The RBC Avion Rewards program is one of Canada’s flexible and valuable transferable points programs.
It’s a flexible rewards program that lets you earn points with participating RBC Avion credit cards and redeem them for cashback, gift cards, flights, and more.
You’ll earn plenty of RBC Avion Rewards points with cards like RBC ION+, RBC Avion Visa Infinite, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege and RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business.
Since it’s a Visa, you’ll earn points almost anywhere your card is accepted, making it one of the easiest programs to earn in Canada.
You’ll get the most value by redeeming your Avion Rewards for flights. Use the fixed schedule for short-haul flights, or transfer points to airline partners like Cathay Pacific, British Airways Avios and American Airlines to book business class for more value. That’s why we value RBC Avion points at 2.0 cents per point.
Here’s your complete guide to how to earn, use, and get the most from your RBC Avion Rewards.
What Are RBC Avion Rewards
RBC Avion Rewards are the points you earn with RBC Avion credit cards.
You’ll need a card that earns Avion points, such as the RBC Avion Visa Infinite, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business or RBC ION+.
You’ll earn points every time you use a participating card. Some cards, like the RBC ION+, earn more on categories like groceries, dining, and gas.
You can redeem Avion points for cashback, gift cards, and merchandise. You’ll get the highest value when you transfer them to airline partners for travel, or redeem them for RBC’s fixed-rate travel chart.
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Why RBC Avion Rewards Are Valuable
RBC Avion Rewards are valuable because you can redeem them for any flight through RBC’s fixed-rate Air Travel Redemption Schedule.
Plus, you can transfer RBC Avion Rewards to airline partners and book economy, premium economy and business class flights directly for even more value.
You’ll get the best value redeeming RBC Avion points for short-haul flights through the fixed-rate Air Travel Redemption Schedule. You’ll get about 2.3 cents per point when you redeem for a flight to a nearby Canadian province or US state that’s up to $175 one-way.
Transferring RBC Avion Rewards to British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific or American Airlines lets you redeem points for economy, premium economy, and business class flights at some of the best rates.
You can book flights with British Airways and its oneworld partners, including Qatar Airways, Finnair, Aer Lingus, Fiji Airways, Philippine Airlines and Iberia. Often giving you 5+ cents per point when you book business class flights.
Plus, RBC offers transfer bonuses to British Airways Avios and American Airlines a couple of times a year, giving you even more value on top.
In comparison, cashback and gift card redemptions give you only 0.5 to 1 cent per point, so booking travel is always a better value. Overall, we value RBC Avion points at 2.0 cents per point.
How to Earn RBC Avion Rewards
You can earn RBC Avion Rewards with cards like the RBC Avion Visa Infinite, Visa Infinite Privilege, Avion Visa Infinite Business, and ION+. You don’t need to be a big spender to get started
You’ll earn points through welcome bonuses, everyday spending, and transfer bonuses to airline partners. Since all Avion cards are Visa, you’ll earn points almost anywhere your card is accepted.
Welcome Bonuses
The fastest way to earn RBC Avion Rewards is through welcome bonuses. You’ll earn a welcome bonus after meeting the minimum spend in the first few months.
Cards like the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege offer larger bonuses tied to a higher spend. The best strategy is to time your application with a planned expense so you earn the bonus without overspending.
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite is a great starting point with a lower annual fee and a great welcome offer for new cardholders.
RBC Avion Cards
Welcome Points: Elevated 70,000
Welcome Value: $700
Annual Fee: $399
We applied for the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege before we did a home renovation.
We met the minimum spend quickly by paying for all the renovation costs with our card and earned the great welcome offer.
We then transferred our Avion points to British Airways during a 30% transfer bonus and redeemed them for 48,000 Avios points per person for a one-way business class flight to Madrid with Iberia on thier new non-stop route from Toronto.
Earn More From Everyday Spending
Using your RBC Avion card regularly is the easiest way to keep earning points on spending you’re already doing.
You’ll earn points faster when you match your card to what you naturally spend on.
For example, the RBC ION+ earns 3x points on groceries, dining, and gas, making it a great everyday card to pair with an Avion Elite card.
You can combine your RBC ION+ points with any premium Avion-branded card to take advantage of airline transfer partners.
How to Redeem RBC Avion Rewards for Flights
You can redeem RBC Avion points for flights through RBC’s own travel portal, or transfer them to airline partners for even more value.
The best value comes from transferring Elite points to British Airways Avios or Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. That’s how you book business class flights with some of the best airlines in the world while saving money on travel.
RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule
You’ll get up to 2 cents per point through most categories on the chart, with Quick Getaways and Explore North America reaching slightly higher at 2.33 and 2.14 cents per point.
You’ll get that full value if your fare matches your category’s maximum price exactly. As the cash base fare goes lower, you’ll get lower value per point.
For example, a round-trip flight from Toronto to Paris is in the Visit Europe category and costs 65,000 Avion points. If the cash base fare is $1,300, you’ll get close to 2 cents per point. However, the value diminishes if the cash base fare is lower than $1,300.
Plus, if your flight’s base fare is higher than the category’s maximum value, you’ll have to pay the difference in cash or extra points at a lower 1-cent rate. That’s why in the majority of cases, you’re priced out of premium economy and business class flights.
However, if the cash base fare is over the category maximum, which is $1,300 for this example, you’ll pay the difference in cash or extra points at 1 cent each.
The great news is that you’ll have access to any airline, any cabin, and any date, with no award seats to chase and no blackout dates.
Keep in mind that you can only redeem for flights originating in Canada or the US. Plus, you’ll need to pay taxes and fees separately, or redeem extra points for those at a lower 1-cent rate.
Business Award Concierge
Have a business? Book a complimentary call to see how our done-for-you Business Award Concierge can turn your business expenses into $50K luxury travel.
Limited spots available.
Business Award Concierge
Have a business? Book a complimentary call to see how our done-for-you Business Award Concierge can turn your business expenses into $50K luxury travel.
Limited spots available.
Flexible Pricing for Business and First Class
One significant benefit of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege and Avion Visa Infinite Business cards is that you can redeem Avion points with any airline at a flat 2 cents per point for business or first class flights with Flexible Pricing. This option covers the full fare plus taxes and fees.
For example, a $4,500 business class flight from Toronto to Paris will cost 225,000 Avion points at 2 cents per point.
You’ll get the best value during business class fare sales, when the cash price drops well below normal. This option also works well when you have little flexibility and want to fly with airlines or destinations that have more limited award availability.
Transfer RBC Avion Rewards to Airline Partners
You’ll get the most value by transferring your Avion Elite points to airline partners and redeeming for flights.
RBC Avion Rewards transfer to a 1:1 ratio to British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, and WestJet. Plus, at a 1:0.7 ratio to American Airlines AAdvantage.
You’ll often beat 2 cents per point this way, and get 4x to 6x value, especially on low-fee Avios partner airlines like Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, and Iberia.
British Airways’s own flights carry higher surcharges but can still be a great value when booking business-class flights.
AWP TIP
Watch for RBC’s periodic transfer bonuses to British Airways Avios and American Airlines, which are typically 30% and offered a couple of times a year.
Timing your transfer with a bonus stretches your points significantly further.
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Get more tips & ideas for travelling with points.
Join the AWP community to get guidance, updates, and practical tips on using points for travel.
Bottom Line
RBC Avion Rewards is one of Canada’s flexible and valuable transferable points programs. It’s easy to earn Avion points since every card is a Visa, accepted almost anywhere.
You’ll get the most value by transferring Avion points to British Airways Avios or Cathay Pacific Asia Miles for business class flights. The fixed Air Travel Redemption Schedule is also a great fallback when you want guaranteed seats with no blackout dates.
RBC Avion cards make it easy to earn plenty of points for your next trip, whether that’s a short-haul flight or a business class seat to Europe.
