RBC & British Airways are teaming up to offer RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card with a sweetener for new customers with a sign-up bonus of 15,000 Avios Points. But you can earn up to 45,000 points within three months.
45,000 points can take you from Canada to the UK, so obviously the question is how to do it.
Tails of British Airways Jumbos lined up near terminal 5 at Heathrow (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The key word here is ‘up to’.
- You get 15,000 Avios once your application is approved.
- 30,000 extra Avios Bonus: You have to spend a minimum of $9,000 within the first three months of approval. This does not mean you have to buy for a minimum of $3,000 every month. The total at the end of the three month period has to be a minimum of $9,000 to get the extra Avios.
- Boeing 747-400 takes off from London Heathrow Airport (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Other Gains:
- Earn 2x Avios on grocery store and gas station purchases through November 30, 2013.
- After Nov. 30, 1x Avios on allowed net purchases
- 2x Avios on every $1 spent on British Airways and British Airways Holidays.
- 10% off of your flights booked on British Airways through your RBC British Airways Visa Infinity Card.
- E-Voucher for a Companion Award Ticket when you spend a minimum of $30,000 on qualifying purchases in a calendar year. The companion has to travel on the same flight to the same destination and the ticket should be booked at the same time. Taxes, carrier fees and fuel charges are etc (as of now, BA says these can amount to up to $660 per person for economy class and $ 1,100 for business class)
Other Points to Note:
- Credit charges, balance transfers, cash advances, credit card cheques and bill payments that are not pre-authorized with a merchant cannot be counted for the bonus eligibility.
- The 30,000 Avios will be credited 10-15 weeks after you have met the eligibility.
- The points can be redeemed for British Airways as well as for partner Oneworld Alliance airlines, car rentals and hotels.
Fees:
$165
Supplementary Card $75
Eligibility & Other Criteria:
- You have to apply before Nov. 30, 2013 to receive the 30,000 bonus Avios.
- You have to be a Canadian resident
- You need to have a personal income of at least $60,000 or a household income of $100,000.
Comments: The bonus is great, as 45,000 Avios will give you a return trip from Toronto to London (taxes and other charges excluded)
But given the amount you need to spend to get the 30,000 Avios, it becomes valuable if you are planning for major purchases amounting to $9,000 during the first three months, or have a high spending budget. Otherwise, this might be an expensive card.
