Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card vs Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Privilege Card: Which one is better?
Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card
3.8
Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Privilege Card
4.5
Welcome Bonus*
Earn 60,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $3,000 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 $10,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 14 months.
Welcome Bonus*
Earn 30,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $3,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. Earn an additional 30,000 bonus Scene+ points when you spend at least $20,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 6 months. Earn an additional 20,000 bonus Scene+ points when you make at least one eligible purchase that is posted to your new Account during the 14th month after the month the Account was opened.
Our Cash Offer
$175 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth
Our Cash Offer
$175 $300 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth
Promotional rebate expires on Jun 30, 2025
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$445.58
Scene+
First Year Bonus Value
+
$800
Scene+
Annual Fee
-
$399
Finly Rebate
+
$175Exclusive Offer
First Year Value
$1,021.58
$46.58 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$322.93
Scene+
First Year Bonus Value
+
$300
Scene+
Annual Fee
-
$599
Finly Rebate
Exclusive Offer
First Year Value
$323.93
-$276.07 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
How to Earn Rewards*
- Earn 2x Scene+ points for every $1 spent on all other eligible 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 3X the Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on eligible travel purchases. Plus, earn an extra 3X the points on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do when you book through Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia. That's a total of 6X the points!
- Earn 2X the Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on eligible dining and entertainment.
- Plus, earn 1X the Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on all other eligible purchases.
Insurance Included*
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$500/person, $1000/trip
Baggage Delay
$1000 After 4 hours.svg)
Car Rental Damage & Theft
$65K up to 48 days
Travel Accident
$500K/person, $1M/occurrence
Mobile Device Insurance
$1000
Extended Warranty
Up to a year
Purchase Protection
120 days
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1000/occurrence
Emergency Out of province Medical
$2M, Up to 31 daysEmergency Medical Over 65
$2M, Up to 10 days
Trip Cancellation
$2500/person, $10000/trip
Trip Interruption
$5000/person, $25000/tripFlight Delay
$1000/person
Insurance Included*
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$2,500/person (max $5,000 per trip)Baggage Delay
$1000/personCar Rental Damage & Theft
Covers vehicles MSRP ≤ $85k, rentals ≤ 48 daysTravel Accident
$500,000/insuredMobile Device Insurance
$1,000Extended Warranty
2 yearsPurchase Protection
180 daysHotel Burglary Insurance
$2,500Emergency Out of province Medical
$5M/insured up to 31 daysEmergency Medical Over 65
$5M/insured up to 10 daysTrip Cancellation
$2,500/person, $10,000/tripTrip Interruption
$5,000/person, $25,000/tripFlight Delay
$1000/person
Extra Benefits*
No Foreign Transaction Fees
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Concierge Services
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Status lift
Hertz #1 Club Gold Member
Discount
Discount on PriorityPass Membership
American Express® Experiences
Extra points
Extra 4 Scene+ points per Canadian dollar spent on hotel and car rental bookings made through Scene+ Travel using your Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
Airport Lounge - Priority Pass
10 visits, 4 visits for secondary card (combined with the Plaza Premium)Airport Lounge - Plaza Premium
10 visits, 4 visits for secondary card (combined with the Priority pass)
Extra Benefits*
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Avoid the usual 2.5% forex fees on your purchases when you travel outside of CanadaConcierge Services
24/7 Visa Infinite Privilege concierge (English & French)Status lift
Avis President’s Club membership – two class upgrades, priority service.
Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits
Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass
10 Free complimentary visits.svg)
Travel Credit
$250 annual Scene+ Travel credit – automatic statement credit on your first Expedia‑powered booking each membership year.
Priority Travel
Dedicated security and taxi lanes, valet and parking discounts at select Canadian airports.
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
9.99%
Cash Advance:
9.99%
Balance Transfer:
9.99%
Interest Rates*
Purchase:
20.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Balance Transfer:
22.99%
Annual Fee*
$399
Annual Fee*
$599
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
$12,000
Min Household Income:
$12,000
Income Required*
Min Personal Income:
$150,000
Min Household Income:
$200,000
Point Redemption Options*
Entertainment
1¢ / point
Travel
1¢ / point
Groceries (Sobeys)
1¢ / point
Restaurants
1¢ / point
Merchandise
0.76¢ / point
Gift Cards
0.74¢ / point
Statement Credits (Cash)
0.7¢ / point
Point Redemption Options*
Entertainment
1¢ / pointTravel
1¢ / pointGroceries (Sobeys)
1¢ / pointRestaurants
1¢ / pointMerchandise
0.76¢ / pointGift Cards
0.74¢ / pointStatement Credits (Cash)
0.7¢ / point
Is this card worth it?
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express is the perfect choice for those seeking a super premium credit card without steep income requirements. With a high flat rate of rewards on all purchases, extensive insurance coverage, and flexible travel redemption options, it offers full-featured perks that cater to frequent travelers and savvy spenders alike.
Is this card worth it?
For frequent flyers who want a single card that handles almost every travel need, this one’s hard to beat. It offers a hefty intro bonus of up to 80 k Scene+ points (worth roughly $800 toward travel), an annual $250 Scene+ Travel credit that’s as good as cash when you book through Expedia, and ten complimentary DragonPass lounge visits each year. Pair that with no 2.5% foreign‑currency markup, rich earn rates on travel (3x) and dining/entertainment (2x), and unusually comprehensive travel insurance, and the $599 fee can pay for itself quickly for anyone who travels a few times a year.
Pros
- Low Interest Rate: Offers a competitive interest rate of 9.99%.
- Strong Rewards: Earn 2x Scene+ points on all purchases.
- Airport Lounge Access: Enjoy 10 complimentary lounge visits, including Plaza Premium Lounges, through Priority Pass (membership required).
- Comprehensive Travel Insurance: Includes extensive coverage for travel-related needs.
- Flexible Travel Rewards: Points can be redeemed for travel bookings with any provider.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: Shop internationally without extra charges.
Pros
- No foreign‑transaction surcharge on any purchase made in a currency other than CAD—saves 2.5% every time.
- Up to 80k Scene+ welcome points after meeting tiered spending targets (up to $800 in value).
- $250 annual travel credit you can apply to flights, hotels, cars, or packages booked through Scene+ Travel.
- 10 free DragonPass lounge visits per membership year (primary cardholder and each supplementary card have their own quota).
- Accelerated earn rates: 3x points on travel and 2x on dining & entertainment, 1x everywhere else.
- Extensive protection: $5M emergency medical (31 days, 10 days if 65+), trip‑cancel/interruption, flight & baggage delay, car rental‑LDW, mobile‑device, purchase security & extended warranty.
- Premium extras such as Avis President’s Club, Relais & Châteaux, Visa Infinite Privilege concierge, wine‑country and dining‑series perks.
Cons
- High Annual Fee: The annual fee is steep compared to similar cards offering similar perks.
- Limited Premium Perks: Lacks top-tier travel benefits like free checked baggage and priority boarding.
Cons
- High annual fee: $599 for the primary card and $199 per supplementary card.
- Steep qualification bar: personal income $150k, household $200k, or $400k in assets.
- Scene+ points are fixed‑value, so there’s no “first‑class sweet‑spot” like with airline programs.
- Not suited to carrying a balance – 20.99% purchase rate and 22.99% cash‑advance/BT.
- Lounge benefit is visit‑based (no restaurant credits) and relies on DragonPass locations and capacity.
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