To the point
Find out how the BONUSDOLLARS program offered by Desjardins works and how to best use your BONUSDOLLARS.
How can you use your Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS?
How do I redeem my BONUSDOLLARS for gift certificates?
BONUSDOLLARS in exchange for tickets to shows, movies, theaters, attractions and museums
BONUSDOLLARS in exchange for financial products and services
BONUSDOLLARS in exchange for trips
BONUSDOLLARS, a good deal or not?
Is it the best rewards program?
Advantages of BONUSDOLLARS
Disadvantages of BONUSDOLLARS
Comparison with other programs
Bottom Line
You’ve earned BONUSDOLLARS with your Desjardins credit card but don’t know how to use them effectively? This comprehensive guide explains everything you need to know about the Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS program, from the different ways you can use them to the credit cards that let you earn more.
How can you use your Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS?
BONUSDOLLARS is essentially a cash-back program. For every 1 BONUSDOLLAR earned, you’ll get 1 dollar to redeem on bonidollars.ca in the category:
- Restaurant,
- Entertainment
- Travel
- Transportation
You can even use your credit card to make a donation to a non-profit organization.
The minimum to redeem is 20 BONUSDOLLARS; however, on the site, available gift cards start at 25 BONUSDOLLARS at the time of our visit.
You can redeem your BONUSDOLLARS in 4 ways, some of which are more advantageous than others.
How do I redeem my BONUSDOLLARS for gift certificates?
The BONUSDOLLARS gift card catalogue offers access to multiple rewards to suit every consumer profile with over 40 partner brands.
These gift card rewards range from 25 to 250 BONUSDOLLARS and are divided into 9 categories on the bonidollars.ca website:
- Arts, culture and entertainment: Indigo, Cineplex, DeSerres, Disney, Archambault
- Electronics and technology: Apple, Canadian Tire, Hudson’s Bay, The Source, Best Buy, Tanguay
- Home & Garden: Canadian Tire, The Home Depot, Rona, HomeSense, Hudson’s Bay, Winners, Tanguay, BBQ Quebec
- Fashion and accessories: Luluelemon, Decathlon, Ardene, Harry Rosen, Hudson’s Bay, Reitmans, Roots, La Vie En Rose, Browns, Golf Town, Sport Chek
- Food and beverages: The Keg Steakhouse + Bar, LCBO, Cora, SAQ, Uber Eats, Metro
- Health and wellness: Sephora, Club Piscine, Strom Spa
- Sports and fitness: Canadian Tire, Décathlon, Lululemon, Sporting Life, Sail, Golf Town, Sport Chek
- Travel and leisure: Esso, Uber, Petro Canada, WaySPa, Disney, Air Canada, Ôrigine hotel artisans
- Retailers: including all these brands as well as Renaud-Bray, Cooki-it, Anne-Marie Chagnon, Costco, La Cordée
You’ll have to look for the gift card you like best. However, we invite you to compare the value of the products with what you might find on the market. Prices are not necessarily that far from the market (unlike other loyalty programs that sell their toasters for up to twice as much)!
BONUSDOLLARS in exchange for tickets to shows, movies, theaters, attractions and museums
Here, it is a cashback. You must have bought your tickets through traditional distributors (example: Evenko). Once the expense appears on your Desjardins credit card account, you can use your BONUSDOLLARS.
You have the option to use your BONUSDOLLARS in whole or in part.
Here is the procedure:
- Online from a computer
- Go to AccèsD
- Choose the card associated with the BONUSDOLLARS to exchange
- In the right-hand menu, click on BONUSDOLLARS
- Click on Exchange BONUSDOLLARS
- Select the Eligible Transactions category
- In the mobile application
- Log on to the Desjardins Mobile Services application
- Select the credit card of your choice under My Accounts or Favorites
- Press Information
- Choose BONUSDOLLARS
- Press Exchange BONUSDOLLARS
- Select the Eligible Transactions category
Please note: this discount must be made within 60 days of purchase. In addition, the minimum discount is 20 BONUSDOLLARS.
This is a good use case for your BONUSDOLLARS: you won’t pay more for your reward since you buy the entertainment tickets yourself!
BONUSDOLLARS in exchange for financial products and services
You can also use your BONUSDOLLARS in exchange for financial products and services offered by Desjardins:
- Desjardins Private Management
- Desjardins General Insurance
- Savings products
- Desjardins/Disnat Securities
- Desjardins RRSP or Desjardins Group RRSP Funds, Desjardins Fund Investment Solutions, ESPs
- Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins
- Financing products
- Insurance products
- Transaction fees on chequing accounts (EOP), regular savings accounts (ES) and term savings accounts (ET)
In short, you’ll understand that you can do almost anything with your BONUSDOLLARS on Desjardins financial products and services. It’s a good way to use your BONUSDOLLARS if you don’t have any trips planned!
To see the terms and conditions, it’s this way.
BONUSDOLLARS in exchange for trips
This is the best use you could make of your BONUSDOLLARS, especially for holders of the Desjardins Odyssey World Elite MasterCard.
By paying for your trip with your Desjardins credit card, you are covered by travel insurance.
One of the big advantages of your BONUSDOLLARS is that you can apply them to any travel expense. If you don’t like restricted travel miles or points, then BONUSDOLLARS are for you.
As for entertainment expenses, here you can use all or part of your BONUSDOLLARS to pay for your trip.
The travel expenses for which you can redeem your BONUSDOLLARS are varied:
- Hotel, hostel, bed and breakfast…
- Plane, train, coach
- And even to pay for public transport titles (suburban train, metro, bus).
To use your BONUSDOLLARS for a travel expense, you must :
- Go to the AccèsD page and follow the instructions, which are the same as the entertainment discount above.
BONUSDOLLARS, a good deal or not?
The BONUSDOLLARS program has the merit of being simple but not very lucrative. The credit cards in this program do not offer a welcome bonus, unlike most credit cards in Canada.
Most people who want to earn even more cash back or points go for cards with points or flexible discounts. For example:
- One of the best cash back cards with the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card
- The popular American Express Cobalt Card, with its 5 points at the grocery store and discounts you can use on anything.
Avoid letting points slip through your fingers by using our credit card comparison tool to choose a card that gives you more.
Desjardins credit cards
Desjardins Bank offers eight credit cards: four are linked to the rewards program and earn BONUSDOLLARS, while the other four will give you cash back on your purchases.
Desjardins credit cards offering BONUSDOLLARS
There are 4 Desjardins credit cards, three of which are Visa Desjardins, that earn BONUSDOLLARS:
- The Desjardins Bonus Visa Card: up to 2% per dollar of purchases
- The Desjardins Odyssey® Gold Visa Card: up to 2% per dollar of purchases
- or Desjardins Odyssey® World Elite® Mastercard: up to 3% per dollar spent
- and Desjardins Odyssey Visa Infinite Privilege Card: up to 4% per dollar spent
Attention! **Note that the accumulation on certain purchases will change from January 1, 2024. From now on, there will be a ceiling on annual expenses in these categories. Read the full article on the devaluation of BONIDOLLARS here.
In our opinion, these 2 Desjardins credit cards offering BONUSDOLLARS deserve your attention:
Desjardins Bonus Visa* Credit Card
This card earns up to 2% in BONUSDOLLARS on all purchases, with no annual fee.
It also offers several insurances:
- Emergency Health Care coverage for up to 3 days out of province
- Insurance on mobile devices up to $1000 in case of loss, theft, accidental damage or mechanical failure.
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection
- Luggage protection
If you’re looking for an equivalent card that offers 1% cash back everywhere and also no annual fee, you might want to check out the MBNA Rewards PlatinumPlusMD Mastercard.
Desjardins Odyssey World Elite Mastercard
It’s a top-of-the-line card in the Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS rewards program, with an annual fee of $130. In addition to a concierge service, you can earn up to 3% in BONUSDOLLARS on your purchases.
**Note that the accumulation on certain card purchases will change from January 1, 2024. From now on, there will be a ceiling on annual expenditure in these categories. Read the full article on the devaluation of BONIDOLLARS here.
It also offers several insurances:
- Emergency health care coverage for up to 60 consecutive days for persons 75 years of age and under, outside the province (limited to $5 million per person)
- Intergenerational Travel Coverage
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection
- Luggage protection
- Insurance on mobile devices up to $1,000 in case of loss, theft, accidental damage or mechanical failure
- Rental Vehicle Collision/Loss Damage Insurance
Its biggest competitor is National Bank’s World Elite Mastercard®, which offers up to $250 in credit for various travel expenses!
And its insurance is equivalent to what Desjardins offers. Here is our comparison between the two.
Is it the best rewards program?
Advantages of BONUSDOLLARS
The Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS rewards program has many advantages:
- Simplicity: The program is pretty simple to understand and use.
- Flexibility: You can redeem your BONUSDOLLARS for a variety of rewards, as described above.
- Insurance coverage: Some Desjardins credit cards offer additional benefits such as travel insurance coverage or access to VIP lounges like the Desjardins Odyssée Visa Infinite Privilege Card.
Disadvantages of BONUSDOLLARS
However, Desjardins’ BONUSDOLLARS rewards program is not the one that offers the best rewards:
- Point value: The redemption value of BONUSDOLLARS may not be as high as that of other reward programs.
- No welcome bonus: The program generally does not offer substantial welcome bonuses, which is a disadvantage compared to other reward cards.
- Limited options: While flexible, the rewards catalogue may not be as extensive as other programs.
Comparison with other programs
In comparison, travel rewards programs are often more lucrative for frequent flyers. The following programs are preferred:
- American Express Membership Rewards points,
- NBC Rewards,
- BMO Rewards
- or Scène+’s
For cash back enthusiasts, Scène+ will be the most comprehensive rewards program (travel rewards and cash back). For example, theScotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card is a great choice.
We’ve put together a detailed comparative analysis to help you find your way among the best cards. Please see our article: Comparison of Desjardins credit cards and alternatives.
Bottom Line
Now that you’re a Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS expert, it’s time to maximize your rewards. Don’t forget to check your balance regularly and think about the best way to use them.
How do I redeem my BONUSDOLLARS?
To redeem your BONUSDOLLARS, log on to your Desjardins AccèsD account. Select the credit card associated with the BONUSDOLLARS you wish to redeem. Then click on the BONUSDOLLARS option and follow the instructions to choose the reward category you’re interested in.
How do I earn BONUSDOLLARS?
Earn BONUSDOLLARS is easy. Use your Desjardins credit card for everyday purchases like groceries, gas and entertainment. Every dollar you spend earns you a percentage of the amount in BONUSDOLLARS.
How to use BONUSDOLLARS
BONUSDOLLARS can be used for various rewards, including show tickets, financial products, and even donations to non-profit organizations. You may use them in whole or in part to pay for these services or products.
How do I redeem Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS?
Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS are redeemed through your AccèsD account. Once logged in, select the credit card associated with your BONUSDOLLARS and follow the steps to redeem your points for rewards or services.
How do I activate a Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS card?
Once you’ve received your BONUSDOLLARS card, visit the official Desjardins website. Follow the activation instructions, which will usually include entering your first name, last name and order number from the card.
How do I activate a Desjardins BONUSDOLLARS card?
Once you’ve received your BONUSDOLLARS card, visit the official Desjardins website. Follow the activation instructions, which will usually include entering your first name, last name and order number from the card.
Do BONUSDOLLARS expire?
BONUSDOLLARS have no expiry date, so you can accumulate and use them at your own pace. However, checking the terms and conditions for any update is always a good idea.
How do I pay a credit card with BONUSDOLLARS?
You can use your BONUSDOLLARS to pay off your debt on your Desjardins credit card. Log on to your AccèsD account and follow the instructions to apply your BONUSDOLLARS to your credit card balance.
BONUSDOLLARS or cash back?
The choice between BONUSDOLLARS and cashback depends on your personal preferences. BONUSDOLLARS offer more flexibility in the types of rewards you can earn, while cashback is more direct.
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
