RBC has launched new presents on the RBC Ion Visa and the RBC Ion+ Visa. Each playing cards supply elevated incomes charges on day by day bills, which could be helpful as a part of your total RBC Avion technique.
Let’s check out the brand new presents, and see why these two entry-level playing cards might make their method into your pockets.
RBC Ion Visa: 6,000 Avion Factors
The RBC Ion Visa is an entry-level product, which comes with no annual price.
As a welcome bonus for brand new cardmembers, you’ll be able to earn 6,000 Avion factors upon approval, offered you apply earlier than October 31, 2023.
Notice that whereas the factors earned on this card belong to the Avion Rewards program, you’ll earn Avion Premium somewhat than Avion Elite factors, which we’ll focus on intimately under.
The cardboard’s incomes charges are as follows:
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Earn 1.5 Avion factors per greenback spent on groceries, fuel, rideshares, public transit, electrical automobile charging, streaming, digital gaming, and digital subscriptions
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Earn 1 Avion level per greenback spent on all different purchases
This no-fee bank card is focused in direction of informal travellers who spend a good quantity on rideshares, transit, streaming, and video video games.
It’s the one card to focus on spending in these classes, and can seemingly enchantment to youthful people who want to earn versatile journey rewards.
It’s price noting that 6,000 factors is an nice welcome bonus on a bank card with out an annual price.
The insurance coverage protection on the RBC Ion Visa is primary, which is totally anticipated on entry-level playing cards similar to this one.
- Earn 6,000 Avion factors upon approval
- Earn 1.5x factors on grocery, fuel, rideshare, day by day public transit, electrical automobile charging, streaming, digital gaming and digital subscriptions
- Annual price: $0
RBC Ion+ Visa: 12,000 Avion Factors
The RBC Ion+ Visa has a month-to-month price of $4, which quantities to $48 annually.
The present welcome bonus on the cardboard is 12,000 Avion factors, that are awarded upon approval in case you apply earlier than October 31, 2023.
The incomes charges on the RBC Ion+ Visa are as follows:
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Earn 3 Avion factors per greenback spent on groceries, eating, meals supply, fuel, public transit, rideshares, streaming, digital gaming, and digital subscriptions
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Earn 1 Avion level per greenback spent on all different purchases
The elevated incomes classes are practically an identical to the lower-tier RBC Ion Visa, however the Ion+ presents as much as 3 Avion Premium factors per greenback spent. Furthermore, the extra elevated earnings classes on the Ion+ additionally embody eating and meals supply.
Between the RBC Ion Visa and the RBC Ion+ Visa, you’ll need to decide the Ion+ in case you spend at the least $134 every month on groceries, eating, meals supply, fuel, transportation, streaming, digital gaming, and digital subscriptions, since that’s the breakeven level on the $4 month-to-month price.
For the small month-to-month price, there’s additionally a primary set of insurance coverage protection, together with cellular system insurance coverage, buy safety, and prolonged guarantee.
- Earn 12,000 Avion factors upon approval
- Earn 3x factors on grocery, eating, meals supply, fuel, rideshare, day by day public transit, electrical automobile charging, streaming, digital gaming and digital subscriptions
- Cellular system insurance coverage
- Month-to-month price: $4
The right way to Use Avion Factors from RBC Ion Playing cards
The factors earned on the RBC Ion Visa and the RBC Ion+ Visa earn Avion Premium factors, whereas the RBC Avion Visa Infinite and RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege earn Avion Elite factors.
Though the RBC Ion and Ion+ Visas earn Avion factors, Avion Premium factors can’t be transferred to 3 of the 4 airline companions obtainable via the rewards program.
The exception is WestJet Rewards, to which Avion Premium factors could be transferred at a 1:1 ratio (1 Avion level = $0.01 in WestJet {Dollars}).
Moreover, Ion and Ion+ cardholders can’t redeem factors by way of the Air Journey Redemption Schedule, which helps you to use Avion factors to e-book round-trip financial system class tickets departing Canada, as much as a sure most ticket value.
As a substitute, you’re restricted to utilizing your factors at a flat charge of 0.58 cents per level (cpp) for journey booked by way of Avion Rewards, which is much less useful than the 1cpp redemption charge that you just get from holding a higher-tier Avion card that earns Avion Elite factors.
Fortunately, in case you additionally maintain, say, an RBC Avion Visa Infinite, you’ll be able to switch Avion factors at a 1:1 ratio between your completely different Avion playing cards. Due to this fact, the much less versatile Avion Premium factors you earn from the Ion playing cards can nonetheless be transformed into extra highly effective Avion Elite factors.
What’s extra, in case you ever determine to improve your Ion card to one of many RBC Avion playing cards, any factors you’ve collected will probably be upgraded as effectively.
Then, you’ll be capable to entry higher-value journey redemptions which are unique to Avion cardholders: frequent flyer companions, the Air Journey Redemption Schedule, and the power to redeem factors instantly towards journey at 1cpp.
Your factors by no means expire for so long as you’re a cardholder. For those who cancel or change to a unique RBC product, you’ve gotten 90 days to redeem your factors earlier than they go away.
The Optimized RBC Credit score Card Portfolio
Lengthy-term, as playing cards with no or low annual charges, the RBC Ion Visa and RBC Ion+ Visa playing cards can be good downgrade choices in case you’re interested by cancelling your RBC Avion Visa Infinite or RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege however need to maintain your factors alive or protect an previous credit score account.
Nonetheless, both of the higher-tier playing cards can be the optimum alternative for a brand new signup in case you qualify for them, with bigger welcome bonuses and journey insurance coverage advantages.
Then again, there’s a robust argument to holding each a higher-tier Avion card and an Ion or Ion+ card. This fashion, you’ll be able to benefit from the elevated incomes charges on the Ion and Ion+ playing cards, after which switch the Avion Premium factors over to turn out to be Avion Elite factors.
When coupled with both no annual price or a low month-to-month price, there’s not a number of price concerned to approaching RBC Avion factors this manner.

Conclusion
The RBC Ion Visa and RBC Ion+ Visa playing cards have new welcome presents for six,000 and 12,000 RBC Avion Premium factors, respectively.
The RBC Ion Visa and RBC Ion+ Visa not solely fill a helpful supporting function to the larger RBC Avion portfolio, but in addition stand out on their very own as distinctive product choices to carry long-term.
The present welcome bonuses are strong throughout the board, and you may improve each the brand new playing cards to a extra premium Avion Rewards card anytime you want to benefit from RBC Avion’s wonderful switch companions.
Consult with RBC web page for updated supply phrases and situations.