Quick overview of RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card
When a card has the words “Infinite” and “Privilege” in its name, you’re right to have certain expectations. First, you’re going to assume there’s a bunch of perks for the elite clientele this card clearly caters to. Next, you’re probably going to brace yourself for the inevitably high fees. And last, you might ask, “can I even qualify for this card?”
All of this is applicable to the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card. It’s a high-tier travel card for the high-tier travellers. It's got a pretty competitive welcome bonus of 35,000 Avion points (which are highly transferable and thus flexible) plus big travel perks like global lounge access and even a two for one ski pass perk (which we’ll dive into down below). On top of that, you earn 1.25 Avion points for every dollar spent, and as a decent rule of thumb if you’re doing better than one-for-one, you’re probably ahead of the game.
And that all comes at a cost. The $399 annual fee (with no first year free or rebate) is definitely going to scare off some casual point collectors. Even if you do want the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, you’re gonna need to bring a very good credit score and a household income of $200k. So, is it for you?
Who’s the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card for?
This card is for well-to-do travel fiends – full stop. This card also resonates with me as someone who keeps multiple travel cards on hand at any given time, because having a network of cards with access to different lounges is a great idea. Plus, Avion points are so easily transferable and valuable with the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule. I could definitely see this card fitting in alongside an Amex whose points I might transfer to Marriott Bonvoy for hotels and keep the Avion for flights.
Pros and cons
Pros
-
Competitive welcome bonus, earned on approval
-
Great insurance coverage
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1.25 Avion points per dollar spent on eligible purchases
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Plenty of of bonus perks like lounge access and ski pass
Cons
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Intimidating, unskippable annual fee
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High-income barrier, with a very good credit score needed
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card welcome bonus
- Earn 35,000 Avion points, a value of ~$700 (if spent on travel)
- 35,000 points automatically earned on approval
How to earn Avion points on the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card
In addition to the generous welcome bonus, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege offers a competitive 1.25 points for every dollar you spend, regardless of purchase category. So, if you plan to put a reasonable (considering the snack bracket this card targets) $2,000 a month on this card, you’re clearing 2,500 points a month.
Plus, this card pairs with a Petro Points card, and gives you an additional 20% point bonus when spending at Petro (all while saving 3 cents per litre at the pump).
How to redeem Avion points on the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card
One of the best parts of the Avion program is just how flexible the points are. For travel, the far-and-away best value is to book through the RBC Air Travel Redemption schedule, where your monthly spending over a year could net you close to $700 worth of points (and that’s not including the welcome bonus).
On top of that, you can also redeem your points through RBC Rewards, pay off your RBC bank statement, make donations to charity and purchase merchandise and gift cards through the RBC Rewards program.
But it should be noted – this is truly a card for travel, not for tchotchkes. Even transferring through a partner airline, you’re still getting an incredible bang for your buck, that’s nearly halved in value if you’re springing for gift cards.
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card key benefits
- Very generous welcome bonus and high earning potential
- Valuable points when used for travel
- Exceptional insurance coverage
- Flexibility to transfer points 1-1
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege insurance coverage
If insurance is important to you, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege is going to be very tempting indeed.
- Emergency medical insurance: This card covers eligible medical expenses incurred while traveling abroad for up to 31 days in a row, and that coverage is unlimited.
- Travel accident insurance: The RBC Infinite Privilege provides coverage in case of accidental death or dismemberment while traveling on a common carrier. It covers up to $1,000,000.
- Lost baggage insurance: It also covers the cost of replacing lost or stolen baggage and personal items while traveling on a common carrier. The coverage amount is up to $1,000 per insured person.
- Trip cancellation insurance: It provides coverage for non-refundable travel expenses in the event of unexpected illness, injury or death of either the cardholder or an immediate family member. The coverage amount is up to $2,500 per insured person.
- Trip interruption insurance: Like for trip cancellation, this card provides coverage for non-refundable travel expenses in the event of illness, injury or death of the cardholder or an immediate family member, or if the cardholder’s travel plans are disrupted due to a covered reason. It covers a generous $5,000 per insured person.
- Mobile device insurance: The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege covers the cost of repairing or replacing your mobile device in the event of accidental damage or theft up to $1,500 per incident.
- Extended warranty insurance: This card doubles the manufacturer’s warranty for up to two additional years on purchases made with your card. It covers up to $10,000 per claim made.
- Purchase security insurance: It also provides coverage against theft, loss or damage for 90 days from the date of purchase on items purchased with your card. The coverage amount is up to $10,000 per occurrence.
- Rental car insurance: The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege offers coverage for theft or damage to rental vehicles when you rent a car for up to 48 consecutive days. The coverage is relative to the value of the rental vehicle.
Extra benefits
As you’d expect from a card called “Infinite Privilege” this card comes chock full of bonuses that squarely aim to appeal to travelers, plus that ski pass I mentioned above.
- Called “The Friday Friend Pass,” you get a buy-one-get-one-free deal when you purchase your lift pass with your RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege at participating Canadian ski resorts.
- Global lounge access, fast track at security lanes and dedicated parking at participating Canadian airports (for anyone who’s wrestled with airport parking on a tight timeline, this could be huge).
- Save 3 cents on fuel at Petro Canada, all while earning 20% more Avion points.
- When linked with the rewards program, you can earn 50 Rexall “Be Well” points for every dollar spent
- Save up to 20% on Hertz car rentals and earn 3x the points per dollar spent
- Access a one-year DoorDash “DashPass” subscription, valued at $120
What people have to say about this card
Not all people love this card. Says reddit user baikal7, “Pretty much any Visa Infinite Privilege is around $400-$500. They must be pushing it harder since they lowered the individual income requirements to $150k from $200k.
Many people cringe at the high annual fee of the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege. But they shouted out the fast track lanes – something as a traveler I adore – and noted its price was pretty competitive with its peers.
This card is for the real travel heads, and I suspect more than a few point nerds. I see its value extracted most effectively when paired with other cards that might also allow transfer to Avion partner airlines so as to accrue points fast. Plus, with no minimum spend requirement, you can use the bonus on the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege pretty much immediately, which is awesome for spontaneity (unlike Amex cards, for instance).
How RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card compares
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege vs. Scotiabank Platinum American Express
This card really goes head to head with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, and depending on what you’re looking for I’d honestly endorse either of these. For instance, Scene points just aren’t as flexible as Avion points, and arguably less valuable for travel, on the whole. But Scotiabank also allows you to save 2.5% on foreign exchange fees with this card, which is incredible if you’re travelling abroad for any length of time.
They’re both going to set you back $399 per year, and demand a higher income and credit score. One thing to note is the Scotiabank Platinum offers 10 airport lounge passes a year, compared to RBCs six, for those craving comfort while travelling extensively.
While the 50k Scene bonus points are pretty good, it will also take you a year to access them. Compare that to the bonus upon approval of the RBC Avion – I might tentatively give the edge to the Infinite Privilege here, preferences dependent.
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege vs. American Express The Platinum Card
I love the Amex Platinum. I literally struggled to cancel it, despite staring down the barrel of another nearly $800 annual fee. Making $10,000 minimum spend in three months is absolutely no joke, but for the high-income individuals both the Platinum and the Infinite Privilege cards target, it should be doable.
The perks are incredible. Some of the best lounge access in the world, incredible concierge service, and – never forget – the annual $200 travel credit through American Express Travel Online, and the $200 Annual Dining Credit at some of Canada's best restaurants which eases the sting of the annual fee considerably. That combined with 70,000 Welcome Bonus points (which are unbelievable when transferred 1-1 to Aeroplan) and you have a card that's tough to beat.
That said – if you found the $399 annual fee tough to swallow for the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, the Platinum might be a bridge too far.
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege vs. RBC Avion Visa Infinite
| Features | RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege | RBC Avion Visa Infinite |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $399 | $120 |
| Welcome offer | 35,000 Avion Points | 35,000 Avion Points |
| Insurance | Comprehensive travel, purchase protection, extended warranty, etc. | Comprehensive insurance, but coverage is less for key categories |
| Benefits |
◦ Very generous welcome bonus, and high earning potential
◦ Valuable points when used for travel ◦ Exceptional insurance coverage ◦ Flexibility to transfer points 1-1 |
◦ Incredible welcome bonus for its fee
◦ Valuable points when used for travel ◦ Great insurance, though less so than the Privilege ◦ Flexibility to transfer points 1-1 |
| Review | You're reading it! | Read review |
| More information | Apply now | Apply now |
Is the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card worth it?
If you’ve got an income of $150,000 and a hankering for travel, I would say that this card is as worth it as many of its similarly priced peers, especially if you want the bonus without the three to six month minimum spend requirements of competitor cards.
That said, I think this card is best used alongside a suite of travel cards, up to and including the Amex Platinum (so long as fees don’t shake your knees). All that said, yes – I think the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege is worth it.
FAQs
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment
Cam is a content marketer with a passion for saving, financial independence, and pulling off elaborate credit card point schemes. He has worked in Fintech and Finserve (specifically Group Retirement) and loves researching and writing about finance.
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