Amex Business Gold vs RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

Both business cards worked out on the same spending: rewards, welcome bonus, fees and perks, line by line.

amex business gold

American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card

4.5

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RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

3.3

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Worked out on a typical small business spending $4,000 a month. Enter yours to see your own numbers.

$1,866

First-year value

$1,549

$536

Every year after

$849

Amex Business Gold is worth $318 more to your business in year one.

From year two, RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card pulls ahead by $312 a year.

How the first year adds up

Rewards and the welcome bonus in, the annual fee, FX fees and employee cards out, at your spending.

$915.19
in American Express Membership Rewards points a year

Annual rewards

Better of the two$1,203.6
in RBC Avion (Elite) Rewards points a year
+ $1,330Better of the two
first year only

Welcome bonus

+ $700
first year only
− $199

Annual fee

Better of the two− $175
− $180
2.5% on $600/mo

FX fees

− $180
2.5% on $600/mo
$1,866.19Better of the two

First-year value

$1,548.6

Where each card earns

A year of your spending on each card, category by category, biggest spend first.

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card earns more on 17 of your 17 categories.

$239.4
at 1x

All Other Business Expenses

$12,600 a year

Better of the two$314.88
at 1.25x
$116.74
at 1x

US Dollar Purchases

$6,150 a year

Better of the two$153.84
at 1.25x
$91.2
at 1x

Recurring Bills & Subscriptions

$4,800 a year

Better of the two$120
at 1.25x
$68.4
at 1x

Gas & EV Charging

$3,600 a year

Better of the two$90
at 1.25x
$68.4
at 1x

Dining & Restaurants

$3,600 a year

Better of the two$90
at 1.25x
$57
at 1x

Office Supplies

$3,000 a year

Better of the two$74.88
at 1.25x
$45.6
at 1x

Phone, Internet & Cable

$2,400 a year

Better of the two$60
at 1.25x
$34.2
at 1x

Hotels

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$44.88
at 1.25x
$34.2
at 1x

Shipping & Courier

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$44.88
at 1.25x
$34.2
at 1x

Accounting & Bookkeeping

$1,800 a year

Better of the two$44.88
at 1.25x
$23.26
at 1x

Other Foreign Currencies (EUR, GBP, etc.)

$1,230 a year

Better of the two$30.72
at 1.25x
$22.8
at 1x

Electronics & Software

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$30
at 1.25x
$22.8
at 1x

Air Canada

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$30
at 1.25x
$22.8
at 1x

Transportation

$1,200 a year

Better of the two$30
at 1.25x
$11.4
at 1x

Other Airlines

$600 a year

Better of the two$14.88
at 1.25x
$11.4
at 1x

Car Rental

$600 a year

Better of the two$14.88
at 1.25x
$11.4
at 1x

Other Travel

$600 a year

Better of the two$14.88
at 1.25x
$0
10,000 points each quarter when you charge $20,000 in net purchases to your Card

Spend bonuses

on top of the rates

$0
none
$915.19

Rewards in a year

Better of the two$1,203.6

Welcome bonus

Each offer as the issuer words it, then which milestones your spending reaches.

Amex Business Gold

  • Earn a welcome bonus of up to 70,000 Membership Rewards® points in your first year.
  • Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $7,500 in purchases within the first three months of Cardmembership.
  • Plus, earn an additional 20,000 points after spending $30,000 on your Card in your first 12 months of Cardmembership.
  • That’s up to $700 in statement credits to reinvest in your business.

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

Get 35,000 Welcome Avion points upon approval.2 That’s enough points to fly almost anywhere in Canada & the US except Hawaii & Alaska (a value of up to $750^), taxes & fees extra. Enjoy the travel benefits, plus access to other features designed to help simplify your business and maximize cash flow.

Amex Business Gold

Worth $1,330 at your spending

Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $7,500 on your Card in your first 3 months

50,000 pts

Earn 20,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $30,000 on your Card in your first year

20,000 pts

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

Worth $700 at your spending

35,000 Avion points on approval

35,000 pts

Fees, rates and eligibility

What each card costs to hold and to use abroad, and who it's for.

$199

Annual fee

Better of the two$175
$50

Employee cards

$75 (max 9)
2.5%

Foreign transaction fee

2.5%
American Express Membership Rewards

Rewards

RBC Avion (Elite) Rewards
American Express

Network

Visa

Amex Business Gold

Interest rates

Purchase:

21.99% - 29.99%1

Cash Advance:

N/A1

1 This charge Card has both Due in Full and Flexible Payment Option balances. All Due in Full balances must be paid each month. Interest rate of 30% applies to each delinquent Due in Full charge. This rate is effective from the day account is opened. The Preferred rate of 21.99% applies to your Flexible Payment Option balance. If you have 2 separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option Rate will be 29.99%. These rates are effective from the day the Flexible Payment Option is first available on your account.

Recommended credit score

300
Poor
693
Fair
743⁎
Good
790⁎
Very Good
833⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on TransUnion scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

Interest rates

Purchase:

19.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%

Balance Transfer:

22.99%

Recommended credit score

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725⁎
Very Good
760⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on Equifax scoring

Income required

Min Personal Income:

$60,000

Min Household Income:

$100,000

How each card earns

The earn rates and caps, as each issuer sets them.

Amex Business Gold

  • 1x point per $1 spent on all purchases
  • 10,000 points each quarter when you charge $20,000 in net purchases to your card

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

  • Earn 1.25 Avion points for every $1 spent in net purchases with your card, on up to $75,000 per year3
  • Earn 1 Avion point for every $1 spent in net purchases after the first $75,000 annually

Insurance and perks

What both cards include comes first in each list.

Amex Business Gold

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    yes
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $100,000
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500

Perks

  • travel

    Travel Credit

    Book two or more consecutive nights at participating properties through The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel to receive a $100 credit for amenities or a complimentary room upgrade, if available.
  • airport waiting room

    Priority Travel

    Enjoy premium benefits at the Toronto Pearson Airport, including access to the Pearson Priority Security Lane and discount on parking.
  • Amex logo

    Amex Experiences™

    Access Front Of The Line® Amex Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts and theatre performances and special offers and events curated for Cardmembers with Amex Experiences™

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Included
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $500,000
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $2,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to 1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $2,500
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500

  • travel accident medical

    Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

    15 days (unlimited coverage)
  • travel accident medical

    Travel Medical Insurance (65 to 75)

    3 days
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1,500
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $5,000

Perks

  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass

    Pass only, must pay $32 USD per visit
  • gas station

    Gas Discount

    save 3¢/L on fuel and always earn 20% more Petro-Points at Petro-Canada and 20% more Avion points at Petro-Canada

Our take

Amex Business Gold

The American Express® Business Gold Rewards Card is an excellent choice for business owners who also travel seeking an entry-level card that offers a strong balance of generous travel benefits without excessive costs. With a relatively low annual fee, this card provides flexibility and a range of perks that make it stand out among other options.

  • Flexible rewards
  • Travel perks
  • Foreign transaction fees
  • Limited travel insurance
  • Lower acceptance

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

The premium tier of RBC’s business Avion line, with a higher 1.25x flat earn rate and noticeably better insurance — including trip cancellation, emergency medical, and rental car coverage. Avion points transfer to partners like British Airways, WestJet, and Cathay Pacific, which can unlock outsized value on flights if you know how to use them. At $175/year, it’s a meaningful step up in fee from the regular Avion Business card, so it really only makes sense if you’ll use the insurance and travel perks. Not ideal for businesses that prefer straightforward cash back or don’t travel much.

  • Decent reward flat rate
  • Flexible redemption options
  • Comprehensive insurance
  • Interest-free grace period
  • Gas discounts
  • Supplementary card fees
  • Foreign transaction fees

More business card comparisons

Each card against every other business card we review.

Legal


Amex Business Gold

*Terms and conditions apply.


This charge Card has both Due in Full and Flexible Payment Option balances. All Due in Full balances must be paid each month. Interest rate of 30% applies to each delinquent Due in Full charge. This rate is effective from the day account is opened. The Preferred rate of 21.99% applies to your Flexible Payment Option balance. If you have 2 separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option rate for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate Missed Payments in a 12 month period, the Flexible Payment Option Rate will be 29.99%. These rates are effective from the day the Flexible Payment Option is first available on your account.


Account must be in good standing. Membership Rewards points (points) earned by the Basic Cardmember on all purchases, less credits and adjustments. Interest charges, annual fees, other fees and cash equivalent transactions are not purchases and do not qualify for Membership Rewards points. A minimum purchase of $0.50 is required to earn points. Earn one (1) point for every $1.00 in eligible purchases charged to your card.


American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business Credit Card

^Air Travel Reward redemptions from the Air Travel Redemption Schedule start at 35,000 Avion points for a round trip long-haul flight to almost anywhere in Canada or the United States, exclusive of Hawaii or Alaska, with a maximum ticket price of $750. All applicable taxes, service fees and surcharges are the responsibility of the traveller. For more details, including information on redeeming for first class and business class seats, visit: www.avionrewards.com/travel/index.html. For general redemption terms, conditions and restrictions that apply to the Avion Rewards program, please visit: avionrewards.com or call 1-800 ROYAL 1-2 (1-800-769-2512 ).


2 To receive the 35,000 Welcome Avion points (“Welcome Points”), your application must be approved by us. The Welcome Points will appear on your first credit card statement after your application has been approved. Only the primary business owner on the account is eligible for the Welcome Points; additional business owner(s) and cardholder(s), existing RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business cardholders, as well as existing RBC Avion Visa Business cardholders, applying for or transferring to the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Business credit card, are not eligible for this offer. This offer may not be combined or used in conjunction with any other offer. Royal Bank of Canada reserves the right to cancel, modify or withdraw this offer at any time, including if we suspect that you may be manipulating or abusing it, or engaging in any suspicious or fraudulent activity, as determined by Royal Bank of Canada in its sole discretion.


3 You will earn: (i) 1.25 Avion point per $1 in net purchases you make with your card, up to a maximum of $75 000 in net purchases per Annual Period, and (ii) 1 Avion point per $1 in net purchases you make with your card in excess of $75 000 during an Annual Period, unlimited. “Annual Period” means the twelve (12) full monthly statement periods each year, starting with your January monthly statement and ending with your December monthly statement or, if you are a new Avion Visa Infinite Business cardholder, the period starting on the day your card is issued and ending with your December statement. Each year, on the first day of your January monthly statement, your annual net purchase amount, for the purpose of determining your earn rate only, will automatically reset to zero. Please note that monthly statement periods don't necessarily line up with the beginning and end of a calendar month. Avion points are earned on net purchases only; they are not earned on cash advances (including balance transfers, cash-like transactions and bill payments that are not pre-authorized charges that you set up with a merchant), interest charges or fees, and credits for returns and adjustments will reduce or cancel the points earned by the amounts originally charged. For more details on the Avion Rewards program, please visit: avionrewards.com/terms-and-conditions