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RBC ION Visa

2.7/5

6,000 points ($60 value)

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RBC ION Visa

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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.

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
Rewards
RBC ION Visa Points Calculator
Insurance & Benefits
Pros & Cons
RBC ION Visa Review

Card Details

Based on $2,000 spending

First Year Value

$293.39

$258.39 in years after

Annual Rewards

$258.39

RBC ION Avion

First Year Bonus

$35

RBC ION Avion

Annual Fee

First Year Value

$293.39

$258.39 in years after

Interest Rates

Cash Advance: 22.99%

Purchase: 20.99%

Annual Fee

Annual Income

Personal: N/A

Household: N/A

Credit Score

Good

Welcome Bonus

Get 6,000 Avion points upon approval

Card Type

Category: Points

Loyalty Program: RBC ION Avion

Our Rating

2.7/5

Institution

RBC

Rewards

1.5 points for every dollar in grocery, rides, gas, electric vehicle charging, streaming, digital gaming, subscriptions and more
1 point for all other purchases

RBC ION Visa Points Calculator

Based on $2,000 spending

Rewards Ranking

Compare Using Calculator

Rewards Breakdown

Groceries, Recurring transactions, Gas and Entertainment

8,358 points

All other purchases

17,481 points

Net Annual Rewards

25,839 points

Valued at $258.39

Rewards Summary

Net Annual Rewards

25,839 points

Valued at $258.39

First Year Card Bonus

3,500 points

Valued at $35

First Year Card Value

29,339 points

Valued at $293.39

Point Redemptions

First Year Bonus

Redemptions Chart

Transfer to Airline Partners

$293.39

Travel

$176.04

Financial products

$243.52

Gift Cards

$211.24

Merchandise

$205.38

Statement Credits

$170.17

Insurance & Benefits

Insurance

Coverage

Purchase Protection
90 days
Extended Warranty
Up to a year

Benefits

Details

Gas Discount
save 3¢/L on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada
Extra points
50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall

Pros & Cons

Pros

Good savings on gas if you are a regular petro-Canada gas customer.

Cons

Insurance coverage is the most basic.
Reward categories are not the best.
Avion reward points are generally less valuable.
Many other cards with no annual fee are available that are all-around better cards than ION Visa.

RBC ION Visa Review

The RBC ION Visa is one of the newer credit cards offered by RBC, which has no annual fees.

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

The Rewards

How You Earn Rewards

You may earn rewards on your purchases as:

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

Compared to the RBC ION+ card, this card earns bonus points on much fewer categories and with a much lower earning rate, if you have a moderate spending rate, the ION+ will be a much better option.

Even with the best redemption of 1 cent per Avion point, the equivalent cashback rate for the grocery, rideshare, gas, and subscription is 1.5%, and for all the other purchases, it is 1%. One key category missing, which is usually a significant portion of the expense for many, is Food, Restaurants, and coffee shops, which means many lose out on a lot of potential rewards for their spending on these categories.

One thing some people mistake is that they believe digital subscription means all recurring and pre-authorized transactions, but that's a mistake. As the word says, only digital subscriptions count, so, for example a utility or other payment won't get 1.5 points.

The returns are okay, but in general, whenever the redemption percentage is low, it's better to go for a cashback card because you don't need to go through the trouble of maximizing your points value.

Due to the average rewards earned, the absence of some important categories, and the nuisance of redeeming the point in a specific way, this card only earns an average score for rewards earned.

How You Redeem Rewards

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

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 to the airline partner WestJet.

Unfortunately, that's the only airline 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 6,000 Avion points upon approval.

Approval

Obtaining the RBC ION Visa card is quite simple. There isn't a set minimum income needed, and if you have a credit score in the Good range, you'll likely be approved.

What's even better? If you qualify when applying for this card, you'll receive immediate approval.

2 Benefits of the RBC ION Visa Credit Card

1. No Annual Fee

The RBC ION Visa has no annual fee, so for people who want have very little spending this could be a good option to go for.

2. RBC Additional Features

You can save 3 cents per liter on fuel when you link your card to your Petro-Canada account. So, if you use Petro Canada a lot, this could add up.

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 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 because of the limitations imposed on ION Avion point redemptions.

2. Low Insurance Coverage

The ION visa only has basic purchase protection and an extended warranty. The minimum benefits almost all free cards have. This is a big downside because better cards have some good benefits to go for, like Roadside assistance, No foreign Transaction fee, etc.

So, if you are looking for good benefits, the ION visa is probably not the option you should be looking at.

3. Very Average Rewards

As mentioned in the rewards section, the ION visa does not cover some popular spending categories like food and restaurants. Also, the reward rate is not that high; therefore, it might be just easier to get a cashback card instead of an ION Visa to not go through the trouble of redeeming points.

When users use the calculator to calculate the best card for them, ION Visa rarely even shows up in the top 10, which means it's not doing that great in that section.

Final Verdict

The ION Avion card offers neither exceptional benefits nor rewards, even as a free card. It stands as a very average option, with many superior and inferior alternatives available, both paid and free. Consequently, its rating reflects its position as a middle-of-the-road card in the market.

RBC ION Visa

Card Details

Rewards

RBC ION Visa Points Calculator

Rewards Ranking

Rewards Breakdown

Rewards Summary

Point Redemptions

Insurance & Benefits

Pros & Cons

RBC ION Visa Review

The Rewards

How You Earn Rewards

How You Redeem Rewards

Important Note:

Welcome Bonus

Approval

2 Benefits of the RBC ION Visa Credit Card

1. No Annual Fee

2. RBC Additional Features

3 Downsides of the RBC ION Visa Credit Card

1. Poor Avion Rewards Redemption

2. Low Insurance Coverage

3. Very Average Rewards

Final Verdict

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