How Does the Welcome Bonus Work?
The RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite† provides a welcome bonus of 50,000 Avios^. The construction is straightforward. You earn the complete 50,000 Avios after spending $6,000 within the first three months of account opening.
That works out to $2,000 a month, which is a good ask for a premium card, however value planning for earlier than you apply.
That is the cardboard’s normal supply, and it has sat at 50,000 Avios for a lot of the card’s historical past. There’s no finish date on it, so you possibly can apply once you’re prepared to satisfy the spend relatively than racing a deadline.
By our math, the first-year worth lands round $955, even after the $165 annual charge†. That’s a stable return for a card at this worth.
How A lot Worth Do You Get within the First Yr?
It helps to see the place that $955 determine comes from. We worth Avios at 2 cents per level, grounded in life like short-haul and associate award redemptions relatively than best-case enterprise class bookings.
| Element | Avios | Worth |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 50,000^ | $1,000 |
| Earned on $6,000 of qualifying spend | 6,000^ | $120 |
| Annual charge | −$165 | |
| First-year complete | 56,000 | $955 |
We’ll take a conservative strategy right here and assume you meet the $6,000 spending requirement on the base charge of 1 Avios per greenback spent^.
To place a 56,000-Avios stability in perspective, off-peak brief hops between London and European cities begin at 10,000 Avios with about $5 in taxes and costs*, and an off-peak financial system seat from Toronto (YYZ) to London (LHR) costs at 27,500 Avios plus about $150 one-way. That’s a number of journeys’ value of flying from a single welcome bonus.
The money facet of the identical flight makes the mathematics concrete. On the identical November departure, Financial system Fundamental costs at $606 and Financial system Commonplace at $706.
A Reward Flight reserving traces up closest with Financial system Commonplace, since a checked bag is included, although seat choice nonetheless prices additional because it does on Fundamental. Measured in opposition to the $706 Commonplace fare, paying 27,500 Avios plus $150 works out to only over 2 cents per Avios, proper in step with our valuation.
That nets out to round $955 of worth in your first yr. The determine climbs if you happen to redeem your Avios on the fitting flights.
How Do You Earn Avios?
The incomes construction is straightforward and centered. You get 3 Avios per greenback on British Airways purchases, 2 Avios per greenback on eating and meals supply, and 1 Avios per greenback on all different qualifying purchases^.
In case you fly British Airways typically, that 3x provides up properly. For on a regular basis spending, the bottom charge is extra modest, so this card works greatest alongside a powerful all-rounder relatively than as your just one.
An trustworthy comparability is value making on the eating charge. If grocery, eating, or transit is the place you spend most, the RBC® ION+ Visa earns 3 Avion factors per greenback in these classes, and Avion factors switch to Avios at 1:1. Remember that you’ll want to carry one of many Avion playing cards to unlock transfers to the British Airways Membership.
If most of your purchases fall underneath all different qualifying purchases at 1 Avios per greenback, spending on this card makes extra sense. Each greenback additionally counts towards the $30,000 that unlocks the companion voucher^.
So this isn’t actually an on a regular basis earner. It’s a card you maintain for the welcome bonus, the Avios, and the companion perk.
How Does the British Airways Companion Voucher Work?
The cardboard’s signature perk is the British Airways Companion Voucher, and it’s the principle cause to maintain this card previous yr one. You earn one every calendar yr that you simply spend $30,000 on the cardboard^.
It really works merely sufficient. You apply the voucher to an Avios reserving*, and it covers a second traveller on the identical flight, so two of you fly for near the Avios value of 1. The voucher is legitimate for twenty-four months from the date it’s issued^.
In case you’re travelling solo, you possibly can as a substitute apply the voucher to your individual reserving for a 50% low cost on the Avios worth^.
The worth swings extensively relying on how you utilize it. On the low finish, it covers your companion’s 27,500 Avios on an off-peak financial system one-way from Toronto (YYZ) to London (LHR). On the excessive finish, it will probably save 200,000 Avios or extra on round-trip enterprise class for 2 from Vancouver (YVR) to London (LHR) in peak season.
That prime-end determine checks out in opposition to stay pricing. A one-way off-peak enterprise class seat from Vancouver costs at 99,000 Avios plus $599*, so a round-trip for 2 on peak dates places the companion’s lined share previous the 200,000-Avios mark.
Put a greenback determine on it, and a practical worth for the voucher lands round $1,000 a yr. That accounts for the taxes, charges, and the $30,000 in spending it takes to earn.
A few issues are value planning round. The primary is the $30,000 in spending it takes to earn the voucher, which is a significant quantity on a card that earns 1 Avios per greenback on on a regular basis purchases.
The second is that the voucher solely works on flights operated by British Airways, not companions or codeshares. That retains you on British Airways’ personal flights, which carry larger provider surcharges, and also you pay the taxes and surcharges for each seats^.
Another rule to know. The voucher works on a one-way or return reserving, however the journey has to start out in Canada, and the first cardholder must be one of many travellers. In observe, which means departures from Vancouver (YVR), Toronto (YYZ), or Montreal (YUL), the place British Airways flies its personal plane^.
A number of extra guidelines form how you propose for it. You may solely earn one voucher per calendar yr irrespective of how a lot you spend, and the spending counter resets on January 1. Enable as much as eight weeks for the voucher to seem in your British Airways Membership account^.
Since vouchers are legitimate for twenty-four months, it’s doable to carry two directly. As much as two vouchers could be utilized to a single reserving, which covers a household of 4, and the low cost works in any cabin British Airways sells^.
The voucher may stretch past London. British Airways costs award flights by section, so including a connecting flight to a metropolis like Paris typically takes just a few thousand extra Avios, and the voucher’s low cost applies to the complete itinerary.
An actual search exhibits the worth clearly. An off-peak enterprise class seat from Toronto (YYZ) to London (LHR) costs at 88,000 Avios plus $499 in taxes and costs one-way*.
E book two seats with the voucher utilized, and the overall stays at 88,000 Avios, with $998 in taxes masking each travellers. The second seat’s 88,000 Avios are lined solely, and the identical search booked solo costs at 44,000 Avios plus $499, which is the 50% low cost at work^.
What Are Avios Really Price for Canadians?
That is the half that basically issues, as a result of Avios are solely pretty much as good as the way you redeem them.
Avios belongs to a household of packages that share the identical foreign money, together with British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Finnair, and Qatar Airways. You may transfer Avios between them and pool them in a single family account, which provides you extra choices than most airline currencies.
One of the best worth sits in short-haul and associate flights. A number of examples of off-peak pricing*:
- Quick hops between London and Europe, like Paris (CDG) or Dublin (DUB), from 10,000 Avios with about $5 in taxes and costs, or fewer Avios with a bigger money part
- Accomplice flights throughout the Avios household, which regularly worth low for short-haul routes and carry little to no surcharges
It’s value figuring out that British Airways raised award pricing on many redemptions in December 2025, and its personal long-haul flights now use dynamic pricing with larger provider surcharges. The best strategy is to earn Avios on this card, then redeem them the place the worth and the surcharges are friendlier, which regularly means associate airways within the Avios household. One of the best associate redemptions deserve their very own article, and we’ll cowl them in depth individually.
What Insurance coverage and Protections Are Included?
For a card at $165† a yr, the insurance coverage bundle is affordable. You get emergency medical protection for journeys as much as 31 days, which drops to seven days when you flip 65^.
There’s additionally journey delay, baggage delay, rental automotive collision protection, and the same old buy safety and prolonged guarantee.
One situation deserves an in depth learn earlier than you lean on the journey protection. The flight delay, baggage delay, and journey accident advantages solely apply when the ticket is paid with the cardboard, and the certificates of insurance coverage makes no point out of flights booked with Avios.
In observe, which means a flight you redeem Avios for doubtless sits exterior these coverages, despite the fact that the cardboard earned you these Avios within the first place. It’s a harsh carve-out for an airline co-brand, and it’s value factoring into how a lot weight you give the insurance coverage. Emergency medical is the exception, because it applies irrespective of the way you paid for the journey.
Two different gaps are value figuring out. There’s no journey cancellation or interruption protection, and no cell gadget safety. If these matter to you, you’ll need a card that fills them.
Who Ought to Get the Card?
This card rewards a selected form of traveller, so it’s value checking whether or not you match the profile earlier than making use of.
It’s a powerful choose if you happen to:
- Fly to the UK or Europe, or wish to use Avios on short-haul and associate award flights
- Can comfortably put $5,000 on the cardboard within the first few months for the welcome bonus^
- Just like the companion voucher and might work towards the $30,000 in annual spend^
- Already maintain a powerful on a regular basis card and wish to add a centered journey card alongside it
It’s in all probability not the fitting match in order for you one card to earn nicely on all of your spending, or if you happen to don’t see your self utilizing Avios within the subsequent couple of years.
You’ll additionally want to satisfy the minimal revenue requirement of $60,000 personally, or $100,000 to your family†.
So, Is the RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite† Price It?
It’s a sure for the fitting traveller. The RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite† is value it if you happen to’ll use Avios on short-haul or associate award flights and you may hit the $5,000 spend for the welcome bonus^. It really works greatest as a centered Avios card relatively than an on a regular basis earner, and the companion voucher is a pleasant bonus for larger spenders.
In case you fly to the UK or Europe, dabble in oneworld companions, or simply need a low-effort method to financial institution 50,000 Avios^, the mathematics works in your first yr.
In case you’d relatively have one card that earns nicely throughout all of your spending, a flexible-points card that transfers to Avios is likely to be a greater match. Our roundup of Canada’s greatest journey bank cards is an efficient place to match.
Conclusion
The RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite† is a specialist’s card sporting an on a regular basis badge. Deal with it like a instrument for gathering Avios and unlocking a number of particular redemptions, and it delivers.
My trustworthy take is that the 50,000-Avios supply^ makes the primary yr a simple case if Avios suit your journey plans. In case you’re unsure Avios go well with the way you journey, it’s value getting snug with this system first.
Regularly Requested Questions
Disclosures
† Phrases and situations apply. RBC is just not answerable for sustaining the content material on this web page. Please click on on the Apply Now hyperlink within the card field for the hottest data.
^ This supply solely applies to new functions for a RBC British Airways Visa Infinite bank card acquired and authorised by Royal Financial institution of Canada (“Royal Financial institution”), topic to the situations beneath. Extra cardholders(s) (co-applicant and approved person(s)) on the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite bank card account should not eligible for this supply. Present cardholders on any RBC Royal Financial institution private bank card account transferring to a RBC British Airways Visa Infinite bank card, should not eligible for the supply.
To obtain the supply of fifty,000 Avios factors (“Bonus”), (i) a complete of $6,000 or extra (“Qualifying Transaction Quantity”) in qualifying internet purchases and/or pre-authorized invoice fee transactions (“Qualifying Transactions”) should be posted to your Credit score Card Account throughout the first 90 days of your Credit score Card Account opening date (“Interval”), and (ii) your Credit score Card should stay open and in good standing, “good standing” that means that your Credit score Card Account should not be late for greater than two (2) consecutive Credit score Card Account assertion durations, closed, charged off or in credit score revoked standing at the moment. If you’re not at present a member of The British Airways Membership, you’ll be enrolled robotically as soon as you might be authorised for the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite bank card. Please word that the deal with your British Airways Membership account is registered underneath should match the one to your RBC British Airways Visa Infinite account always for the Avios to be posted to your British Airways Membership account. The Bonus shall be awarded to your British Airways Membership account, roughly 15 weeks after the date you attain $6,000 in Qualifying Transactions throughout the Interval.
Qualifying Transactions exclude money advances (together with stability transfers, cash-like transactions and invoice funds that aren’t pre-authorized expenses that you simply arrange with a service provider), curiosity expenses and costs. Credit for returns and changes posted to your Credit score Card Account in the course of the Interval will scale back the quantity of your Qualifying Transactions. The Qualifying Transaction Quantity relies on the transaction posting date of every Qualifying Transaction, not the transaction date. Which means transactions that happen previous to the final day of the Interval won’t be thought of for the Qualifying Transaction Quantity in the event that they haven’t but been posted or processed by the service provider, the fee community (Visa) or Royal Financial institution by the final day of the Interval.
In case you shut or change your RBC British Airways Visa Infinite bank card for one more sort of RBC Royal Financial institution bank card earlier than the Bonus has been credited to your British Airways Membership account, it’s possible you’ll lose the advantage of this supply. This supply will not be mixed or used together with some other supply, besides as in any other case set out. Royal Financial institution of Canada and British Airways reserve the fitting to switch, cancel or withdraw this supply at any time. British Airways, not Royal Financial institution of Canada, is answerable for this supply and The British Airways Membership program. For all British Airways Membership Phrases and Circumstances, please go to ba.com/theclub.
*Reward Flights can be found to any British Airways Membership Members with an Avios stability. Along with your Avios, the one money quantity required for Reward Flights is a set money quantity. Your chosen date of journey will decide whether or not you pay a peak or off-peak Avios quantity. When reserving Reward Flights, you possibly can select all peak dates, all off-peak dates or a mix of the 2. For journey in First, a money quantity to cowl taxes, charges and provider expenses shall be payable. The taxes, charges and provider expenses will differ depending on airline and vacation spot and shall be calculated once you e-book your flights. The ultimate charge (i.e. Avios plus payable taxes, charges and provider expenses) shall be displayed on the remaining stage of your reserving. To search out out extra about Reward Flights click on right here. British Airways Membership Phrases and Circumstances and Circumstances of Use apply.
^ You’ll earn 3 Avios factors for each $1.00 spent on British Airways purchases, together with British Airways Holidays purchases (“British Airways Purchases”) you make in your RBC British Airways Visa Infinite bank card, offered that these purchases have been made immediately by means of British Airways, categorized by Visa’s Service provider Class Code MCC 3005 (“BA MCC”). Although some retailers as a journey company or a third-party reserving web site could promote British Airways flights and merchandise, in addition to British Airways Holidays purchases, purchases made at these retailers could not essentially assist you to earn 3 Avios factors for each $1 spent if the service provider is just not categorized because the BA MCC. Royal Financial institution of Canada can’t assure whether or not a service provider is assessed because the BA MCC and in no occasion will Royal Financial institution of Canada be liable or answerable for any claims with respect to a British Airways Purchases made at a service provider that isn’t categorized because the BA MCC.
You’ll earn 2 Avios factors for each $1.00 spent on eating and meals supply purchases (“Meals and Supply purchases”) you make in your RBC British Airways Visa Infinite bank card at retailers which can be categorized by the next eligible Visa’s Service provider Class Code (“Eligible MCCs”): “Consuming Place and Eating places” (MCC 5812), “Consuming Locations (Alcoholic Drinks) – Bars, Taverns, Nightclubs, Cocktail Lounges, and Discotheques” (MCC 5813), “Quick Meals Eating places” (MCC 5814), are “Eating and Meals Supply”. Authorities liquor companies and bundle shops that promote beer, wine, and liquor don’t qualify as a part of the “Consuming Locations (Alcoholic Drinks)– Bars, Taverns, Nightclubs, Cocktail Lounges, and Discotheques”.
Although some retailers could promote meals and meals supply, purchases made at these retailers could not essentially assist you to earn 2 Avios factors for each $1 spent if the service provider is just not categorized an Eligible MCC. Additionally, a service provider that isn’t categorized by an Eligible MCC could also be positioned on the premises of a service provider that’s categorized by an Eligible MCC, by which case a purchase order made at this service provider wouldn’t qualify as Meals and Supply purchases. Royal Financial institution of Canada can’t assure whether or not a service provider is assessed by an Eligible MCC and in no occasion will Royal Financial institution of Canada be liable or answerable for any claims with respect to Meals and Supply purchases made at a service provider that isn’t categorized as an Eligible MCC.
You’ll earn 1 Avios per $1 CAD spent on all different qualifying internet purchases once you use your RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card. Avios are earned on qualifying internet purchases solely; they don’t seem to be earned on money advances (together with stability transfers, cash-like transactions and invoice funds that aren’t pre-authorized expenses that you simply arrange with a service provider), curiosity expenses or charges, and credit for returns and changes will scale back or cancel the Avios earned by the quantities initially charged.
The place relevant, Avios are awarded based mostly on the Canadian greenback equal of overseas foreign money buy transactions. Avios should not refundable, transferable, and don’t have any money worth. Please permit as much as eight weeks after transactions are processed to your bank card account for the Avios to be posted to your British Airways Membership account.
^ Eligible Members who spend a minimal of $30,000 CAD on qualifying purchases on their Card in a calendar yr (“calendar yr” refers back to the time interval ranging from 1 January by means of to 31 December) will obtain a most of 1 Companion Voucher for that calendar yr. As an Eligible Member, it is possible for you to to use the Companion Voucher in the direction of the acquisition of a flight for a companion travelling with you, on the identical Reward Flight (“Companion Ticket”).
Alternatively, for all legitimate Companion Vouchers earned, you possibly can select to make use of your Companion Voucher to make a solo Reward Flight reserving, which can entitle you to a 50% low cost on the Avios fare to your journey. Taxes charges and expenses for you’ll nonetheless be payable (if travelling solo) or in your companion’s ticket (if travelling with a companion).
Please word that qualifying purchases exclude money advances (together with stability transfers, cash-like transactions and invoice funds that aren’t pre-authorized expenses that you simply arrange with a service provider), curiosity expenses or charges, and credit for returns and changes will scale back or cancel the spend quantity by the quantities initially charged.
When reserving a Companion Ticket with a Companion Voucher, you possibly can select to make a full Avios redemption or from different Avios and money worth choices (topic to fee of the Taxes, Charges and Costs for every seat).
Just one Companion Voucher could be earned in any calendar yr. If an Eligible Member reaches their spend goal earlier than the tip of the calendar yr then additional spends, it won’t accumulate in the direction of one other Companion Voucher. Eligible Members can start incomes in the direction of their subsequent Companion Voucher from 1 January every year. Please permit six (6) to eight (8) weeks for the Companion Voucher to be added to The British Airways Membership account after assembly the spending requirement.
The Companion Voucher entitles the Eligible Member to buy a Companion Ticket on the time of reserving a Reward Flight, with out having to pay for the worth of the companion’s flight. The Companion Voucher shall be issued within the title of the first cardholder, who should journey on any Companion Voucher reserving. Reservations and bookings for each the Reward Flight of the Eligible Member and the Companion Ticket of the companion should be made on the identical time, for a similar flight, on the identical date, in the identical class and cabin and on the identical passenger title document (PNR) for journey on the identical itinerary.
Eligible Members shall be answerable for paying, with out limitation, the taxes, charges and provider expenses, associated to the Companion Ticket. Costs proven are Reward Flight redemptions. Reward Flight provides prospects nice worth flights with a low, flat charge to cowl taxes, charges and provider expenses and a set Avios quantity. To be eligible for Reward Flight, you could have collected a minimum of one Avios prior to now 12 months. To search out out extra about Reward Flights, click on right here. On the time of publication, an ordinary Reward Flight reserving or an ordinary Companion ticket reserving (non-Reward Flight) can be topic to taxes of roughly $870 return journey from Vancouver to London in financial system class and roughly $1,900 per individual based mostly on enterprise class journey. To make a reserving, (together with the Companion Ticket) Eligible Members should go to ba.com and log in utilizing their membership quantity and PIN/Password. It isn’t doable to e-book a Reward Flight or a Companion Ticket by contacting a journey agent, or on the airport.
The Companion Award Voucher could also be used for flights operated by British Airways solely. Journey on franchise, codeshare or alliance airways is just not permitted. Return flights should be booked on the identical time the outward journey is booked. All journey should originate in and return to Canada. Companion Vouchers can be utilized on a a technique or return flight. Return flights should be booked on the identical time the outward journey is booked. All journey should originate in and return to Canada.
A Companion Voucher can solely be used if and when an Eligible Member is reserving a Reward Flight utilizing Avios and can’t be mixed with some other supply, promotion, mileage or frequent flyer programme. Full particulars of fare guidelines could be discovered on ba.com. All Reward Flights and Companion Tickets are topic to availability and there’s no assure Eligible Members will have the ability to e-book a flight for a companion on the Eligible Member’s selection of flight and vacation spot. The Companion Voucher is just legitimate if it has been acquired in accordance with these Phrases and Circumstances.
A Companion Voucher is legitimate for 24 (24) months from the date it’s issued and should be exchanged for a Companion Ticket with journey commencing from Canada earlier than the expiry date on the Companion Voucher. Eligible Members should nonetheless have a Card in good standing on the time of journey. British Airways and/or Royal Financial institution of Canada reserve(s) the fitting to refuse to problem or to honour any Companion Voucher within the occasion that the Eligible Member is in breach of both these RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Companion Voucher Phrases and Circumstances, their RBC Royal Financial institution Credit score Card Settlement or The British Airways Membership Phrases and Circumstances.
A most of two Companion Vouchers could be redeemed at anybody time on the identical reserving e.g. [2] Avios reward fares plus [2] Companion Voucher tickets.
The Companion Voucher is just not extendable, refundable, transferable, and has no money or mileage worth. At no time could the Companion Voucher be bought, bought, or bartered however whether it is, any such Companion Voucher will grow to be void. Companion Vouchers are relevant to new and future bookings solely; they can’t be used to amend or pay for current bookings.
The Companion Ticket is topic to The British Airways Membership Phrases and Circumstances referring to Companion Vouchers. If the Eligible Member cancels the Companion Ticket reserving greater than twenty-four (24) hours previous to the scheduled departure of the outbound flight from Canada, British Airways will redeposit the Companion Voucher which can solely be legitimate for the rest of its authentic twenty-four (24) month expiry interval based mostly on the unique date of problem. Reward Flight bookings and Companion Tickets cancelled inside twenty-four (24) hours of departure will consequence within the Companion Voucher and Avios being cancelled with none chance of being reissued or credited to the Eligible Member. Please go to the complete British Airways Membership Phrases and Circumstances discovered on-line right here.
^ Underneath 65 years of age, 31 consecutive days of protection. For age 65 and over, 7 consecutive days of protection. Protection underwritten by RBC Insurance coverage Firm of Canada. All insurance coverage is topic to phrases, situations, limitations and exclusions. Confer with the insurance coverage certificates for full particulars.
^ 10% off British Airways flights round-trip flights originating in and returning to Canada once you e-book on ba.com/RBC10 and pay together with your RBC BA Visa Infinite card. With the intention to participate within the 10% promotion, RBC British Airways Visa Infinite cardholders should log in at ba.com/RBC10 utilizing their British Airways Membership username and PIN and make a roundtrip reserving now by means of December 31, 2026 and enter the promotion code CARDOFFERC within the marked field on the Value Quote web page of the reserving course of. A ten% low cost is legitimate on the overall roundtrip worth, together with taxes, charges and provider expenses, on mainline flights operated by British Airways bought now by means of December 31, 2026 solely. Journey should be totally accomplished by December 15, 2027 (departure and return). A ten% low cost will seem in the course of the remaining fee web page. Fares not bought by means of ba.com/RBC10 don’t qualify for the low cost. Low cost is just not legitimate for flights on code share or franchise carriers. All guidelines of roundtrip fare bought apply, together with advance buy, minimal keep, weekend add-ons, and cancellation/refund guidelines. Supply is non-transferable and can’t be mixed with some other supply. Legitimate for brand spanking new bookings solely made by Canadian residents paying in CAD utilizing a sound British Airways Visa‡ card issued by Royal Financial institution of Canada for roundtrip journey commencing from Canada to London and past. Low cost is taken off the overall roundtrip worth of each ticket together with taxes and costs on the identical reserving. 10% low cost applies for as much as eight passengers booked on the identical British Airways reserving for a similar flights. Cardholder should journey to qualify for the ten% low cost. Refunds from beforehand bought fare sorts not permitted. The ten% low cost not combinable with some other supply and is taken off legitimate, revealed fares solely and is topic to availability. Supply is topic to British Airways fare guidelines and situations of contract accessible on ba.com and could also be restricted or withdrawn at any time with out advance discover. Different vital restrictions could apply. Newly enrolled British Airways Membership members, please permit 24 hours to make use of the promotion code. British Airways, not Royal Financial institution of Canada, is answerable for the phrases and situations of this supply and The British Airways Membership programme.
