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Bendigo Bank Rewards

Got a Bendigo Bank credit card that earns rewards points? Here's how to redeem them – and how much value you'll can get.

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Amy Bradney-George
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The Bendigo Bank Rewards program lets you earn and redeem points on your everyday spending with a Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards Credit Card. You can also check your reward point balance in real-time, search rewards and then redeem them online. Reward options include a wide range of merchandise, gift vouchers, cashback and charitable donations. The program’s Points Plus Pay option also allows you to make up for any points shortfall with cash.

Find out which other Bendigo Bank credit cards offer rewards

How does the Bendigo Bank credit card rewards program work?

You get complimentary membership to this rewards program when you sign up for the Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards Credit Card. Only personal account holders can be members of the Bendigo Bank Rewards program, and membership is set up when you activate your card. You’ll then earn points for spending on your credit card account, which can later be redeemed for a variety of rewards.

Earning Bendigo Bank rewards points

The Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards Credit Card offers 1.5 points per $1 spent on eligible transactions. While most purchases qualify as eligible transactions, some transactions will not earn points. These include cash advances, foreign exchange purchases, credit card fees and charges and bill payments made using BPAY.

How to earn more points with a Bendigo Bank credit card

Here is a list of ways to boost your points balance with a Bendigo Bank Rewards credit card.

  • Special offers. Bendigo Bank Rewards may provide promotions and special offers periodically which allow members to earn additional points. For example, the bank might reward you for taking out a home loan during a specific qualifying period. You can check for these offers on the Promotions page of the Bendigo Bank Rewards website.
  • Additional cardholders. You can request an additional cardholder for free, which can boost your points earning capability on the account.

Redeeming Bendigo Bank Rewards points

lady with credit card inside living room

These are some of the different rewards you can get through this program. In most instances, you may use purely points or a combination of Points Plus Pay, as long as you pay with more than 25% of the required points.

  • Travel. You may redeem your points for travel accessories including luggage, backpacks, travel adaptors and travel pillows.
  • Gift cards. Using points only, you may redeem gift cards for shopping at Big W, Bunnings, Coles, Dymocks, Flight Centre, iTunes and more.
  • Homeware. The homeware category offers items from grill pans and coffee machines to candles and duvets.
  • Technology. Technology gadgets include a host of products such as headphones, chargers, cameras and phones.
  • Health and lifestyle. Shopping under the “Be Active” and “Be Pampered” categories on the program website gives you access to health and lifestyle products from massagers to perfumes, dress watches to electric shavers.
  • Charity donations. If you’re feeling charitable, you may also give your points away to select charities including the RSPCA, Australian Red Cross and Unicef.
  • Cashback. To get cashback on your Bendigo Bank account, you need to log in and click on the "Cash Back" link under your Points Balance. You'll then see the cashback choices available to you.

How much are my Bendigo Bank Rewards points worth?

The value of your points depends on what you redeem them for. But to give you an idea, here are some examples Finder got from the Bendigo Bank Rewards website on 24 May 2021.
  • $20 eGift card. For 7,410 points, you could get a $20 eGift card for brands like Bunnings Warehouse, Woolworths WISH or Dymocks. With this reward, 1 point has a value of $0.0026 or 0.26 cents.
  • Gold Class cinema tickets. You could redeem 32,990 points for 2 adult Event Cinema Gold Class passes, valued at $84. This means each point would have a value of 0.25 cents. Or, to put it in dollar terms, every 1,000 points used would be worth around $2.50.
  • De'Longhi Dedica Espresso Machine. Bendigo Bank Rewards offers this coffee machine for 144,100 points and had an RRP (recommended retail price) of $299 on the De'Longhi website. That means each point would be worth $0.002. Or, to put it in dollar terms, every 1,000 points would give you $2.07 of value based on the RRP.

You could also redeem these rewards and many others for fewer points if you used the Points Plus Pay option. You can also calculate the value of other rewards using the steps in Finder's guide.

How to compare Bendigo Bank Rewards credit cards

If you're thinking of getting a Bendigo Bank Rewards credit card, it's important to compare your options first. This will help you to apply for the card that best suits your needs and financial situation. When narrowing down your options, you can consider the following factors:

  • Earn rate. The earn rate for a card determines how quickly you’ll be making those rewards redemptions. In this case, the Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards Credit Card has an earn rate of 1.5 points per $1 spent, which is competitive to other cards on the market.
  • Points cap. While other credit cards may limit the number of points you can earn, the Bendigo Bank Platinum Reward does not have a points cap.
  • Bonus points offers. Many reward credit cards offer introductory bonus points when you sign up and meet the spending requirements. These promotions change all the time, so make sure you check to see what offers are available and consider how much value you'd get from one when you apply.
  • Annual fee. The annual fee represents the major administrative cost of your credit card, and you should compare this against the value of potential benefits from rewards. For example, the Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards has an annual fee of $89. In comparison, some other platinum reward cards have annual fees over $100.
  • Promotional interest rates. Promotional interest rates can help you save money on charges when you first get a credit card. Similar to bonus point offers, these deals change all the time. Check what options are available when you want to apply for a card and remember to always look at the standard purchase rate as well.
  • Ongoing interest rates. This is the prevailing rate charged for balances on your card on an ongoing basis or once a promotional period is over. The Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards Credit Card has an ongoing variable purchase rate of 19.99% p.a. and a cash advance interest rate of 21.99% p.a. (variable).
  • Interest-free days. The Bendigo Platinum Rewards credit card offers up to 55 interest-free days on purchases. This feature is available from the start of each statement period and allows you to save money on interest charges for your purchases. Because Bendigo Bank calculates interest from the statement date (instead of the date the purchase is made), you can get interest-free days even if you carry a balance. In comparison, most other credit card providers only offer interest-free days if you pay your balance in full by the statement due date.
  • Complimentary extras. Extra features and perks can help offset the cost of the card you choose. In this case, the Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards Credit Card offers complimentary extras including international travel insurance and purchase insurances.

Compare Bendigo Bank credit cards

Data updated regularly
Name Product Purchase rate Interest-free period Balance transfer rate Annual fee
Bendigo Bank Low Rate Credit Card
Bendigo Bank Low Rate Credit Card
0% p.a. for 12 months, reverts to 11.99% p.a.
Up to 55 days on purchases
0% p.a. for 12 months with 2% balance transfer fee
$45
Save with 0% p.a. interest on purchases and balance transfers for up to 12 months, with a one-time 2% balance transfer fee.
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More Info
Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards Credit Card
Bendigo Bank Platinum Rewards Credit Card
19.99% p.a.
Up to 55 days on purchases
0% p.a. for 6 months
$89
Enjoy a competitive earn rate, complimentary travel and purchase insurance options for an annual fee of $89.
More Info
Bendigo Bank Qantas Platinum Credit Card
Bendigo Bank Qantas Platinum Credit Card
19.99% p.a.
Up to 55 days on purchases
19.99% p.a.
$149
Offers Qantas Points per $1 spent, plus 180 days of comprehensive travel insurance and extended warranty on purchases.
More Info
Bendigo Bank Qantas Business Credit Card
Bendigo Bank Qantas Business Credit Card
19.99% p.a.
Up to 55 days on purchases
$89
Earn Qantas Points on eligible purchases and get access to domestic travel insurance and extended warranty on purchases.
More Info
Bendigo Bank Business Credit Card
Bendigo Bank Business Credit Card
13.99% p.a.
Up to 44 days on purchases
$48
A business card with flexible liability arrangements, competitive rates and gives you the ability to personalise your card.
More Info
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Compare up to 4 providers

Data updated regularly
Name Product Bonus points Rewards program Rewards points per $ spent Purchase rate Annual fee
Citi Premier Qantas Card
Citi Premier Qantas Card
100,000
Qantas Frequent Flyer
0.5
21.49% p.a.
$175 annual fee for the first year ($350 p.a. thereafter)
Get 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $4,000 in the first 90 days and a first-year annual fee discount.
Go to site
More Info
Kogan Money Black Card
Kogan Money Black Card
N/A
Kogan Rewards Program
1
20.99% p.a.
$0
Up to $400 Kogan.com Credit: $100 on your first eligible spend in 30 days and $300 when you spend $1,500 in 90 days.
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More Info
Citi Rewards Card - Points & Gift Card Offer
Citi Rewards Card - Points & Gift Card Offer
90,000
Citi Rewards Program
1
21.49% p.a.
$49 annual fee for the first year ($149 p.a. thereafter)
Receive 90,000 bonus Citi reward Points (worth $400 in gift cards) and a $100 Coles eGift Card when you spend $3,000 in the first 90 days.
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Qantas Premier Platinum
Qantas Premier Platinum
90,000
Qantas Frequent Flyer
1
19.99% p.a.
$199 annual fee for the first year ($299 p.a. thereafter)
Earn 90,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,500 in the first 3 months and save with a reduced first-year annual fee.
Go to site
More Info
NAB Qantas Rewards Signature Card
NAB Qantas Rewards Signature Card
110,000
Qantas Frequent Flyer
1
19.99% p.a.
$295 annual fee for the first year ($395 p.a. thereafter)
Earn up to 110,000 bonus Qantas Points (90,000 when you spend $3,000 in the first 60 days and 20k after 12 months).
Go to site
More Info
CommBank Ultimate Awards Credit Card with Qantas Points
CommBank Ultimate Awards Credit Card with Qantas Points
70,000
Qantas Frequent Flyer
0.8
20.24% p.a.
$450
Receive 70,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply and spend $5,000 in the first 90 days from card approval. Plus, 0% foreign fees.
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More Info
Westpac Low Rate Card - Cashback Offer
Westpac Low Rate Card - Cashback Offer
N/A
N/A
13.74% p.a.
$0 annual fee for the first year ($59 p.a. thereafter)
Get $400 cashback when you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first 120 days. Plus, a $0 first-year annual fee.
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More Info
Citi Premier Card
Citi Premier Card
130,000
Citi Rewards Program
1
21.49% p.a.
$150 annual fee for the first year ($300 p.a. thereafter)
Enjoy 130,000 bonus points (worth $450 in eGift cards) when you spend $4,000 within the first 90 days. Plus, a first-year annual fee discount.
Go to site
More Info
American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card - Exclusive Offer
Exclusive
American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card - Exclusive Offer
150,000
Qantas Business Rewards
1.25
0% p.a.
$0 annual fee for the first year ($450 p.a. thereafter)
ABN holders w/ $75,000 revenue. Receive 150,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 2 months. Plus, a $0 first-year annual fee. Ends 22 Oct 2021.
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More Info
Qantas American Express Ultimate Card
Qantas American Express Ultimate Card
110,000
Qantas Frequent Flyer
1.25
20.74% p.a.
$450
Receive 110,000 bonus Qantas Points and $200 back on your card when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, a yearly $450 Travel Credit. Ends 27 Oct 2021.
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More Info
St.George Amplify Platinum - Qantas
St.George Amplify Platinum - Qantas
60,000
Qantas Frequent Flyer
0.5
19.74% p.a.
$99
Earn 60,000 bonus Qantas Points, plus enjoy 0% p.a. on balance transfers for 15 months with a 1% BT fee.
Go to site
More Info
Citi Rewards Card - Purchase and Balance Transfer Offer
Citi Rewards Card - Purchase and Balance Transfer Offer
N/A
Citi Rewards Program
1
0% p.a. for 14 months, reverts to 21.49% p.a.
$49 annual fee for the first year ($149 p.a. thereafter)
Save with 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 14 months with no balance transfer fee. Plus, $49 first-year annual fee.
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More Info
Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card - Balance Transfer Offer
Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card - Balance Transfer Offer
N/A
Velocity Frequent Flyer
0.66
20.74% p.a.
$0 annual fee for the first year ($129 p.a. thereafter)
Get 0% p.a. on balance transfers for 28 months and a $0 annual fee in the first year.
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More Info
Qantas American Express Discovery Card
Qantas American Express Discovery Card
10,000
Qantas Frequent Flyer
0.75
20.74% p.a.
$0
Get 10,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $750 within 3 months, plus a $0 annual fee for the life of the card. Ends 27 Oct 2021.
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More Info
American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card
American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card
50,000
Membership Rewards
1
20.74% p.a.
$195
Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 within the first 3 months. Plus, a $200 statement credit offer.
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More Info
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Compare up to 4 providers

Mistakes to avoid with a Bendigo Bank Rewards credit card

  • Overspending. The promise of earning points per dollar spent could tempt you to spend. Remember that you have to repay everything you charge and any interest accrued could easily offset the value of your reward points.
  • Carrying a balance. Rewards credit cards often have high interest rates and failing to pay your monthly balance in full could result in unmanageable debt. Always do your best to pay your card in full, otherwise, the interest costs could easily outweigh the benefits of the points.
  • Not considering the standard features. While you might be attracted to the Bendigo Rewards program, don't forget to consider the standard features of the card. Consider the annual fee, purchase rate and any other extra features to ensure the card is right for you.
  • Making new purchases when you have transferred a balance. While purchases will earn you points on a rewards card, they’ll also add to your existing debt and interest charges.
  • Not using other complimentary extras. Even though they are termed “complimentary”, these extra perks have all been factored into the price of your card. Cards with more complimentary extras come with higher annual fees, so you should avoid those unless you actually make use of all their perks.
  • Making cash advance transactions. Cash advances made on your credit card incur cash advance fees and immediately accrue interest at the higher cash advance rate. Avoid withdrawing money on your credit card except in emergencies and avoid transactions that constitute cash advances such as certain bills and government payments, gambling transactions or the purchase of gift cards and prepaid cards.

How to apply for a Bendigo Bank Rewards credit card

smiling couple with laptop

  1. Compare your options. Research all the different credit cards on the market and read our finder.com.au card reviews before deciding which card to apply for.
  2. Read the fine print. Read the card’s product disclosure statement and small print, and get acquainted with all the terms and conditions of your chosen card. Make sure that you also meet all of the card’s listed eligibility criteria.
  3. Apply online. When you’re ready, head over to the Bendigo card page of your choice and click “Apply now”.
  4. Fill out the online form. The form asks for your requested credit limit at the outset, followed by your financial details, then your regular personal details. Have the relevant information ready pertaining to employment, earnings and expenses, assets and liabilities so as to speed up the process. You will finally be asked to submit documentation for identity verification purposes and to authorise the customary credit check.
  5. Submit the application. Once you’ve submitted your card application, you will receive confirmation about whether or not you have been conditionally approved, and further instructions about what to do to advance your application.

Depending on your spending habits, lifestyle and rewards earning preferences, the Bendigo Bank Rewards program may be a suitable fit for you. Remember though to compare your options and to weigh up all potential costs against benefits before choosing a card.

Pictures: Shutterstock

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