The RBC Rewards program received an update and a new name in 2022. Not to worry – despite a fresh coat of paint, the Avion Rewards program remains one of the top 10 credit card rewards programs in Canada. Members have 4 ways to earn points and 6 ways to redeem them, including donations, gift cards, merchandise, and travel.
Key Takeaways
- Avion Rewards is a free-to-join rewards program for Canadians and RBC customers.
- Avion Points are worth up to 2.33 cents CAD each and redeemable in 6 different rewards categories.
- You can earn Avion Points by banking with RBC, shopping with RBC partners, or using an RBC or Avion credit card.
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What are Avion Rewards?
Avion Rewards is to RBC what Scene+ is to Scotiabank: a free-to-join rewards program that’s open to the Canadian public and RBC bank customers and credit card holders. Members can earn Avion Points to spend on flexible rewards by shopping, taking advantage of promotional offers, and using RBC banking and credit products.
Naturally, the fastest way to earn points is with an RBC Avion credit card. You’ll get 1 – 1.25 points per $1 spent in purchase categories like dining, gas, groceries, and travel.
Avion Rewards overview
Currency: Avion Points
Rewards categories: Convert Your Points, Donate to Charity, Merchandise & Gift Cards, RBC Financial Rewards, RBC Travel Rewards
Pros:
- 2,400+ retail partners and brands
- 60+ gift card brands
- Up to 40% cash back with ShopPlus
- 6 Avion Rewards categories
- Avion Rewards app available on Android and iOS
- Fixed points values
- Points worth up to 2.33 cents each
- Free membership
- Transferrable points
Cons:
- Complicated earning, membership, and redemption system
- Free accounts can’t earn or redeem points yet
- Free account points expire after 2 years of inactivity
- Free accounts limited to earning points with RBC partners
- Points worth as little as 0.58 cents each
How does Avion Rewards work?
The biggest downside of the Avion program is its complexity. It’s not always clear who qualifies for what membership, how to earn points, or how to spend them. The terms and conditions are a 28-page labyrinth.
Because we’re committed to credit clarity for the common Canadian, we read all the rules. In short, there are 3 types of Avion members:
- Avion Select members don't require an RBC bank account or credit card. As long as a) you have a credit or debit card, b) you’re a Canadian citizen, and c) you’re over your province’s age of majority, you can sign up online for free.
- Avion Premium members are RBC customers with eligible bank accounts, credit cards, investment accounts, lines of credit, loans, or mortgages. Sometimes enrollment is automatic, sometimes it’s not.
- Avion Elite membership is an exclusive perk of RBC Avion credit cards. Check your wallet – if your card’s name includes the word "Avion," you’re in.
The easiest way to verify your membership level is to sign into the Avion Rewards website or mobile app. Your membership level will be in the top right corner.
All Avion Rewards members enjoy:
- Cash back and points from 2,400+ partner brands and stores
- 40% max. cash back with the ShopPlus browser extension
- Access to Donate to Charity Rewards
- Access to Merchandise & Gift Cards Rewards
- Access to Avion Travel Rewards
If you’re an RBC customer, your cash back rewards will be deposited in your RBC bank or credit card account. If you’re an Avion Select member, your cash back rewards will be delivered via the occasional Interac e-Transfer to an account of your choice.
Avion Rewards reserves certain perks, points-earning methods, and rewards for the 2 highest membership levels.
| Benefit | Avion Premium | Avion Elite |
|---|---|---|
| 20% Bonus Avion and Petro-Points, 10% off at Rona, 5x Bonus Be Well points at Rexall, 3 cents off per litre at Petro-Canada, and free DashPass membership with $0 delivery fees | Yes | Yes |
| Access to Convert your Points rewards | Yes | Yes |
| Access to Pay with Points rewards | Yes | Yes |
| Access to RBC Financial Rewards | Yes | Yes |
| Access to exclusive Avion Experiences | Yes | Yes |
| Access to Avion Air Travel Redemption Schedule rewards | Yes | |
| 2-for-1 Friday ski lift passes | Yes | |
| Extra Avion Points and savings offers | Yes |
At the time of writing, Avion Select members can’t earn or redeem points. But the Avion website promises donations, gift cards, merchandise, and RBC Travel Rewards are coming soon.
What are Avion Points worth?
For the most part, Avion Points have a fixed value – but the exact value of your points depends on which rewards category you choose. We calculated the value of each Avion Reward in cents per point (CPP) using the following formula:
Value of reward in $ / value of reward in points x 100 = value in cents per point (CPP)
There are 6 ways to redeem Avion Points (more on that later), the best of which deliver up to 2.33 CPP.
| Rewards category | Options | Value in cents per point (CPP) |
|---|---|---|
| Avion Travel Rewards and the Avion Air Travel Redemption Schedule | * Flights * Flights + hotels * Hotels * Car rentals * Vacation packages * Cruises |
* 2 – 2.33 CPP (Avion Air Travel Redemption Schedule) * 1 CPP (All other travel for Avion Elite) * 1 CPP (All travel for Avion Premium) * 0.58 CPP (All travel for Avion Select) |
| Convert Your Points | * Asia Miles * British Airways * American Airlines * WestJet |
* 1.75 CPP * 1.75 CPP * 1.3 CPP * 1 CPP |
| Donate to Charity | * Tax-deductible donations to a registered charity | * 1 CPP |
| Merchandise and Gift Cards | * Apple products * BestBuy products * eGift cards * Gift cards * General merchandise |
* 0.87 (merchandise) * 0.72 (gift cards) |
| RBC Financial Rewards | * Children’s education funds * Investments * Mortgages * Personal lines of credit * Registered savings accounts |
* 0.83 CPP |
| Pay with Points | * Bill payment credits * Credit card statement credits * In-store discounts * Interac e-Transfer |
* 0.58 CPP |
Given the reliable value of Avion Points, it doesn’t make sense for Elite or Premium members to settle for anything less than 1 CPP. At its heart, Avion rewards is a travel rewards program.
The exceptions are Avion Select members, who should avoid travel and save their points for donations and merchandise. Then again, if you just want to shop, you might want to check out a cash back credit card.
How to earn Avion Points
Avion members have 4 ways of earning Avion Points:
- Shopping online or in-store: RBC’s 2,400+ retail partners offer both cash back and Avion Points for every dollar you spend. Installing the ShopPlus extension enables you to see Avion deals on partner websites or search for them using your web browser.
- Enrolling RBC bank accounts in the Value Program: Eligible RBC bank customers earn 1 Avion Point for every $10 spent with their debit account to a maximum of 150 per month. You can raise your rewards rate and your monthly points limit by opening 2 or more personal RBC credit card, investment, mortgage, or small business accounts.
- Opening an RBC bank or credit card account: RBC’s welcome bonuses are worth thousands of Avion Points. For example, the no fee and low fee RBC ION Visa and ION+ Visa earn 1.5 – 3 Avion Points per $1 spent on everyday purchases and qualify for Avion Premium membership.
- Applying for an Avion Rewards credit card: Avion-branded credit cardholders receive huge welcome bonuses and earn bonus points on each of the methods above. Plus, they get 1 – 1.25 Points for every $1 spent on everyday purchases and qualify for Avion Elite membership.
RBC Avion Rewards credit cards
The 6 RBC Avion credit cards in Canada earn points even if you don’t use them at RBC partner stores. Owning one is the only way to qualify for Avion Elite membership, which unlocks extra perks and more valuable rewards categories, like the Avion Air Travel Redemption Schedule.
The 4 best personal RBC Avion credit cards in Canada are all Visa credit cards.
| Avion credit card | Current offer | Avion Rewards | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite |  $100 GeniusCash + 55,000 bonus points (terms) | * 1.25 points per $1 spent on travel * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases | $120 |
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege | Up to 70,000 bonus points (terms) | * 1.25 points per $1 spent on all purchases | $399 |
| RBC Visa Platinum Avion | 55,000 bonus points (terms) | * 1 point per $1 spent on all purchases | $120 |
Avion Points welcome bonuses and earning rates are equally generous for RBC business credit cards like the RBC Avion Visa Business and RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business. We’re not sure what’s included with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege for Private Banking card, but given its multi-million dollar requirements, we’d say it’s a lot.
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How to redeem Avion Points
Speaking of valuable rewards, Avion members can redeem their points by phone, in-store, online, and through the mobile app. Keep reading for a quick guide to redeeming points for every type of Avion Reward, from the most to least valuable.
Avion Travel Rewards and the Avion Air Travel Redemption Schedule
Options: Car rentals, cruises, flights, hotels, and vacation packages
Most valuable option: One-way/round trip flights within/to a neighboring province/territory for 2.33 CPP
How to redeem:
Avion Select, Premium, and Elite members can Avion Points for car rentals, cruises, flight tickets, hotels, and vacation packages through the Avion Travel Rewards website or mobile app.
Sign into your Avion Rewards account and click "Travel" to view and select travel rewards. You can pay for some or all of your booking with Avion Points, and cover airport fees and taxes at a rate of 1 CPP.
Avion Premium and Elite members can book by phone by calling 1-877-636-2870, at the cost of a $30 booking fee per flight ticket or hotel.
Flights are even more valuable for Avion Elite members, who can access the preferred point and dollar costs for tickets outlined in the Avion Air Travel Redemption Schedule:
| Route | One-way | Round trip | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Within/to an adjacent Canadian province/territory or US state | * 7,500 points * $175 (max)* |
* $15,000 points * $350 (max)* |
2.33 CPP |
| * Anywhere in Canada/US (except Hawaii and Alaska) | * 17,500 points * $375 (max)* |
* 35,000 points * $750 (max)* |
2.14 CPP |
| * Western Canada/US to Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska * Eastern Canada to Bermuda, Central America, Caribbean |
* 22,500 points * $450 (max)* |
* 45,000 points * $900 (max)* |
2 CPP |
| * Western Canada to Bermuda, Central America, Caribbean * Eastern Canada/US to Bermuda, Central America, Caribbean |
* 27,500 points * $550 (max)* |
* 55,000 points * $1,100 (max)* |
2 CPP |
| * Major Canada/US gateway to Europe | * 32,500 points * $650 (max)* |
* 65,000 points * $1,300 (max) |
2 CPP |
| * Major Canada/US gateway to Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific, Middle East, Africa, South America | * 50,000 points * $1,000 (max)* |
* 100,000 points * $2,000 (max)* |
2 CPP |
* Excluding applicable fees, surcharges, and taxes.
Avion Elite members follow the same steps to book airline tickets. If your chosen ticket’s dollar cost exceeds the maximum ticket price in the schedule above, you’ll need to pay the difference in cash or Avion Points at a rate of 1 CPP.
Don’t have enough Avion Points? You can make up the shortfall by purchasing up to 15,000 points at a cost of $40 CAD per 1,000 points.
Convert Your Points
Options: American Airlines, Asia Miles, British Airways, and WestJet
Most valuable option: Points conversions to British Airways
How to redeem:
Avion Premium and Elite members can convert a minimum of 500 – 10,000 Avion Points into points from 5 partner loyalty and rewards programs:
- American Airlines (10 Avion Points = 7 AAdvantage Miles)
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1 Avion Point = 1 Asia Mile)
- British Airways (1 Avion Point = 1 Avios)
- WestJet (100 Avion Points = 100 WestJet points)
First, sign into the Avion Rewards website or mobile app and click "Transfer." Next, select your desired program and then enter how many Avion Points you’d like to convert. All that’s left to do is wait up to 4 weeks for your converted points to appear in your account.
While WestJet is of more use to people, it actually has the lowest value of these 4 options. You'll get more value by switching your points to the other programs, especially British Airways.
Avios transfer bonuses
There's an annual bonus if British Airways is your transfer partner of choice. Once a year, usually in late spring/early summer, you'll get 30% more Avios when you transfer your Avion Rewards to Avios. It makes this valuable transfer option even better.
Donate to Charity, merchandise, and gift cards
Options: Apple products, Best Buy products, eGift cards, gift cards, general merchandise, and tax-deductible donations
Most valuable option: Charitable donations for 1 CPP
How to redeem:
All Avion members can redeem Avion Points for charity, gift cards, or merchandise – but not every reward is worth your time. While charitable donations deliver a fixed value of 1 CPP, the value of gift cards and merchandise can vary, so grab a calculator to compare your options.
Cost of reward in dollars / cost of reward in Avion Points x 100 = value in cents per point (CPP)
The rest is easy: just sign into the Avion Rewards mobile app or website, click "Redeem," and select “Apple,” “Best Buy,” “Donations,” or the general merchandise catalogue. Just like a regular online store, you can filter and sort options by brand, name, and price, and you need to checkout to complete your transaction – only instead of using dollars, you’re using Avion Points!
If you chose to make a donation, the lucky charity should send you a tax receipt in 12 weeks or less. As for gift cards and merchandise, keep an eye on your mailbox; it takes an average of 10 business days for rewards to arrive.
RBC Financial Rewards
Options: RBC Credit Line Rewards, Homeline Plan Rewards, Personal Loan Rewards, Mortgage Rewards, Registered Rewards, or Trade with Points
Most valuable option: Any RBC Financial Reward for 0.83 CPP
How to redeem:
Because it requires an RBC account, only Avion Premium and Elite members can redeem points for financial contributions to loans, investment, and savings accounts. But first, you’ll need to head to the RBC Direct Investing website and log in.
Click the account you’d like to top up and search for the redemption option. RBC Financial Rewards sometimes go on sale, but be careful – the CRA will still count any points you add to an account as a cash contribution.
Pay with Points
Options: Pay Back Purchases with Points, Pay In-Store, Pay Your Bills, Pay Your Credit Card Balance, or Send An e-Transfer
Most valuable option: Any Pay with Points option for 0.58 CPP
How to redeem:
Cash Avion Rewards don’t yield much value for Premium or Elite members, but a small discount can sometimes make the difference between satisfaction and buyers remorse.
There are 5 ways to apply your Avion Points towards a bill, an e-transfer, an in-store purchase, a recent transaction, or your credit card balance:
- Pay Your Credit Card Balance: Sign into the Avion Rewards mobile app or website, click "Redeem," and then select “Pay Credit Card Now.” Or, sign into the RBC Online Banking mobile app or website, select the credit card you’d like to pay down, and then click “Pay with Points.”
- Pay Back Purchases with Points: Sign into RBC Online Banking and select your credit card to view your most recent transactions. Double click a transaction and click the "Pay with Points" button. If you have an iPhone, you can redeem Avion Points towards your most recent purchases with Apple Pay using the RBC Launch app.
- Pay In-Store: Open the Samsung Pay app and select "Pay with Avion Rewards Points," then choose how many points to redeem towards a $1 – $250 purchase. Tap to pay and enjoy your discount!
- Pay Your Bills: Sign into Avion Rewards, click "Redeem," and then select “Pay Bills Now.” Or, click “Pay Bills and Transfer Funds” on RBC Online Banking, and then click “Pay with Avion points.”
- Send an e-Transfer: Sign into RBC Online Banking, select the "Transfers and Payments" tab (or the app navigation menu), and click “Send an Interac e-Transfer.” Select your Avion Rewards number as the debited bank account, choose a payee and amount, and click “Send Now.”
LIke most banking transactions, it takes 2 – 3 business days to post payments in points, so be patient.
Avion Rewards vs. other rewards programs
Avion Rewards’ top 3 competitors are the Aeroplan, Air Miles, and Aventura Rewards programs. They’re fairly comparable in terms of their flexibility and top rewards category: air travel.
Avion, Aeroplan, Air Miles, and Aventura each have a proprietary travel website. Members earn points by shopping with partners and using co-branded Aeroplan, Air Miles, and CIBC credit cards. Higher membership tiers unlock faster earn rates, more rewards, partner perks, and preferred pricing.
But if you fly Air Canada regularly, you won’t get quite the same value from other programs as you would from Aeroplan. And if you’re an avid shopper and music lover, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better loyalty program than AIR MILES.
| Feature | Avion | Aeroplan | Air Miles | Aventura |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Membership requirements | RBC account OR free account | Aeroplan credit card OR free account | BMO AIR MILES credit card OR free account | CIBC Aventura credit card |
| Currency | * Avion Points | * Aeroplan Points | * Cash Miles * Dream Miles |
* Aventura Points |
| Rewards | * Donations * Financial products * Gift cards * In-store discounts * Merchandise * Points conversions * Travel * Statement credits |
* Events and attractions * Gift cards * Merchandise * Travel |
* Events and attractions * In-store discounts * Gift cards * Merchandise * Travel |
* Donations * Financial products * Gift cards * Merchandise * Points conversions * Travel * Statement credits |
| Top rewards category | Avion Air Travel Redemption Schedule (2.33 CPP) | Air Canada flights (4 CPP) | Concerts (21.6 CPP) | Aventura Airline Travel Rewards (2.29 CPP) |
| Bottom rewards category | RBC Financial Rewards (0.58 CPP) | Gift cards (0.71 CPP) | Merchandise (7.7 CPP) | Payment with Points (0.63 CPP) |
| Special membership benefits | * DashPass, Petro-Canada, and Rexall perks * Points conversions |
* Flight eUpgrade credits * Free checked bags and priority services on Air Canada flights * Maple Leaf Lounge access |
* Priority customer service * Travel bookings by phone |
* None |
Although Avion and Aventura Points appear to hold little value, they have the advantage of providing fixed rewards redemption rates. To fully take advantage of Aeroplan and Air Miles Dream Miles, you’ll need to do your research and time your flights.
Ultimately, the best program for you depends on how frequently you travel, what rewards you want, and where you shop. Make sure to browse each program’s list of official partners; you’ll get more bang for your buck if you find a program that matches your existing spending habits.
FAQ
When do Avion Rewards gift cards go on sale?
RBC partner stores set the prices of Avion gift cards and merchandise rewards, so it helps to sign up for a newsletter or research the sales calendar of the brand you want. Look out for Back to School, CyberMonday, and Holiday sales from Apple and Best Buy, as well as every shopaholic’s favorite day: Black Friday.
What is the Avion Rewards program?
Avion Rewards is RBC’s credit card rewards program, formerly known as RBC Rewards. Members can earn and redeem Avion Points towards air travel, gift cards, merchandise, and RBC financial products.
What is the best way to earn Avion Points?
The fastest way to earn Avion Points is to shop at Avion partner stores using an RBC Avion credit card, which nets 1 – 1.25 points per $1 spent.
When did RBC Rewards become Avion Rewards?
RBC rebranded RBC Rewards as Avion Rewards on August 25, 2022.
Do Avion Points expire?
Avion Points expire after 2 years of account inactivity for Avion Select members. For Avion Premium and Elite members (whose accounts are tied to their RBC account), Avion Points don’t expire as long as your RBC bank account, credit card, investment account, or loan remains open.
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