Standard Score ranking · Updated 2026-08-23
Avion pays off on the Air Travel Redemption Schedule, especially on short-haul flights — outside of that chart, it drops to roughly 1¢ per point via gift cards. These are the personal Avion-earning cards we track, ranked (business cards are ranked separately) — see our Avion points value guide for the chart math.
Top pick
A dependable flexible-points program with sneaky-good chart redemptions. Strongest inside the RBC ecosystem; middling as a pure earner.
| # | Card | Standard Score | Annual fee | First-year net value | Currency | Current offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RBC Avion Visa Infinite RBC | 7.2/10 | $120 | ≈ $840 | RBC Avion | See offer |
| 2 | RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege RBC | 6.8/10 | $399 | ≈ $581 | RBC Avion | See offer |
| 3 | RBC ION+ Visa RBC | 5.8/10 | $48 | ≈ $396 | RBC Avion | See offer |
| 4 | RBC ION Visa RBC | 5.5/10 | None | ≈ $260 | RBC Avion | See offer |
Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.
A dependable flexible-points program with sneaky-good chart redemptions. Strongest inside the RBC ecosystem; middling as a pure earner.
Best for: RBC clients who take short-haul North American flights and will use the redemption chart.
Skip if: You want maximum earn per dollar — Amex MR cards accumulate faster.
$120 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $840 · RBC Avion · See offer
A step-up card that mostly makes sense during elevated offers or for clients who value the lounge access; otherwise the standard Infinite is the smarter Avion play.
Best for: RBC premium clients who want lounge access and a bigger Avion bonus inside their existing bank.
Skip if: The standard Avion Infinite captures most of the program's value at 30% of the fee.
$399 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $581 · RBC Avion · See offer
A sensible starter card into a real points program, not a toy loyalty card. Graduate to the Avion Visa Infinite once your credit profile allows it.
Best for: Younger or newer-to-credit applicants who want an entry point into the Avion points ecosystem for a low fee.
Skip if: You already qualify for the standard Avion Visa Infinite — its bigger bonus and higher earn rate outperform this entry tier.
$48 annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $396 · RBC Avion · See offer
The cleanest free on-ramp to RBC Avion. Upgrade to the ION+ once your spend justifies the fee.
Best for: Anyone who wants to start earning transferable Avion points with zero annual fee.
Skip if: You spend enough to justify the ION+'s $48 fee — its higher earn rate and added perks pay for themselves quickly.
No annual fee · First-year net value ≈ $260 · RBC Avion · See offer
Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.
Bottom line: RBC Avion Visa Infinite leads this category at a Standard Score of 7.2/10. Read the full review or see how we score.
RBC Avion Visa Infinite leads this ranking with a Standard Score of 7.2/10. RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege is the closest runner-up. See the full comparison table above for how every card in this category scores.
Cards are ranked by the Standard Score — six weighted components applied identically to every card in this category. Cards with the same published one-decimal score are co-ranked. The full weights, grading scale, and principles are published in our methodology.