You can turn everyday spending into powerful travel perks. Holding eligible rbc avion credit cards opens Avion Elite access and a suite of benefits that lift stays and meals from routine to memorable.

Avion points are a flexible rewards currency you can transfer to airline partners or use via the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule for up to 2.3 cents per point.

With the right card, you get lounge access, Visa Infinite Privilege extras, and hotel upgrades like late checkout and complimentary breakfast. These perks deliver instant value on trips and improve how your travel days feel.

This guide shows how to earn and redeem points smartly, which cards and fees to consider, and how partner offers—like Hertz discounts and Petro‑Canada boosts—stack with your plan. You’ll learn when to spend points for hotel or dining credits and when to save for premium flights.

Key Takeaways

  • You can earn and move avion points for flights, hotels, and dining.
  • Eligible rbc avion cards unlock Visa Infinite perks and lounge access.
  • Compare card fees to tangible value like upgrades and priority services.
  • Use partner offers to boost points and save on travel expenses.
  • Book Visa Infinite Hotel Collection and reserve prime dining with concierge help.

Why your RBC Avion Elite status matters for hotel and dining perks right now

Avion Elite changes how you use points and book travel. You get more than a rewards balance—this status unlocks Visa Infinite Hotel Collection perks across 900+ properties, chef events, and Wine Country extras that make weekends feel upgraded without extra planning.

On the ground, upgrades, daily breakfast, and late checkout often offset part of your nightly cost. Those benefits appear at booking and at the front desk, so you see immediate value.

Dining benefits extend beyond reservations. Visa Infinite Dining Series and OpenTable prime‑time access bring curated experiences and easier seating. A complimentary 12‑month DoorDash DashPass also reduces routine dining spend while you earn points.

  • Flexible flight routes: Avion Elite lets you transfer to Avios and Asia Miles 1:1 and to AAdvantage at 1:0.7, or use the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule with no blackout dates.
  • Stackability: Combine avion rewards offers, partner discounts (Hertz, Petro‑Canada), and welcome bonuses to multiply value.
  • Cost balance: With typical annual fees from CAD 120–399, the perks and high-value redemption options give you practical choices when booking hotels or flights.

Understanding Avion Rewards tiers and how you unlock Elite

Which Avion level you hold directly affects how much value each point can deliver. Your tier—Select, Premium, or Elite—changes transfer access, redemption options, and the cents you get per point when you redeem for travel.

Avion Select vs Premium vs Elite: what changes for you

Avion Select is entry level. You earn points but cannot transfer to airline partners or use the Air Travel Redemption Schedule. That caps flight value quickly.

Avion Premium ties to eligible products and some investment accounts. Premium lets you redeem at roughly 0.58 cents per point and transfer to WestJet 1:1. If you later add an Elite-qualifying card, you can move Premium balances 1:1 into Elite.

Avion Elite unlocks the best options. With Avion Elite you can transfer avion points to Avios and Asia Miles 1:1, AAdvantage at 10:7, and use the Air Travel Redemption Schedule up to ~2.3 cents per point.

The Avion cards that confer Elite and the typical annual fees

  • On‑ramp Avion Visa Infinite/Platinum/Business: CAD 120 annual fee.
  • Avion Visa Infinite Business: CAD 175 annual fee.
  • Avion Visa Infinite Privilege: CAD 399 annual fee and extra perks.

Pairing ION cards (strong category earn rates) with an Avion visa credit card can boost points per dollar spent while giving you Elite redemption power. Weigh each annual fee against welcome bonuses and ongoing benefits to decide when to upgrade tiers.

Hotel privileges you can access with Avion Elite and Visa Infinite benefits

When you book through the right channels, your hotel nights can deliver outsized value beyond the room rate. The Visa Infinite Hotel Collection covers 900+ properties and often adds room upgrades (when available), daily breakfast for two, and late checkout.

Visa Infinite Hotel Collection: upgrades, free breakfast, and late checkout

Book through the Collection to get on‑property benefits that frequently recoup a meaningful share of your nightly cost. Charging the stay on your Avion Visa or Avion Visa Infinite card also activates travel insurance tied to the booking.

Finding exclusive hotel deals in the Avion travel portal

Compare portal rates with public prices. When rates are similar, the included perks and member‑only offers make the visa infinite path the better choice.

When to use fixed‑value credits vs saving points for flights

  • Use fixed‑value travel credits at 1 cent per point to offset low cash rates or incidentals.
  • Save points for high‑value flight redemptions via the Air Travel Redemption Schedule or transfers.
  • If you hold Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, combine airport fast track and premium parking with hotel perks for full trip value.

Dining benefits that elevate your reservations and experiences

Your card can unlock chef tables and special wine tastings that ordinary reservations won’t reach. These offers turn meals into planned experiences that add measurable value to trips and nights at home.

Visa Infinite Dining Series: curated chef events and wine pairings

Visa Infinite events put you at top restaurants with bespoke menus and curated wine pairings. These ticketed dinners often include exclusive courses and meet‑the‑chef moments you can’t book otherwise.

Wine Country perks and shipping savings

Wine Country benefits include complimentary tastings, member discounts, and reduced or free shipping from participating wineries. Use these to sample and ship favorites home without extra cost.

OpenTable prime‑time access and DoorDash DashPass

With Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, you get OpenTable prime‑time reservations that secure hard‑to‑get seats. Add an eligible card to DoorDash and enjoy a complimentary 12‑month DashPass for delivery savings.

  • Book Dining Series events fast; they sell out.
  • Route dining spend to cards that earn the most points, then consolidate points for higher redemptions.
  • Combine events with hotel perks—late checkout lets you savor late seating without rush.

Airport comfort that sets up better hotel stays and meals

A smart pre‑flight routine can directly improve your hotel check‑in and dinner schedule. Use airport perks to protect your plans so you arrive refreshed and on time for reservations and late check‑ins.

DragonPass lounge access and planning your visit

Enroll your Avion Visa Infinite Privilege to get DragonPass with six lounge visits each membership year. Lounges give you quiet space to work, eat, or shower before a long flight so you reach your hotel ready to enjoy breakfast or an evening meal.

Track which lounges accept DragonPass and whether guests count toward your six visits. Keep the QR card in your wallet app and confirm terminal locations in advance to avoid wasted time.

Fast track security and premium airport parking at select airports

Use VIP fast track lanes to cut queue time, especially on short weekend trips when every minute matters. In Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Toronto City (Billy Bishop), premium parking gets you closer to the terminal and shrinks transfers to downtown hotels.

  • Pick flights with strong lounge coverage when schedules are tight to protect dining plans.
  • Pair longer connections where lounge quality reduces risk of missed dinners or late check‑ins.
  • Charge related travel to your Avion card to maintain travel insurance while using airport benefits.

Earning Avion points efficiently for travel, hotel, and dining

Make your everyday spending work harder. You can build a high-value point balance by matching purchases to cards that earn the most.

Focus on category multipliers first: ION+ returns 3x on grocery, dining, food delivery, gas, rideshare, transit, EV charging, streaming, and gaming. ION earns 1.5x across similar categories. Avion Visa Infinite gives 1.25x on travel purchases and 1x elsewhere, while Avion Visa Infinite Privilege pays 1.25x on qualifying spends across the board.

Per dollar spent: where Avion and ION cards shine

Route daily categories to ION+ or ION to capture strong multipliers.

Charge travel purchases to your Avion visa to get the 1.25x travel earn and keep redemptions centralized in an Avion Elite account.

Welcome bonuses and timing big purchases

Welcome offers often range from 15,000–55,000 points. Time large buys during these windows or seasonal promos to stack bonus points on top of category multipliers.

The optimized portfolio: ION earn + Avion Elite redeem

Practical steps:

  • Map your monthly budget to category accelerators and keep most spend on ION+ for grocery and dining.
  • Route travel purchases to Avion Visa Infinite (or Avion Visa Infinite Privilege for simplicity).
  • Consolidate points by moving Premium balances into your Avion Elite account when ready to access transfers and the Air Travel Redemption Schedule.
  • Use calendar reminders for recurring bills so subscriptions quietly add value.

Redeeming for maximum value: flights first, hotels and dining supported

Start by targeting award flights—that’s where your points often deliver the most value.

Use the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule to capture outsized cents-per-point on flights. The schedule can deliver up to 2.3 cents per point for some bookings, so compare that outcome to fixed-value credits before you redeem.

Airline partner strategies

Transfer avion points to partners when it makes sense: British Airways Avios and Asia Miles move 1:1, AAdvantage moves at 10:7, and WestJet is 1:1 but often caps near ~1 cpp. Pick Avios for short-haul or Qsuites access and Asia Miles for Cathay or lower BA surcharges.

When to use gift cards and statement credits

Fixed travel credits at 1 cent per point are handy for cheap hotel nights. Gift cards and statement credits offer the lowest redemption value and are best only when travel isn’t an option.

  • Start with flights via the travel redemption schedule for maximum value.
  • Run transfer math before moving balances, especially during bonus windows.
  • Reserve credits or gift cards only to clear small balances or lock prepaid rates.

How to actually book your hotel and dining perks

Make your hotel booking inside the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection to lock in perks like late checkout, upgrades, and daily breakfast. Book through the dedicated portal and pick the eligible rate code so benefits register at check‑in.

Using the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection booking path

Cross‑check the Collection rate against flexible and member rates. If the Collection price is slightly higher, value the on‑property extras—breakfast and late checkout often offset that gap.

Securing dining events and prime‑time reservations

Bookmark the Visa Infinite Dining Series page and sign up for alerts. High‑demand chef events sell out fast, so act quickly when tickets post. Link your Avion Visa Infinite Privilege card to OpenTable for prime‑time access and keep the app updated.

Concierge shortcuts for hard‑to‑get tables and sold‑out stays

Use the Visa concierge 24/7 for waitlists, alternate dates, or boutique hotel holds. Save confirmations and charge the stay or dinner to the same credit card to ensure benefits post without manual work.

  • Confirm stacking rules when combining Wine Country offers with a Collection booking.
  • Call the hotel to annotate your reservation so staff pre‑assign benefits.
  • When in doubt, ask the concierge to secure options and note blackout dates.

Brand partners that enhance your trip value

Booking through partner links can add real savings and speed up how fast you earn points for your next trip.

Hertz discounts and 3x Avion points

Book Hertz via the RBC partner link to get up to 20% off base rates and earn 3x Avion points on rentals.

Always compare the partner rate to coupons so you capture the best total value.

Link-and-save offers that stack with travel plans

Link your card to Petro‑Canada to save 3¢/L and earn 20% more Petro‑Points plus extra Avion points. This is an easy win on road trips.

Connect Rexall to collect 50 Be Well points per $1 on eligible buys and activate the 12‑month DoorDash DashPass with an eligible card to cut delivery fees.

“Activate partner links in your Avion Rewards dashboard before you travel to ensure bonuses post correctly.”

  • Keep rental, fuel, and pharmacy links active before departure.
  • Route orders to the card that earns most to maximize points and credit value.
  • Save screenshots of offers in case you need to claim missing rewards.

Costs, requirements, and fine print you should weigh

Before you apply, tally the real cost of membership to see how fees compare with benefits. The Avion Visa Infinite, Platinum, and Business versions carry an annual fee of CAD 120. The Avion Visa Infinite Business is CAD 175, and the Avion Visa Infinite Privilege is CAD 399.

Expect typical income requirements — roughly CAD 60,000 personal or CAD 100,000 household — for higher tiers. Also plan for a 2.5% foreign transaction fee on many purchases when you travel abroad.

Insurance and coverage usually require you to charge the trip to the card. Missing a flight segment or paying with another credit card can void protections.

  • Weigh the annual fee against first‑year welcome bonuses, insurance, lounge visits, and hotel/dining perks to confirm net value.
  • Track statement close dates and minimum spending windows so you secure the full welcome credit without interest.
  • Fixed‑value travel credits and gift cards give convenience but cap upside; prioritize high‑value flight redemptions when possible.
  • Understand your program options: Premium‑tier points can move into Elite if you keep an eligible Avion Visa active after a downgrade or cancel.

“Read the fine print: small fees and rules often determine whether a card truly pays off.”

rbc-avion-elite-hotel-dining-privileges: your keyword roadmap to benefits

Use this section as your quick map to match search intent for hotel upgrades, dining access, and how to unlock them with the right cards.

Core idea: charge stays and reservations to an Avion Elite‑qualifying card to trigger Visa Infinite Hotel Collection perks, the Dining Series, and OpenTable prime‑time access.

Search intent match: hotel upgrades, dining access, and how you unlock them

Start by moving avion points into Elite. That opens the redemption schedule and 1:1 transfers to Avios and Asia Miles for high‑value flights. Use the air travel redemption paths when flights beat fixed credits.

Semantic coverage: travel redemption, airline partners, and dining categories

  • Your best hotel perks—upgrades, breakfast, late checkout—attach to visa infinite bookings when you charge the stay to an eligible card.
  • Earning is easiest when you align per dollar spent with ION or ION+ and then transfer balances into Elite for top flight redemptions.
  • If investment accounts or other RBC products already put you at Premium, add an Avion Visa to unlock full program options and travel redemption power.

“Plan earn, transfer, redeem: that sequence turns points into rooms, meals, and premium flights.”

Playbooks: from points to plate and pillow

A focused playbook helps you use points to secure chef events, lounge time, and boutique upgrades on short trips.

points travel

Weekend culinary getaway

Book a short flight with Avios for low mileage fares, use DragonPass lounges to relax before departure, then check in via the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection for upgrades and breakfast.

Top off the night with a Visa Infinite Dining Series event. This sequence converts a small Avion points balance into high local value.

Long‑haul business class + luxury hotel

Time a transfer bonus to Avios or Asia Miles to target Qatar Qsuites (~70,000 Avios one way) or Cathay/BA seats (~63,000 Asia Miles).

Let the Visa concierge lock a sold‑out luxury property and ask for late checkout to recover from long haul air travel.

Dining‑forward city break

Use Avion Visa Infinite Privilege for OpenTable prime‑time access, rely on DashPass for late tastes, and add Wine Country stops with complimentary tastings and shipping.

Run a quick per point check: if cash fares spike, redeem with airline partners; if fares fall, preserve points for future business class value.

“Match transfer timing, spending thresholds, and concierge help to turn points into real trip value.”

  • Watch spending windows so per dollar spent targets and welcome bonuses align.
  • Ask concierge for alternate chef events and back‑to‑back holds.
  • Mix Asia Miles and Avios for tax or surcharge advantages on similar award routes.

Conclusion

Think of your Avion strategy as a pipeline: earn, consolidate, then redeem where it counts most.

Earn aggressively on ION/ION+ so your per dollar spent returns are highest. Move balances into Avion Elite to open the best transfer and travel redemption schedule options.

Redeem flights first—use the travel redemption schedule or transfer avion points to partners for maximum per point value. Use Visa Infinite hotel and dining perks to enhance stays without overspending against your annual fee.

Keep the playbook simple: earn on the right cards, consolidate into Avion, and choose the best redemption schedule for each trip. That approach makes your rbc avion plan turn points into upgraded rooms, better flights, and memorable meals.

FAQ

What hotel and dining perks come with RBC Avion Elite and Visa Infinite?

You get hotel upgrades, complimentary breakfast, late checkout and special rates through the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection. Dining perks include curated chef events, wine‑tasting benefits, DashPass savings for delivery, and priority OpenTable booking windows tied to your Avion Visa Infinite card.

How does Avion Elite status differ from Avion Select and Avion Premium?

Elite typically adds higher-tier hotel benefits, expanded dining access, and premium airport services compared with Select and Premium. You’ll see more upgrade opportunities, access to exclusive dining events, and additional lounge or security fast‑track privileges at higher tiers.

Which Avion cards can confer Elite benefits and what are typical annual fees?

Visa Infinite‑level Avion cards and some premium RBC Avion variants offer Elite perks. Annual fees vary by card — premium or Infinite cards carry higher fees but include richer travel and dining credits, lounge access and the elite booking channels that justify those costs for frequent travelers.

How do I find and book the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection perks?

Book through the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection link in your card benefits or the Avion travel portal. Look for participating properties that list upgrades, free breakfast and late checkout. Present your card at check‑in to confirm eligible benefits.

Should I use fixed‑value travel credits or save Avion points for flights?

Redeem for flights first if you can reach a higher cents‑per‑point value. Use fixed‑value credits when a points redemption offers lower value or when cash saves you more on incidental travel costs. Compare the cents‑per‑point before deciding.

How can I earn Avion points faster for hotel and dining redemptions?

Focus spending on categories that earn elevated points per dollar, such as travel, dining, and partnered merchants. Take advantage of welcome bonuses, targeted offers, and linked partners like car rental promotions to boost earnings quickly.

What is the RBC Air Travel Redemption Schedule and why does it matter?

The schedule shows how many Avion points you need for flights at different price bands. Use it to spot outsized cents‑per‑point opportunities and prioritize flight redemptions when value is high, then use points for hotels or gift cards only when the math makes sense.

Can Avion points transfer to airline partners like Avios or AAdvantage?

Avion partners vary; some programs allow transfers to frequent‑flyer partners such as British Airways Avios or American Airlines AAdvantage, depending on current RBC partner lists. Transfers can unlock business‑class award space and higher value redemptions when timed right.

When do gift cards or statement credits make sense as redemptions?

Choose gift cards or statement credits when you need simple, immediate value and when points would otherwise deliver poor cents‑per‑point for travel. They’re less valuable than optimized flight or hotel redemptions but useful for short‑term cash flow or nontravel spending.

How do DragonPass lounge access and other airport perks work with Elite?

Visa Infinite or Avion Elite often includes DragonPass or lounge credits. Register your card with the lounge program, present your digital pass at participating lounges, and confirm any guest policies. Fast‑track security and premium parking are available at select airports—check your card benefits for eligiblity.

What dining benefits are included, like Wine Country and chef events?

Benefits can include Wine Country tasting discounts, shipping offers, exclusive chef series and wine‑pairing dinners. These experiences are typically available via the Visa Infinite dining calendar or through partner booking platforms tied to your Avion benefits.

How do I secure prime‑time OpenTable reservations or sold‑out dining events?

Use the Avion Visa Infinite reservation window on OpenTable, book as soon as the window opens, and leverage concierge services for hard‑to‑get tables. Combining early booking with cardholder access improves your odds for peak slots.

What costs and requirements should I weigh before keeping an Elite‑level card?

Compare the annual fee to the monetary value of recurring perks (credits, lounge access, travel protections). Confirm minimum spend for bonuses, partner availability, and whether you’ll use hotel and dining benefits enough to offset the fee.

Can I stack Avion offers with partner discounts like Hertz or dining promotions?

Yes. Link‑and‑save promotions and partner discounts often stack with Avion point earnings. For example, rental car discounts or 3x point promotions at Hertz can multiply value when combined with your card’s base earn rates.

What’s the best playbook for a weekend culinary getaway using Avion Elite?

Book a Visa Infinite hotel offering breakfast and late checkout, use DashPass for local delivery, reserve a chef event or prime‑time table on OpenTable, and use lounge access for a comfortable arrival and departure. Redeem points for flights only when cents‑per‑point is strong.

How do concierge services help with bookings for hotels and dining?

The concierge can secure exclusive packages, access sold‑out hotels, and arrange reservations at top restaurants. Use the service for complex itineraries or high‑demand dining events to save time and increase success rates.

Where can I check the complete fine print and current partner list for benefits?

Review the benefits guide on your card issuer’s website and the Avion travel portal for the latest lists, terms and transfer partners. Terms change, so check before booking or transferring points to ensure you get the expected value.