RBC Avion Visa Infinite review

How the Avion Visa Infinite earns points

The Avion Visa Infinite keeps earning simple: travel purchases earn 1.25 Avion points per dollar and everything else earns 1 point. There are no grocery or dining bonuses, so the card’s value comes from what you can do with the points rather than how quickly you earn them.

As an example, $2,000 a month of everyday spending earns 24,000 points a year. Add $3,000 a year of travel at 1.25 points, which earns 3,750 points, and you reach 27,750 points a year.

The welcome offer

New cardholders can earn up to 55,000 Avion points. That’s roughly two years of earning in the example budget above, so the welcome offer is a large part of the card’s first-year appeal.

Check RBC’s offer terms for the spending requirement and deadline before you apply, so you can plan to meet them with purchases you’d make anyway.

Using Avion points

Avion points are flexible: you can transfer them to airline partners, including British Airways Avios and Aeroplan. That gives you more than one way to use a balance, rather than being tied to a single airline’s program.

You can also book flights on any airline with no blackouts, which is handy when you want a specific flight rather than whatever a partner program has available. Having both options is the main reason to choose Avion over a co-branded airline card.

Fees, interest and the fine print

The annual fee is $120. Foreign currency purchases carry a 2.5% fee, so $1,000 spent abroad costs about $25 extra, which adds up on a card you’re likely to use for travel. With no grocery or dining bonuses, the fee is paid back mainly through the welcome offer in year one and through the insurance and transfer options after that.

Purchases are charged 20.99% interest and cash advances 22.99%. Paying your full statement balance by the due date avoids purchase interest.

Insurance coverage

The card includes a travel insurance package that covers the main risks of a typical trip, from medical emergencies to cancelled flights and rental car damage. Check the certificate for limits, eligibility and exclusions.

• Travel emergency medical insurance (15 days)
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Flight and baggage delay insurance
• Rental car collision and loss damage insurance

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

The Avion Visa Infinite suits travellers who want transferable points without a premium fee and are comfortable with a flat earn rate. It also works well for people who split their flying between airlines and want one balance that can follow them.

If you spend heavily on groceries and dining, a card with bonus categories will earn points faster. And if you don’t meet the $60,000 personal income requirement, you’ll need to look at other cards.

How it compares

The CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite costs $139 a year, earns up to 2x on travel booked through the CIBC Rewards Centre and offers up to 35,000 Aventura points. It earns more on travel booked through CIBC, though its welcome offer is smaller.

The RBC ION+ Visa also earns Avion points, for $48 a year, with up to 3x on groceries and up to 14,000 Avion points as a welcome offer. It’s a cheaper way to collect Avion points on everyday spending.

Before you apply

The recommended credit score is 720 or higher, and there’s a $60,000 personal income requirement. RBC makes the final decision based on your full credit profile. Confirm the current offer and terms on RBC’s website before you apply.