Avion to AAdvantage 15% Transfer Bonus – August 1 to 31, 2026
RBC’s annual transfer bonus to American AAdvantage has returned, giving Avion cardholders a 15% boost when converting points throughout August.
While the bonus isn’t as generous as the 30% promotions we sometimes see for British Airways Avios, it’s one of the few opportunities Canadians have to earn AAdvantage miles through a transferable credit card program. If you’ve been planning a Qatar Airways Qsuite, Japan Airlines First Class, or another Oneworld redemption using AAdvantage miles, this is likely the best time of the year to transfer.
The Current Offer
During the promotional period, 10,000 Avion points will convert into 8,050 AAdvantage miles, compared to the standard rate of 7,000 miles. That extra 1,050 miles per 10,000 Avion points transferred represents a 15% bonus and can add up quickly if you’re moving a larger balance for an upcoming redemption.
The promotion runs from August 1, 2026 at 12:00 AM (PT) through August 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM (PT). The minimum transfer is 5,000 Avion points, and the bonus applies only to transfers to American Airlines AAdvantage.
How to Convert Avion Points to AAdvantage Miles
Converting your points is a straightforward process, but there are a few important details to keep in mind.
To convert, log into your Avion Rewards account, navigate to the “Redeem” tab from the top menu, and select “Get AAdvantage® miles” under the airline transfer section. From there, enter your AAdvantage membership number and the number of Avion points you wish to convert, keeping in mind the 5,000 point minimum.
If you’re not already an AAdvantage member, you’ll need to enroll first at aa.com/aadvantage. It only takes a few minutes.
Once submitted, RBC states the transfer can take up to four weeks to post, but in our experience it’s usually shown up within a few business days.
Note: On the confirmation screen, you may only see the base conversion amount (e.g., 10,000 Avion = 7,000 AAdvantage miles). The 15% bonus doesn’t always show up right away, but it will be applied automatically and reflected in your AAdvantage account once the transfer settles.
Eligible RBC Cards for Transfer
Not all RBC credit cards offer access to the full Avion Elite reward tier. To participate in this AAdvantage transfer promotion, you’ll need to hold an Avion Elite-earning card, such as the RBC Avion Visa Infinite, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege, RBC Avion Visa Platinum, or RBC Avion Visa Business.
If you currently hold an Avion Select or Avion Premium card, such as the RBC ION+, you’ll need to convert those points to Elite points first before you can transfer to AAdvantage. This also requires holding one of the Avion Elite cards listed above. The internal conversion runs at a 1:1 ratio and can be done within the Rewards portal.
Your AAdvantage account also needs to be in the same name as your RBC Avion account, and once the points land, they’re subject to AAdvantage’s own rules on expiry, booking, and blackout periods, not RBC’s.
Is It Worth Transferring?
Whether this promotion is worth taking advantage of depends on whether AAdvantage miles fit your travel plans. A 15% transfer bonus is helpful, but it doesn’t make sense to move your Avion points unless you already have a redemption in mind or regularly use American’s loyalty program.
For Canadian travellers, AAdvantage is one of the more difficult airline currencies to earn because there is no Canadian co-branded American Airlines credit card. RBC Avion remains one of the few flexible points programs that allows Canadians to transfer directly to AAdvantage.
The biggest advantage of AAdvantage miles is access to Oneworld partners like Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines, Royal Air Maroc and American Airlines itself, along with non-alliance partners such as Etihad. American often prices these partners competitively, with lower fees than booking the same flights through Avios. The drawback is availability. In many cases, award seats get released to American later than they do to the operating airline’s own loyalty program.
Some of the best uses of AAdvantage miles include:
- Etihad First Class from North America to Abu Dhabi for as little as 115,000 miles plus $81.52 in fees. We have our eye on this exact redemption ourselves, flying YYZ to AUH nonstop in First. Etihad tends to release this seat close to departure rather than far out and I often see multiple first class seats available. We are using this bonus to build up AAdvantage miles now for a redemption we plan to book closer to travel dates.
- Royal Air Maroc business class – Flying nonstop from Toronto to Casablanca on a Boeing 787, business class prices out at 57,500 miles plus $56.20 in fees. Booking that same flight through British Airways Avios instead runs 68,500 Avios plus $667.62 in fees, which makes this one of the clearer cases where AAdvantage beats Avios outright, both in points required and in fees.
- Qatar Airways Qsuites business class between North America and the Middle East runs from 70,000 miles one-way, with the fees well below what Qatar charges directly, though availability of Qatar business on AA is limited.
- Japan Airlines First Class is one of the best sweet spots in the AAdvantage program, with awards between North America and Japan starting at just 80,000 miles one way. The challenge is finding availability. Married segment logic is common, so adding a connecting flight before the long haul first class segment can sometimes unlock seats that do not appear on the nonstop. The tradeoff is that the itinerary may price at a higher mileage cost.
When You Shouldn’t Transfer
The 15% bonus doesn’t automatically make AAdvantage the best use of your RBC Avion points.
Before transferring, keep a few things in mind. British Airways Avios and Cathay Asia Miles both transfer from Avion at a 1:1 ratio, and when a 30% Avios transfer bonus is available, it can provide better value than a 15% AAdvantage bonus for some redemptions.
Transfers to AAdvantage are also permanent, so you should only move points when you have a redemption in mind.
Before making a transfer, it’s also worth checking whether an RBC Avion to Avios transfer bonus is running. If both promotions are available at the same time, Avios may end up being the better option depending on where you plan to travel.
Previous Promotions
RBC has run this AAdvantage transfer bonus at the same time in each of the past two years.
| Promotion Period | Bonus |
|---|---|
| August 1 to 31, 2025 | 15% |
| August 1 to 31, 2026 | 15% |
We’ll continue to update this section as future promotions are announced.
Final Thoughts
The RBC Avion to American AAdvantage transfer bonus is a nice opportunity, especially since this is one of the few ways Canadians can earn AAdvantage miles without flying or using a U.S. credit card. A 15% bonus won’t be the best fit for everyone, but if you’ve been planning an AAdvantage redemption, it’s an easy way to stretch your Avion points a little further.
The current promotion runs until August 31, 2026. If you don’t have an AAdvantage redemption in mind, it may be worth waiting for a future transfer bonus with another airline instead.