RBC Avion Rewards: How It Works, How to Earn Points & Best Ways to Redeem Them
Imagine buying the things you already planned to buy and getting rewarded for it.
Sounds suspiciously like someone finally decided your shopping habit deserved a participation trophy.
That is essentially the idea behind RBC Avion Rewards.
Avion Rewards is RBC’s rewards program that lets eligible members earn points, access offers and savings, and redeem points for travel, merchandise, gift cards and other rewards. Depending on your membership level and eligible RBC products, you can also unlock additional ways to use your points.
And unlike that gym membership you promised yourself you’d use every morning, Avion Rewards can actually become useful if you know how to use it.
What Is RBC Avion Rewards?
RBC Avion Rewards is a loyalty program connected to RBC products and services.
The program gives members opportunities to earn points, find shopping offers and redeem rewards. Depending on your membership level, available benefits can include travel bookings, merchandise, gift cards, cash-back opportunities and other redemption options.
In simple English:
You spend, you earn points, and then you try not to forget about those points until they become a tiny digital museum exhibit.
Avion Rewards can be accessed online and through the Avion Rewards app, where members can manage points, browse offers and access available redemption options.
How Does RBC Avion Rewards Work?
The basic process is pretty straightforward:
Earn → Save → Redeem → Enjoy
You can earn Avion points through eligible RBC products and participating offers. You can then use those points for eligible rewards.
For example, Avion Rewards currently offers opportunities to use points toward:
- Flights
- Hotels
- Car rentals
- Vacation packages
- Gift cards
- Merchandise
- Certain everyday expenses
- Other eligible rewards
The exact options available depend on your Avion membership level and eligible RBC products.
How Do You Earn Avion Points?
One of the easiest ways to earn Avion points is through eligible RBC Avion credit cards.
For example, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite currently earns 1 Avion point per $1 spent on eligible purchases, with 1.25 points per $1 on travel-related purchases.
But credit-card spending isn’t the only part of the ecosystem.
Avion Rewards also provides offers from thousands of retailers, allowing eligible members to earn points, access savings and take advantage of shopping promotions.
What Can You Redeem Avion Points For?
This is where Avion Rewards becomes interesting.
Depending on your membership and eligible products, points can be redeemed for several types of rewards.
1. Travel
Travel is one of the major attractions of Avion Rewards.
Eligible members can use points toward flights, hotels, car rentals and other travel options. Certain Avion credit-card holders can also access fixed-point flight pricing through the Air Travel Redemption Schedule.
2. Gift Cards
If flying around the world isn’t currently on your agenda, you can use eligible Avion points toward gift cards and other rewards.
That could be considerably more practical if your idea of an adventure is successfully surviving the supermarket without buying snacks you didn’t put on the list.
Avion Rewards lists gift cards and merchandise among its redemption options.
3. Merchandise
Eligible members can redeem points for merchandise from participating brands.
Avion currently highlights brands such as Apple and Best Buy for certain membership levels. Availability and eligibility can vary.
4. Bills and Other Financial Uses
Some Avion membership levels and eligible products offer additional ways to use points, including certain bill payments, credit-card payments, Interac transfers and other financial options.
This is one reason you shouldn’t assume every Avion member has exactly the same redemption options.
Your membership level matters.
Using Avion Points for Travel
Travel is where Avion points can potentially become especially valuable.
With eligible Avion cards, RBC says cardholders can book flights on more than 500 airlines, with no blackout dates or seat restrictions through its applicable travel redemption benefits.
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite also provides an Air Travel Redemption Schedule with fixed-point pricing for eligible flights.
That means the number of points required can be based on the destination and applicable redemption rules rather than simply following whatever price the airline happens to display that day.
However, remember the fine print.
Taxes, fees and surcharges may still apply, and redemption rules can vary.
In other words, your points might buy the ticket, but they haven’t necessarily declared independence from taxes.
Can You Use Avion Points for Everyday Purchases?
In some cases, yes.
Depending on your eligible RBC account and Avion membership, points can be used for options such as paying eligible credit-card purchases or bills.
Avion Rewards also allows certain members to use points for merchandise, gift cards and other rewards.
However, not every redemption method is available to every member.
Always check the current Avion Rewards terms before making a redemption.
Avion Rewards Membership Levels
Avion Rewards currently has different membership levels, including Avion Select, Avion Premium and Avion Elite.
Avion Select
Avion Select is available free to everyone and provides access to various rewards and offers.
Avion Premium
Premium membership is available with eligible RBC products and provides additional rewards and benefits.
Avion Elite
Avion Elite is associated with eligible RBC Avion Visa products and provides additional benefits, including access to certain travel and rewards features.
Because benefits can change, check the current program details before making decisions based on a specific perk.
How to Get More Value From RBC Avion Rewards
Want your points to work harder than you do on Monday morning?
Try these strategies.
1. Compare redemption options
Don’t automatically redeem your points for the first reward you see.
Check how many points different options require and compare the value you’re receiving.
2. Consider travel redemptions
If you’re a frequent traveler and have access to eligible Avion travel benefits, compare flight redemption options before paying cash.
Certain Avion rewards cards provide fixed-point travel redemption opportunities that can potentially make points particularly useful on eligible routes.
3. Watch for offers
Avion Rewards provides offers from thousands of retailers, so checking available offers before shopping can potentially help you earn additional rewards or savings.
4. Don’t buy things just for points
This deserves its own paragraph.
Never spend $200 to earn rewards worth $2.
Your wallet will not appreciate the mathematical creativity.
5. Check your points regularly
Use the Avion Rewards app to monitor your points and available offers.
The app lets members manage points, browse offers, redeem rewards and book eligible travel.
Is RBC Avion Rewards Worth It?
For the right user, it can be.
Avion Rewards can be particularly appealing if you:
- Already use eligible RBC products
- Travel frequently
- Like flexible redemption options
- Want access to shopping offers
- Prefer collecting points instead of traditional loyalty stamps
- Are willing to compare redemption values
It may be less attractive if you’re taking on unnecessary spending simply to accumulate points.
Remember:
Rewards are only rewards if you don’t spend more money chasing them than you would have spent anyway.
That’s the golden rule of cashback, points and pretty much every loyalty program ever invented.
RBC Avion Rewards FAQs
What is RBC Avion Rewards?
RBC Avion Rewards is a loyalty program that allows eligible members to earn points, access offers and redeem points for travel, merchandise, gift cards and other eligible rewards.
How do I earn Avion points?
You can earn Avion points through eligible RBC products and participating Avion Rewards offers. Certain RBC Avion credit cards earn points on eligible purchases.
What can I use Avion points for?
Depending on your membership and eligible RBC products, you may be able to redeem points for flights, hotels, car rentals, gift cards, merchandise, bills and other rewards.
Can Avion points be used for flights?
Yes. Eligible Avion members can use points toward travel, while certain eligible Avion credit-card holders have access to fixed-point flight redemption options.
Do Avion points expire?
RBC states that Avion points associated with its RBC Avion Visa Infinite card do not expire, although other program rules and account conditions can apply.
Is the Avion Rewards app free?
The Avion Rewards app provides access to your rewards account, offers, points and redemption features. Membership eligibility and benefits depend on your account and membership level.
Final Thoughts On Avion Rewards
RBC Avion Rewards can be more than another points program that quietly collects dust in an app you forgot you downloaded.
Used strategically, it can help turn eligible spending into travel, gift cards, merchandise, savings and other rewards.
The trick is simple:
Earn points on spending you were already going to do, compare your redemption options, and don’t let the word “rewards” convince you to spend money you don’t have.
Because earning 1,000 points after spending $10,000 isn’t exactly the financial victory parade we thought it was.
For the latest eligibility requirements, redemption options and terms, always check the official Avion Rewards information before redeeming your points.