There was a tremor in the force this morning. For people new to customer loyalty and those who don’t care much for history, the impact was negligible.
But for people who have made a career in this industry, especially Canadian marketers, the shaking was enough to make you sit quietly for a moment and catch a breath.
The news today: The AIR MILES program is going away. BMO announced that the first coalition program in North America and one that was instructive to the formational thinking of many in our industry, will transition to Blue Rewards during the summer of 2026. Learn all about Blue Rewards here.
The official announcement, which you can read here, paints an unemotional picture of the transition:
“BMO today unveiled Blue Rewards, a bold transformation of the iconic AIR MILES program, designed to deliver a rewarding, seamless and personalized loyalty experience for all Canadians. Launching in summer 2026, the AIR MILES program will transition to Blue Rewards, which will continue to be run by a subsidiary of BMO, and will offer greater flexibility, enriched benefits, expanded partnerships, and a new streamlined digital experience empowering millions of members with innovative ways to earn, redeem, and make real financial progress.”
Mathew Mehrotra, Group Head, Canadian Personal & Business Banking, BMO commented "Blue Rewards completely reimagines the loyalty experience with the client at the center. With a digitally enabled platform, we're making one of Canada's most celebrated loyalty programs even better by delivering simpler, flexible, more personalized rewards for members and helping them make real financial progress every day."
During the transition period, AIR MILES collectors can continue to use their collector cards and eventually will see their Miles automatically convert to the new Blue Points at the equivalent value in summer 2026. BMO AIR MILES Credit and Debit Card holders can continue using their cards uninterrupted and will receive full program details in the coming months.
BMO highlights several key elements of the new program that it says will make the difference in reviving the collector base for the storied Air Miles program:
Simplified Experience
Cash and Dream Miles from the previous Air Miles structure will be consolidated and Members will have access to a simplified travel redemption platform for flights, hotels and car rentals powered by Expedia Group.
Enhanced Partner Network
Adding to the current network of over 400 brands where points can be earned, Blue will be adding Porter Airlines, ALL Accor hotel brands, Instacart and MTY Group restaurants. Shell Canada is exiting the program as we reported yesterday and is partnering with Scene+. Read that news here.
Exclusive Benefits for BMO Clients
BMO Financial Group is the seventh largest bank in North America by assets and will be extending special benefits to account holders through Blue Rewards. All BMO Checking Account holders can opt-in to earn Blue Points on gas, grocery, wholesale and EV charging purchases when using their debit card. New BMO Blue Rewards credit cards will be designed to deliver exceptional everyday value with built-in accelerators on gas, groceries, and wholesale purchases.
Industry perspectives shed light on the changes
Richard Schenker, a well recognized Canadian loyalty expert who has designed, renovated, and managed some of the world’s leading customer loyalty programs, shared a thorough analysis of the reasons behind the transition and his perspectives are worth reading.
Richard highlight the importance of trust in customer loyalty and wraps up his article with this “The transition to Blue Rewards, Shell’s exit, and the broader shifts in consumer expectations mark a turning point for loyalty in Canada. Brand recognition alone is no longer sufficient; trust, daily relevance, and ecosystem integration now define success. The AIR MILES era is over, and loyalty has entered a new phase where programs that understand consumer behaviour, integrate seamlessly into daily life, and earn trust every day will shape the future.”