Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card vs MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®: Which one is better?
Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card
4.9
MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®
5
Welcome Bonus*
Earn 20,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $2,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, for a limited time, you are eligible to earn a 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in everyday eligible purchases in your first year.
Welcome Bonus*
20,000 bonus points†† (approximately $165 in cash back value) after you make $2,000 or more in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening. 10,000 bonus points††(approximately $80 in cash back value) once enrolled for paperless e-statements within the first 90 days of account opening. This offer is not available for residents of Quebec.
Our Cash Offer
$100 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth
Our Cash Offer
$120 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$644.5
Scene+
First Year Bonus Value
+
$400
Scene+
Annual Fee
-
$120
Finly Rebate
+
$100Exclusive Offer
First Year Value
$1,024.5
$524.5 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$657.62
MBNA Rewards
First Year Bonus Value
+
$300
MBNA Rewards
Annual Fee
-
$120
Finly Rebate
+
$120Exclusive Offer
First Year Value
$957.62
$537.62 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
How to Earn Rewards*
- Earn 6x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco, Foodland and more
- Earn 5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on dining, food delivery and other eligible grocery stores. Includes popular food delivery and food subscriptions.
- Earn 5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend in Canada eligible entertainment purposes. Includes movies, theatre and ticket agencies stores.
- Earn 3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible gas and daily transit options. Includes rideshares, buses, subway, taxis and more
- Earn 3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible select streaming services
- Plus earn 1 Scene+ point for every $1 spent on all other eligible everyday purchases
- Earn additional benefits + up to 4x Scene+ points for every dollar you spend on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia
How to Earn Rewards*
- Earn 5 points‡ for every $1 spent on eligible restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership, and household utility purchases until $50,000 is spent annually in the applicable category.
- 1 point‡ for every $1 on all other eligible purchases.
- Each year, you will receive Birthday Bonus Points‡ equal to 10% of the total number of Points the Account earned in the 12 months before the month of the primary cardholder's birthday, to a maximum Birthday Bonus each year of 15,000 Points.
Insurance Included*
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500/person, $1000/trip
Baggage Delay
$500/person, $1,000/trip After 4 hours.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$65K up to 48 days
Travel Accident
$500K/person, $1M/occurrence
Mobile Device Insurance
$1,000
Extended Warranty
Up to 1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Emergency Out of province Medical
$1M, Up to 25 daysFlight Delay
$500/person
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1000/occurrenceEmergency Medical Over 65
$1M, Up to 3 days
Trip Cancellation
$1500/person, $10000/trip
Trip Interruption
$1500/person, $10,000/trip
Insurance Included*
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1000/personBaggage Delay
$1000/personCar Rental Damage & Theft
31 daysTravel Accident
$1,000,000Mobile Device Insurance
$1000Extended Warranty
Up to a yearPurchase Protection
Up to 90 daysEmergency Out of province Medical
$2M for 21 daysFlight Delay
$500/person after 4 hours
Extra Benefits*
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Concierge Services
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Avoid the 2.5% foreign transaction fees incurred when spending in non $CAD
Discount
Discount on PriorityPass Membership
American Express® Experiences
Extra Benefits*
Concierge Services
Price Protection
$500/item, $1000/account per year
Car Rental Discount
10% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car in Canada and US and 5% internationally
Trip and legal Assistance
Annual Birthday Bonus
10% of the Points earned the 12 months prior to the primary cardholder's birthday month (up to a max 15,000 bonus points per year)
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
20.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Balance Transfer:
22.99%
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
19.99%2
Cash Advance:
24.99%2
Balance Transfer:
22.99%2
Annual Fee*
$120
Annual Fee*
$120
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
$12,000
Min Household Income:
$12,000
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
$80,000
Min Household Income:
$150,000
Loyalty Program*
Loyalty Program*
Point Redemption Options*
Travel
1¢ / point
Merchandise
0.76¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.74¢ / point
Entertainment
1¢ / point
Groceries (Sobeys)
1¢ / point
Restaurants
1¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
0.7¢ / point
Point Redemption Options*
Most Optimal
Travel
1¢ / pointGift Cards
0.98¢ / pointMerchandise
0.8¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash) - World Elite
0.82¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash) - Platinum
0.5¢ / point
Is this card worth it?
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is one of our favorite cards. It has a very solid rewards program, earning one of the highest rewards among all credit cards in Canada. In addition, it offers comprehensive travel benefits, including the rare and valuable no foreign transaction fee benefit, making it a great and balanced credit card in terms of both rewards and benefits. The first-year annual fee waiver is the cherry on top, providing even greater value to cardholders.
Is this card worth it?
The MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard® is one of the best reward credit cards in Canada, offering high rewards on frequently spent categories such as groceries and restaurant purchases. The annual birthday bonus, unique to this card, also provides a significant boost to your yearly earnings. Additionally, the card features a comprehensive list of benefits, including price protection—a rare and valuable perk not found with many other cards in Canada. These factors make this card one of the best to have in Canada.
Pros
- No foreign transaction fee saves you 2.5% on all non-CAD purchases.
- Rewards cover all high-spending categories, including food, groceries, entertainment, and gas.
- Comprehensive coverage of all travel insurance.
Pros
- Both restaurants and groceries, two of the most commonly spent categories, earn the most rewards.
- The MBNA rewards world elite mastercard offers a great annual birthday bonus with up to $150 in value.
- A solid list of travel insurance and benefits.
- Price protection, a rare feature not offered by many other cards.
- Good value for many of the card's redemption options.
Cons
- The card network is American Express, which might not be widely accepted in some countries, making it a bit harder to use the no foreign transaction fee benefit.
- Having a lounge pass would have made this card even more perfect, but there is access to a discount code for lounge access pass purchases.
Cons
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance, two great benefits are missing from this card.
- Not the best card for gas purchases.
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