Definitive Guide: RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule

rbc air travel redemption schedule on laptop guide featured image

Booking flights with miles and points can sometimes be difficult. Whether you are dealing with dynamic pricing or the challenge of finding available award space, it can be a frustrating process.

However, not all flight redemption options and programs have to be frustrating. The RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule presents a simpler option, where cardholders can redeem their Avion Rewards points for an airline ticket up to a maximum price, determined by the number of Avion points they redeem.

Let’s get into everything you need to know about the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule to see if it makes sense for the next time you redeem Avion Rewards points.

What is the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule?

The RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule allows cardholders to redeem their Avion Rewards points for flight tickets through a booking portal, redeeming a set amount of Avion points for a flight ticket that can be worth up to a specified maximum value.

Avion Rewards points can be redeemed for flights on any airline at any time with the Air Travel Redemption Schedule. There are no blackout dates or award availability to worry about. Members need to have the full number of required Avion Rewards points to make the flight booking through this redemption option.

Members who are booking flights using this redemption option can select either one-way or round trip flights. Both the Avion points required for redemption and the maximum ticket value double when making a round-trip flight booking. 

That being said, there is no advantage to booking a one-way or round-trip flight, as cardholders can expect to receive around 2 cents per point when redeeming, provided they can maximize their ticket cost (more details on this later).

The Avion points redemption cost depends on the itinerary that the cardholder is booking. Costs will vary based on the redemption category that the itinerary falls into, but the maximum ticket value also varies and increases linearly with the Avion redemption amount.

rbc air travel redemption schedule one way pricing
One-way flight redemption pricing with the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule

This redemption option is only available for those cards that earn Avion Elite points, which means RBC ION Visa and RBC ION+ Visa cardholders cannot use this redemption method unless they transfer their points to the Avion Rewards account on an eligible RBC credit card, like the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card.

RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule Categories

The RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule divides flight bookings into six different categories based on the itinerary that the cardholder wants to book.

Quick Getaways

The “Quick Getaways” redemption category includes any flights within or to an adjacent province, territory, or U.S. state.

Redemptions in this category will cost 7,500 Avion points for a one-way flight, with a maximum ticket value of $175. Round-trip flights will cost 15,000 Avion points, with a maximum ticket price of $350. If you maximize the ticket value, you will receive 2.33 cents per Avion point.

rbc air travel redemption schedule quick getaways pricing edmonton to vancouver

Explore North America

The “Explore North America” redemption category includes any flights within North America, except to Alaska or Hawaii.

Redemptions in this category will cost 17,500 Avion points for a one-way flight, with a maximum ticket value of $375. Round-trip flights will cost 35,000 Avion points, with a maximum ticket price of $750. If you maximize the ticket value, you will receive 2.14 cents per Avion point.

rbc air travel redemption schedule explore north american edmonton to las vegas pricing

Holiday Destinations

The “Holiday Destinations” redemption category includes any flights from Western Canada/U.S. to Mexico, Hawaii, or Alaska and any flights from Eastern Canada to Bermuda, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Redemptions in this category will cost 22,500 Avion points for a one-way flight, with a maximum ticket value of $450. Round-trip flights will cost 45,000 Avion points, with a maximum ticket price of $900. If you maximize the ticket value, you will receive 2 cents per Avion point.

rbc air travel redemption schedule holiday destinations vancouer to hawaii pricing

Take a Vacation

The “Take a Vacation” redemption category includes any flights from Eastern Canada/U.S. to Mexico, Hawaii, or Alaska and any flights from Western Canada to Bermuda, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Redemptions in this category will cost 27,500 Avion points for a one-way flight, with a maximum ticket value of $550. Round-trip flights will cost 55,000 Avion points, with a maximum ticket price of $1,100. If you maximize the ticket value, you will receive 2 cents per Avion point.

rbc air travel redemption schedule take a vacation toronto to hawaii pricing

Visit Europe

The “Visit Europe” redemption category includes any flights that originate from a major gateway in Canada or the United States to destinations in Europe.

Redemptions in this category will cost 32,500 Avion points for a one-way flight, with a maximum ticket value of $650. Round-trip flights will cost 65,000 Avion points, with a maximum ticket price of $1,300. If you maximize the ticket value, you will receive 2 cents per Avion point.

rbc air travel redemption schedule visit europe calgary to amsterdam pricing

See the World

The “See the World” redemption category includes any flights that originate from a major gateway in Canada or the United States to destinations in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, or South America.

Redemptions in this category will cost 50,000 Avion points for a one-way flight, with a maximum ticket value of $1,000. Round-trip flights will cost 100,000 Avion points, with a maximum ticket price of $2,000. If you maximize the ticket value, you will receive 2 cents per Avion point.

rbc air travel redemption schedule vancouver to tokyo pricing

RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule Value Breakdown & Comparison

The RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule becomes even more interesting when you realize that the cent per point breakdown is not the same for every category. See the table below for what I mean:

Redemption CategoryOne-Way Avion Pricing & Max PriceRound-Trip Avion Pricing & Max PriceCent Per Avion Point Value If Ticket Price Maximized
Quick Getaways7,500 Avion & $175 Max Ticket Price15,000 Avion & $350 Max Ticket Price2.33 cents per point
Explore North America17,500 Avion & $375 Max Ticket Price35,000 Avion & $750 Max Ticket Price2.14 cents per point
Holiday Destinations22,500 Avion & $450 Max Ticket Price45,000 Avion & $900 Max Ticket Price2 cents per point
Take a Vacation27,500 Avion & $550 Max Ticket Price55,000 Avion & $1,100 Max Ticket Price2 cents per point
Visit Europe32,500 Avion & $650 Max Ticket Price65,000 Avion & $1,300 Max Ticket Price2 cents per point
See the World50,000 Avion & $1,000 Max Ticket Price100,000 Avion & $2,000 Max Ticket Price2 cents per point

While the majority of categories come in at a 2 cent per point redemption if the ticket price is maximized, the “Quick Getaways” category has a maximum value of 2.33 cents per point, and the “Explore North America” category has a maximum value of 2.14 cents per point. 

It could make more sense to focus on redemptions in those categories, such as using Avion Rewards to book positioning flights, but there is only incremental value, and only if you can maximize the ticket price.

No matter what category you are redeeming flights within, the goal should be to get as close to the maximum ticket price allowed to ensure you are getting the most value from your Avion Rewards points. 

For example, if you redeem points for a one-way flight in North America, it will cost you 17,500 Avion Rewards points, regardless of whether the cash price of the ticket is $200 or $350. Similarly, you should avoid redeeming your Avion Rewards points through the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule if the cash price is cheap, as you won’t receive great value for your hard-earned points.

How to Book a Flight With the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule

Before you book your redemption flight, ensure you always compare the cash rate to the Avion Rewards points required for your redemption. Just because you can redeem points doesn’t mean the value is always there, and don’t settle for poor value for your hard-earned Avion Rewards points.

To start the redemption process, visit the Avion Rewards Travel Portal. The search engine functions similarly to most online travel agencies, so enter in your desired itinerary, including whether you want to book a one-way or round trip flight and when you want to travel.

rbc rewards travel portal search

Once you search, you will automatically be on the “Fixed Points Pricing” tab, which means you are making a redemption using the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule. All eligible and available flight options are displayed with the total points cost plus the applicable taxes and fees.

air travel redemption schedule vancouver to jfk flight options

Once you select your desired flight, you will be able to choose your desired fare classes. Compare the differences both in benefits and cost before you make your decision to ensure you are purchasing the best fare for your needs.

Additionally, if there is only a slight price difference between fare classes, always choose the better one. For example, in the below example, you can make your ticket refundable for an additional $2.50, which is an easy decision.

air travel redemption vancouver to new york fare classes

Once you select your desired fare class, you will be on a summary screen that captures your selected flight, what your chosen fare class includes, as well as the Avion points and additional charges summary.

rbc air travel redemption schedule vancouver to jfk summary

Once you click “Check Out”, simply populate the form with your details and credit card information to pay the outstanding taxes and fees to finalize your booking.

The Best Way to Earn RBC Avion Rewards Points

The best way to earn RBC Avion Rewards points is through any of Avion series of credit cards.

We most often recommend the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card as it has a reasonable minimum personal annual income of $60,000 or a minimum household annual income of $100,000. The current welcome bonus of 55,000 Avion points is more than enough to get you on your way to making your first RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule booking.

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
Apply Now Learn More
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite card earns 1.25 Avion Rewards points on all travel purchases. Avion Rewards points can be redeemed against travel purchases or transferred to popular frequent flyer programs.

In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Flexible Points Travel Credit Card.

Check out our RBC Avion Visa Infinite card review for more details.

BONUS
55,000 Avion
MINSPEND
$0
NET VALUE
$925+
ANNUAL FEE
$120
FOREX FEES
Yes
EXPIRY
Jun 3, 2025

If you don’t meet the above income requirements, the RBC Avion Visa Platinum card has no income requirements. The welcome bonus on this card is often comparable to the one offered on the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card, so if you are eligible for both cards, choose the one that fits your personal financial situation the best.

On the flip side, if you are interested in a premium credit card, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege card can be a great option as it currently has a welcome bonus of 70,000 Avion points. Since it is a premium credit card, it does have a much higher annual fee, but it also comes with six annual airport lounge visits.

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card
Apply Now Learn More
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege card earns 1.25 Avion Rewards points on all purchases and offers six complimentary airport lounge passes each membership year.

Check out our RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege card review for more details.

BONUS
70,000 Avion
MINSPEND
$5,000
NET VALUE
$931+
ANNUAL FEE
$399
FOREX FEES
Yes
EXPIRY

Note that if you have the RBC ION Visa card or RBC ION+ Visa card, you can actually transfer points earned on those credit cards to an eligible Avion credit card to be able to use those points on the Air Travel Redemption Schedule option. If you do not hold an eligible Avion credit card, you will not be able to use your points on the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule.

Conclusion

While I’m personally a bigger fan of transferring to Avion Rewards frequent flyer program partners, the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule is a good opportunity for cardholders who are more interested in a simpler redemption option while still looking to get great value from the Avion Rewards program.

If you want to make a redemption, the most important thing to do is always to compare the cash price to the points redemption cost to ensure you are receiving acceptable value with your flight redemption.

Josh Bandura

Josh Bandura

Co-Founder at Frugal Flyer
Josh has been involved in the miles and points game since 2015 but has scaled up his knowledge and points earning potential in recent years. With a consistent attitude of "min-maxing" in many aspects of his life, Josh has transferred this mindset over to the miles and points game. Always looking for the next big opportunity, he aims to share content on a variety of topics including his travels, miles and points, and most importantly, how to get the most out of your credit cards

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Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
Apply Now Learn More Earn $150 in FlyerFunds upon approval.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card offers benefits such as no foreign transaction fees and six annual complimentary airport lounge access passes.

In 2025, we awarded this card as the Best Overall Travel Credit Card and Best Credit Card for Foreign Transactions.

Check out our Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card review for more details.

BONUS
40,000 Scene+
MINSPEND
$40,000
NET VALUE
$250+
ANNUAL FEE
$150
FOREX FEES
No
EXPIRY
Jul 1, 2025

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