The Value of an RBC Reward Point

How much are your RBC Rewards points worth?

It is important to clarify that "RBC Rewards" and "Points" mean the same thing and will be used interchangeably. Furthermore, the RCB Avion program is an extension of the RBC Rewards Program, providing specific travel rewards. The Avion program accumulates standard RBC Rewards points, the same as other standard RBC Rewards accounts.

There is no easy answer to this question, as the dollar value of your points is determined by what flights you redeem them for. Ratehub.ca’s research reveals that on average one RBC Rewards point is worth $0.0114 when redeeming for flights. Here is an RBC Rewards redemption chart summarizing what we found:

Flight Region	Destination	Points Required	Value/Point	Average
Short Haul: Canada/US	Montreal	15,000	$0.0094	$0.0102
	Ottawa	15,000	$0.0087
	New York	15,000	$0.0124
Long Haul: Canada/US	Los Angeles	35,000	$0.0145	$0.0131
	Vancouver	35,000	$0.0126
	Las Vegas	35,000	$0.0122
West Coast to CUN/HNL, East Coast to PUJ	Cancun	45,000	$0.0131	$0.0116
	Honolulu	45,000	$0.0118
	Punta Cana	45,000	$0.0100
East Coast to CUN/HNL, West Coast to PUJ	Cancun	55,000	$0.0086	$0.0116
	Honolulu	55,000	$0.0110
	Punta Cana	55,000	$0.0153
Europe	Paris	65,000	$0.0097	$0.0095
	Dusseldorf	65,000	$0.0084
	Helsinki	65,000	$0.0104
Long Haul: Asia, Australia, New Zealand	Bangkok	100,000	$0.0104	$0.0121
	Melbourne	100,000	$0.0127
	Auckland	100,000	$0.0132
Total Average				$0.0114

There is a large discrepancy in the dollar value of your points when redeeming for flights in different flight regions. For example, on average you receive $0.0095/point when redeeming for a flight to Europe, compared to $0.0131/point for a long-haul flight in Canada/US. The example below will demonstrate how to properly value your points and will show the difference in value when redeeming for a flight to Vancouver compared with a flight to Paris.

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The math behind it:

The RBC Rewards program has a unique system of stratifying flight regions based on ticket prices in that region. There are 6 separate regions, each with an individual set number of rewards points required for airline travel, up to a maximum ticket price. If the flight in question is more expensive than the established maximum ticket price, the difference must be paid for with rewards points (at a rate of 100 points/dollar) or in cash. The same holds true for airline taxes and fees as they can be paid for either with points or in cash.

To find out the total number of RBC points required to book a flight you must sum:

• The rewards points required for travel to a region
• The points required to cover taxes, fees, and surcharges (100 points/dollar)
• The points required to cover the cost of the flight above the regional maximum ticket price (100 points/dollar)

Below is an RBC Rewards redemption chart outlining the 6 flight regions.

RBC Rewards Points Required for Economy Round Trip Airline Travel	Redemption Classifications	Description	Maximum Ticket Price
15,000	Short-haul: Canada/U.S.	Within or to an adjacent Province/Territory/U.S. State	$350
35,000	Long-haul: Canada/U.S.	Anywhere in Canada/U.S. except Hawaii and Alaska	$750
45,000	Long-haul: Bermuda, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska & Caribbean	From any location in Western Canada/U.S. to Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska OR from Eastern Canada to Bermuda, Central America, Caribbean	$900
55,000	Long-haul: Bermuda, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska & Caribbean	From any location in Eastern Canada/U.S. to Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska OR from Western Canada to Bermuda, Central America, Caribbean	$1,100
65,000	Long-haul: Europe	From a major gateway in Canada/U.S. to destinations in Europe	$1,300
100,000	Long-haul: Asia, Australia, Middle East, Africa & South America	From a major gateway in Canada/U.S. to destinations in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific, Middle East, Africa, South America	$2,000

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Here is the methodology we used to value RBC Rewards points:

A. Find the price of a flight on Kayak (we use this flight price because if you did not book through RBC you would have your choice of booking through any provider rather than just Travelocity)

B. Look up a comparable flight on RBC’s rewards centre on the same date, noting the number of points required and the taxes, fees, and surcharges

C. Add the points required for taxes to the general RBC point requirement for a comparable flight (RBC allows you to pay for the additional taxes with points)

D. Divide the price of a flight found on Kayak by the total points required for a comparable RBC flight to find the value of one RBC rewards point

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Case Study: Flying from Toronto to Vancouver in September 2014

Total Cost of Flight	Number of Points Required
$657.20 Price of a flight found on Kayak	35000 Points

When redeeming your points for a flight to Vancouver you receive $0.0125/point, which is good value for your points. As you’ll see in the example below, certain flight regions provide poor value for your points.

Case Study: Flying from Toronto to Paris in September 2014

Total Cost of Flight	Number of Points Required
$1,096.00 Price of a flight found on Kayak	65000 Points

To fly to Paris you would need 124,834 points and you’d only receive $0.0088/point, much less value than regions outlined above.