RBC® has simply launched new presents on the RBC® ION Visa and the RBC® ION+ Visa. Each playing cards supply elevated incomes charges on many frequent day by day bills, which might be helpful as a part of your general RBC Avion technique, as we’ll discover under.
Let’s take take a look at the presents, and see why these two entry-level playing cards ought to make their manner into your pockets to optimize your RBC® bank card technique.
RBC® ION+ Visa: As much as 7,000 Avion Premium Factors†
The RBC ION+ Visa has a month-to-month payment of $4 (all figures in CAD), which quantities to $48 every year.†
The present welcome bonus on the cardboard is for as much as 7,000 Avion Premium factors,† that are awarded as follows:
- Earn 3,500 Avion Premium factors upon approval†
- Earn 3,500 Avion Premium factors upon spending $500 within the first three months†
Avion Premium factors are totally different than the Avion Elite factors that are earned on the suite of Avion bank cards, which we’ll discover intimately under.
The incomes charges on the RBC® ION+ Visa are as follows:
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Earn 3 Avion Premium factors per greenback spent on eligible groceries, eating, meals supply, fuel, public transit, rideshares, streaming, digital gaming, and digital subscriptions†
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Earn 1 Avion Premium level per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases†
The incomes classes are almost an identical to the lower-tier RBC® ION Visa; nevertheless, the ION+ presents as much as 3 Avion Premium factors per greenback spent† on many day by day necessities, which is double the speed of the ION card. 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 wish to decide the ION+ in case you spend lots on groceries, eating, meals supply, fuel, transportation, streaming, digital gaming, and digital subscriptions, because you’ll earn 3 Avion Premium factors per greenback spent as an alternative of 1.5 on the ION.
For the small month-to-month payment, there’s additionally a fundamental set of insurance coverage protection, together with cellular machine insurance coverage, buy safety, and prolonged guarantee.†
There isn’t a minimal revenue requirement to use for the RBC® ION+ Visa.†
There’s no listed expiration date for this supply.
- Earn 3,500 Avion Premium factors upon approval†
- Plus, earn 3,500 Avion Premium factors upon spending $500 in your first three months†
- Earn 3x factors† on qualifying grocery, eating, meals supply, fuel, rideshare, day by day public transit, electrical car charging, streaming, digital gaming and digital subscriptions†
- Cellular machine insurance coverage†
- Month-to-month payment: $4†
RBC® ION Visa: 3,500 Avion Premium Factors
The RBC® ION Visa is an entry-level product, which comes with no annual payment.
As a welcome bonus for brand spanking new cardmembers, you’ll be able to earn 3,500 Avion Premium factors upon approval,† with no minimal spending requirement.†
Moreover, as a part of this supply, you’ll be able to take pleasure in a 0.99% rate of interest on money advances and steadiness transfers for the primary 10 months.†
Once more, word 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 Premium factors per greenback spent on eligible groceries, fuel, rideshares, public transit, electrical car charging, streaming, digital gaming, and digital subscriptions†
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Earn 1 Avion Premium level per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases†
This no-fee bank card is focused in the 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 possible attraction to youthful people who want to earn versatile journey rewards.
The insurance coverage protection on the RBC® ION Visa is fundamental, which is absolutely anticipated on entry-level playing cards similar to this one.
There isn’t a minimal revenue requirement to use for the RBC® ION Visa.†
This supply on this card is about to run out on December 6, 2023.
- Earn 3,500 Avion Premium factors upon approval†
- Earn 1.5x Avion Premium factors† on qualifying grocery, fuel, rideshare, day by day public transit, electrical car charging, streaming, digital gaming and digital subscriptions†
- Annual payment: $0
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†, the RBC® Avion Visa Platinum†, 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 a few of the 4 airline companions out there by the Avion Rewards program.
The exception is WestJet Rewards, to which Avion Premium factors might be transferred at a 1:1 ratio (1 Avion level = $0.01 in WestJet {Dollars}).
Moreover, ION and ION+ cardholders can’t redeem factors through the Air Journey Redemption Schedule, which helps you to use Avion factors to guide round-trip economic 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 fee of 0.58 cents per level (cpp) for journey booked through Avion Rewards, which is much less invaluable than the 1cpp redemption fee that you just get from holding a higher-tier Avion card that earns Avion Elite factors.
Fortunately, in case you additionally maintain an Avion bank card, such because the RBC® Avion Visa Infinite†, you’ll be able to switch Avion factors at a 1:1 ratio between your totally different Avion playing cards. Subsequently, 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 resolve to improve your ION or 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 flexibility 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 special RBC product, you may have 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 occupied with cancelling your RBC® Avion Visa Infinite†, RBC® Avion Visa Platinum†, or RBC Avion® Visa Infinite Privilege†, however wish to preserve your factors alive or protect an previous credit score account.
Nevertheless, 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 stronger journey insurance coverage advantages.
Alternatively, there’s a powerful argument to be made for holding each a higher-tier Avion card and an ION or ION+ card. This fashion, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of the elevated incomes charges on the ION and ION+ playing cards on on a regular basis necessities, after which switch the Avion Premium factors over to turn into the extra highly effective Avion Elite factors.
For those who had been to carry each the RBC® ION+ Visa and an RBC® Avion product, you possibly can earn 3 Avion Premium factors per greenback spent on groceries, eating, meals supply, fuel, public transit, rideshares, streaming, digital gaming, and digital subscriptions in your ION+, after which convert them into RBC Avion Elite factors by the use of holding an eligible Avion product.
The incomes charges on these classes are 1–1.25 factors per greenback spent on all the Avion Elite playing cards, so that you’d be incomes greater than double and even triple the factors on many frequent day by day purchases with the ION+.
This fashion, you’re making the very best of each worlds, by leveraging the elevated incomes charges on the RBC® ION+ Visa, and the extra highly effective methods to redeem Avion factors with an eligible Avion card.
When coupled with both no annual payment or a low month-to-month payment, there’s not loads of price concerned to incomes RBC® Avion factors this fashion, and it’s certainly probably the most optimized strategy.
Conclusion
The RBC® ION Visa and RBC® ION+ Visa playing cards have welcome presents for as much as 3,500 and seven,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 additionally stand out on their very own as distinctive product choices to carry long-term.
The present welcome bonuses are stable throughout the board, and you may improve each the brand new playing cards to a extra premium Avion Rewards card anytime you want to reap the benefits of RBC Avion’s wonderful switch companions.
The supply on the RBC® ION+ Visa is availability indefinitely, whereas the RBC® ION Visa is just till December 6, 2023. You’ll want to take inventory of what’s out there, and apply if it matches your journey objectives.
† Seek advice from RBC web page for updated supply phrases and situations.
