Quick overview

Quick overview of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card

In the credit card world, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card stands out in the travel rewards category, notable for its flexibility. RBC Rewards (Avion points) can be redeemed for any seat on any flight on any airline with absolutely no blackout dates. Beyond that, cardholders can transfer their points to other airline rewards programs, redeem points to shop at retailers like Best Buy and the Apple store, or cash in points to pay down their credit card balance. With all these options, cardholders can enjoy their points their way.

Of course, this kind of flexibility comes with a price, and in this case, it’s $120 per year, plus a rather high annual income threshold (Personal: $60,000 or Household: $100,000). We take a closer look at this popular credit card in Canada and ask, “Is it really as good as it looks on paper?”

Who can benefit?

Who can benefit from the RBC Avion credit card?

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card is an intriguing option for the frequent traveller that doesn't want to be tied to a specific airline frequent flyer program . Avion is Canada’s largest bank-owned loyalty program and allows members to transfer rewards to several leading carriers, including WestJet, American Airlines AAdvantage, British Airways Avios, Asia Miles, Hudson's Bay Rewards and more.

Pros and cons

Pros and cons

Pros

Pros

  • Rewards program is highly flexible, transferable, and includes a slew of non-travel-related reward options

  • Partnerships with other retailers like HBC and Petro-Canada

  • Provides excellent travel insurance

  • New cardholders earn 55,000 welcome Avion points on approval*

  • Solid option for looking for a travel-centric points program

Cons

Cons

  • The points-to-dollars ratio is only average and there are few opportunities for accelerated earning.

  • The $120 annual fee isn’t cheap

  • High annual income requirement: Personal: $60,000 or Household: $100,000

Welcome bonus

RBC Avion Visa Infinite credit card welcome bonus

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite provides a lucrative sign-up bonus. Get up to 55,000 Avion points* (a value of up to $1,100†), that’s enough to fly anywhere in North America or the Caribbean! This welcome bonus is automatically applied to the card account within 60 days of opening. 

How to earn rewards

How to earn Avion points with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite

The RBC Rewards program is fairly straightforward—Earn 1.00 Avion point for every dollar you spend*., plus 25% extra Avion points on eligible travel purchases. The additional 25% on travel-related purchases* may include airlines, accommodations, tour operators, cruise lines, travel agencies and car rental companies. Still, the merchant must be listed in the “travel” category with Visa.

There aren’t many ways to accelerate your earnings, but if you link the credit card to your Petro-Points account, you can get a discount on gas*, plus 20% additional points in both loyalty programs⁵.

RBC rewards are valued at approximately $1.14 for every 100 points (or $0.0114 per point—a fairly standard rate for this type of card). There are no blackout dates and points never expire as long as your account is open and in good standing.

How to redeem

How to redeem Avion points

Where this program really shines is in the redemption process. RBC Rewards are primarily aimed at flights, and with no blackout dates and no seat or airline restrictions, cardholders are free to go wherever they want, when they want, on whatever airline carrier they want. Another bonus: Eligible Avion Rewards members can also convert points to other loyalty programs including WestJet dollars, British Airways Avios points and Hudson’s Bay Rewards points. Plus, unlike other rewards programs, Rewards points can be applied toward taxes, surcharges, and fees when booking a flight.

Additionally, there are other redemption options through retailers like the Apple Store, T-Fal, and Best Buy, and Avion points can be transferred to HBC Rewards. A cardholder’s points can be used to pay down their credit card balance.

Key benefits

Key benefits of the Avion Visa Infinite credit card from RBC

One of the key benefits of the Avion program is the absence of seat restrictions or blackouts when booking travel using Avion points. This means that cardholders have the flexibility to choose their desired flights without any limitations.

In addition to the travel benefits, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite also offers free Doordash deliveries for a period of 12 months — a value of almost $120. Enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card.

Furthermore, cardholders can enjoy discounts and earn additional Avion points when renting with Hertz or linking their card to a Petro-Canada card. These partnerships provide opportunities for even more rewards and savings.

With the RBC Avion Visa Infinite, you can maximize your rewards potential and enjoy a range of benefits, making it a valuable credit card option for those who want to earn and redeem points.

Insurance benefits

RBC Avion Visa Infinite insurance coverage

As a travel credit card, the Avion Visa Infinite provides comprehensive travel insurance, including the following:

  • Travel insurance: Like many credit cards, this one includes a travel insurance package. But what makes it exceptional is the emergency travel medical coverage⁸ that’s included. This rare and valuable perk makes it a winner, especially when paired with the car rental collision and damage, hotel/motel burglary, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance⁹. It’s also important to note that cardholders 65 and under are medically covered for the first 15 days of an out-of-province/Canada trip, and it’s three days for those over 65 years.
  • Car rental insurance: Car rental insurance provides protection that allows you to save on the daily insurance fees charged by car rental companies. This coverage is available for vehicles with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of up to $RBC Avion Visa Infinite.
  • Shopping coverage: Items purchased with the card enjoy protections including 90 days of insurance and extended warranties of up to an additional year.
  • Mobile device insurance: Enjoy up to $1,500 in coverage when you use your RBC credit card to purchase a new phone, tablet, or other mobile device. Your phone number must be added to your card account to take advantage of this benefit.
  • Optional extras that may be offered: Choose to purchase enhanced travel insurance, roadside assistance, insurance on your credit card balance, or identity theft protection.
Extra benefits

Extra benefits of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite

Beyond the impressive insurance and travel benefits of the card, you can expect the following additional benefits and features:

  • Automatic and instant savings on fuel at Petro-Canada: Link the two cards and save $0.03 per litre on fuel⁴—and earn 20% more points in both loyalty programs (20% more Petro-Points and 20% more Avion points)⁵.
  • Rexall points: Earn 50 Be Well Points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at Rexall Pharmacies across Canada by linking your card to your Rexall account.
  • Credit card lock: Temporarily lock your credit card at any time—a handy feature if you believe you’ve lost or misplaced your card but don’t want to take chances while you locate it.
  • Visa Infinite: Enjoy events, hotel and dining benefits, and a complimentary concierge.
  • DoorDash savings: Add your eligible RBC card to your DoorDash account and enjoy a 12-month complimentary DashPass subscription (a value of almost $120). With DashPass, you can enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card.
How it compares

How does the Avion Visa Infinite credit card compare?

Card Name
RBC Avion Visa Infinite
Annual fee
120 ($50 for each additional card)
$139
Welcome bonus
Up to 55,000 Avion points
Earn up to $1,000 in value†, including up to 135,000 TD Rewards Points† and no Annual Fee for the first year†. Conditions Apply. Account must be approved by January 6, 2025.
Earn rate
Earn 1.00 Avion point for every dollar you spend*., plus 25% extra Avion points on eligible travel purchases
Earn 8 TD Rewards Points through Expedia For TD†, 6 TD Rewards Points on groceries and restaurants†, 4 TD Rewards on recurring bill payments†, and 2 TD Rewards points for every $1 you spend using your card†
Benefits
Complimentary 12-month DoorDash DashPass membership, discounts on Hertz rental cars, no blackout dates or seat restrictions on award travel
$100 annual TD travel credit, 10,000-point birthday bonus, 40% more stars at Starbucks, Avis and Budget rental car discounts, no blackout dates or seat restrictions on award travel
Is it worth it?

Is the RBC Avion Visa Infinite worth it?

 As a travel rewards card, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card is a strong choice, especially for those who want flexibility with travel rewards — and even more for members who already shop at partner retailers. We’re loving the hassle-free redemption for travel rewards, such as the no blackout dates or restrictions on flight redemptions. For those with more frugal spending habits, though, there may be better alternatives. Weigh your options and check out these other best travel rewards credit cards in Canada before taking the plunge.  

Eligibility requirements

Eligibility requirements for the RBC Avion Visa Infinite credit card

To be eligible for the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card, you need to have a gross income of at least $60,000 ($100,000 per household) or possess a minimum of $250,000 in investable assets. Generally, you must be of legal age and a Canadian resident to qualify, unless specified otherwise by the card issuer.

FAQs

FAQs

  • Can you get your first year free with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite?

    +

    Unfortunately, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card is so great that it charges an annual fee. An annual fee of $120 per year. While many Canadians have an aversion to paying an annual fee, there’s not much you can do to sweet-talk the customer service rep into giving you another year for free. Still, there are two ways to get your Avion card without paying an annual fee.

    1. This works if you are already an RBC customer. With their banking package, if you have a number of services with them, you are eligible to receive the first year free of your RBC Avion Visa Infinite. This is called the “VIP Banking package.”

    For example, if you have an RBC mortgage, banking account or investments account you will be eligible to receive an RBC Avion Visa Infinite first year free.

    2. If you are not an extensive RBC customer (e.g. if you do not have a mortgage with them, if you do not bank with them, and if you do not invest with them), there may be another way to get the first year free with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite. You can potentially get the first year free if you have a premium Visa card from another credit card issuer.

    You just need to call the RBC customer service line and tell them you are interested in getting an RBC Avion Visa Infinite credit card and that you have one of the premium Visas. The process is easy and they will just ask you to go to a Royal Bank Branch to verify your information.

  • Does RBC Avion Visa Infinite have lounge access?

    +

    No, the card does not currently provide lounge access.

Refer to RBC page for up to date offer terms and conditions.

This post contains affiliate links. Please read disclaimer for more info.

Disclaimer: Money.ca may engage in affiliate marketing, which is done by embedding tracking links into Money.ca. If you click on a link for an affiliate partnership, a cookie will be placed on your browser to track any sales for purposes of commissions.

Cory Santos Finance editor

Cory Santos is a finance writer, editor and credit card expert with nearly a decade of experience in personal finance. Cory joined Wise Publishing from BestCards, with bylines in numerous print and digital publications across North America, including the Miami Herald, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Debt.ca, AOL, MSN and Medium as well as financial podcasts like KOFE Talk.

Disclaimer

The content provided on Money.ca is information to help users become financially literate. It is neither tax nor legal advice, is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, either express or implied, with respect to the data provided, the timeliness thereof, the results to be obtained by the use thereof or any other matter. Advertisers are not responsible for the content of this site, including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on any advertiser product, please visit their website.

†Terms and Conditions apply.