Is the RBC Avion Visa Infinite worth it in 2026?
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite has long appealed to travellers who want flexibility without committing to a single airline or booking platform. Unlike Aeroplan-tied cards built around Air Canada loyalty, or points programs constrained to a single booking portal, the Avion card earns points that can be used to book any flight on any airline, with no blackout dates or seat restrictions. That flexibility, combined with a $120 annual fee that sits below most of its Visa Infinite competitors, has made it a consistent presence in the conversation for everyday spenders and avid travellers alike.
But flexibility alone does not make a card worth carrying. To understand whether the RBC Avion Visa Infinite is still worth its $120 annual fee, you need to look at the complete value proposition: how quickly points accumulate, what they're actually worth at redemption, the travel benefits included with the card, and how it compares with some of the strongest alternatives on the market today.
Key takeaways
Apply for it if: You value flexible redemptions across multiple airlines, spend consistently on everyday purchases, and plan to use the Air Travel Redemption Schedule or transfer to British Airways Avios for flights.
Keep it if: The card is already working for you — you fly Air Canada at least once or twice a year, use the travel insurance, and are actively redeeming your points.
Consider upgrading if: You fly frequently enough to justify lounge access and premium insurance, and a higher fee card like the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege makes financial sense.
What does the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card earn?
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite earns 1.25 points per dollar on eligible travel spending and 1 Avion point per dollar on all other eligible purchases. The structure is simple, which is both its appeal and its limitation.
| Spend category | Earn rate | Monthly spend example | Annual points |
| Flights, hotels & car rentals | 1.25 Avion pts / $1 | $300/mo | 4,500 pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | 1 Avion pt / $1 | $800/mo | 9,600 pts |
| Dining & restaurants | 1 Avion pt / $1 | $300/mo | 3,600 pts |
| Gas & transit | 1 Avion pt / $1 | $300/mo | 3,600 pts |
| Everything else | 1 Avion pt / $1 | $600/mo | 7,200 pts |
| TOTAL (sample household) | ~1.04x blended | $2,300/mo | ~28,500 pts/yr |
The 1.25x multiplier applies to purchases that code as travel within the Visa network, including flights, hotels, and car rentals charged directly to the card. Everything else earns a flat 1x. For a household spending $2,000 per month, you are looking at roughly 25,000 Avion points per year through organic spending alone.
That is not a high earn rate by Canadian market standards. Cards like the Amex Cobalt earn 5x on groceries and dining, and the TD First Class Travel earns 6x on Expedia for TD purchases. If your goal is simply to earn the largest number of points from everyday spending, this isn't the strongest card in the market. The case for the RBC Avion Visa Infinite rests on something different: the potential value of those points once you're ready to redeem them.
Pull up your last three months of spending. What percentage falls in groceries, dining, and gas? If those categories make up the bulk of your monthly spending, cards like the Amex Cobalt (5x on groceries and dining) or TD First Class Travel (up to 8x through Expedia for TD) will earn rewards more quickly on those purchases. The RBC Avion Visa Infinite can still play an important role, however, by giving you access to redemption options that those programs don't offer. For many households, the strongest strategy is using an everyday spending card to earn points faster and the Avion Visa Infinite to redeem points more flexibly.
based on spending $2,200/mo after $120 annual fee
- Earn rewards
1pt – 1.25pts / dollar spent
- Welcome bonus
Earn up to 55,000 points (a $1,100 value)
- Annual fee
$120
What are RBC Avion points worth and how should you redeem them?
RBC Avion points are worth between 0.5 and 2+ cents per point depending on how you redeem them. That range is wide, and it is the single most important thing to understand before committing to the program.
| Redemption method | Estimated value per point |
| Merchandise or gift cards | 0.5–0.8 cents — avoid |
|---|---|
| Statement credit | ~0.6 cents — low value |
| RBC travel portal (flexible booking) | ~1 cent |
| Air Travel Redemption schedule (fixed grid) | Up to 2 cents on the right routes |
| British Airways Avios transfer (1:1) | 1.5–2+ cents, higher during transfer bonuses |
| Asia Miles transfer (1:1) | 1.5–2+ cents on select routes |
| American Airlines AAdvantage (10:7 ratio) | Variable |
| WestJet Rewards (1:1) | ~1 cent — capped value |
One of the biggest advantages of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite is that its points can be redeemed in ways that aren't available with every Avion card. That's because the Avion program has multiple tiers. The Visa Infinite belongs to the Avion Elite tier, which gives cardholders access to the Air Travel Redemption Schedule and the ability to transfer points to airline partners. By comparison, no-fee credit cards like the RBC ION and ION+ are part of the Avion Select tier, which doesn't include those redemption options. As a result, points earned with the Avion Visa Infinite have a significantly higher value ceiling.
The Air Travel Redemption Schedule is one of the biggest advantages of the Avion Elite program. Rather than redeeming points at a fixed value, eligible cardholders can use a set number of points to book flights up to a maximum ticket price. Round-trip economy flights within Canada or the continental United States start at 35,000 points, and when airfare approaches the maximum ticket value, the redemption can be worth close to 2 cents per point.
The British Airways Avios transfer is where the Avion card's earning ceiling genuinely opens up. RBC typically runs a 30% transfer bonus to Avios twice per year, meaning 10,000 Avion points become 13,000 Avios during a promotional window. At those rates, short-haul North American flights, Qatar Airways Qsuites, Japan Airlines business class, and Aer Lingus transatlantic routes have all been redeemed at well above 2 cents per point. Transfers are one-way and permanent, so transfer only when you have a specific redemption in mind.
25,000 Avion points redeemed as a statement credit are worth roughly $150. Transferred to Avios during a bonus window and used on a Qatar Airways or British Airways redemption, those same points can realistically be worth $375 or more. The card's long-term value is heavily dependent on actually executing a redemption strategy, not just accumulating points indefinitely.
RBC Avion Visa Infinite benefits and travel insurance: What's actually covered
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite includes comprehensive travel insurance, with unlimited emergency medical coverage up to for trips of 15 days or less (if you’re under the age of 65), one of the most generous limits available at the $120 fee tier.
| Benefit | Assessment |
| Emergency medical insurance (unlimited, 15 days, under 65) | Generous coverage at this price point. Replaces standalone travel medical insurance for most short and medium-length trips. |
|---|---|
| Trip cancellation / interruption | Up to $1,500 per person cancellation; up to $5,000 interruption per person. Solid for the fee tier. |
| Flight delay insurance | Reimbursement after a 4-hour delay, up to $500. Useful when triggered. |
| Baggage delay / loss | Up to $500 per person after a 6-hour delay. Passive protection. |
| Rental car collision / loss damage | Coverage for up to 48 days; replaces rental counter insurance on eligible vehicles. |
| Travel accident insurance | Up to $500,000 for accidental death or dismemberment. |
| Mobile device insurance | Up to $1,500 for loss, theft, or damage on devices purchased on the card. Depreciation applies. |
| Purchase protection and extended warranty | 90-day purchase protection; extended warranty doubles manufacturer coverage. |
| No airport lounge access | A genuine gap. Lounge access begins at the Privilege tier. |
| No foreign transaction fee waiver | Standard 2.5% FX fee applies. Worth flagging for international spenders. |
The unlimited emergency medical coverage is a standout feature at the $120 fee tier. Many competing cards at this price point offer lower coverage ceilings. For travellers under 65 taking trips of 15 days or less, the card replaces the need to purchase standalone travel medical insurance, which can easily run $80 to $120 per year for an active traveller.
The lack of lounge access is the most notable gap. It does not affect occasional domestic travellers, but it is a real consideration for anyone who passes through major airports regularly or connects internationally.
The Avion Visa Infinite has no lounge access and charges a standard 2.5% foreign transaction fee. For frequent international travellers, both of those gaps can add up quickly. The card works best as a flexible earning vehicle paired with an understanding of the Avion redemption options, not as an all-in-one travel card.
The $120 annual fee: Is the RBC Avion Visa Infinite worth the cost?
At $120, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite has the lowest annual fee among full-insurance Visa Infinite travel cards in Canada. The TD First Class Travel carries a $139 fee and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ charges $150.
| Scenario | Annual benefits value | Annual fee | Net value |
| Using travel insurance + redeeming via Air Travel Schedule | $220–$440 | $120 | +$100–$320 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using travel insurance only (no redemptions) | $80–$120 | $120 | Breakeven to -$40 |
| Spending $2,000/mo at 1x, redeeming at 1 cpp | ~$300 in points | $120 | +$180 |
| Spending $2,000/mo, transferring to Avios during bonus | ~$450–$600 in points | $120 | +$330–$480 |
| No active redemptions, points sitting idle | $0 realized | $120 | -$120 |
If you are earning and redeeming points regularly, the fee justifies itself quickly. If your points are accumulating without a redemption plan, the math does not work, and that is a trap that is easy to fall into with a flat-rate card where points accumulate slowly and quietly.
"Lowest annual fee" and "best value" are not the same thing. At $120, the Avion Visa Infinite is easy to justify if you use the travel insurance and redeem points at least once a year. The real question is whether the flexibility of Avion points is something you will actually use or whether a card with stronger earn rates in your day-to-day spending categories would put more value in your pocket year over year.
RBC Avion Visa Infinite vs. TD First Class Travel vs. Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite
| RBC Avion Visa Infinite | TD First Class Travel | Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ | |
| Annual fee | $120 | $139 | $150 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top earn rate | 1.25x (travel) | 8x (Expedia for TD) | 3x (groceries / Scene+ Travel) |
| Everyday earn rate | 1x | 2x | 1–2x Scene+ |
| Points currency | Avion (flexible, transferable) | TD Rewards (portal-dependent) | Scene+ (~1 cpp consistent) |
| Point value at best | ~2 cents (Avios / Air Travel Schedule) | ~0.5 cents (Expedia for TD) | ~1 cent (consistent) |
| Lounge access | None | 4 visits/yr | 6 visits/yr |
| FX fees | 2.5% | 2.5% | 0% |
| Annual travel credit | None | $100 (Expedia for TD) | None |
| No blackout dates | Yes (any airline) | Portal-dependent | Portal-dependent |
| Best for | Flexible redeemer, WestJet / Oneworld traveller | Everyday domestic spender | International traveller, no-FX priority |
TD First Class Travel earns a headline 8x on Expedia for TD, which looks impressive until you factor in what TD Rewards points are worth. At approximately 0.5 cents per point through Expedia, that 8x earn translates to roughly a 4% return on travel portal bookings. On all other purchases, the card earns 2x TD Rewards, which is about a 1% return. TD Rewards value is tied to the portal; if you book travel outside Expedia, the value per point drops considerably, and the points cannot be transferred to airline loyalty programs.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite+ earns Scene+ points that hold a consistent value of approximately 1 cent per point across travel, groceries, dining, entertainment, and statement credits. The Passport card also waives foreign transaction fees entirely, saving 2.5% on every purchase made in a foreign currency. For frequent international travellers, that alone can more than cover the $150 annual fee. The tradeoff is that Scene+ points have a hard ceiling at roughly 1 cent, whereas Avion points can deliver materially more through partner transfers.
RBC Avion Visa Infinite earns Avion Elite points, giving cardholders access to airline transfer partners and the Air Travel Redemption Schedule. Unlike TD Rewards, which are most valuable through Expedia for TD, or Scene+ points, which maintain a relatively fixed value, Avion points can be held until the redemption opportunity is right. That could mean transferring points during a 30% Avios bonus or choosing whichever airline partner offers the best value for a particular trip. The trade-off is a lower earn rate, but one of the most flexible redemption programs available among Canada's major bank rewards credit cards.
The Avion Visa Infinite wins for travellers who fly multiple airlines and want genuine flexibility in how they redeem. The TD First Class Travel wins for domestic spenders who book most of their travel through an online portal and prioritize point accumulation over redemption ceiling. The Scotiabank Passport wins for international travellers who cross borders regularly, value lounge access, and want a card that costs them nothing in foreign transaction fees.
Should you apply for, upgrade, or skip the RBC Avion Visa Infinite?
Apply this framework to your own spending patterns and travel habits before making a decision.
| If You... | Verdict | Why |
| Want flexible redemptions with no airline lock-in | Apply | No portal lock-in; points transfer to multiple airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Fly WestJet regularly | Apply | WestJet transfer at 1:1 is a natural fit |
| Want to access British Airways Avios for international travel | Apply | One of the best Avios-earning paths in Canada |
| Spend most heavily on groceries and dining | Consider alternatives | Cobalt earns 5x on food; Avion earns 1x everywhere |
| Travel internationally and spend in foreign currencies frequently | Compare alternatives | 2.5% FX fee is a real drag; Scotia Passport waives it |
| Fly Air Canada almost exclusively | Consider Aeroplan | TD or CIBC Aeroplan cards earn status and Air Canada perks directly |
| Fly 6+ times per year through major airports | Consider the Privilege | Lounge access and higher earn rates justify the fee jump |
| Want to make sure your points work hard for you | Make a plan first | Points sitting idle are worth zero; the Air Travel Schedule or an Avios transfer is the place to start |
Avion points do not disappear when you cancel the credit card if your Avion Rewards account remains active. However, if you close your RBC credit card account entirely, points are cancelled 12 months after closure. If you have a meaningful points balance, make a plan to use or transfer them to a partner program before you walk away. Points without a redemption plan tend to sit idle, and idle points are worth nothing.
Does the RBC Avion Visa Infinite earn its annual fee?
At $120, this is the most affordable full-insurance Visa Infinite travel credit card in Canada. The fee is easy to justify for cardholders who use the travel insurance and redeem points at least once a year. The harder question is whether it is the right card at that fee, given the alternatives at $139 and $150.
The case for keeping it is strongest if you value genuine flexibility: no airline lock-in, no portal dependency, and a points program that can deliver above-market value when you engage with the transfer partners. If you fly WestJet half the time and want the option to book Qatar Airways Qsuites with the other half of your points balance, this card gives you a credible path to both. That combination is genuinely rare among mid-tier Canadian travel cards.
The case against it is also real. If you primarily fly Air Canada, Aeroplan cards serve you better. If you spend heavily in food and grocery categories, the Amex Cobalt earns dramatically more. If foreign transaction fees are a pain point for how you travel, the Scotiabank Passport is the cleaner option.
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite is one of Canada's more underrated travel cards. But underrated does not mean right for everyone. The distinction is worth taking seriously.
If you were not already a cardholder, would you apply for the RBC Avion Visa Infinite today, at $120 per year, knowing what you now know about your travel habits, your point redemption patterns, and your actual use of the card's flexibility? If the answer is yes, the card is earning its fee. If the answer is no, or even probably not, a card better matched to your real spending patterns will serve you better.
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