Before diving into the value of RBC Avion points and learning about the best redemption options, it's important to know that there are two types of Avion membership levels: Elite and Premium.
RBC offers 5 credit cards that fall under Avion Elite membership:
- RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card
- RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
- RBC Avion Visa Platinum Card
- RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Card
- RBC Avion Visa Business Card
Each of these cards earn Avion Elite points which has two main advantages: They can be transferred to all of RBC's airline partners and they can be redeemed for high value towards airfare via the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule.
All non-Elite credit cards that earn Avion points will fall under the Avion Premium Membership level. This includes, but is not limited to:
- RBC ION+ Visa
- RBC ION Visa
- RBC Rewards+ Visa
- Signature RBC Rewards Visa
- RBC Rewards Visa Preferred
- RBC U.S. Dollar Visa Gold
- RBC Visa CreditLine for Small Business
Avion Premium points earned with these credit cards are worth up to 1 cent each. They cannot be transferred to RBC's full list of partners and they cannot be redeemed for airfare via the Air Travel Redemption Schedule.
One important piece of the puzzle is that you can transfer points between Avion credit cards. So if you also have a card that earns Avion Elite points, you can transfer your weaker Avion Premium points to that card and redeem them for higher value.
Avion points value
How much are Avion points worth? Avion Elite points have a value of 1.5 to 2.33 cents each towards travel while Avion Premium points are worth up to 1 cent each. This means 10,000 points can be worth anywhere from $100 to $233 on average depending on which Avion credit cards you have.
Here's The Point Calculator's valuations for RBC Avion points:
| Redemption option | Redemption value (in cents) |
|---|---|
| Air Travel Redemption Schedule (Elite only) | Up To 2.33 |
| Point transfers to Elite airline partners (Elite only) | 1.5 - 2.5+ |
| Point transfers to WestJet and Hudson Bay | 1 |
| Travel redemptions through RBC Travel portal (non-ION cards) | 1 |
| Charitable donations | 1 |
| RBC financial products | 0.83 |
| Using points for merchandise | 0.75 - 0.85 |
| Gift card redemptions | 0.71 |
| Travel redemptions through RBC Travel portal with ION credit cards | 0.58 |
| Redeeming points for statement credits | 0.58 |
Booking airfare using the Air Travel Redemption Schedule
The Air Travel Redemption Schedule lists how many Avion Elite points it will cost you for a one-way or round-trip flight between different destinations around the world.
This redemption offers up to 2.33 cents per point in value, but that's only if your flight matches the max ticket price or is over the max ticket price for the route. Since this will usually not be the case, you can realistically expect about 1.5 cents on average using the Air Travel Redemption Schedule (which is still fantastic).
How many Avion points do you need for a flight?
The amount of Avion Elite points you need for a flight using the Air Travel Redemption Schedule will depend on the destination. Redemptions start at 7,500 points for a one-way ticket and 15,000 points for a round-trip ticket.
The tables below shows the cost for round-trip and one-way tickets.
| Destination | Points required | Max ticket price before taxes/fees |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Getaways | 15,000 Points | $350 |
| Explore North America (except Hawaii and Alaska) | 35,000 Points | $750 |
| Holiday Destinations | 45,000 Points | $900 |
| Take a Vacation | 55,000 Points | $1,100 |
| Visit Europe | 65,000 Points | $1,300 |
| See the World | 100,000 Points | $2,000 |
| Route | Points required | Max ticket price before taxes/fees |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Getaways | 7,500 Points | $175 |
| Explore North America (except Hawaii and Alaska) | 17,500 Points | $375 |
| Holiday Destinations | 22,500 Points | $450 |
| Take a Vacation | 27,500 Points | $550 |
| Visit Europe | 32,500 Points | $650 |
| See the World | 50,000 Points | $1,000 |
The rates for one-way tickets are just the round-trip ticket prices cut in half. There's no additional savings for booking a one-way ticket versus a round-trip ticket using the Air Travel Redemptions Schedule.
Air Redemption Chart Schedule breakdown
Click on any of the destinations below to get a quick breakdown on the definition of the destination.
- Within or to an adjacent province/territory.
- Within or to an adjacent U.S. state
- Anywhere in Canada/U.S. except Hawaii and Alaska
- Western Canada/U.S. to Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska
- Eastern Canada to Bermuda, Central America, Caribbean
- Eastern Canada/U.S. to Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska
- Western Canada to Bermuda, Central America, Caribbean
- Major gateway in Canada/U.S. to destinations in Europe
- Major gateway in Canada/U.S. to destinations in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific, Middle East, Africa, South America
How does the Air Travel Redemption Schedule work?
With the Air Travel Redemption Schedule, you will be able to redeem a set amount of Avion Elite points for up to a maximum base ticket price. This is the base price of the flight and does not include taxes, fees, and other surcharges.
The goal is to redeem Avion Elite points towards flights that are as close to or over the maximum ticket price in order to maximize the value of your Avion Rewards.
Let's look at some examples for round-trip flights to Europe. Based on the Air Redemption Schedule Chart, this will cost you 65,000 Avion Elite points with a max ticket price of $1,300.
Example Europe Flight 1
- Base Ticket Price: $1,000
- Taxes, Fees & Carrier Surcharges: $250
- Total Cost of Airline Ticket: $1,250
For this example, you would be able to redeem 65,000 Avion Elite points to cover the full base ticket price of $1,000 ticket since it's less than the max ticket price of $1,300. So the final out of pocket price would be the $250 in taxes/fees.
This example would give your Avion Elite points a value of 1.53 cents each (65,000 points / $1,000).
Example Europe Flight 2
- Base Ticket Price: $1,400
- Taxes, Fees & Carrier Surcharges: $275
- Total Cost of Airline Ticket: $1,675
The base ticket price of this flight exceeds the maximum ticket price, so you'll only be able to redeem 65,000 Avion Elite points on up to $1,300 of the base cost. This leaves you with a final base ticket price of $100 plus the $275 in taxes/fees for a final cost of $375.
Since you're able to redeem your points up to the max ticket price of $1,300, this example would give you a point value of 2 cents each which is excellent.
Do note that you will have the option to redeem additional points for the remaining base ticket cost of $100, but it will be at the general travel redemption value of 1 cent per point. I'd recommend paying cash for any overage since this will devalue Avion Elite points.
Avion point transfers to partners
Avion points can be transferred to up to 5 travel partners. The partners you can transfer to will depend on which Avion Rewards credit cards you hold.
Only Avion Elite Membership credit cards can transfer points to American Airlines AAdvantage, British Airways Executive Club, and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.
All Avion credit cards can transfer points to Hudson's Bay Rewards and WestJet Rewards, with the exception being ION credit cards. ION Visa and ION+ Visa cardmembers can only transfer points to WestJet Rewards.
British Airways Avios
Avion Elite points can be transferred to British Airways Avios at a 1:1 ratio meaning that every 1,000 points you transfer will give you 1,000 Avios. British Airways will be the hands-down best option when it comes to getting the most out of your Avion Elite points via point transfers.
British Airways Avios offer exceptional value for short-haul trips in Europe and in the U.S. and Canada when redeeming Avios for flights on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. They're also great for long-haul trips in economy class.
On top of all that, British Airways Avios can be converted to Qatar Avios and can be redeemed for 5-star travel in their popular QSuites. This offers exceptional value and you'll be able to try one of the best business products in the world.
WestJet Rewards
Avion Elite points and Avion Premium points can be transferred to WestJet Rewards at a rate of 1 point for $0.01 in WestJet Dollars. WestJet is a major Canadian airline that is useful for domestic travel within Canada and to select parts of the US.
Transferring points to WestJet will give them 1 cent in value. While this is a great redemption for Avion Premium points, it is not so much for Avion Elite points since you can typically give more than 1 cent in value through transfers to other partners or by using the Air Travel Redemption Schedule.
Booking travel through RBC Travel Portal
Redeeming points for travel through RBC will offer either 0.58 or 1 cent in value per point depending on which cards you have:
- ION Visa and ION+ Visa: 172 points for $1 CAD - 0.58cpp
- All other Avion credit cards: 100 points for $1 CAD - 1cpp
If you don't have enough points to cover the full cost, you can pay for travel using both your points and credit card.
RBC Financial Products
If you bank with RBC, you can redeem your Avion points for financial products such as investments, mortgage payments, and lines of credit. Redemptions start at 12,000 Avion points for a $100 voucher which is a value of 0.83 cents per point.
Gift cards
Gift Cards start at 3,500 Avion points for a $25 gift card which gives your points a value of 0.71 cents each. This is a solid redemption option for Avion Premium points, but not so much for Avion Elite points.
Statement credits
Avion points can be redeemed for statement credits. You can redeem 17,200 points for a $100 credit which would give your points a value of 0.58 cents each. This is one of the lowest redemption options and should be avoided when possible.
Charity
Avion points can be put towards charity donations at a value of 1 cent per point.
Merchandise
Avion points can be redeemed for merchandise. The value you get out of redeeming your points will vary, but it will typically be less than 1 cent per point.
If you're looking to earn rewards redeemable for merchandise, I recommend considering cash back credit cards as you'll get a better return on your everyday spending when put towards these kind of redemptions.
Calculator: Convert Avion points to dollars
Use the Avion points value calculator to determine the average cash value of your points when used for travel, gift cards, and more. This will give you an idea of how much your Avion points are worth.
| Redemption | Average Dollar Value |
|---|---|
| Air Travel Redemption Schedule (Elite Only) | Up To $0 |
| Point transfers to Elite airline partners (Elite Only) | $0 - $0+ |
| Point transfers to WestJet and Hudson Bay | $ |
| RBC Travel portal redemptions (non-ION credit cards) | $0 |
| Charitable donations | $0 |
| RBC financial products | $0 |
| Using points for merchandise | $0 - $0 |
| Gift card redemptions | $0 |
| RBC Travel portal redemptions (ION credit cards) | $0 |
| Redeeming points for statement credits | $0 |
If you have an Avion Elite Membership level credit card, you will want to redeem your points for airfare using the Air Travel Redemption Schedule or transfer your points to airline partners.
Average Value for travel redemptions
The table below lists the cash values for Avion Elite points based on an average value of 1.5 cents per point and Avion Premium points based on an average value of 1 cent per point.
| Avion points | Elite points value | Premium points value |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 Points | $150 | $100 |
| 25,000 Points | $375 | $250 |
| 30,000 Points | $450 | $300 |
| 50,000 Points | $750 | $500 |
| 60,000 Points | $900 | $600 |
| 75,000 Points | $1,125 | $750 |
| 100,000 Points | $1,500 | $1,000 |
| 125,000 Points | $1,875 | $1,250 |
| 150,000 Points | $2,250 | $1,500 |
Air Travel Redemption Schedule Calculator
Calculate the value of your Avion Elite points based on the Air Travel Redemption Chart and the cash cost of the ticket. This will give you an idea on whether or airfare redemption is worth it.
Credit cards that earn Avion points
RBC offers a large handful of credit cards you can use to earn Avios points. Here are those cards:
- Earns Avion Elite Points
- Earn 1.25X Avion points on all purchases
- Access to the Air Travel Redemption Schedule which offers high value towards airfare
- Access to all RBC transfer partners
- Airport lounge access
- $399 annual fee
- Card Value & Avion Points Calculator
- Earns Avion Elite Points
- Earn 1.25X points on travel related purchases
- Earn 1X points on all other purchases
- Access to the Air Travel Redemption Schedule which offers high value towards airfare
- Access to all RBC transfer partners
- $120 annual fee
- Card Value & Avion Points Calculator
- Earns Avion Elite Points
- Earn 1X Avion points on all purchases
- Access to the Air Travel Redemption Schedule which offers high value towards airfare
- Access to all RBC transfer partners
- $120 annual fee
- Card Value & Avion Points Calculator
- Earns Avion Premium Points
- Earn 3X Avion points on grocery, dining, food delivery, rides, gas, EV charging, streaming, digital gaming, and subscriptions
- Earn 1X Avion points on everything else
- $4 monthly fee ($48 annually)
- Card Value & Avion Points Calculator
- Earns Avion Premium Points
- Earn 1.5X Avion points on grocery, rides, gas, EV charging, streaming, digital gaming, and subscriptions
- Earn 1X Avion points on all other purchases
- $0 annual fee
- Card Value & Avion Points Calculator
- Earns Avion Elite Points
- Earn 1.25X Avion points on all purchases, on up to $75,000 per year (then 1X)
- Airport lounge access
- Access to the Air Travel Redemption Schedule which offers high value towards airfare
- Access to all RBC transfer partners
- $175 annual fee
- Card Value & Avion Points Calculator
- Earns Avion Elite Points
- Earn 1X Avion points on all purchases
- Access to the Air Travel Redemption Schedule which offers high value towards airfare
- Access to all RBC transfer partners
- Reduced annual fee for RBC Avion Visa Platinum or RBC Avion Visa Infinite cardholders
- $120 annual fee
- Card Value & Avion Points Calculator
- Earns Avion Premium Points
- Earn 1X Avion points for every $2 spent on the card
- $0 annual fee
- Card Value & Avion Points Calculator
FAQ
How much are Avion points worth?
On average, The Point Calculator values Avion Elite points at 1.5 cents each and Avion Premium points at 1 cent each.
What can you use Avion points for?
Avion points can be used for travel, merchandise, financial products, gift cards, and statement credits. You can also donate points to charity.
What is the Air Travel Redemption Schedule?
The RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule allows those who hold Avion Elite credit cards to book travel for a set amount of Avion points based on destination, up to a max ticket price.
Can Avion points be transferred to airline partners?
Yes. Avion points can be transferred to WestJet, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and American Airlines.
How many Avion points do you need for a flight?
Flights booked through the Air Travel Redemption schedule start at 7,500 points one-way or 15,000 points round-trip.
How much are 1,000 Avion points worth?
Based on our average valuations, 1,000 Avion Elite points are worth about $15 and Avion Premium points are worth about $10.
How much are 5,000 Avion points worth?
Based on our average valuations, 5,000 Avion Elite points are worth about $75 and Avion Premium points are worth about $50.
How much are 15,000 Avion points worth?
Based on our average valuations, 15,000 Avion Elite points are worth about $225 and Avion Premium points are worth about $150.
How much are 25,000 Avion points worth?
Based on our average valuations, 25,000 Avion Elite points are worth about $375 and Avion Premium points are worth about $250.
How much are 35,000 Avion points worth?
Based on our average valuations, 35,000 Avion Elite points are worth about $525 and Avion Premium points are worth about $350.
How much are 50,000 Avion points worth?
Based on our average valuations, 50,000 Avion Elite points are worth about $750 and Avion Premium points are worth about $500.
