Head to Head: CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card vs RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card

RBC and CIBC each offer a travel rewards credit card:
But which of these Visa Infinite cards is the best deal? You can also check out our comparison between the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card and the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card if a Scotiabank card also interests you.
Let’s look at each of their features in detail, to distinguish these two credit cards. Apart from their almost identical name, what are their differences?
Welcome Bonus
Both credit cards offer a welcome bonus.
By signing up for the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card, you can earn up to 55,000 Avion points worth up to $1,100:
- 35,000 Avion points on approval
- 20,000 additional Avion points after spending $5,000 on the card within the first six months
With the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Infinite Card, you’ll earn up to 45,000 Aventura Points:
- 15,000 Aventura points after first purchase
- 30,000 Aventura points if you spend $3,000 or more in total during the period covered by your first 4 monthly statements
In addition, it offers a one-time refund of the annual fee ($139) to the primary cardholder.
Then, if there are up to three authorized users, another $50 annual fee refund is available for each.
All of these have a value of up to $1,139.
Advantage: RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
The 35,000 base Avion points offered by the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card are extremely easy to earn, and you could get up to 20,000 additional points within the first six months by spending $5,000, for a total of up to 55,000 points (no anniversary bonus during this promotion).
Exclusive Benefits and Savings
Thanks to certain partners, credit cards offer more points or useful discounts for everyday purchases.
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card has exclusive benefits for Visa Infinite cardholders.
- Luxury Hotel Collection and its VIP benefits
- Culinary experiences in top restaurants
- Experiences in wine regions
- Free concierge service
This card also entitles you to:
- 3 cents per liter savings and 20% more points at Petro-Canada
- 50 Be Well points per dollar at Rexall
- Free 12-month subscription to Doordash DashPass
- Tons of points and rebate offers at various retailers with RBC offers
The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card has the same Visa Infinite benefits as its competitor.
- Luxury Hotel Collection and its VIP benefits
- Culinary experiences in top restaurants
- Experiences in wine regions
- Free concierge service
In addition, it offers:
- Link your card to Journie Rewards to save up to 10 cents per litre on fuel at Ultramar, Pioneer, Fas Gas, and Chevron.
- Reimbursement of NEXUS membership fees ($160 value)
Advantage: RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
For both its travel benefits and offers as well as in everyday life, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card wins this round.
Access to airport VIP lounges
Having access to an airport lounge before a flight is a comfort to be discovered.
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card does not offer membership or access to airport lounges.
This card gives you 4 free visits to airport lounges through the Visa Airport Companion Program.
Advantage: CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
Between the two, only the CIBC Aventura® Visa* Card offers free access to airport lounges.
After the 4 free visits, admission to lounge costs US$32.
Earning Reward Points
Both credit cards offer purchase categories that allow you to earn more rewards points.
Purchase categories for travel
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card has a rate of 1.25 Avion points per dollar for travel purchases.
Travel » expenses include those incurred with :
- of an airline
- of a hotel
- a tour operator, cruise line or travel agency
- and a car rental company.
This has a value of 1.25%.
With the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn :
- 2 points / dollar of travel purchases made with CIBC by Expedia.
This is a 2% value.
Advantage: CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card but …
The point accumulation value for travel expenses is better with the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card with 2%.
However, the big drawback is that this expense must be done directly with the CIBC travel agency.
For more flexibility and without any ties, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card is the best.
Basic Earning Level
Outside these accelerated purchase categories, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card and the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card offer a basic accumulation rate.
With the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Cardyou can earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
This is a 1% value.
With the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn :
- 1.5 points / dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores and drug stores
- 1 point / dollar spent on the rest
This represents a value between 1% and 1.5%.
Advantage: CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card provides more value for everyday expenses such as gas, groceries and drugstore.
Redeeming Points
Both cards are reward point cards, mainly for travel.
However, the loyalty programs are completely different:
- Avion Rewards for the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
- CIBC Aventura Rewards for the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card
Points redeemed for trips purchased with the card
You can use the points from both credit cards for travel.
With the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card, you can apply your points to travel purchases.
The redemption rate is:
- 100 points = $1 for purchases of your choice that you make yourself, directly at the hotel or for airline tickets, cruises, car rentals, etc.
Or, via the Avion Rewards site which acts as a travel agency, choose the airline, the one-way or round-trip flight, and the date of your choice. There are no blackout periods or reservations imposed, even during high season.
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15,000 points Flight within a province or neighbouring state. Maximum ticket price: $350 |
35,000 points Fly anywhere in Canada or the United States (except Hawaii and Alaska). Maximum ticket price: $750 |
45,000 points Western Canada or the United States to Mexico, Hawaii or Alaska. Eastern Canada to Bermuda, Central America or the Caribbean. Maximum ticket price: $900 |
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55,000 points Eastern Canada or the United States to Mexico, Hawaii or Alaska. Western Canada to Bermuda, Central America or the Caribbean. Maximum ticket price: $1,100 |
65,000 points Flight from Canada or United States to Europe. Maximum ticket price: $1,300 |
100,000 points Fly from Canada or United States to … anywhere in the world! Maximum ticket price: $2,000 |
So this equals to about 2 cents per point ($350 divided by 15,000 points) on average.
With the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card, you can apply your points to travel purchases charged to the card.
For more flexible use, Aventura Points can be used to book any trip with the Shopping with Points option. 8,000 Aventura points will earn you a $50 Statement credit.
However, thanks to an ongoing promotion with no end date, you can redeem 35% fewer points! This increases the value of your Aventura Points, and 10,000 Aventura Points will give you a $100 statement credit. This gives you a value of 1 cent per point, which is excellent.
Another option is to use points through a fixed fare structure. Here’s their Aventura Airline Award Chart. Airfare must be booked on their CIBC site through Expedia and this has an average value of 2 cents per point.
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10,000 to 20,000 points Short-haul flight within a province or neighbouring state. Maximum ticket price: $400 |
25,000 to 35,000 points Long-haul flights anywhere in Canada or the United States (except Hawaii and Alaska). Maximum ticket price: $800 |
40,000 to 60,000 points To Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Bermuda, Central America or the Caribbean. Maximum ticket price: $1,000 |
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50,000 to 70,000 points From Canada and the United States to some European cities. Maximum ticket price: $1,300 |
75,000 to 125,000 points Flights from Canada or the United States to select cities in Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, the Middle East and South America. Maximum ticket price: $2,000 |
Advantage: CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
The 2 tariffs and their valuation are almost similar. Your choice between the 2 depends on the place of departure and the destination.
But for the best flexible exchange rate, the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card is the best … for now! Outside of this promotion, you’d be better off choosing RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card.
Points for Other Rewards
The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card and the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card both allow points to be used for other rewards: everyday purchases, gift cards, products, investments.
But we do not recommend these uses because of the low value.
With the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card, you can use 12,000 points for $100 (0.83 cents per point) on:
- RRSP and TFSA contributions
- Repayment of a line of credit or mortgage :
You can also:
- obtain a gift card from our extensive catalog: 12,000 to 14,000 points for a $100 gift card (0.71 to 0.83 cents per point)
- make a donation (1 cent per point)
Finally, you can apply your points to everyday purchases: 4,300 points = $25 (0.58 cents per point)
With the CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card, you can use 12,000 points for $100 (0.83 cents per point) on :
- Paying off a mortgage or line of credit
- Contribute to an RRSP or TFSA
- Investment in the CIBC Investor’s Edge Portfolio
This has a value of 0.83 cents per point.
You can use 14,000 points for a $100 gift card (0.71 cents per point).
Finally, you can apply your points to everyday purchases: 4,000 points = $25 (0.63 cent per point).
IT’S A DRAW
It’s hard to tell the two cards apart in this respect: the utilization rate is poor and similar on both sides. Better to use the points for travel!
However, depending on your financial needs at the time, each can be practical. It is up to you to analyze whether you use these financial institutions in your daily operations.
Transfers to partners
Being able to transfer points to another program is a strength.
The Avion points from the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card can be transferred to:
- WestJet Rewards
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Asia Miles
CIBC Aventura Points cannot be transferred to another loyalty program.
Advantage: RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card has transfer partners and thus, more possibilities!
Please note that a few times during the year, RBC offers transfer bonuses. This is a great way to further increase the value of Avion points.
Annual Fee
Both credit cards have roughly similar annual fees.
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card has an annual fee of $120. It is rare to have an annual fee rebate promotion for this card.
The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card has an annual fee of $139.
However, this card often has a first-year annual fee rebate (like right now!).
Advantage: CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Card
For its $0 net annual fee, it’s a no-brainer.
Insurance
Both credit cards offer extensive insurance.
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card has very comprehensive insurance coverage. View the complete insurance booklet here:
| Travel Medical Insurance | Unlimited up to 15 days |
| Trip Cancellation Insurance | $ 1,500 per person |
| Baggage Delay or Loss insurance | $ 500 per person |
| Trip Interruption Insurance | $ 5,000 per person |
| Car rental insurance | $ 65,000, up to 48 days |
| Purchase Insurance | 90 days |
| Extended Warranty Insurance | 1 year |
| Mobile Device Insurance | $ 1,500, for 1 year |
| Hotel/motel burglary insurance | $2,500 |
| Travel Accident Insurance | $500,000 |
| Flight Delay Insurance | $250 per day |
The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card offers something similar for insurance. View the insurance summary here:
| Travel Medical Insurance | $5,000,000 and 15 days |
| Trip Cancellation Insurance | $ 1,500 per person |
| Baggage Delay or Loss insurance | $ 500 per person |
| Trip Interruption Insurance | $ 2,000 per person |
| Car rental insurance | $ 65,000, up to 48 days |
| Purchase Insurance | 90 days |
| Extended Warranty Insurance | 1 year |
| Mobile Device Insurance | $ 1,000, for 2 years |
| Hotel/motel burglary insurance | $2,500 |
| Travel Accident Insurance | $500,000 |
| Flight Delay Insurance | $500 |
Advantage: RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card
With its slightly more generous insurance coverages, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card is slightly superior. The major differences are in travel medical insurance and flight delay insurance.
Minimum Income
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card requires:
- a minimum individual income of $60,000
- or $100,000 minimum family income
- or total assets of $250,000 or more
To obtain a CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card you must meet one of the following criteria
- a minimum individual income of $60,000
- or $100,000 minimum family income
Advantage: Draw
Since they are both Visa Infinite and Visa sets the minimum income requirements, it is only natural that they are both the same.
Conclusion
So? Which Card is the winner?
The CIBC Aventura® Visa Infinite* Card has a slight edge with its mix of lifestyle and travel benefits:
- Net annual fee of $0 for the first year ;
- 4 free accesses to airport lounges;
- Faster accumulation rate for everyday grocery, gas and drugstore purchases;
- Flexible use for travel expenses (during its current promotion only).
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card has excellent value, especially with its welcome offer. In addition, it is better for :
- Easy to obtain welcome offer
- Its superior insurance for travel and mobile devices;
- Savings opportunities with exclusive offers and discounts on everyday expenses;
- Avion points can be transferred to other loyalty programs.

It’s up to you to choose between these two excellent credit cards according to your needs!
Frequently Asked Questions about the Aventura CIBC Visa Infinite vs RBC Avion Visa Infinite comparison
Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about this card.
Which welcome bonus is more attractive: Aventura or Avion?
Both bonuses are close, but with different structures:
- CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite: up to 45,000 points, plus a first-year rebate ($139) and authorized-user credits, worth about $1,139
- RBC Avion Visa Infinite: up to 55,000 points (35,000 on approval and 20,000 after $5,000 in purchases within 6 months), worth about $1,100
Aventura wins by a very slim margin, mainly thanks to the annual fee rebate. Avion requires more spending to reach the full bonus.
What are the annual fees and points earning rates?
The structures differ depending on the card:
- CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite: $139 annual fee (often rebated the first year as a promotion). 2 points/$ on travel booked through CIBC by Expedia, 1.5 points/$ on gas, groceries, and pharmacy, and 1 point/$ everywhere else
- RBC Avion Visa Infinite: $120 annual fee (rarely rebated). 1.25 points/$ on travel and 1 point/$ everywhere else
Aventura earns faster on everyday categories (groceries, gas) thanks to the 1.5x rate.
Which card offers airport lounge access?
Only the Aventura CIBC Visa Infinite offers lounge access: 4 free visits per year through the Visa Airport Companion program. The Avion RBC Visa Infinite does not include any lounge access. If you travel 4 to 6 times per year, those 4 visits represent $120 to $200 in value (USD 32 per paid visit at the Priority Pass rate). For frequent travellers who want lounge access, Aventura is clearly the better deal, or you’ll need to move up to the Visa Infinite Privilege level.
Which card should you choose between Aventura and Avion?
A simple rule based on your profile:
- Choose the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite if you want everyday earning (groceries, gas, and pharmacy at 1.5x), lounge access, and a welcome offer with the first-year fee rebated
- Choose the RBC Avion Visa Infinite if you want transfer flexibility (WestJet, American Airlines, British Airways Avios) and slightly stronger travel insurance for pre-existing conditions
On a pure bonus + everyday spending calculation, Aventura comes out ahead for most Canadians.
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