Originally Posted by
kay sedia
I have switched RBC products numerous times now and always got whatever bonus was advertised. I've have maintained BA for about 5 years for the first/business class companion pass and also rotate between Avion(15000), WestJet($250 westjet dollars + companion pass, and Shoppers(free but comes with optimum points)). In my opinion the value of BA has really decreased and am going to focus on Avion due to transfer bonuses to American who has way lower taxes than BA, or to BA if you want. I would actually cancel my BA but I have trips booked and the terms state that you must have a card in good standing at time of travel. Depends what you are redeeming for I guess, but at $165.00/yr the taxes are brutal, availability is terrible unless you book a year out that it is less and less attractive. 30000 points is way easier to get with a free Amex gold card for 25000 and an Avion which will give at least 15000 for $120/yr plus a 50% transfer bonus regularly. Looks like you would get 47500 for $120 with more flexibility.
The upgrade/downgrade card transfer trick is a great way to churn cards with the credit card accounts you already hold, to avoid pulls but also ensure you get a sign-up bonus! I have done this successfully with BMO, CIBC and now RBC. I know sometimes that certain sign-up bonuses are only good for new applicants/banking customers (CIBC, in particular, seems to have a lot of these deals to draw new customers), which is why it's always good to call to do the transfer (although, RBC appears to be the only bank that allows the online transfers).
FWIW, I get AMAZING value with my Avios, so I churn ANY card that I can get Avios out of! If I hadn't already upgraded to the Avion card with RBC, I may have gone back to the BA Visa! When I originally opened my RBC CC account in 2012, it was with a BA Visa when they had a 50,000 sign up bonus! That was quite the score! Paid for two tickets to Hawaii!
