Overview
The RBC British Airways Visa Infinite is the only Avios-earning credit card available in Canada, co-branded with British Airways and issued by RBC. It's designed specifically for Canadians who collect British Airways Avios — one of the most flexible airline currencies in the world thanks to its oneworld alliance partnerships.
The current welcome offer is up to 60,000 bonus Avios, making it one of the strongest signup bonuses on a Canadian travel card. Beyond the welcome bonus, the card's headline feature is the companion voucher: spend $30,000 in a calendar year and you'll receive a voucher that lets a companion fly with you for free on a BA reward flight in any cabin — or, if you're flying solo, you can use it for a 50% discount on the Avios fare of your reward seat. You also get a 10% discount on British Airways flights every time you book and pay with the card.
Earning Avios
The card earns British Airways Avios directly — no conversions or transfers needed:
- 3 Avios per $1 spent directly with British Airways (flights, upgrades, BA Holidays)
- 2 Avios per $1 on dining and food delivery purchases
- 1 Avios per $1 on all other qualifying purchases
For a card at this price point, the 2x on dining is solid for everyday spend. The 3x on BA purchases is a nice bonus when booking directly with the airline, though most people will earn the bulk of their Avios at the 1–2x tiers.
10% Off British Airways Flights
One often-overlooked perk: you get a 10% discount on British Airways flights every time you book and pay with your RBC BA Visa Infinite. This stacks on top of any sale fares and applies whether you're booking economy or premium cabins. On a $5,000 Business Class ticket, that's an instant $500 saving.
How Avios compare to other points currencies
Avios are generally valued at approximately 1.5–2.0 cents (CAD) each when redeemed for short-haul flights, and around 1.2–1.8 cents on long-haul economy. However, the real sweet spot is premium cabin redemptions on oneworld partners where Avios can stretch to 2.5+ cents each.
Key Avios redemption partners accessible from Canada:
- British Airways — Direct flights from Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal to London
- Iberia — Connect through Madrid to all of Europe and South America
- Aer Lingus — Fly to Dublin from Toronto and Montreal
- Qatar Airways — Access Doha and onward connections to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
- Cathay Pacific — Reach Hong Kong and beyond through oneworld
- American Airlines — Domestic U.S. flights and connections, often at very competitive Avios rates
- Japan Airlines — Premium cabin flights to Tokyo and other Japanese cities
The Companion Voucher — The Star Benefit
The companion voucher is what makes this card worth considering over generic travel cards:
- Qualification: Spend $30,000 CAD on the card within a calendar year
- Option A — Bring a companion: Use the voucher for a free companion ticket on a BA reward flight in any cabin (Economy through First Class). Your companion pays only the taxes and surcharges.
- Option B — Fly solo: If you're travelling alone, use the voucher for a 50% discount on the Avios fare of your own reward seat ticket.
- Taxes still apply: Taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges are your responsibility regardless of which option you choose.
Real-world value examples
| Route | Cabin | Paid ticket (approx.) | Companion cost | Value of voucher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto → London | Business Class | $5,500 | ~$800 taxes | ~$4,700 |
| Toronto → London | Economy | $900 | ~$500 taxes | ~$400 |
| Vancouver → London | Business Class | $6,200 | ~$850 taxes | ~$5,350 |
| Montreal → London | Premium Economy | $2,400 | ~$650 taxes | ~$1,750 |
As the table shows, the companion voucher is most valuable in premium cabins — and especially on the long-haul routes from Canada to London where Business Class tickets are typically $4,000–$7,000+.
Is $30,000 in annual spend realistic?
For a household putting most expenses on one card — groceries, insurance, utilities, dining, subscriptions, and travel — $30,000/year works out to about $2,500/month. It's achievable for many Canadian households but certainly not a casual spending target.
Insurance & Benefits
The Visa Infinite tier comes with a solid insurance package:
- Travel emergency medical — Up to $2,000,000 in coverage for trips up to 15 days
- Trip cancellation & interruption — Up to $1,500 per insured person
- Flight delay — Covers meals and accommodation for delays of 4+ hours
- Baggage delay & loss — Coverage for delayed, lost, or damaged baggage
- Rental car CDW — Collision/loss damage waiver when you decline the rental company's coverage
- Purchase protection — 90 days of coverage against theft or damage on eligible purchases
- Extended warranty — Doubles the manufacturer's warranty by up to 1 year
These benefits are broadly in line with what you'd expect from a Visa Infinite card in Canada. The medical coverage duration (15 days) is relatively standard — if you're taking longer trips, consider supplemental travel insurance.
Drawbacks to Consider
Foreign transaction fee (2.5%)
This is the card's biggest operational weakness. If you're travelling internationally — which this card is arguably designed for — you'll pay 2.5% on every non-CAD purchase. On a $3,000 trip spend abroad, that's $75 in fees. We recommend pairing this card with a no-FX-fee card (such as the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite or HSBC World Elite) for purchases made outside Canada.
No lounge access
Unlike some premium travel cards (e.g., the Amex Platinum), this card doesn't include any airport lounge access. If lounges are important to you, you'll need a separate solution.
BA fuel surcharges
British Airways is known for high fuel surcharges (carrier-imposed fees) on their own metal, particularly on transatlantic routes. When redeeming Avios for BA flights, the taxes and surcharges on a London round-trip can run $500–$900+ in economy and even more in premium cabins. However, you can often avoid these by booking partner airlines like American Airlines or Aer Lingus through the BA website.
Who is this card best for?
This card is an excellent choice if you:
- Fly between Canada and the UK/Europe regularly (or want to)
- Can realistically hit $30,000 in annual spend to earn the companion voucher
- Value Avios for oneworld redemptions (BA, Qatar, American Airlines, etc.)
- Want to build an Avios balance alongside other points currencies
It's not the best choice if you:
- Travel outside Canada frequently and need to minimize foreign transaction fees
- Prefer a general-purpose cashback or multi-partner points card
- Can't comfortably reach the $30,000 companion voucher threshold
- Want airport lounge access bundled with your card
Bottom Line
The RBC British Airways Visa Infinite is a niche but powerful card for the right cardholder. With up to 60,000 bonus Avios on signup, 10% off all BA flights, and a companion voucher that can deliver $4,000–$5,000+ in value on a single Business Class booking to London, it far exceeds its $165 annual fee for active users.
The companion voucher's new solo option — a 50% discount on Avios fares when you're not travelling with a companion — adds flexibility that makes the $30K spend threshold worth targeting even for solo travellers. If you have any interest in flying BA or oneworld partners in premium cabins, this card should be in your wallet.
