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MilesBuzz: Canada

Old May 13, 2013, 10:15 pm
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MilesBuzz: Canada

Old Sep 11, 2017, 8:57 am
  #4276  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,846
Originally Posted by jerry305


This RBC Avion 25,000 point offer was mentioned on another thread:
https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/service...ofr2-f-or.html

This offer is 25,000 Avion points. I don't see that the $120 annual fee is waived.

If you walk into an RBC branch and display a competitor's card, and say you want to switch, you should be able to get 15,000 Avion points, with $0 annual fee.

So the comparison is 25,000 ($120) versus 15,000 ($0).
Yes, it does require the time you spend at the branch to do it, though.

Also, the tiers with the RBC Avion program are:
15,000 Short-haul: Canada/United States Within or to an adjacent Province/Territory/U.S. State $350
35,000 Long-haul: Canada/United States Anywhere in Canada/U.S except Hawaii and Alaska $750
etc.

The in-branch offer gets you 15,000 points, which is right at one of the thresholds. My plan is to get my 15,000 Avion points, book a short haul flight (value $350), and call it a day with that card.

If you start with 25,000 Avion points, though, then you need to spend $10,000 more, to earn another 10,000 Avion points, to be able to use all your points.

So, if you're looking for a flight that's gonna be worth close to $750, then that might be the better option.
Or you could just transfer to BA Avios and use the 25,000 on AS for most long-haul flights. And from what I recall seeing, there's been fairly regular transfer bonuses (30% normally?) so you could even book a longer distance flight on AS. Hope there's one again this fall!
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Old Sep 11, 2017, 10:49 pm
  #4277  
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: YLW
Programs: Alaska,Aeroplan, Aegean, BA Executive
Posts: 18
Originally Posted by flyer05
The "competitor Visa Infinite" offer is available over the phone as well. So you can apply online for the 25,000 points, then call in and ask them to waive the fee because you hold another Visa Infinite product.

Just tested this myself and it works. ^ The $120 had already posted to my account and the rep was more than happy to reverse it. Didn't even ask for proof or anything.
RBC fought me on this, hard. had to call twice and the second rep kept putting me on hold with the excuse of "let me check with my supervisor". He tried to negotiate a reduced FYF, i refused and went on hold for another 10 mins. He eventually agreed to full refund of $120
I came to fly is offline  
Old Sep 12, 2017, 7:21 am
  #4278  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429
Originally Posted by I came to fly
RBC fought me on this, hard. had to call twice and the second rep kept putting me on hold with the excuse of "let me check with my supervisor". He tried to negotiate a reduced FYF, i refused and went on hold for another 10 mins. He eventually agreed to full refund of $120
Yeah. It should also be noted that my FYF was granted "as a one-time exception" even though it's well-advertised that RBC are having this promotion. All's well that ends well, I suppose.
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Old Sep 12, 2017, 10:57 am
  #4279  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 525
Not sure if this has been mentioned here but HSBC has a new Premier World Elite card for Premier customers. There's no forex spread and you're getting 1.2 Avios per $1 on non travel spend and 2.4 Avios per $1 on travel spend. They also transfer to Krisflyer at 1.08/$1 and Asiamiles at 0.96/$1 on non travel spend and double that on travel. IMO this beats out the RBC offering for Avios and almost beats the Asiamiles card. Only thing is you need to be an HSBC Premier customer.
LoveHateRelationship is offline  
Old Sep 12, 2017, 1:54 pm
  #4280  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,846
Originally Posted by jerry305


This RBC Avion 25,000 point offer was mentioned on another thread:
https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/service...ofr2-f-or.html

This offer is 25,000 Avion points. I don't see that the $120 annual fee is waived.

If you walk into an RBC branch and display a competitor's card, and say you want to switch, you should be able to get 15,000 Avion points, with $0 annual fee.

So the comparison is 25,000 ($120) versus 15,000 ($0).
Yes, it does require the time you spend at the branch to do it, though.

Also, the tiers with the RBC Avion program are:
15,000 Short-haul: Canada/United States Within or to an adjacent Province/Territory/U.S. State $350
35,000 Long-haul: Canada/United States Anywhere in Canada/U.S except Hawaii and Alaska $750
etc.

The in-branch offer gets you 15,000 points, which is right at one of the thresholds. My plan is to get my 15,000 Avion points, book a short haul flight (value $350), and call it a day with that card.

If you start with 25,000 Avion points, though, then you need to spend $10,000 more, to earn another 10,000 Avion points, to be able to use all your points.

So, if you're looking for a flight that's gonna be worth close to $750, then that might be the better option.
I went ahead and applied for this, but won't know the outcome for a few days. I applied using the link for the 25K, but it directed me to log into my my RBC account if I had one (I do, since I currently hold the Westjet MC).

If I do get the card, I'm concerned I won't get the 25K bonus, since there's nothing on their website about it - looks like a targeted offer to NEW RBC customers - not just to new Avion/RBC Rewards Cardholders. Anyone know for sure?
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Old Sep 12, 2017, 3:25 pm
  #4281  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429
Originally Posted by pokee
I went ahead and applied for this, but won't know the outcome for a few days. I applied using the link for the 25K, but it directed me to log into my my RBC account if I had one (I do, since I currently hold the Westjet MC).

If I do get the card, I'm concerned I won't get the 25K bonus, since there's nothing on their website about it - looks like a targeted offer to NEW RBC customers - not just to new Avion/RBC Rewards Cardholders. Anyone know for sure?
We shall see... if it's the 15K points that show up instead, I'm sure a phone call or two, to point out the offer you applied through, will do the trick.
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Old Sep 12, 2017, 5:42 pm
  #4282  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 347
Originally Posted by yannerd
Not sure if this has been mentioned here but HSBC has a new Premier World Elite card for Premier customers. There's no forex spread and you're getting 1.2 Avios per $1 on non travel spend and 2.4 Avios per $1 on travel spend. They also transfer to Krisflyer at 1.08/$1 and Asiamiles at 0.96/$1 on non travel spend and double that on travel. IMO this beats out the RBC offering for Avios and almost beats the Asiamiles card. Only thing is you need to be an HSBC Premier customer.
Have you figured out how to apply without being a Premier customer (which requires $100,000 in deposits or investments with them)?
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Old Sep 12, 2017, 9:38 pm
  #4283  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 525
Originally Posted by claurianta2
Have you figured out how to apply without being a Premier customer (which requires $100,000 in deposits or investments with them)?
I'm a Premier customer but I haven't heard how you can get the card without being Premier. It's a strange card because they say there's a $149 annual fee but there's a $49 rebate if you're a Premier customer (which you need to be in order to get the card). You do get $100 annual "travel enhancement" credit for things like seat selection, lounge access etc.
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Old Sep 13, 2017, 9:24 am
  #4284  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,574
yes to RBC Avion, no to West Jet Gold Rewards M/C

Reading this thread, I gather the key to getting this fee waived is to enter an RBC branch?
Interesting. I tried (w/o success) to get RBC to waive the $99 fee on the West Jet Gold Rewards Mastercard. Its an inferior card, but they refused! Go figure!
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Old Sep 13, 2017, 6:03 pm
  #4285  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 73
Originally Posted by I came to fly
RBC fought me on this, hard. had to call twice and the second rep kept putting me on hold with the excuse of "let me check with my supervisor". He tried to negotiate a reduced FYF, i refused and went on hold for another 10 mins. He eventually agreed to full refund of $120

Originally Posted by flyer05
Yeah. It should also be noted that my FYF was granted "as a one-time exception" even though it's well-advertised that RBC are having this promotion. All's well that ends well, I suppose.
Wow, interesting. I gave the rep a 10 second spiel about "they said" I could get a year free to test drive now that aeroplan is going under (lol ) and the guy couldn't have been happier to do this for me within a blink of the eye. Sounds like a HUCA is in order for some.
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Old Sep 14, 2017, 9:34 am
  #4286  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429
Originally Posted by flyer05
We shall see... if it's the 15K points that show up instead, I'm sure a phone call or two, to point out the offer you applied through, will do the trick.
@pokee an update... my first statement posted and I got the 25K points. ^
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Old Sep 14, 2017, 12:18 pm
  #4287  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,846
Originally Posted by flyer05
@pokee an update... my first statement posted and I got the 25K points. ^
That's great! But, did you apply through your RBC account? This is where I think the 'link' to the 25K promo got lost for me (their website still continues to say the bonus is 15K). Unless the 25K is awarded to everyone based on the date they applied, rather than the link they used or if they're not a current RBC customer?

http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/credit-c...ite-avion.html
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Old Sep 14, 2017, 2:37 pm
  #4288  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, YUL, PEK
Posts: 429
Originally Posted by pokee
That's great! But, did you apply through your RBC account? This is where I think the 'link' to the 25K promo got lost for me (their website still continues to say the bonus is 15K). Unless the 25K is awarded to everyone based on the date they applied, rather than the link they used or if they're not a current RBC customer?

http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/credit-c...ite-avion.html
Yep I logged into my account during the application, and it tracked the offer just fine. There was no indication in the URL or anything either, so it must have been behind-the-scenes.
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Old Sep 14, 2017, 3:04 pm
  #4289  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,846
Originally Posted by flyer05
Yep I logged into my account during the application, and it tracked the offer just fine. There was no indication in the URL or anything either, so it must have been behind-the-scenes.
Awesome - thanks wonderful news! Thanks for confirming!
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Old Sep 14, 2017, 3:05 pm
  #4290  
alc
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,519
Originally Posted by allbrosca
Originally Posted by alc
I have BMO World Elite MC right now that come with 4 PP passes per year. I am planning to apply for the BMO Air Miles World Elite MC that also come with 2 PP passes. So, do I just apply for another PP membership with its own membership number? will PP even let you do that? Anyone has experience that can share? Thanks.
I had two for awhile. Only problem I had is when I accidentally used the card which charged per visit instead of the free visit one. When I saw it on my credit card bill I called in and it was reversed.
Thanks again for your comment. I rec'd my BMO Air Miles Word Elite M/C today and just applied for the 2nd PP membership successfully using a different email address (I didn't try using the same one) Now I just need to make sure I do not do the same mistake as you did

Thanks again.
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