As a final reminder, the RBC Avion rewards program is currently offering a 30% transfer bonus if you transfer points to British Airways' Avios program by tonight, 15 May. This could be a great promotion for those looking to maximize their free travel, provided you can be flexible, of course.
The switching bonus is only valid if you have an RBC Avion card, such asRBC Avion Visa Unlimited KartsUntil April 30th, it has a nice welcome bonus - now you get "only" ≈ $405 in net worth, but no minimum spend required.
(I say "only" because it's far from the highest in our rankingbest credit cards in canada, as there are currently an incredible 15+ cards offering you $500+ welcome bonuses like $825 completely freeTD Supreme Travel Visa Unlimited Karts！）
To be clear, RBC cards come in lower tiers (e.g.RBC ION+ Visa KartexistRBC ION Visa Kart) doesn't offer an option to transfer points for more value (their welcome bonus isn't very attractive anyway).
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The Basics of HSBC Transfer Bonus
The basics of Avios
Deciding whether to transfer points
Transfer RBC Avion Points
CV
The Basics of HSBC Transfer Bonus
As a reminder, if you have an RBC Avion card, you can use your RBC Avion rewards points in 3 ways:
- More flexibility as a simple travel credit for any travel expense
- Obviously the value is much lower
- as a potentially more lucrative discount on certain expensive flights
- Price chart with RBC Avion
- As a potentially more lucrative discount on specific flights for more value
- By transferring them to an affiliate program
The British Airways program, officially known as the British Airways Executive Club but always known as British Airways Avios, is by far the most convenient RBC Avion transit partner.
until May 15At 11:59pm (PT), the third option is even more lucrative than usual: you can earn 30% more Avios!
This is called a "transfer bonus" and bank rewards programs sometimes do this. RBC does this almost every year with Avios. Some years it's a 35% or 40% bonus, but if you plan to use your Avios next year, 30% is great!
It gives you even more free travel...all for free!
such as nowRBC Avion Visa Unlimited KartsWelcome bonus worth ≈ $405 free travel. With this transfer bonus, the same welcome bonus is worth ≈$563! ! ! (This will give you 35,000 RBC Avion points, a 30% increase in value!)
If you take advantage of the record deal that just closed, it will net you over $1000. That's absolutely great for a welcome bonus!
With this transfer bonus, instead of 10,000 Avios, if you transfer 10,000 RBC Avion, you will get 13,000 Avios. And in this case, you must transfer at least 10,000 points to enjoy the transfer bonus.
For example, you can use this transfer reward to get a round-trip Toronto-Miami flight (direct to American Airlines flights and less than $100 in round-trip taxes and fees) for less than 17,000 RBC Avion points. That's half of what you need to use your RBC Avion rewards chart.
But Avios plans are only available on some very specific routes. Of course, like almost all airline programmes, Avios have limited availability! This allows them to offer a fixed price, so the value is unlimited!
So this transfer bonus is interesting (and flexible) for people who know how to use or want to learn how to use Avios points! But if you are not sure, it is best not to transfer, even if there is a transfer bonus.
Because don't forget that transfers are one-way traffic and cannot be reversed! So you need to make sure you're getting the most out of your points on the Avios scheme.
The basics of Avios
Avios are in our cheat sheet5 Top Rewards Programs for Canadian Travelers: This is (by far) the second-best aviation program. That's why it's good to have a free account already created so you can be ready when there are fun transfer bonuses like this.
but you must understand what Avios point toreally not for everyoneor! They're more niche than Aeroplan points (and the ways you can maximize your points really aren't as good as thoseAeroplan - program).
You can go and have a lookThe 12 best redemptions with AviosMake sure this suits your individual circumstances better than leaving them indoorsRBC Avion Rewards Program.
Avios has far fewer partner airlines than Aeroplan (and only foreign airlines), so available seats are more limited. So you have to be more flexible than with simpler points, but also more flexible than with Aeroplan.
But it's not just available seats: Eligible routes are also more limited because there are fewer partner airlines. And that's not all: unlike Aeroplan, it's usually only good redemption with Avios on direct flights, so it's more limited. You really have to be flexible about everything.
Unlike Aeroplan (which allows you to redeem your points for any Air Canada flight, albeit at a much lower value), Avios doesn't offer that option at all.
If you want to fly Business or First Class, you can also quickly earn 3¢ per Avios, worth 3x your RBC Avion points!
Luxury seats are the bestin theoryRedeem for travel rewards (mathematically, you can save even more since those seats are too expensive in cash), only an airline program like Avios points can give you these incredible opportunities.
With Transfer Rewards, you can get amazing discounts on Avios worth ≈ 1.5¢ per point! So with 10,000 Avios you can easily save $150.
But they can also save you a lot; this is really the key, the most important thing to understandRedeem 2 different types of rewards.
no timemaximumValue - Avios can provide unlimited value (each point can be 4 cents; 4 times more than RBC Avion points used for simple redemption) - obviously noat the lowest limitSo worth it!
Deciding whether to transfer points
In short, Avios are very beneficial to them:
- Who is interested in it?The 12 best redemptions with Avios
- which are at least somewhat flexible
- Who are enough regulars to make the most of them (like us)
- Want Unlimited Value Points
- who wants to travel in premium cabin
Of course, rewards that offer more lucrative redemption options such as Avios canMore valuableOf course it's much less flexible than rewards that only offer easier redemption options!
Travel is like everything else, the simpler, the less value you get! As passionate travelers and bargain hunters who always want to get the most out of everything, we of course often convert our RBC points to Avios.
If I run out of my Avios stockpile, I'll definitely take advantage of this transfer bonus as usual. Why? I'm flexible, I travel a lot, and I like to get the most out of myself. But I currently have over 100,000 Avios. So considering my travel plans for this year, if I want to use the RBC Avion rewards card or transfer to Asia Miles or even AAdvantage (other partners), I will keep my RBC Avion points to have more flexibility.
That's why taking the time to develop your travel strategy is an important part of maximizing your travel returns. usFree webinar on travel rewards basicsBy the way, it's this Wednesday at 9pm ET!
To be clear, many people prefer simplicity, and that's fine. If done correctly, you can still earn a ton of travel rewards this way! But if you don't want to work hard, don't transfer your points.
However, having the option to use both blended points and transferable points (such as RBC points along with Amex points or HSBC Rewards points) is awesome.
Transfer RBC Avion Points
If you decide to transfer your RBC Avion points (or some of your RBC Avion points), transferring your points is very easy (as most transfers are very simple; we wrote a detailed noticeHow to Transfer American Express Points to a PartnerFor example).
Of course, you log into yourRBC Avion Rewards Account(upper right corner).
After that, click on the aptly named "Transfer" tab, then click "Transfer Now" under the affiliate program logo.
Then enter the number of points you want to transfer and click "Calculate".
Then enter your British Airways membership number and email address and complete the form.
If you don't have a British Airways membership number yet, because you haven't followed our cheat sheet5 Top Rewards Programs for Canadian Travelers, then simply create a free account atbritish airways website.
(we strongly recommend1 passwordTools, a must-have for travel rewards professionals who want to easily organize and secure all their accounts! )
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FAQs
Is the 30% transfer bonus from RBC Avion to British Airways Avios? ›
It's once again a great time to convert your RBC Avion points to British Airways Avios. Until May 15, 2023, RBC Avion is offering a 30% transfer bonus when converting your points to Avios.
What is the 30 bonus for Avios? ›Until May 15, 2023, you can get a 30% bonus for converting your RBC Avion points to British Airways Avios. So for every 10,000 RBC Avion points, you will get 13,000 AVIOS. This is an excellent conversion promotion between RBC Avion Rewards and British Airways Executive Club.
What is the bonus for the Prince of travel Avion? ›To earn the full welcome bonus of 35,000 Avion points, there isn't even a need to make a single purchase. Simply apply for the card, and the 35,000 points should post to your account by the first monthly statement.
How long does it take to transfer RBC Avion to Avios? ›Please allow up to 4 weeks for your RBC Rewards points to be converted and for your Avios points to appear in your British Airways Executive Club account. Once RBC Rewards points are converted to Avios, they may not be reversed/returned or converted back to RBC Rewards points.
What does Avios transfer mean? ›Avios are non-transferable and cannot be moved to an account in another name. However, you can use your Avios to make bookings for family or friends.
Do I have to pay to transfer Avios? ›Once logged in, simply enter their Avios membership details and select the amount to share. For a small fee, you can share with as many as six members, up to 27,000 Avios per person, per calendar year. See transaction fees here. Sharing is free for Gold Members.
What is the Avios bonus for 2023? ›Avios – If you apply by 30 May 2023, you'll collect a double welcome bonus of 10,000 Avios (usually 5,000 Avios) if you spend £1,000 in your first three months.
How do I convert Avios points to cash? ›How do you turn your Avios points into cash? You can cash in your Avios for (sort of) money if you transfer your points into the Nectar loyalty scheme. This only works if you live in the UK. In January 2021, Sainsbury's became the official Avios supermarket partner.
How to collect $25,000 bonus Avios? ›You can spend your Avios and check your total Avios balance through your British Airways Executive Club account. To qualify for the 25,000 Avios joining bonus, you'll need to join Barclays Avios Rewards – within 4 months of opening your first Barclays current account.
Can you fly first class with Avion points? ›With the 2cpp Avion redemption, you aren't constrained by airlines' award availability, and can book any open business class or First Class seat. You also don't need to worry about fuel surcharges or airport taxes and fees, since those are already included in the price of the ticket.
How many Avion points do I need to fly internationally? ›
| Avion points | Destinations |
|---|---|
| 55 000 | Eastern Canada or the United States to Mexico, Hawaii or Alaska. Western Canada to Bermuda, Central America or the Caribbean |
| 65 000 | Flight from Canada or United States to Europe |
| 100 000 | Fly from Canada or United States to … anywhere in the world! |
| Type of Flights | Points Required |
|---|---|
| Long-haul Canada & US (not including Alaska & Hawaii) | 35,000 |
| * Western Canada to Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii * Eastern Canada to Caribbean & Central America | 45,000 |
| * Eastern Canada to Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii * Western Canada to Caribbean & Central America | 55,000 |
You can use your Avion Rewards points for travel or redeem them with other loyalty programs such as : American Airlines AAdvantage. British Airways Executive Club (and Qatar Airways Privilege Club) Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.
Are RBC Avion points worth it? ›Avion can be worth the time and energy it takes to collect points, especially if you already bank with RBC. That said, Avion doesn't work with a network of partners and the points you earn are worth less on average than the miles you'll accumulate with Aeroplan or AIR MILES.
Can you convert Avion points to Avios? ›The usual conversion ratio from Avion to Avios is 1:1, so this bonus makes it an effective ratio of 1:1.3.
Is it worth transferring Amex points to Avios? ›An Amex point will hold its value better.
If you transfer them to Avios and Avios devalues, you have lost out – you can't convert them back. Keeping them as Amex Membership Rewards points means that you have alternative options.
Transfer points to Avios
British Airways is a transfer partner of three major rewards currencies: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Amex and Chase points transfer to Avios at a 1:1 ratio, with Amex occasionally offering transfer bonuses.
50,000 points: At 50,000, you can get an off-peak business class single flight to New York for this many Avios points and a £446.44 extra charge. If you're after somewhere even further afield, you could get a peak time economy class return flight to Barbados for 50,000 points, plus £350.84 in charges.
How much does 100 000 Avios cost? ›| Prices from 1 May | GBP | USD |
|---|---|---|
| 70,000 Avios | £1,135 | $1,950 |
| 80,000 Avios | £1,295 | $2,225 |
| 90,000 Avios | £1,455 | $2,500 |
| 100,000 Avios | £1,615 | $2,775 |
Your Avios stay with you as long as you collect, spend, buy or share at least one Avios every 36 months — any longer and your Avios will expire and be removed, so remember to take action before those three years are up.
What is 10000 Avios points worth? ›
The value of British Airways Avios is 0.8 cent each. As a member of the Oneworld Alliance, you can redeem Avios for award flights on any of the alliance's 14 members. According to NerdWallet's analysis, 10,000 British Airways Avios are worth about $80.
Is 50% Avios bonus worth it? ›Avios are great for redeeming short-to-medium haul flights on oneworld partner airlines. For example, you'll need 12,500 Avios for a one-way Business Class hop between Sydney and Brisbane (versus 18,400 Qantas Points). Purchasing Avios with a 50% bonus means that you can score this flight for ~AU$370, including taxes.
How much Avios per dollar? ›Flight purchases with British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus earn 3X Avios per dollar. If you book hotel stays directly with hotels, you get 2X Avios per dollar. All other purchases earn 1X Avios per dollar.
Why are Avios so expensive? ›This is because the Avios required for a flight remain the same if oil costs $20 or $100 per barrel. Airlines introduced and tinkered with this fuel surcharge to combat rising fuel costs many years ago. When oil prices increased, airlines increased fuel surcharges to compensate for these unexpected increased costs.
How far will 100000 Avios points get me? ›With 100,000 Avios, you can book a return, off-peak Club World redemption for two people in Zones 1-5. This means destinations up to 4,000 miles in length (each way). This opens up a huge number of popular destinations that feature a proper long-haul product, including: Abu Dhabi (AUH)
How to earn 100,000 Avios points? ›How does the offer work? To collect the bonus of 100,000 Avios, you need to hold both a Barclaycard Avios Plus credit card (£20 monthly fee) and Barclays Avios Rewards (£12 monthly fee). At least one of these products should be new and opened during the qualifying period (3 October 2022 – 30 November 2022).
How many Avios do I need to fly to New York? ›| Economy points needed per return (+ taxes & charges) | ||
|---|---|---|
| DESTINATION | ECONOMY | PREMIUM ECONOMY |
| New York | 26,000 | 52,000 |
| Barbados | 32,500 | 65,000 |
| Mauritius | 39,000 | 78,000 |
Yes. You can sell your British Airways miles. Many account holders sell their Avios points or British Airways miles for several reasons. One of the most common reasons being the low availability of reward flight tickets which leads to high competition to get their hands on these tickets.
How many Avios points do I need to fly to Amsterdam? ›| One-way Avios prices | Economy | Business |
|---|---|---|
| Off-peak | Off-peak | |
| Almeria | 11,750 +£0.5 | 20,000 +£0.5 |
| Amman | 22,500 +£40 | 70,000 +£90 |
| Amsterdam | 9,250 +£0.5 | 15,000 +£0.5 |
With 200,000 Avios, you have enough Avios for a peak return Club World almost anywhere on BA's long-haul route network. You can enjoy a lie-flat bed on a long, overnight flight to any of the following destinations, on any date with availability, return and still have Avios left over: Lima Peru (LIM)
How many Avion points do you need to upgrade to business class? ›
The Maximum Ticket Price excludes any applicable taxes, surcharges and fees. If the cost of the flight you select in business class is $1,000 CAD, you can pay for the price difference of $250 by redeeming 25,000 additional points (100 points = $1 CAD). In total, you would need to redeem 60,000 points.
Do RBC Avion points expire? ›Do RBC Rewards points expire? All RBC Rewards points have a three-year term and will expire at the end of the three years based on first-in, first-out (FIFO) principles. Points will be cleared from your account on the last day of the month in which the points expire.
Does RBC Avion Platinum have lounge access? ›Your luxury vacation starts at the airport – when you take advantage of your complimentary membership and six lounge visits per membership year1 for every enrolled cardholder on your RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege account.
How much is 1 RBC Avion point worth? ›| Redemptions | Value |
|---|---|
| RBC Investment Products | 0.8 ¢ / point |
| Merchandise | 0.75 ¢ / point |
| Gift cards | 0.7¢ / point |
| Statement credit | 0.58 ¢ / point |
RBC Avion boasts lots of things but one big one is being able to book14 days ahead and get one a ticket up to $1,300 for 65,000 points to a European destination.
How many RBC points do I need to fly to Australia? ›| Points Needed | Region | Max Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|
| 65,000 | Canada or U.S. to Europe | $1,300 |
| 100,000 | Canada or U.S. to Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific, Middle East, Africa, South America | $2,000 |
| Type of Flights | Points Required | Max Point Value |
|---|---|---|
| Short-haul Canada & US (between neighbouring provinces & states) | 15,000 | 2.33 cents |
| Long-haul Canada & US (not including Alaska & Hawaii) | 35,000 | 2.1 cents |
| Western Canada to Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean & Central America | 45,000 | 2 cents |
50,000 pts
Redeem points using this conversion rate for hotel stays, car rental, cruises, and more. You can also use it for flights when you don't want to redeem from the Air Travel Redemption Grid above.
However, Avios must be transferred between accounts belonging to the same individual. It isn't possible to transfer pooled Avios under a British Airways Avios Household Account or Qatar Airways Privilege Club Family Program to an account in the opposite program belonging to a different household member.
Can I transfer Avios to Heathrow Rewards? ›Yes, Avios (via British Airways Executive Club or Aer Lingus AerClub) is one of the Heathrow Rewards frequent flyer partners.
Can I transfer Membership Rewards to Avios? ›
The more you collect, the farther you fly. Please note that once your points have been transferred, they cannot be transferred back. Your Membership Rewards points will be transferred to Avios within 3 working days upon your request.