RBC ION+ Visa
Niche cardWhat the roles mean
- Students and cardholders 24 and under with RBC banking: 3 Avion points per $1 on groceries, dining, gas and transit, fee rebated
Up to 28,000 Avion points — "up to $200 of value in gift cards."
Ends November 4, 2026.
Checked on RBC's own page October 21, 2026. See RBC's page
What it earns in a year
64,800 points a year
Worth about $308 after the $48 fee at the simplest redemption, up to $600 at the best.
Based on $30,000 a year of spending ($9,600 groceries, $3,000 gas, $3,000 dining…). Welcome offer not included.
Try it with your own spending →
- Groceries: 3× points.
- Dining & restaurants: 3× points.
- Gas / EV: 3× points.
- Transit: 3× points.
- Entertainment: 3× points.
- Everything else: 1× points.
Highlighted = use this card here.
Using your points
On the spending above, 64,800 points a year: worth $356 the easy way, $648 the best way.
- Easy way (0.55¢): Merchandise and most gift cards
- Best way (1¢): The best gift cards. These cards can't move points to airlines
How to apply for the RBC ION+ Visa
Check first
- Welcome offer not for switches: you can't get it by switching an existing RBC personal credit card to this one
- Check you qualify No minimum income listed. You need to live in Canada and be the age of majority in your province.
- Have this ready Your address and how long you've lived there, your employer and yearly income, and your monthly rent or mortgage. Your SIN is optional for a credit card; you can leave it blank.
- Expect a credit check Applying adds a hard inquiry to your credit report, which lowers your score a little for a few months. Space applications about 90 days apart.
- Apply on RBC's own site Apply online from the bank's product page, where the offer above is shown. This isn't an affiliate link: we earn nothing if you apply.Apply on RBC's site →
- After you're approved Put the spending needed for the welcome offer on the card before the deadline, and pay the full balance every month.
How to use it
- Welcome offer: spend $1,500 in the first 6 months. Apply by November 4, 2026
- Groceries, dining, food delivery, gas, EV charging, transit, rideshare, streaming, digital gaming: 3 points per $1
- Everything else: 1 point per $1. Use a cash-back card
- Redeeming: gift cards are the best use: 1,400 points = $10. No airline transfers
- Not a student? Compare the RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite: 3% cash on the same categories, for $120
- Example: $800/month groceries + $250 gas + $250 dining = 46,800 points a year = about $334 in gift cards, $286 after the fee
Posts about this card
Key facts
- Annual fee
- $48
- Purchase interest
- 20.99%
- Foreign currency fee
- 2.5%
- Min. personal income
- None published
- Min. household income
- None published
- Rewards
- RBC AvionSee every RBC Avion card
Annual fee waiver
- Students / 24 and under: $48 fee rebated every year
- The catch: you need an RBC Advantage Banking account for students
- Everyone else: none
From rbcroyalbank.com product page, checked October 17, 2026. Not an affiliate link.
More RBC cards
RBC Avion Visa Infinite$120 fee
RBC Avion Visa Platinum$120 fee
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege$399 fee
RBC ION VisaNo annual fee
WestJet RBC Mastercard$39 fee
WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard$139 fee
RBC Cash Back MastercardNo annual fee
RBC Cash Back Preferred World Elite$120 fee
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite$165 fee
Neo World Elite Mastercard
- This card: dining & restaurants, transit, entertainment
- Neo World Elite Mastercard: groceries, gas / ev, bills & subscriptions, travel, drugstore / pharmacy, everything else
- Together: $686 a year after both fees, vs $308 with this card alone
- With this card's $48 fee rebated (see Fee waiver): $734 a year
If your stores take Amex: Scotiabank Gold Amex for groceries, gas / ev, dining & restaurants, bills & subscriptions, travel, transit, drugstore / pharmacy, entertainment, everything else makes it $840 a year. Costco and Loblaw-banner grocers don't take Amex.
Computed on our standard household ($30,000 a year): each kind of spending goes to whichever card pays more, both fees taken off. Partners are everyday, category and churning cards on Visa or Mastercard. Points at their simplest redemption. Welcome offers not included.
Pros
- 3 points per $1 across most everyday categories, no cap
- Up to 28,000 points: 7,000 on approval, 14,000 after $1,500 in 6 months, 7,000 on the anniversary (RBC: up to $200 in gift cards)
- $48 a year, billed $4 a month; free for eligible students
- No published income requirement
- $1,000 phone insurance
- Points never expire while the account is open
Cons
- Points are worth about 0.7¢ in gift cards, so 3 points is about 2.1% back
- No airline transfers (Avion Select tier)
- 1 point per $1 on everything else
- No travel insurance
- 2.5% on foreign-currency purchases
- No welcome offer if you switch in from another RBC personal card
Insurance included
- Phone: $1,000, for 2 years after purchase
- Purchases: 90 days of theft/damage cover, warranty +1 year
Maximums as RBC lists them. Conditions apply; the insurance certificate decides claims.
Perks
- DoorDash: DashPass offer
- Avion Rewards: offers from 2,000+ brands
Other cards for groceries
Back a year on $9,600 of groceries, caps included. Points at best-case value. Before annual fees.
| Card | Earns on groceries | Back a year | Annual fee | Terms checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Cobalt | 5× points≈ 10.0% in value | $960 | $192 | October 21, 2026 |
| Scotiabank Gold Amex | 6× points | $576 | $120 | November 2, 2026 |
| Neo World Elite Mastercard | 5% back | $480 | $149 | October 21, 2026 |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | 5× points | $480 | $150 | October 21, 2026 |
| Desjardins Cash Back World Elite Mastercard | 4% back | $384 | $100 | October 23, 2026 |
| SimplyCash Preferred | 4% back | $384 | $120 | October 21, 2026 |
| RBC ION+ Visa | 3× points | $288 | $48 | October 21, 2026 |
Other cards for dining & restaurants
Back a year on $3,000 of dining & restaurants, caps included. Points at best-case value. Before annual fees.
| Card | Earns on dining & restaurants | Back a year | Annual fee | Terms checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Cobalt | 5× points≈ 10.0% in value | $300 | $192 | October 21, 2026 |
| Scotiabank Gold Amex | 5× points | $150 | $120 | November 2, 2026 |
| National Bank World Elite Mastercard | 5× points | $150 | $150 | October 21, 2026 |
| Simplii Cash Back Visa | 4% back | $120 | $0 | October 21, 2026 |
| RBC British Airways Visa Infinite | 2× points≈ 4.0% in value | $120 | $165 | October 23, 2026 |
| Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege | 4% back | $120 | $395 | October 21, 2026 |
| RBC ION+ Visa | 3× points | $90 | $48 | October 21, 2026 |
How the offer has changed
One row per check of RBC's page, newest first. Old rows are never edited.
| Checked | Welcome offer | Fee, year one | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 21, 2026 | Up to 28,000 Avion points ("up to $200 of value in gift cards"): 7,000 on approval + 14,000 after $1,500 in 6 months + 7,000 one-time anniversary. Apply Jun 16 – Nov 4, 2026Unchanged since October 17, 2026: same offer and window; fee $48/$0 (student rebate), 20.99%/22.99%, 3x/1x earn | $48, not rebated yr 1 (rebated for students / 24 and under with an RBC Advantage Banking for Students account) | November 4, 2026 |
| October 17, 2026 | Up to 28,000 Avion points ("up to $200 of value in gift cards"): 7,000 on approval + 14,000 after $1,500 in 6 months + 7,000 one-time anniversary. Apply Jun 16 – Nov 4, 2026Changed: was 14,000 points on approval | $48, not rebated yr 1 (rebated for students / 24 and under with an RBC Advantage Banking for Students account) | November 4, 2026 |
General information, not financial advice. Offers change; confirm on RBC's page before you apply.