RBC Rewards

[gypsy_at_heart]

Everyone else might already know this, but since I just found out, I thought I'd share. As I was searching around for things I could get for my upcoming travels with points, I found out that you can trade your RBC Rewards Points for Disney gift cards! It's around 17,500 (could be 17,700, I can't remember) points for a $100 USD GC on their online rewards site.

For me it worked out really well because my company visa is an RBC visa so I get a lot of points. I was able to get $600 USD worth of gift cards for my January trip to WDW so if you have some points laying around in your rbc account, it might be worth checking out

 

[Sparrow78]

Ohhhh nice! I might have to look into this!

 

[lisaviolet]

Everyone else might already know this, but since I just found out, I thought I'd share. As I was searching around for things I could get for my upcoming travels with points, I found out that you can trade your RBC Rewards Points for Disney gift cards! It's around 17,500 (could be 17,700, I can't remember) points for a $100 USD GC on their online rewards site.

For me it worked out really well because my company visa is an RBC visa so I get a lot of points. I was able to get $600 USD worth of gift cards for my January trip to WDW so if you have some points laying around in your rbc account, it might be worth checking out

Okay, I'll admit that I'm being both nosy and curious but that was a heck of a lot of points you had in your account.

Why wouldn't you use it for a flight/flights?

Even if you don't answer my very nosy question - thank you. I had no clue that Disney gift cards were there.

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

Lol not nosy.

Well my company paid for my flights on my upcoming Disney trip because I'm extending my stay after a conference in Arizona -it's only like $20 more to fly back home from Orlando so they covered it and the flight from Arizona to Orlando. I usually do this every year when we have our annual conference so it costs me little to nothing for the flight.

I also switch RBC points to BA points when they have their switch for 1.5 times the points offer and I use those for other flights (europe, etc) as long as it's worth it or if I want an upgraded flight class.

Honestly I can usually find a deal on flights that makes it not worth the points. Just recently there was a $259 round trip flight to Orlando from Vancouver - But on RBC it was 45,000 points. And I only paid $399 ( taxed included) for my round trip flight to China in March.

 

[Sparrow78]

Lol I called my brother.... Hes got like 200,000 points he said, I told him he should cash some in and give his niece a nice gift card for Christmas for our trip lol

 

[lisaviolet]

Lol not nosy.

Well my company paid for my flights on my upcoming Disney trip because I'm extending my stay after a conference in Arizona -it's only like $20 more to fly back home from Orlando so they covered it and the flight from Arizona to Orlando. I usually do this every year when we have our annual conference so it costs me little to nothing for the flight.

I also switch RBC points to BA points when they have their switch for 1.5 times the points offer and I use those for other flights (europe, etc) as long as it's worth it or if I want an upgraded flight class.

Honestly I can usually find a deal on flights that makes it not worth the points. Just recently there was a $259 round trip flight to Orlando from Vancouver - But on RBC it was 45,000 points. And I only paid $399 ( taxed included) for my round trip flight to China in March.

Thank you.

First, I was laughing. I was like oh yeah with British Airways. And then I realized that I signed up at least a year and a half ago just to transfer for that deal, from my Avion, and totally forgot to do it. It's not like the regular emails from British Airways would remind me or anyhing.

I hear you on the deals on flights. Especially when you pay points and taxes.

I was overjoyed to use my points for a spontaneous few days in NYC, and then I realized that you can't book last minute. Boo to that.

Anything I should know about transferring over to British Airways?

Lol I called my brother.... Hes got like 200,000 points he said, I told him he should cash some in and give his niece a nice gift card for Christmas for our trip lol

 

[Duck1]

I cant seem to find the Disney gift cards. I've looked in the gift card section but I can't find them. Help please. Thanks!!

 

[Duck1]

Sorry. I should have looked harder. I found it in the Disney merchandise section. If anyone is interested, based on my math, the exchange rate is reasonable relative to the cost of most of the other Canadian gift cards. You only pay a premium of 1.25 which is good considering where our dollar is currently at.

 

[Spetch]

Lol not nosy.

Well my company paid for my flights on my upcoming Disney trip because I'm extending my stay after a conference in Arizona -it's only like $20 more to fly back home from Orlando so they covered it and the flight from Arizona to Orlando. I usually do this every year when we have our annual conference so it costs me little to nothing for the flight.

I also switch RBC points to BA points when they have their switch for 1.5 times the points offer and I use those for other flights (europe, etc) as long as it's worth it or if I want an upgraded flight class.

Honestly I can usually find a deal on flights that makes it not worth the points. Just recently there was a $259 round trip flight to Orlando from Vancouver - But on RBC it was 45,000 points. And I only paid $399 ( taxed included) for my round trip flight to China in March.

You can also use less points and use also points to pay the taxes too if the flights are cheap. So your $259 flight would of cost 25,900 points all in, not 45,000 plus tax. You just have to click the tab 100=$1 and it will change the trip values to points.

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

Thank you.

First, I was laughing. I was like oh yeah with British Airways. And then I realized that I signed up at least a year and a half ago just to transfer for that deal, from my Avion, and totally forgot to do it. It's not like the regular emails from British Airways would remind me or anyhing.

I hear you on the deals on flights. Especially when you pay points and taxes.

I was overjoyed to use my points for a spontaneous few days in NYC, and then I realized that you can't book last minute. Boo to that.

Anything I should know about transferring over to British Airways?

I only transfer when it's 1.5 times the points. The thing with BA avios is that you have to pay the taxes, you can't use points like RBC. On its North American partner flights it's not so much. I only paid like $7 in taxes on my last booking. On international overseas it's more, but I tend to use those to book upgraded flights. I have used avios to book hotel and experiences too because with the 1.5 times the points it can be much less than RBC in some cases - not all though. Also keep in mind they only book flights on BA or its partner airlines, though that does end up covering quite a few

You can also use less points and use also points to pay the taxes too if the flights are cheap. So your $259 flight would of cost 25,900 points all in, not 45,000 plus tax. You just have to click the tab 100=$1 and it will change the trip values to points.

I just find when I search on RBC I don't find the same flight deals I can find on my own. I know a $259 flight you find would be 25,900 points, but the flight wasn't $259 there, it was $450, so 45,000 points sometimes it's worth it, sometimes not in my personal experience.

 

[lisaviolet]

I only transfer when it's 1.5 times the points. The thing with BA avios is that you have to pay the taxes, you can't use points like RBC. On its North American partner flights it's not so much. I only paid like $7 in taxes on my last booking. On international overseas it's more, but I tend to use those to book upgraded flights. I have used avios to book hotel and experiences too because with the 1.5 times the points it can be much less than RBC in some cases - not all though. Also keep in mind they only book flights on BA or its partner airlines, though that does end up covering quite a few



I just find when I search on RBC I don't find the same flight deals I can find on my own. I know a $259 flight you find would be 25,900 points, but the flight wasn't $259 there, it was $450, so 45,000 points sometimes it's worth it, sometimes not in my personal experience.

Glad I asked some questions. I had no clue that you could cover taxes with RBC reward points and I've had them for years. And paid for the taxes out of pocket.

And with British Airways, yes only at the 1.5X deal. My point was I signed up to be ready and then completely forgot all about it.

In the words of Homer Simpson - D'oh! Times two!

___________________________

Thanks to you both (@Spetch ) for all the valuable information.

 

[Spetch]

I only transfer when it's 1.5 times the points. The thing with BA avios is that you have to pay the taxes, you can't use points like RBC. On its North American partner flights it's not so much. I only paid like $7 in taxes on my last booking. On international overseas it's more, but I tend to use those to book upgraded flights. I have used avios to book hotel and experiences too because with the 1.5 times the points it can be much less than RBC in some cases - not all though. Also keep in mind they only book flights on BA or its partner airlines, though that does end up covering quite a few



I just find when I search on RBC I don't find the same flight deals I can find on my own. I know a $259 flight you find would be 25,900 points, but the flight wasn't $259 there, it was $450, so 45,000 points sometimes it's worth it, sometimes not in my personal experience.

Ya the RBC site is funny sometimes. I like to look for the deals first then demise the points tab. When I know there is a flight deal I pick the correct flights then take it to the next screen and you get a “great news, your trip is less!” Type message with the correct number of points. The issue though with that is if you decide not to use that set of flights sometimes they won’t show back up at the correct price if you search again. There where times I would find a deal for my dad and he would login right after to book the deal and he wouldn’t get it because the system seems to hold the tickets at that price for my search and not his. We would just wait 10-15 mins and it would come back at the cheaper deal.

 

[lisaviolet]

Glad I asked some questions. I had no clue that you could cover taxes with RBC reward points and I've had them for years. And paid for the taxes out of pocket.

I take that back. I've only booked one flight over the years on RBC, used Aeroplan before that. Possibly I did press the link for using RBC points on the taxes but thought the point total was insane.

 

[lisaviolet]

Ya the RBC site is funny sometimes. I like to look for the deals first then demise the points tab. When I know there is a flight deal I pick the correct flights then take it to the next screen and you get a “great news, your trip is less!”

Interesting. Thank you.

I don't have a ton of points but I think I need to play with the site when I'm simply considering a possibility.

 

[sk8jdgca]

What might have been better is if you have a rbc credit line, use the credi line to buy the gift cards, then use your points to pay off the credit line. I think this works out better

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

What might have been better is if you have a rbc credit line, use the credi line to buy the gift cards, then use your points to pay off the credit line. I think this works out better

That is actually a very smart idea. I’ll have to think about that next time

 

[sk8jdgca]

That is actually a very smart idea. I’ll have to think about that next time

I do that instead of buying Best Buy cards. Purchase the item on the card, get the points and the insurances. Use my credit line to pay off card, then get certificates to pay off credit line

 

[Winnipeg7]

Can anyone tell me how long it took to receive the gift card in the mail? I’m hoping to have it by the 27 if I order today???

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

It seems to take around 4 weeks.

I think it took 4 weeks for the last set I ordered and I ordered some more on November 12 that haven’t arrived yet. I’ll post again when those arrive

 

[Winnipeg7]

Thanks, I’m thinking it may be too late for me then. I’d hate to have left already and come home to my gift card in the mail box