without a premium commitment, the base VIPorter Mastercard is the appropriate entry point.

Bottom line

A well-structured airline card for regular Porter flyers who want automatic loyalty status and accelerated point earning without meeting a flight threshold. The first-year fee waiver reduces the commitment risk, making it worth trying for anyone who flies Porter multiple times a year.