This post is sponsored by RBC. The views and opinions expressed in this blog, however, are purely our own.
In case you missed it, RBC has launched a pair of new credit cards – let this be your introduction to the RBC ION Visa family.
As members of the Avion Rewards family, ION Cards offer a unique set of rewards not offered on other credit cards. These are cards that offer rewards on your gaming, but also staples like food and commuting.
As an added bonus, these cards are also available for students. For those of us trying to get a degree or ready to find our niche in the workforce, these cards are an excellent way to start earning credit card rewards and building up your credit score.
Here’s what they offer.
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RBC ION Visa card
Let’s start with the no annual fee RBC ION Visa.
Those unique categories we mentioned? These purchases will earn you 1.5 points per $1 spent on:
- groceries,
- daily public transit,
- rideshares,
- EV charging,
- streaming, digital gaming, and
- subscriptions.
You got some basics covered – everyone needs to eat and get around. But for your getting around, it covers just about anything. Whether you drive a gas car, an EV, or take the bus, you’re earning extra rewards for any commute style you choose.
But there is one very unique spending category that stands out more than anything we’ve seen in a while – RBC ION cards have a bonus for digital gaming. Combined with the streaming and subscriptions category, every elite gamer can be racking up rewards as they fly up the leaderboards.
So whether you’re waiting anxiously for the latest, most hyped-up game on the Playstation or Xbox store, or if you’re ready to get your next pass to dominate your friends in the coming month, the rewards will keep on coming as you keep on playing
On your other purchases, you’ll still earn a cool 1 point per $1 spent, so yes, you can still get rewarded for your life outside of gaming.
$60 GeniusCash + Earn up to $50 in groceries.^
The welcome bonus
RBC will help kickstart your rewards bank. You’ll earn 6,000 points once your account is approved. That works out to a cool $60 on approval when transferred to WestJet or $43 when redeemed for gift cards. These are probably some of the easiest rewards points you’ll ever earn.
But we have an extra little bonus, too. Here's our own kicker – we'll give you $60 in GeniusCash when you get approved using our offers page.
But before you pick that up and get back to your controller, there’s one other option (it’s even better!) that we’re just dying to tell you about.
RBC ION+ Visa Card
The RBC ION+ Visa kicks the rewards up to 11.
You’ll earn 3 points per $1 spent on these categories:
- groceries,
- dining,
- food delivery,
- daily public transit,
- rideshares,
- EV Charging,
- streaming, digital gaming, and
- subscriptions.
That’s TWICE as many points as you’d get with the standard ION Visa.
You can add restaurants and food delivery to the list of categories earning bonus rewards, with everything else staying the same.
Got some new games you’ve been eyeing up? It’s like you won’t ever have to leave your gamer-cave. You get your bonus rewards on your new games, while getting your food delivered right to your door.
And you’ll still earn 1 point per $1 spent on everything else.
What’s the catch? A small one – you’ll pay a monthly fee of $4, which translates to $48 per year. This is a lot less than some other cards that charge over $100 at the very least.
GC: $60
With the RBC ION+, you’ll earn a bigger welcome bonus
The welcome bonus is bigger – you’ll get 12,000 points after your account is approved, which is double what you get with the standard RBC ION card.
And our GeniusCash offer is also larger – $60 when you open an account. This is more than double the bonus we give on the standard card.
Using your Avion Rewards
So now you’re clear on how many rewards points you’ll earn with these 2 cards, but what are your Avion Rewards points actually worth?
These aren’t standard Avion Rewards – a few options are missing or are a little different from regular Avion Rewards.
Here’s a summary of your options:
Your best option is to transfer your Avion Rewards to WestJet. 100 points becomes 1 WestJet Dollar. That WestJet Dollar is worth an actual dollar you can use towards flights and vacation packages with WestJet.
At the bottom end of the scale is travel through Avion Rewards and statement credits, where you’ll need 172 points to save $1.
So what can you earn for annual rewards with these ION Cards? Here’s a sample $1,000 monthly spend, and what you would earn for points with each card.
| Category | Monthly Spend | RBC ION Visa | RBC ION+ Visa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earn Rate | Annual Points | Earn Rate | Annual Points | ||
| Groceries | $300 | 1.5 points | 5,400 | 3 points | 10,800 |
| Restaurants | $100 | 1 points | 1,200 | 3 points | 3,600 |
| Gas | $100 | 1.5 points | 1,800 | 3 points | 3,600 |
| Streaming Services | $50 | 1.5 points | 900 | 3 points | 1,800 |
| Digital Gaming Purchases | $50 | 1.5 points | 900 | 3 points | 1,800 |
| Others | $400 | 1 point | 4,800 | 1 points | 4,800 |
| Annual Total | $1,000 | 15,000 | 26,400 | ||
How does that translate into annual rewards for each card? At maximum value, here’s your answer:
- RBC ION Visa – $150
- RBC ION+ Visa – $264
If you’ve been wondering which card to get, at this level of spending, the ION+ card more than offsets the $48 per year you would pay to keep it.
But it all depends on you.
Will you get an RBC ION Card?
So there you have it – a pair of credit cards with a unique rewards structure.
Will you get an RBC ION Card?
Let us know in the comments below.
FAQ
What do RBC ION cards earn for rewards?
RBC ION cards are part of the Avion Rewards family. The no fee ION card earns up to 1.5 points per $1 spent, while the ION+ card earns up to 3 points per $1 spent.
What are the annual fee and income requirements for RBC ION Cards?
Both RBC ION cards have no income requirements. The RBC ION Visa has no annual fee, and the RBC ION+ Visa has a $48 annual fee that gets charged out as $4 per month.
What can Avion Rewards be used for?
The Avion Rewards collected by ION cards can be used for many things. Some of the redemption options include:
- transferring points to WestJet,
- merchandise,
- gift cards,
- pay for purchases, and
- travel through Avion Rewards.
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GC: 
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