"What is the best use of Avion points?"

"The best use of Avion points is to transfer to British Airways Avios and book Qatar Airways Qsuites business class from North America to the Middle East or onward. This routinely delivers 3–5 cents of value per Avion point. For simpler redemptions, the RBC travel portal delivers 1.0–1.1 cents per point on any flight or hotel."

"How many Avion points do I need for a business class flight?"

"It depends on the route and how you redeem. Via the RBC travel portal, a business class flight costing $3,000 would require 300,000 Avion points at 1¢/pt. Via Avios transfer, Qatar Qsuites from Toronto to Doha can cost around 70,000–85,000 Avios (Avion points transferred 1:1) — dramatically fewer points for a higher-value experience."

"Can I book Air Canada with Avion points?"

"Yes, but not at a premium rate. You can book any airline — including Air Canada — through the RBC travel portal at 1.0–1.1 cents per Avion point. However, Avion points cannot be transferred to Aeroplan, so you cannot book Air Canada Aeroplan award seats at the discounted Aeroplan award rates. For Air Canada awards, a TD Aeroplan or CIBC Aeroplan card is more effective."

"Is Qatar Qsuites really worth the hype for Avion users?"

"Yes. Qatar Qsuites is consistently rated the best business class product in the world by aviation reviewers, featuring fully closing suite doors, flat beds, and a unique double-bed configuration on some aircraft. Booking via Avios (transferred from Avion at 1:1) allows Canadian cardholders to experience Qsuites for a fraction of the cash price — often 70,000–85,000 points one-way on routes where cash fares are $8,000+."

Best Avion Sweet Spots: Top Redemptions for Canadians 2026

Avion Rewards has a small number of genuinely excellent redemption options and several mediocre ones. The key to maximising your Avion points is understanding when to use the travel portal and when to transfer — because the gap between the two strategies can be enormous.

Here are the best Avion sweet spots for Canadians in 2026.

Sweet Spot #1: Qatar Airways Qsuites via British Airways Avios

Value: ~3–5 cents per Avion point

Qatar Airways Qsuites is one of the best business class products in aviation — double-bed configurations, fully closing suite doors, premium dining, and Qatar’s generous catering. It is bookable using British Airways Avios on Qatar-operated flights.

How to book:

Transfer Avion points to British Airways Avios (1:1, typically 2–5 business days)
Search Qatar Qsuite availability at ba.com (or call British Airways)
Book the desired flight using Avios + taxes and carrier charges

Sample routes from Canada:

Origin	Destination	Avios (one-way business)	Cash equiv.
Toronto (YYZ)	Doha (DOH)	~75,000	$8,000–$12,000
Montreal (YUL)	Doha (DOH)	~75,000	$8,000–$12,000
Vancouver (YVR)	Doha (DOH)	~80,000–95,000	$9,000–$15,000

Award pricing is approximate and may vary. Qsuites availability can be limited — search well in advance, particularly for peak dates.

Sweet Spot #2: Short-Haul Oneworld via British Airways Avios

Value: ~1.5–2.5 cents per Avion point

British Airways Avios retains a distance-based award chart for flights on partner carriers (not BA’s own flights). Short routes on American Airlines, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Finnair, and Japan Airlines can be extremely cost-effective.

Examples:

Route	Carrier	Economy Avios	Business Avios
New York → Boston	American Airlines	6,000	12,000
Chicago → Detroit	American Airlines	6,000	12,000
London → Amsterdam	British Airways or partner	9,000	18,000
Dublin → London	Aer Lingus	9,000	18,000

Short-haul Avios redemptions are particularly useful as add-ons to international itineraries — for example, flying into London on a separate ticket and using Avios for connecting flights within Europe.

Sweet Spot #3: Cathay Pacific Business Class via Asia Miles

Value: ~2–3.5 cents per Avion point

Cathay Pacific flies direct between Vancouver and Hong Kong (and Toronto via another carrier), and Asia Miles can book Cathay’s premium cabins at competitive award rates.

Best for: Travellers routing through Hong Kong to mainland China, Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, or Australia.

Route	Asia Miles (business, one-way)	Cash fare (approx.)
Vancouver → Hong Kong	~70,000	$5,000–$8,000
Toronto → Hong Kong	~80,000	$6,000–$10,000

Cathay Pacific business class is consistently rated among the best in Asia — a strong target for Avion transfers when the route works.

Sweet Spot #4: RBC Travel Portal for Maximum Simplicity

Value: ~1.0–1.1 cents per Avion point

If the premium transfer sweet spots don’t fit your travel plans, the RBC travel portal is a solid fallback. You can book any flight, hotel, or car rental with no blackout dates at a consistent rate.

Best for:

Economy flights on Air Canada, WestJet, or low-cost carriers
Domestic Canadian travel
Hotels or car rentals where award space is not relevant

The portal does not require award search expertise and gives you flexibility. The rate (1.0–1.1¢) is lower than the transfer ceiling, but higher than statement credits or merchandise.

Redemptions to Avoid

Redemption	Value/Point	Why to Avoid
Statement credits	~0.5–0.7¢	Less than half the portal rate
Gift cards	~0.7–0.8¢	Poor relative to travel value
Merchandise	0.4–0.7¢	Worst value

Never use Avion points for statement credits or merchandise when you have any upcoming travel plans. Even the portal beats these options by 30–100%.

How to Accumulate Enough for a Sweet Spot

Target for Qsuites: 75,000–95,000 Avion points (one-way business class)

With the RBC Ion Plus Visa ($48/year):

Earning 3x on $1,500/month in grocery + gas + streaming + transit = 4,500 points/month
Supplement with Avion Visa Infinite for remaining spend: ~3,000 points/month
Combined: ~90,000 points per year — enough for a Qsuites one-way per year

Award pricing and availability are subject to change. Verify with the relevant airline programme before transferring points. See our Advertiser Disclosure.