Personal Finance

RBC reward points towards gift certificate depreciated?

  • Last Updated:
  • Apr 2nd, 2015 10:03 pm
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Jr. Member
User avatar
Dec 5, 2016
178 posts
138 upvotes
Vancouver

RBC reward points towards gift certificate depreciated?

I recall that for most types e.g. ESSO, McD's, Sbux, it used to be 3k per $25 gift card redemption. It seems that it is now 3.5k per $25? So disappointing...
16 replies
Newbie
User avatar
Nov 16, 2014
79 posts
13 upvotes
Ottawa, ON
This is why I've switched to a cash back card. The ratio between points to gift cards can always change, but cash is cash.
Jr. Member
User avatar
Dec 5, 2016
178 posts
138 upvotes
Vancouver
I guess I should look for a new card now
Member
Jun 16, 2012
316 posts
50 upvotes
MARKHAM
They must have changed it then. I remember those rates that you mentioned 2 years ago when I still had an RBC points card.
Deal Guru
Aug 14, 2007
12807 posts
3837 upvotes
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darksoul wrote: They must have changed it then. I remember those rates that you mentioned 2 years ago when I still had an RBC points card.
I'm almost debating on using all of my points now for this reason. I'm a few hundred points shy of 35,000
Sr. Member
User avatar
Apr 5, 2009
948 posts
334 upvotes
Toronto
You can convert them to WestJet dollars at 100 points per dollar ratio. Much better deal than gift cards if you were gonna fly WJ at some point in the next 5 years.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Feb 12, 2002
817 posts
227 upvotes
Vancouver
Recently used 50k points for $500 off plane tickets, booked using their website which is powered by Orbitz. Essentially 1% value, not that great but at least I found the flights I wanted.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Dec 9, 2010
500 posts
92 upvotes
Is converting to WestJet dollars and/or using them as travel rewards the best use of these points?

Anything higher than 1% conversion?
Sr. Member
User avatar
Apr 5, 2009
948 posts
334 upvotes
Toronto
dee88 wrote: Is converting to WestJet dollars and/or using them as travel rewards the best use of these points?

Anything higher than 1% conversion?
If you have (or convert to) the RBC Avion card, then you can redeem for airfare or convert to BA Avios, AAdvantage or Asia Miles and possibly get better than 1% return. That's about it.
Newbie
Nov 10, 2007
71 posts
11 upvotes
PM me if you are have excess RBC Rewards or Esso Extra points you would like to cash in for greater than 1% value.
Deal Fanatic
Jun 17, 2013
5120 posts
1501 upvotes
Montreal
erasmus99 wrote: PM me if you are have excess RBC Rewards or Esso Extra points you would like to cash in for greater than 1% value.

How?
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2011
41796 posts
30053 upvotes
Center of Universe
erasmus99 wrote: PM me if you are have excess RBC Rewards or Esso Extra points you would like to cash in for greater than 1% value.
Post it so everyone else can take advantage...unless it's some sort of scam/fraud!
Deal Guru
Aug 14, 2007
12807 posts
3837 upvotes
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vkizzle wrote: Post it so everyone else can take advantage...unless it's some sort of scam/fraud!
He just bought mine via EMT, $375.00 for 33,000 RBC Points, theres an option within the rbc rewards section to convert your points to esso extra points, just put the card member number for the esso card and convert.
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2011
41796 posts
30053 upvotes
Center of Universe
XtremeModder wrote: He just bought mine via EMT, $375.00 for 33,000 RBC Points, theres an option within the rbc rewards section to convert your points to esso extra points, just put the card member number for the esso card and convert.
Oh I see, he pays you cash in return for Esso points.
1500 RBC points = 2500 Esso points.
Sr. Member
Jul 29, 2012
930 posts
336 upvotes
Alberta
Guys keep your points, I've done the calculations over and over again and car wash is amazing value. If you convert your rbc points to esso points, you can get an esso full wash for 599 esso pts which is approx 360 rbc points.

Do the math in your head and you can see that if you normally spend 3.60 per wash using whatever method you currently use, using the pts on an esso wash gives you a return of 1%. And it'll most likely provide a better wash than whatever you can do for 3.60. I personally used to spend close to $10 washing my car at those coin ops, so my return is over 2%.

Of course the % return becomes even better if you consider the full price of the esso washes, which I think is $10+.
Newbie
Nov 4, 2010
19 posts
7 upvotes
Cambridge
Not sure how good the point to dollar value is, but there's also rbc financial rewards to convert points to actual cash

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