Credit Cards

Desjardins Odyssey World Elite MasterCard

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  • Sep 21st, 2022 12:28 pm
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Deal Addict
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Nov 25, 2010
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Be aware that you'll be forced to use a 5-digits PIN.
Part of the art of working in customer service, at any company, is the ability to invent plausible explanations for unexpected outcomes. An algorithm makes the decision. The agent does not necessarily know why.
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Aug 29, 2012
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Desjardins debit cards have also had 5 digits PINs from the onset. They were one of the founding entities of Interac. I don't see the big problem.

Desjardins is generally OK to deal with, though I would be suspicious of their insurances, as they have a reputation of weaseling out of paying.
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Jul 13, 2016
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Poutinesauce wrote: Desjardins debit cards have also had 5 digits PINs from the onset. They were one of the founding entities of Interac. I don't see the big problem.

Desjardins is generally OK to deal with, though I would be suspicious of their insurances, as they have a reputation of weaseling out of paying.
The issue is when going abroad. 5 digits PINs won't work in most parts of the world.
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https://blogues.desjardins.com/co-opme/ ... abroad.php
Planning a trip abroad? If so, you'll probably be bringing your debit and credit cards, both of which are protected by a 5-digit PIN number. Will you be able to withdraw cash from automated tellers or make direct payments? Yes!

Every year, Desjardins members and clients perform more than 1.5 million withdrawals from automated tellers in more than 185 countries. The numbers speak for themselves.

Up until 2013, the number of digits in your PIN number was sometimes an issue because, despite recommendations issued by the Visa network, some financial institutions hadn't made the proper adjustments to their technology. But all the required changes have been made since 2015. Now, PIN numbers range from 4 to 6 digits on the lower end, and can be up to 8 digits in some countries. So, if you have trouble withdrawing cash from an automated teller, the problem is probably not your PIN.
I know a lot of people who traveled abroad and paid with their Desjardins credit card extensively, and never heard anyone having any issue.
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Nov 14, 2003
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LaLaLand
emilio911 wrote: The issue is when going abroad. 5 digits PINs won't work in most parts of the world.
I don't think this will be an issue. If it taps, that is usually good enough.

While I was on vacation recently, I brought a new RBC Avion card with me. However, I didn't have time to change the PIN and forgot the PIN that was provided. It worked by tap and with signature also.
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Feb 17, 2017
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emilio911 wrote: The issue is when going abroad. 5 digits PINs won't work in most parts of the world.
That can sometimes be the case at ATMs but at POS terminals it isn't a problem, for a terminal to support chip cards it must support pins of up to 8 digits (and most support 12).
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LaLaLand
Poutinesauce wrote: Think about it, there are millions of Quebecers who only use a Desjardins card... if they weren't able to use them on their snowbirding trips to Fort Lauderdale, Cuba or the Dominican Republic, there would be a giant uproar.
While on the website, I noticed there are Desjardins branches in Florida - to serve snowbirds no doubt!

I ended up applying, and was approved in under 15 minutes, for this card because of the travel medical insurance benefit. Great service so far!
Sr. Member
Nov 25, 2009
795 posts
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Vancouver
Anyone escaping the MBNA RWE devaluation by going here?

For those of us not residents of Quebec (I'm BC) what does this mean:

> The account holder must be an individual member of a caisse affiliated with Fédération des caisses
Desjardins du Québec or Fédération des caisses populaires de l’Ontario Inc. on the December 31 preceding
the payment of the bonus and for this reason, the account holder authorizes the Federation to gather from
these caisses the information required to verify their eligibility.

does this mean I'm not eligible unless I have an actual bank account with Desjardins?
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Nov 25, 2010
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lawonga wrote: Anyone escaping the MBNA RWE devaluation by going here?

For those of us not residents of Quebec (I'm BC) what does this mean:

> The account holder must be an individual member of a caisse affiliated with Fédération des caisses
Desjardins du Québec or Fédération des caisses populaires de l’Ontario Inc. on the December 31 preceding
the payment of the bonus and for this reason, the account holder authorizes the Federation to gather from
these caisses the information required to verify their eligibility.

does this mean I'm not eligible unless I have an actual bank account with Desjardins?
You don't need to be a resident. Those terms are for the 20% extra rewards bonus that is paid annually if you're a member of the credit union
Part of the art of working in customer service, at any company, is the ability to invent plausible explanations for unexpected outcomes. An algorithm makes the decision. The agent does not necessarily know why.
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Nov 25, 2009
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Ah - so I basically need an account with them?
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lawonga wrote: Ah - so I basically need an account with them?
Yep for someone to get the member benefits they need a Desjardins account, sadly the Caisses only exist in Ontario (usually in the east, north and Ottawa, sporadic everywhere else) and Quebec and are only open to residents of those provinces.
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Nov 25, 2010
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lawonga wrote: Ah - so I basically need an account with them?
You do NOT need a bank account with them to be approved for the credit card and earn 1.5% to 2% rewards on spending
Part of the art of working in customer service, at any company, is the ability to invent plausible explanations for unexpected outcomes. An algorithm makes the decision. The agent does not necessarily know why.
Jr. Member
Nov 13, 2010
136 posts
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Calgary
SnoopDop wrote: You don't need to be a resident. Those terms are for the 20% extra rewards bonus that is paid annually if you're a member of the credit union
So they say "The account holder must be an individual member of a caisse affiliated with Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec or Fédération des caisses populaires de l’Ontario Inc".

If you google the bolded part, you get the caisses by region:
https://www.desjardins.com/ca/locator/c ... by-region/

One of which is the Dejardins Financial Centre - Toronto. I live in Alberta, but am travelling to Toronto next month. Is there anything stopping me from opening a chequing account there (even though I'm an Alberta resident) and then qualifying for the bonus points thereafter? That's a 1.8% and 2.4% cash back, which would be great!
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LaLaLand
rkarsk wrote: So they say "The account holder must be an individual member of a caisse affiliated with Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec or Fédération des caisses populaires de l’Ontario Inc".

If you google the bolded part, you get the caisses by region:
https://www.desjardins.com/ca/locator/c ... by-region/

One of which is the Dejardins Financial Centre - Toronto. I live in Alberta, but am travelling to Toronto next month. Is there anything stopping me from opening a chequing account there (even though I'm an Alberta resident) and then qualifying for the bonus points thereafter? That's a 1.8% and 2.4% cash back, which would be great!
Don't you have to be a resident of ON or QC?

Maybe easier to open an account online or over the phone.
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Aug 27, 2009
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I know this is an old thread but I have a comment and a question for anyone with the card.

1) Can you get more than one additional card? I'm hoping to get a card from a family member instead of paying the 130$ JUST to use the PET Odyssey lounge.
2) The PET Odyssey lounge is simply amazing. Makes the start of your international/vacation travel much better.
Member
Jan 25, 2006
225 posts
23 upvotes
Montreal
Has anyone had any experience with the travel insurance? It would be worth it just for that reason alone for me. But I have heard of a number of horror stories about companies not willing to pay and thus the need to be very cautious.
Thankyou bob
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Feb 1, 2006
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FYI, I'm thinking of getting this card and found out the following:

Min. investable assets of $400K at any FI in Canada or min. spend of 25K on current Desjardins CC are other ways of qualifying if you don't meet min. personal/household income.
Cards:HSBC WE MC 1.5%/3% travel 0 FX MC acceptance 31 day med AF $49
CTC WE MC 3% grocery, 3.54% CTC, RA, billpay, AF $0
MBNA RWE 5.4% grocery/resto
Bank: EQ (1.5%)
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Dec 16, 2005
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minimalist wrote: FYI, I'm thinking of getting this card and found out the following:

Min. investable assets of $400K at any FI in Canada or min. spend of 25K on current Desjardins CC are other ways of qualifying if you don't meet min. personal/household income.
that's only if you don't have $200k income (personal or household).

edit: sorry this is the WE MC so it only requires 80k personal or 150k household. I thought it was the visa infinite priv.

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