I recently received a new RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card in the mail, complete with a hefty welcome package.
I thought I’d start making a video series to show you the unboxing experience for some of the best premium credit cards in Canada and the US. In this video, let’s unbox RBC’s top-tier travel rewards credit card and take a look through the contents of the welcome package together.
Then, I’ll share a few additional thoughts on why I got this credit card and what I’m hoping to get out of it – including a very unique ability among Canadian credit cards for booking premium flights at a good value.
Without further ado, you can watch the video below:
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Hey Ricky, nice video as always. Just to confirm, If I were to get this RBC card, all the avion points I’ve been collecting over the past 5 years would effectively double in value using the 2cpp redemption?
Yes, correct.
Interested in reasons for getting RBC Avion privilege. Unboxing part was childish. Please inform viewer underneath video, the time on the presentation when you give comments on the specific credit card. Poor value cc.!! Only use is if you collected sufficient Avion pts before to add to these bonus pt.,in order to use your $0.02 redemption, and then switch to another RBC Avion visa, with pro-rata rebate on annual fee.
Appealing to a wider audience?! RBC VIP banking package would help defray some of the AF. Also, with current low cash fares, makes sense to try to score a cheaper cash booking, then apply the 2c / pt toward the cost. I suspect Ricky already has a couple of these opportunities in mind. Lastly, I suspect the $399 would’ve normally been something he’d pay to Amex anyway for a churn..so just allocating $’s he would’ve spent there
You’ll find the Chapters tool with timestamps in the video’s description. Like I mentioned in the video, I’ll most likely be switching away to a lower-fee card not long after getting the card and giving the 2cpp feature a try.
The problem that I have with Avion is that when you call them their prices are always higher than you see on the airline’s website. The last time I called they insisted that these were the correct prices but not so.
Speaking to other Avion VIP cardholders, I haven’t heard of this being an issue, as it seems that RBC just uses the same booking engine as Expedia/Orbitz/etc. for the 2cpp bookings. But thanks for the heads-up and I’ll keep an eye out.
Hi,
Please explain the use of the 2cpp offer and how it applies to the redemption schedule. The Avion situation I referred to above has occurred when making bookings on their regular redemp schedule, not 2cpp. Just recently, looking at Alaska to Hawaii in business with me paying the difference, their prices are several hundred higher per ticket. Their response’that is what we get from the airlines’. If you ask for a manager they will match the online price, as they should.This has been happening for years.
As a Visa Infinite Privilege or Visa Infinite Business cardholder, you can look up business class and First Class fares using a backend engine similar to Expedia, and apply your RBC Avion points directly towards the fare at 2cpp. It’s separate from the regular Travel Redemption Schedule.
I am very confused how you got around the 200k personal income/200k family income? There is very few people that I know who make more than 75k, no one i know makes 100k, let alone 200k a year.. how do we apply for this card if we don’t have 200k?
If you don’t meet the $200,000 in personal annual income, then household income is the only way to go.
But how did you get around the 200k house hold? Your one us, the frugal point collectors, there is no way you actually have 200k house hold, that’s like top 5% in Canada come on man.. how did you get around the 200k household bar?
I’d caution against these generalizations. Plenty of points collectors also have a high household income – after all, frugality, earning ability, and financial nous tend to be correlated.
You definitely have no idea how lucrative this website/business is in its own. Go have a listen to the NYT podcast on the points guy.
Ricky, I do appreciate your trying out different products as a Youtuber. However, it seems that you may have to provide some fair comments for each product such as this
RBC Infinite Visa Privilege Card while many of your viewers know you hold an AE Platinum card when you unboxed the card. You did not explain clearly the additional reasons obtaining this card besides the 1.25 Avons @ 2 cents redemption = 2.5% cash return. AE Platinum may not have a much weaker return rate to justify your paying for
the $399 RBC card fee. 6 Priority Passes and comparable insurance may not out beat AE Platinum neither. Could you please elaborate otherwise ? Cheers
You’re right that it wouldn’t make much sense to hold both. The advantage I see in getting the RBC Avion VIP for myself is to parlay the other RBC Avion points I’ve earned (through the signup bonuses on the regular Visa Infinite, as well as this set of 25,000 Avion points) into the 2cpp redemption option. Like I mention in the video, I may decide to switch away from the card in the future, and since RBC grants pro-rated annual fees when you switch to another card, I’ll be able to recoup some of the $399 annual fee.
As for a comparison between the RBC Avion VIP vs. the Amex Platinum (or perhaps with other premium cards in the mix too), that can be a topic for a future video.
Sounds like someone is plotting to finally pull the trigger on one of those F companion fares 😏
There was a solo fare recently too. But I’m still holding back due to the non-refundable fare rules during COVID. Eventually I’ll hop on one of those, if not using this RBC Avion VIP, then one of the next ones. 😉