Rewards
RBC Avion Points Explained: Redeeming and Transferring in Canada
How RBC Avion points work: the Air Travel Redemption Schedule, transferring to WestJet, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and American Airlines, and what happens when you close your card.
How does the Avion Air Travel Redemption Schedule work?
Round-trip flights cost a fixed number of points up to a maximum ticket price: short-haul starts at 15,000 points for tickets up to $350, and long-haul from a major Canadian or US gateway starts at 100,000 points for tickets up to $2,000.
Taxes, fees and surcharges are extra. The closer your ticket is to the maximum price, the more each point is worth: 15,000 points for a $350 ticket is about 2.3 cents a point.
Put it into practiceRBC credit cardsCan you transfer Avion points to airlines?
Yes, from RBC Avion cards: to British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, American Airlines AAdvantage and WestJet. Minimum conversions are 10,000 points for Avios and Asia Miles, 5,000 for AAdvantage and 1,000 for WestJet.
Conversions are final, can’t be reversed, and can take up to 4 weeks to arrive. Check the current conversion rate in Avion Rewards before transferring.
Do Avion points expire?
Not while your account is open. If you close your account, or RBC closes it for reasons other than cause, your points are forfeited 12 months later.
Which cards earn Avion points?
RBC issues the Avion and ION cards. By first-year value at typical spending, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite leads at $673, followed by the RBC Avion Visa Platinum ($670).
| Card | Annual fee | First-year value | Net annual rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| TopRBC Avion Visa Infinite | $120 | $673 | $123 |
| RBC Avion Visa Platinum | $120 | $670 | $120 |
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege | $399 | $451 | −$99 |
| RBC ION+ Visa | $48 | $283 | $283 |
| RBC ION Visa | $0 | $203 | $203 |
Card values use WalletReturn’s example spending of $2,000 a month. First-year value is the welcome bonus plus a year of rewards, minus the annual fee; net annual rewards are what a typical year earns after the fee.
Keep reading
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Official sources and further reading
Terms vary by product. Confirm the provider’s current terms before acting. This guide does not predict approval, realized value or credit-score changes. How WalletReturn calculates value