RBC to BA is VERY fast. I had the Avion card, and even did a 1:2 transter to BA when they introduced the option. The transfers were within a week. I now have the BA card which deposits the points each month, and they are in there before I get my monthly visa bill.

I have the VIP package from the Royal Bank, so no additional cost for the BA card over the Avion. I recommend looking into the package if you are getting a RBC premium card. It is steep at $30/month, but includes your visa card, AND it is good for unlimited use on 3 accounts which can be in your name or that of your spouse. So it costs us just $15 each/month for unlimited banking (including the fee for using another bank's ATM), as well as a BA Plat card each.