The RBC® ION Visa is a great no-annual fee credit card for casual travellers who spend a fair amount on transportation, streaming, and video games. The RBC® ION Visa also provides access to Avion Rewards and it is the only card to target spending in these categories, that will likely appeal to younger millennials and Gen Z who wish to earn flexible rewards.
Bonuses & Fees
The signup bonus on the RBC® ION Visa is 6,000 Avion Premium points, granted all at once upon approval†.
The card has no annual fee for primary or supplementary cardholders†.
Earning Rewards
The RBC® ION Visa offers the following earning rates:
- 1.5 Avion Premium points per dollar spent† on qualifying grocery, gas, rideshare, daily public transit, electric vehicle charging, streaming, digital gaming and digital subscriptions†
- 1 Avion Premium point per dollar spent† on all other qualifying purchases†
Redeeming Rewards
Although the RBC® ION Visa earns Avion points, as is the case on the higher-tier RBC® Avion credit cards, the card earns a different tier, known as Avion Premium. Avion Premium points can't be transferred to RBC®'s airline partners, except for WestJet Rewards, where the prevailing 1:1 ratio (1 Avion point = $0.01 in WestJet Dollars) applies†. Also, ION and ION+ cardholders can't redeem points via the Air Travel Redemption Schedule, which lets you use Avion points to book round-trip economy class tickets departing from Canada, up to a certain maximum ticket price. Instead, you’re limited to using your points at a flat rate of 0.58 cents per point (cpp) for travel booked via the Avion Rewards centre†, which is weaker than the 1cpp redemption rate that you get from holding a higher-tier Avion card. Luckily, if you ever decide to upgrade your ION card to one of the RBC® Avion cards, any points you've collected will be upgraded as well. Then, you'll have the ability to access higher-value travel redemptions that are exclusive to Avion cardholders. Furthermore, if you also happen to have an RBC® Avion card, you can convert the Avion Premium points earned on your ION card into Avion Elite points at a 1:1 ratio. This way, you can benefit from the elevated earning rates on the RBC® ION Visa, with the more flexible redemption options through Avion Elite points. Your points never expire for as long as you're a cardholder. If you cancel or switch to a different RBC® product, you have 90 days to redeem your points before they go away.
Perks & Benefits
RBC® ION Visa cardholders can save 3¢/L on fuel at Petro-Canada,† and will earn 20% more Petro-Points and Avion points upon linking their card to their Petro-Points account†. The RBC® ION Visa also receives three months of free DoorDash DashPass subscription†. Lastly, ION cardholders can earn 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at Rexall when you pay with your linked RBC card and scan your Be Well card†.
Insurance Coverage
The RBC® ION Visa offers a doubling of the manufacturer’s warranty up to one additional year,† as well as provides 90 days of purchase protection†.
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