Amex Platinum Business vs The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

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

amex platinum business
Finly rebate
$175

Business Platinum Card® from American Express

4.6

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The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

3.1

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

$164

First-year value

$1,363

$164

Every year after

$663

The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card is worth $1,199 more to your business in year one.

It stays ahead after that, by $499 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.

$1,143.42Better of the two
in American Express Membership Rewards points a year

Annual rewards

$963.36
in RBC Avion (Elite) Rewards points a year
+ $0
not reached at this spending

Welcome bonus

Better of the two+ $700
first year only
− $799

Annual fee

Better of the two− $120
− $180
2.5% on $600/mo

FX fees

− $180
2.5% on $600/mo
$164.42

First-year value

Better of the two$1,363.36

Finly rebates are paid on top and aren't counted in these values.

Where each card earns

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

Amex Platinum Business earns more on 17 of your 17 categories.

$299.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

All Other Business Expenses

$12,600 a year

$252
at 1x
$146.15Better of the two
at 1.25x

US Dollar Purchases

$6,150 a year

$122.88
at 1x
$114Better of the two
at 1.25x

Recurring Bills & Subscriptions

$4,800 a year

$96
at 1x
$85.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Gas & EV Charging

$3,600 a year

$72
at 1x
$85.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Dining & Restaurants

$3,600 a year

$72
at 1x
$71.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

Office Supplies

$3,000 a year

$60
at 1x
$57Better of the two
at 1.25x

Phone, Internet & Cable

$2,400 a year

$48
at 1x
$42.64Better of the two
at 1.25x

Hotels

$1,800 a year

$36
at 1x
$42.64Better of the two
at 1.25x

Shipping & Courier

$1,800 a year

$36
at 1x
$42.64Better of the two
at 1.25x

Accounting & Bookkeeping

$1,800 a year

$36
at 1x
$29.18Better of the two
at 1.25x

Other Foreign Currencies (EUR, GBP, etc.)

$1,230 a year

$24.48
at 1x
$28.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Electronics & Software

$1,200 a year

$24
at 1x
$28.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Air Canada

$1,200 a year

$24
at 1x
$28.5Better of the two
at 1.25x

Transportation

$1,200 a year

$24
at 1x
$14.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

Other Airlines

$600 a year

$12
at 1x
$14.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

Car Rental

$600 a year

$12
at 1x
$14.14Better of the two
at 1.25x

Other Travel

$600 a year

$12
at 1x
$1,143.42Better of the two

Rewards in a year

$963.36

Welcome bonus

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

Amex Platinum Business

  • Earn up to 120,000 bonus Membership Rewards® points
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you charge $15,000 in net purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
  • Plus, earn 40,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership
  • That’s up to $1,200 in statement credit that can be reinvested in your business

The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

  • Enjoy 35,000 Welcome Avion points upon enrollment1

Amex Platinum Business

Worth $0 at your spending

80,000 MR points when you spend $15,000 in the first 3 months

0 pts

40,000 MR points when you make a purchase in months 15-17 (card year 2)

40,000 pts

40,000 points when you make a purchase between 15 and 17 months of Cardmembership (card year 2)

40,000 pts

The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

Worth $700 at your spending

35,000 Avion points on enrollment

35,000 pts

Fees, rates and eligibility

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

$799

Annual fee

Better of the two$120
$250 per Platinum, $0 per Gold (max 99)

Employee cards

$50
2.5%

Foreign transaction fee

2.5%
American Express Membership Rewards

Rewards

RBC Avion (Elite) Rewards
American Express

Network

Visa

Amex Platinum Business

Interest rates

Purchase:

21.99% - 30%1

Cash Advance:

21.99% - 30%1

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. 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 account is opened.

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

The RBC Avion Visa 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:

N/A

Min Household Income:

N/A

How each card earns

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

Amex Platinum Business

  • 1.25x points per $1 spent on all purchases

The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

  • Earn 1 Avion point for every $1 spent in net purchases with your card3

Insurance and perks

What both cards include comes first in each list.

Amex Platinum Business

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $1,000
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $1,000
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Yes
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $500,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $1,000
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1,500
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $1,500
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $1,000
  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,500
  • travel accident medical

    Travel Medical Insurance (64 & under)

    15 days

Perks

  • concierge

    Concierge Services

    Personalized concierge at your service
  • discount

    Discount

    Your Business Platinum Card gets you savings on the seats you really want and lower fares on premium tickets with participating airlines
  • grwoth

    Interest on Balance

    Up to 55 interest-free days
  • Amex logo

    American Express® Experiences

    Access Front Of The Line® Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts, theatre shows, and special offers with American Express® Experiences
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status by spending $30,000 or staying 10 nights combined with 15 Elite Night Credits. Status retention depends on Marriott Bonvoy terms.
  • bed furniture

    Free Extra Night at Hotels

    Each year, 8-10 weeks after your anniversary, receive a Free Night Award for a Marriott Bonvoy room up to 35,000 points, valid for 1 year. Resort fees excluded.
  • travel

    Travel Credit

    Access a $200 Annual Travel Credit each year of your Cardmembership
  • border guard

    Nexus Program Rebate

    Access a $100 credit for NEXUS with your Cardmembership
  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - American Express Global Lounge

    Take full advantage of the American Express Global Lounge CollectionTM which unlocks access to over 1400 airport lounges worldwide. This includes The Centurion® Lounge network, Plaza Premium Lounges, and hundreds of other domestic and international lounges designed to enhance your travel experience. Terms and Conditions apply.
  • hotel

    Complimentary Hotel Benefits

    Enjoy Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits at over 1,600 properties worldwide like guaranteed late check-out, complimentary breakfast for two, and more with Business Platinum.
  • airport waiting room

    Priority Travel

    At Toronto Pearson Airport get Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet and 15% discount at the Express Park and daily park
  • mobile phone wifi

    Wireless Credit

    Up to $120 in statement credits each year. Spend $10 each month with eligible wireless providers month and get a $10 credit.
  • business briefcase

    Business Statement Credits

    Up to $500 in business statement credits. Enroll and earn statement credits on eligible purchases with $200 Dell statement credit, $300 Indeed statement credit.

The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

Insurance

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $500
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $500
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Included
  • heart lock

    Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance

    $500,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to 1 year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $2,500
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $1,500
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $5,000
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $500

Perks

  • 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 Platinum Business

The most premium business card in Canada, and priced accordingly at $799/year. You get 1.25x Membership Rewards points on everything, a massive welcome bonus of up to 120,000 points, and a deep roster of perks: airport lounge access, hotel elite status, statement credits, and comprehensive insurance. The value proposition only works if you travel frequently and use the perks — the earn rate alone doesn’t justify the fee. But for businesses that fly often, entertain clients, and want best-in-class coverage, the benefits can far exceed the cost. Amex acceptance gaps in Canada remain a consideration.

  • Optimize all purchases
  • Premium travel perks
  • Comprehensive insurance
  • Interest grace period
  • Business statement credits
  • High annual fee
  • Limited acceptance

The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

A straightforward travel rewards card: 1 Avion point per dollar on everything, no bonus categories to chase. The real appeal is the flexibility — Avion points transfer to British Airways Avios, WestJet dollars, and Cathay Pacific miles, giving you multiple ways to get value from your spending. At $120/year it’s reasonably priced for a travel card, and the 35,000-point welcome bonus helps offset the fee in year one. The 1x flat rate won’t wow anyone, but if you want a simple earn-and-transfer card for a business that spends broadly, this does it well. Just know that non-travel redemptions are poor value.

  • Decent reward flat rate
  • Flexible redemption options
  • Comprehensive insurance
  • Interest-free grace period
  • Potential annual fee discount
  • Gas discounts
  • Low base earn rate
  • No lounge access
  • Supplementary card fees
  • Foreign transaction fees
  • Limited premium perks
  • No emergency medical insurance
  • Limited additional cards

More business card comparisons

Each card against every other business card we review.

Amex Platinum Business

The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

Legal

Amex Platinum Business

*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. 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 account is opened.


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.

The RBC Avion Visa Business Credit Card

1 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 Business cardholders, as well as existing RBC Avion Infinite Visa Business cardholders, applying for or transferring to the RBC Avion Visa 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 Avion points are earned on net purchases only; they are not earned on cash advances (including balance transfers, cash-like transactions and certain bill payments), interest charges or fees, and credits for returns and adjustments will reduce or cancel the points earned by the amounts originally charged.