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The Desjardins Cash Back World Elite Mastercard is a premium cash back card earning up to 4% on groceries and up to 3% on restaurants, entertainment, and alternative transportation. It carries a $100 annual fee and adds airport lounge access and stronger travel insurance on top of the cash back structure found on Desjardins’ no-fee card.
Approval requires a minimum personal income of $80,000, household income of $150,000, or at least $400,000 in assets under management, positioning this card above Desjardins’ standard rewards tier.
Because the categories mirror the no-fee Desjardins Cash Back Mastercard but at higher rates and caps, this card mainly rewards households that already spend enough in those categories to outearn the $100 annual fee.
Who This Card Makes Sense For
This card is a good fit if you:
- Meet the income or asset thresholds Desjardins requires for approval
- Spend close to or above the grocery and restaurant caps, where the higher cash back rates pay off the annual fee quickly
- Travel occasionally and want airport lounge access bundled with a cash back card
- Want stronger purchase and travel insurance than a no-fee card typically offers
It’s a weaker fit if you:
- Don’t meet the $80,000 personal, $150,000 household, or $400,000 asset eligibility criteria
- Spend well under the category caps, since the no-fee Desjardins Cash Back Mastercard could net more after accounting for this card’s fee
- Rarely use airport lounges or travel insurance benefits
Eligibility and Documents Needed
Desjardins requires a minimum annual income of $80,000 for an individual applicant or $150,000 for household income, or alternatively at least $400,000 in assets under management.
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During the application, expect to provide valid identification, employment details, gross income, housing costs, and general financial information.
How to Apply
You can apply online through Desjardins’ portal or by phone at 1-877-847-8472. A specific approval or delivery timeline isn’t published on the main product page.
Fees and Conditions
The numbers that matter most:
- Annual fee: $100
- Additional cardholder fee: $30 per year
- Purchase interest rate: 20.9%
- Cash advance rate: 21.9%
Desjardins’ page doesn’t disclose a specific foreign transaction fee for this card — check your cardholder agreement for the exact currency conversion terms if you travel or shop internationally often.
Cash back rates are higher than the no-fee version, with the same category caps:
- Up to 4% on groceries, on the first $10,000 spent annually
- Up to 3% on restaurants, on the first $6,000 spent annually
- 3% on entertainment
- 3% on alternative transportation
- 1% on all other purchases
A household that maxes out both the grocery and restaurant caps earns roughly $580 a year from those two categories alone, well above the $100 annual fee. That math holds up even before counting entertainment or transportation spending, making this card a straightforward upgrade for anyone already near those caps on the no-fee version.
Included coverage goes beyond the no-fee card:
- Travel insurance for trips up to 3 days, with emergency medical coverage up to $5 million per person
- Mobile device insurance up to $1,500
- Purchase protection for 120 days plus extended warranty that doubles the manufacturer’s warranty by up to 2 additional years
- Airport lounge access at 1,300+ lounges through Mastercard Travel Pass
- Car rental discounts of up to 25% at Hertz and 10% at Thrifty and Dollar
The lounge access alone helps justify the fee for cardholders who travel even occasionally, since day passes at comparable lounges typically cost $30 to $50. Combined with the extended purchase protection window (120 days versus 90 on many no-fee cards) and the longer extended warranty, this card layers meaningful insurance value on top of the cash back rates.
The card also offers optional Credit Balance Insurance, which can cover minimum payments or pay down the balance under certain circumstances such as job loss or disability. It’s an add-on rather than an automatic inclusion, so weigh the extra monthly cost against comparable coverage elsewhere before opting in.
Cash advances start accruing interest immediately, while regular purchases benefit from a 21-day grace period after each statement is issued. Minimum cash back redemption is $100 accumulated, which most households with steady grocery and restaurant spending will clear well before their first annual statement cycle ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What income do I need to qualify?
A minimum personal income of $80,000, household income of $150,000, or at least $400,000 in assets under management.
How is this different from the no-fee Desjardins Cash Back Mastercard?
This card earns higher rates in the same categories (up to 4% on groceries versus 2%, for example) and adds airport lounge access, but carries a $100 annual fee.
What happens once I exceed the category caps?
Desjardins’ page doesn’t specify a fallback rate beyond the caps for this card — check your account terms for spending past $10,000 in groceries or $6,000 in restaurants.
Is there a fee for additional cardholders?
Yes, $30 per year for each additional card.
How many airport lounges can I access?
More than 1,300 lounges worldwide through Mastercard Travel Pass.
