The RBC British Airways Visa Infinite rewards its user with up to 2 Avios points for every dollar they spend on all eligible purchases, including travel purchases. It also offers a welcome bonus of up to 60,000 Avios for new cardholders (offer valid until February 28, 2023). If British Airways is your favourite airline, you can enjoy exclusive benefits such as the Companion Award eVoucher, 10% off on British Airways flights, and additional perks from DoorDash, Rexall, and Petro-Canada. With a costly annual fee of $165, this credit card is highly recommended for frequent travellers of British Airways.
However, those who don't travel as frequently or that don't usually fly British Airways will not make the most of the perks this premium card has to offer and may get less value in terms of benefits than what you pay for the card every year. If that's your case, you could benefit more from options like the Amex Platinum card.
What Is The RBC British Airways Visa Infinite?
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite is one of the personal credit cards offered by RBC under the rewards and travel category. It has a reasonable annual fee of $165 with a welcome bonus of up to 60,000 Avios points (until February 28, 2023). With every $1 spent, you can earn 1 Avios point on all qualifying purchases (except cash advances and cash-like transactions) and 2 Avios points on travel purchases. You can redeem these points for airline tickets, reward flights, car rentals, hotels, vacations, and more on the British Airways website.
Other features include a Companion Award eVoucher (for a free companion ticket), DoorDash 12-month free delivery, and additional rewards from Rexall and Petro-Canada. Aside from its benefits, RBC British Airways Visa Infinite also has disadvantages, including a high minimum income requirement and high interest on cash advances and purchase rates.
Without further ado, let’s go into this review to find out if this credit card is perfect for your financial lifestyle.
Features Of The RBC British Airways Visa Infinite
#1 Earn Up To 2 Avios Points Per Dollar
The RBC British Airways Visa Infinite lets you earn up to 2 Avios Points per dollar spent on qualifying items, and British Airways travel purchases. With an annual fee of $165, you can earn 1 Avios point for every $1 spent on net purchases, excluding cash advances, balance transfers, and bill payments. If you want to double your Avios points, you should spend your money on British Airways flights, tickets, hotels, car rentals, and vacations.
You must wait up to 8 weeks after transactions to transfer the points to your British Airways Executive Club account.
Once you have your points, you can redeem them for various products such as:
- Airline tickets
- Part-payment on selected bookings
- Seats and baggage payment
- Reward flights (excluding taxes, fees, and service charges)
- Hotel accommodations
- Flight upgrades
- Car rentals
- Wines and other beverages
For more information on collecting and redeeming Avios points from British Airways, you can visit their website and scroll to the bottom of their page.
#2 Companion Award eVoucher Reward
The Companion Award eVoucher makes the card different from other RBC credit cards. You can use this eVoucher to purchase a Companion ticket (on the same Reward flight) without paying an additional price for your companion’s flight. You can get this reward by spending a minimum of $30,000 in qualifying purchases using the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card throughout the calendar year (January 1 to December 31). Remember that you must wait for at least six to eight weeks before the eVoucher can be posted on your account after meeting the spending requirement.
Before you can enjoy your reward, you must know these primary conditions:
- The reservations and bookings for the Reward flight and Companion Ticket must be made at the same time, flight, date, class, cabin, and passenger name record (PNR).
- The Companion Award eVoucher is only valid for 24 months from the issued date and must be exchanged for the Companion Ticket before its expiry.
- You must visit and log into ba.com using your membership to make your booking, including the Companion Ticket, since you cannot book a Reward flight or Companion ticket through a travel agent or at the airport.
#3 A 10% Off On British Airways Flights
Applying for the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite credit card guarantees you a 10% discount on all of their round-trip flights. You must book these flights on ba.com/RBC10 and must take off from and return to Canada.
Below are the steps to participate in the British Airways 10% promotion.
- As a credit cardholder, you must log in at ba.com/RBC10 using your Executive Club username and PIN.
- Make a round-trip booking valid until December 31, 2022.
- Enter the promotion code CARDOFFERC on the Price Quote page.
- Make sure that you must complete your flight by December 15, 2023 (departure and return)
- The 10% discount can be applied to the total round-trip price during the final payment page.
#4 Redeem 50 Be Well Points At Rexall And 20% Petro-Points At Petro-Canada
You can get generous rewards at Rexall and Petro-Canada by simply linking any of your eligible RBC credit cards. For every $1 you spend on health and wellness essentials at Rexall, you can enjoy 50 Be Well points using your linked credit card. You must scan your digital or physical Be Well and pay with your RBC British Airways Visa Infinite credit card. If you are new to the linking process, you can refer to their website and follow their instructions.
The same goes for Petro-Canada. You can enjoy their bonuses if you have been pumping gas at their local gas stations. You can get three benefits:
- Save 3¢ per litre of gasoline or diesel
- 20% extra Petro-Points, and
- 20% more Avion points
Like Rexall, you must link your credit card to your Petro-Points card to receive the offers. To connect your credit card, refer to the screenshot above or visit their website.
#5 A 12-Months Of Free Delivery From DoorDash
There is a free delivery from DoorDash for 12 months if you apply for the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite credit card. With a value of almost $120, you can get the DashPass subscription for free by paying with a credit card at qualifying restaurants near you. For 12 months, you can have unlimited free deliveries on orders $15 or above, access monthly DashPass promotions, and earn 5% in DashPass credit on eligible pick-up orders.
Follow these steps to start saving on food deliveries from DoorDash:
- Apply for the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite to receive the 12-month free delivery
- Download and open the DoorDash app
- Add the credit card to your DoorDash account with no charges
- Activate your complimentary DashPass subscription
- After 12 months or when the free trial ends, you will be charged the current monthly subscription of $9.99 per month
Note that third-party wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay are not eligible for the offer.
#6 Broad Insurance Coverage
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite has got you covered in all of your purchases, travels, accommodations, and even on your business trips. RBC offers an insurance certificate that includes broad coverage on travel, purchase security, extended warranty, and even accommodations.
Its travel insurance coverage includes:
- Out-of-province or country emergency medical insurance
- Car rental collision or loss damage insurance
- Travel accident insurance
- Emergency purchases and flight delays insurance
- Hotel or motel burglary insurance
You can also take advantage of its optional add-on services on the credit card website. These services could help protect your identity, family, and credit card.
#7 Credit Card Lock Feature
Image source: mobilesyrup.com
If you misplace or lose your client’s or your credit card, this feature may be just for you. RBC credit card lock feature can help you lock your card directly from your phone using the RBC Mobile app. You can download this app on the App Store or Google Play Store and press the toggle to lock the card.
When you lock the card, banking transactions such as cash advances, purchases, and withdrawals are prohibited both online and in-store.
Other transactions that are still active and can be processed include the following:
- Credit card and pre-authorized payments
- Interac e-Transfer online payments
- Online Refunds
- Apple Pay and Android wallet transactions
If you have found your credit card, you can easily log in on the RBC Mobile app and press the toggle to unlock your card again. For more information, you can call RBC’s 24-hour toll-free number at 1-800-769-2512 to report your credit card.
Pros & Cons Of RBC British Airways Visa Infinite
Pros
- Earn 2 Avios points for every $1 spent on British Airways and British Airways Holidays, and earn 1 Avios point on all qualifying purchases
- Receive up to 60,000 Avios points (until February 28, 2023)
- Get a Companion Award eVoucher for a flight for companion or companion ticket purchases.
- Save 3¢ per litre and earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada.
- Get 50 Be Well Points for every $1 spent at Rexall.
- Free food deliveries for 12 months with DoorDash on orders $15 or more
- Wide range of insurance coverage for travel, medical, purchases, and hotel burglaries
- It has a built-in credit card lock feature to lock your card anytime.
Cons
- It requires a minimum personal income of $60,000 or a minimum household income of $100,000
- A $165 annual fee with a $75 fee for additional cards
- A high interest purchase rate of 20.50% and a 22.99% advance rate
- A $29 overlimit fee
- It has a 2.5% foreign currency transaction fee.
Pricing
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite is one of the best travel credit cards if you tend to book your flights from British Airways while earning points. However, if you prefer other rewards programs, such as Air Miles, you can refer to the table below and compare these two credit cards.
| BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard | RBC British Airways Visa Infinite | |
| Annual Fee | $120 (waived for the first year) | $165 |
| Welcome Bonus | Earn 2,000 Air Miles | Up to 60,000 Avios points |
| Purchase Rate | 20.99% | 20.50% |
| Cash Advance Rate | 23.99% or 21.99% for Quebec residents | 22.99% |
| Min. Personal Income | $80,000 | $60,000 |
| Min. Household Income | $150,000 | $100,000 |
| Min. Payment | 2% of your outstanding balance or $10 | $10 (plus interest and fees) |
| Foreign Currency Conversion | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Cash Advance Fee | $3.50 within Canada or $5 outside Canada | $3.50 within Canada and $5 outside Canada |
| Overlimit Fee | $29 | $29 |
| Interest-Free Grace Period | 21 days | 21 days |
For a slightly lower fee, you can get one of the best credit cards in Canada, which is also the best everyday spending card you can probably get. I'm talking about the Amex Cobalt, which costs $156 per year (paid monthly). For even less, you can also enjoy the Marriott Bonvoy card, a good travel card that costs just $120 a year.
In Summary
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite credit card is one of the travel credit cards offered by RBC. This is your go-to travel credit card when you prefer to book your flights with British Airways while wanting to earn rewards and bonuses. You can earn up to 2 Avios points for every dollar you spend, which you can redeem for airline tickets, car rentals, hotel accommodations, and more. With a reasonable fee of $165 per year, you can get free food deliveries, extra points, and discounts from well-known companies such as DoorDash, Rexall, and Petro-Canada.
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite FAQs
How much does the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite cost?
RBC Airways Visa Infinite costs $165 per year with additional fees of $75 for every extra card. This is cheaper than other popular rewards credit cards like Amex Gold, which costs $250.
Is the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite worth it?
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite may or may not be worth it for your financial needs or lifestyle. RBC British Airways Visa Infinite may be worth it if you are a loyal customer of British Airways and you prefer to book your flights or accommodations with them (to earn Avios points). Likewise, it is also beneficial if you are a consumer of Rexall, Petro-Canada, and DoorDash since they give out rewards and free subscriptions.
On the other hand, RBC British Airways Visa Infinite is not worth it if you prefer other airlines for your flights or vacation. It is also not advisable to get this credit card if you like to earn other travel points such as Avion, WestJet dollars, or Air Miles. Lastly, this is not worth your time and effort if you do not meet its minimum income requirements and prefer a cheaper annual fee.
Is the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite safe?
Yes, the RBC British Airways Visa is safe because it has a built-in credit card lock feature which you can use in the RBC mobile app. You can lock your credit card whenever you misplace it or sense someone is using it. It also covers a wide range of insurance, including travel, medical, purchase, and accommodations, to ensure your safety and protection.
Is paying for an airport lounge worth it?
Yes, paying for an airport lounge is worth it for most people. Access to an airport lounge offers you benefits in 5 ways:
- Free Wi-Fi
- Accessible power outlets
- Complimentary snacks and beverages (offered at some airports)
- Kid-friendly rooms or spaces
- Comfortable workstations
However, there are disadvantages to airport lounges, such as crowded areas and clattering noise, making it stressful if you want a quieter space.
What's the limit on a Visa Infinite credit card?
The limit of a Visa Infinite credit card depends on the issuer. For instance, RBC sets a minimum credit limit of $5,000 on Visa Infinite, which can be increased if you contact their customer service for a higher credit limit.
Is it hard to get the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card?
No, getting the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card is not hard as long as you meet its minimum income requirements – a minimum of $60,000 for personal or $100,000 for household income. Likewise, it would be best if you also had an excellent credit score of 760 and above to make it easier for you to get approved.
