RBC Avion Rewards credit cards and points

What RBC Avion Rewards is

Avion Rewards is the points program run by Royal Bank of Canada. You earn Avion points on eligible RBC cards, and you can also join without a card. Then you spend the points on travel, shopping, bills and more.

RBC says there are three membership levels. Each level adds more on top of the one before it.

Cancel your Avion card and you lose Elite benefits. That matters if you plan to keep points while changing cards. RBC lists the eligible accounts and cards for each level in its Terms and Conditions.

How you earn Avion points

Points are earned on net purchases only. RBC does not say more about what counts on that page, so check the card terms for details.

Each card has its own earn rate and its own bonuses. RBC’s card page also shows welcome offers that change over time. We list the earning cards and their rates on our Avion card pages, so we keep the details out of this guide.

What Avion points are worth

The value depends on how you spend the points. RBC’s own rate for travel is simple: 100 points = $1 CAD. That is 1 cent per point.

• Travel booked through Avion Rewards Travel: 100 points = $1 CAD, with a 1,000 point minimum.
• Select members, Personal ION accounts and Avion Rewards Core Product accounts: 100 points = $0.58 CAD, with a 2,500 point minimum.
• Business and first class flights on eligible Privilege and business cards: 100 points = $2.00 CAD.
• Flights booked through the Concierge for Infinite Privilege for Private Banking: 100 points = $1.50 CAD.
• Canadian Tire Money: 140 points = $1.00.

We use 1 cent per point as the base value for Avion on CreditLab. It is the rate most cardholders get for most trips.

Ways to redeem your points

RBC lists many ways to use points. Some are open to every level and some need Premium or Elite.

• Travel: flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages and activities through Avion Rewards Travel.
• Gift cards and merchandise: brands such as Apple and Best Buy.
• Tickets: Ticketmaster.ca events.
• Payments: pay an eligible RBC credit card balance, pay bills, or send an Interac e-Transfer with points.
• Saving and investing: RBC Registered Rewards, RBC Homeline Reward, RBC Mortgage Reward, Royal Credit Line Reward, RBC Personal Loan Reward, or Trade With Points at RBC Direct Investing.
• Charity: Tree Canada, Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada, Hope Air and the Canadian Olympic Foundation.

For gift cards, merchandise and financial rewards, the points price is set in each catalogue. RBC’s terms do not give one fixed rate for them. Compare the points price with the cash price before you redeem.

Paying with points and the savings options are for Premium and Elite members. See RBC’s redeem page and Avion Rewards redeem page.

Transferring points to airlines

Premium and Elite members can convert Avion points into airline points. RBC’s terms list these partners.

The airline account must be in the same name as your RBC card or account. Transfers cannot be reversed. RBC says they can take up to four weeks to show up. The airline may also add its own rules, including expiry of the points it receives.

Getting the most value

Travel at 1 cent per point is the baseline. You can beat it in a few cases.

RBC’s card page shows these starting points for the schedule. Each band also has a maximum ticket price.

Expiry and other rules

• Expiry: RBC’s card page says Avion points never expire. Points are forfeited 12 months after you close your account yourself, or after RBC closes it for a reason other than cause.
• Select members: under RBC’s June 2026 terms, an account with no activity for five years can expire, and RBC says it will tell you 30 to 60 days before.
• Net purchases only: points are earned on net purchases.
• Cash: points cannot be exchanged for cash.
• Names: bookings must use your full legal name as on your passport.
• Changes: RBC can change the program terms. It sets notice periods of 30 or 60 days for changes.

Because rules change, treat this page as a guide. The final word is in RBC’s Terms and Conditions.

Who Avion suits

Avion suits people who book flights and want flexible points. The 1 cent rate for travel is simple. The airline transfers give you options if you also use WestJet, British Airways, Cathay Pacific or American Airlines.

• Good fit: you travel a few times a year, you like a fixed value, or you want the choice of airline transfers.
• Think twice: you want cash back with no extra steps, or you plan to keep your points in a Select, ION or Core account at the lower rate.
• Also check: how you earn. Look at the earning cards on our Avion pages and compare their annual fees and rates.

Start by finding out which membership level you have. Then check the rate on the flight you want. If a transfer or the schedule gives more than 1 cent per point, use it.