RBC ION+ Visa

RBC ION+ Visa

3/5

12,000 points ($120 value)

Apply Now

RBC ION+ Visa

RBC ION+ Visa

Apply Now

Rewards Calculator Algorithm

You can either estimate rewards by inputting your spending habits manually or creating secure bank connections through our trusted financial partner mx.com and letting Finly analyze your spending in the past year.

Finly factors in all the reward limits and fine prints of every single credit card so you can be sure your results are as accurate as possible.


Your Spending

Modify your spending numbers and click update to get the most accurate reward estimates.

$2,000

Restaurant, Fast Food & Coffee Shop

$

Grocery

$

Recurring Purchases (Bills, Subscriptions, Rent via Chexy)

$

Gas

$

Transportation

$

Entertainment (Movies, Concerts, etc.)

$

Foreign Purchases (Non $CAD)

$

Travel (Flights, Hotels, etc.)

$

Pharmacy

$

Online Shopping

$

Home Improvement (Renovation, Furniture)

$

Purchases at Canadian Tire, Sport Check, Lquipeur, Atmosphere, Party City, SportsRousseau, HockeyExperts, LentrepduHockey

$

Other Purchases Not Specified

$

Card Details

Based on $2,000 spending

First Year Value

$447.98

$377.98 in years after

Annual Rewards

$425.98

RBC ION Avion

First Year Bonus

$70

RBC ION Avion

Annual Fee

$48

First Year Value

$447.98

$377.98 in years after

Interest Rates

Cash Advance: 22.99%

Purchase: 20.99%

Annual Fee

$48

Annual Income

Personal: N/A

Household: N/A

Credit Score

Good

Welcome Bonus

Get 12,000 Avion points upon approval

Card Type

Category: Points

Loyalty Program: RBC ION Avion

Our Rating

3/5

Institution

RBC

Rewards


  • 3 points for every dollar in Grocery, Dining, Food Delivery, Rides, Gas, Electric Vehicle Charging, Streaming, and Digital Gaming & Subscriptions Purchases
  • 1 point for everything else

RBC ION+ Visa Points Calculator

Based on $2,000 spending


Rewards Breakdown

All categories with bonus points

29,316 points


All other purchases

13,281 points


Annual Fee

- $48


Net Annual Rewards

42,597 points

Valued at $377.98 (after fees)

Rewards Summary

Net Annual Rewards

42,597 points

Valued at $377.98 (after fees)


First Year Card Bonus

7,000 points

Valued at $70


First Year Card Value

49,597 points

Valued at $447.98

Point Redemptions

Redemptions Chart

Transfer to Airline Partners

$447.98


Travel

$249.59


Financial products

$363.66


Gift Cards

$309.1


Merchandise

$299.18


Statement Credits

$239.67

Insurance & Benefits


Insurance

Coverage

  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to a year
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000

Benefits

Details

  • gas station

    Gas Discount

    save 3¢/L on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada
  • reward cup

    Extra points

    50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall

Pros & Cons


Pros

  • Insurance coverage is very little for a card with annual fee. There are cards with no annual fee that offer even better benefits.
  • Avion reward points are generally not very flexible and not as valuable if not used for WestJet travel; therefore, if that's not your plan, there are many better cards that can be used.
  • The annual fee isn't justifiable based on the reward program this card offers.

Cons

  • Bonus saving of 3 cents per liter on gas at Petro-Canada stations.
  • 12,000 avion points welcome bonus.

RBC ION+ Visa Review


The RBC ION+ Visa is one of the newer credit cards offered by RBC which comes with a low annual fee and decently high rewards to be earned compared to other cards.

This is a points card, part of the Avion Rewards program which allows you to use your points towards several different redemptions.


The Rewards


The RBC ION+ Visa credit card offers one of the highest points earning rates on very popular everyday categories. Here's what you can earn and how to best use them.


How You Earn Rewards


This cards falls in the premium tier of Avion rewards.


You may earn rewards on your purchases as:


  • 3 avion points per $1 spent on grocery, restaurants, food delivery, rideshare, gas & EV charging, streaming, gaming and digital subscriptions.
  • 1 avion point per $1 spent on all other qualifying purchases.

That's a lot of points on everyday purchases like food and groceries. It averages about 3% return on your purchases. Fairly impressive!


It even rewards those with high spendings on gaming and digital subscriptions.


How You Redeem Rewards


These are the multiple ways you can redeem your avion points for ION cards.


ION Avion point redemption categories

Important Note:


It's worth noting that the ION credit cards don't offer the same redemption options as the regular Avion credit cards. The best option for you is to transfer your points the airline partner WestJet.


Unfortunately that's the only air


line you can redeem for and other options give lower redemption value.


Welcome Bonus


The RBC ION+ Visa card comes with a welcome bonus of up to 12,000 Avion points upon approval.


Approval


Getting approval for the RBC ION+ Visa card is fairly straight forward. There's no specified minimum income requirement and generally anyone with a good credit score should get approved.


The best part? This card has instant approval, meaning when you apply for it and are qualified, you will get approved instantly.


3 Benefits of the RBC ION+ Visa Credit Card


1. Low Annual Fee and Rebate with RBC Account


This card becomes essentially free when you open an RBC Signature No Limit Banking or RBC Advantage Banking for students account.


Even if you opt not to open one, the annual fee is only charged on a monthly basis for $4 per month, so when you decide to cancel it, you won't have paid for a full year.


2. RBC Additional Features


You can save 3 cents per litre on fuel when you link your card to your Petro-Canada account.


You also earn 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at Rexall when you link your RBC card and scan your Be Well card.


You also get a 3-month complimentary DashPass subscription valued at almost $30.


3. Instant Earning of Welcome Bonus


You receive the welcome bonus of 12,000 avion points simply by getting approved. These points could be worth $120 when transferred to WestJet.


2 Downsides of the RBC ION+ Visa Credit Card


1. Poor Avion Rewards Redemption


Unfortunately this card has a lower redemption value when it comes to redeeming your avion points compared to standard Avion credit cards.


2. Low Insurance Coverage


It's surprising that the insurance coverage is rather low for a card that has an annual fee of $48.


Only 1 very valuable type of insurance stands out here - Mobile Device Insurance. This should cover one of your important devices in most places you go to.


Final Verdict


Due to lower redemption options compared to standard Avion cards, this card doesn't stand out as much. Overall, it's an acceptable card if you plan to use the most optimal redemption option, but it's probably easier to go for another card that has both better rewards and more flexible redemption options.


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