Scotiabank American Express® Card

Scotiabank American Express® Card

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Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege

Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Privilege Card

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Scotiabank American Express® Card vs Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Privilege Card: Which one is better?


Scotiabank American Express® Card

Scotiabank American Express® Card

3.2


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege

Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Privilege Card

4.5


RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE*

300
Poor
560
Fair
660
Good
725
Very Good
760
Excellent

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$353.09

Scene+


First Year Bonus Value

$75

Scene+


Annual Fee

$0


First Year Value

$428.09

$353.09 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$322.93

Scene+


First Year Bonus Value

$300

Scene+


Annual Fee

$599


First Year Value

$23.93

-$276.07 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Insurance Included*

  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $500
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to a year
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days

Insurance Included*

  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $1,000
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    2 years
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    180 days

  • lost baggage

    Lost or Stolen Baggage

    $2,500/person (max $5,000 per trip)
  • hourglass timer

    Baggage Delay

    $1000/person
  • car insurance

    Car Rental Damage & Theft

    Covers vehicles MSRP ≤ $85k, rentals ≤ 48 days
  • heart lock

    Travel Accident

    $500,000/insured
  • burglar

    Hotel Burglary Insurance

    $2,500
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Out of province Medical

    $5M/insured up to 31 days
  • travel accident medical

    Emergency Medical Over 65

    $5M/insured up to 10 days
  • cancel airplane

    Trip Cancellation

    $2,500/person, $10,000/trip
  • pause

    Trip Interruption

    $5,000/person, $25,000/trip
  • hourglass timer

    Flight Delay

    $1000/person

Extra Benefits*

  • car rental

    Car Rental Discount

    25% off base rate of Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car
  • Amex logo

    American Express® Experiences

Extra Benefits*

  • exchange money

    No Foreign Transaction Fees

    Avoid the usual 2.5% forex fees on your purchases when you travel outside of Canada
  • exclusive

    Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits

  • alcohol cheers

    Airport Lounge - Dragon Pass

    10 Free complimentary visits
  • concierge

    Concierge Services

    24/7 Visa Infinite Privilege concierge (English & French)
  • star fall

    Status lift

    Avis President’s Club membership – two class upgrades, priority service.
  • travel

    Travel Credit

    $250 annual Scene+ Travel credit – automatic statement credit on your first Expedia‑powered booking each membership year.
  • airport waiting room

    Priority Travel

    Dedicated security and taxi lanes, valet and parking discounts at select Canadian airports.

Interest Rates*

Purchase:

19.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%

Balance Transfer:

22.99%

Interest Rates*

Purchase:

20.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%

Balance Transfer:

22.99%

Annual Fee*

$0

Annual Fee*

$599

Income Required*

Min Personal Income:

$12,000

Min Household Income:

N/A

Income Required*

Min Personal Income:

$150,000

Min Household Income:

$200,000

Welcome Bonus*

The 7,500 Bonus Scene+ Points Offer (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotiabank American Express credit card accounts (“Account”) opened between May 1, 2025 and October 31, 2025 and is subject to terms and conditions. Earn 2,500 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $250 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, another 5,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $1,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months of Account open date.

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.

Rewards Rate*

  • Earn 3x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco and more
  • Earn 2x Scene+ points¹ for every $1 you spend on restaurants, fast food, drinking establishments and other eligible grocery stores. Includes popular food delivery and food subscriptions.
  • Earn 2x Scene+ points¹ for every $1 you spend on eligible entertainment purchases. Includes movies, theatre and ticket agencies stores.
  • Earn 2x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on eligible gas and daily transit. Includes rideshares, buses, subway, taxis and more
  • Earn 2x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend 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

Rewards Rate*

  • 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.
  • 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.

Loyalty Program*

Loyalty Program*

Point Redemption Options*

  • entertainment popcorn

    Entertainment

    1¢ / point
  • travel - plane

    Travel

    1¢ / point
  • groceries

    Groceries (Sobeys)

    1¢ / point
  • food location

    Restaurants

    1¢ / point
  • online shop

    Merchandise

    0.76¢ / point
  • gift card

    Gift Cards

    0.74¢ / point
  • cash coins

    Statement Credits (Cash)

    0.7¢ / point

Point Redemption Options*

  • entertainment popcorn

    Entertainment

    1¢ / point
  • travel - plane

    Travel

    1¢ / point
  • groceries

    Groceries (Sobeys)

    1¢ / point
  • food location

    Restaurants

    1¢ / point
  • online shop

    Merchandise

    0.76¢ / point
  • gift card

    Gift Cards

    0.74¢ / point
  • cash coins

    Statement Credits (Cash)

    0.7¢ / point

Is this card worth it?

If you're looking to earn travel rewards without an annual fee, the Scotiabank American Express® Card is a great choice. It offers flexible Scene+ points on everyday purchases, allowing you to redeem rewards for travel, entertainment, and more—all while enjoying plenty of perks at no extra cost.

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

  • Strong Rewards: Earn flexible Scene+ points on all everyday purchases.
  • Mobile Device Insurance: Comes with coverage for your mobile devices.
  • Exclusive Perks: Access special offers, experiences, and more through American Express Invites.
  • No Annual Fee: Enjoy all these benefits without paying an annual fee.

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

  • Limited Insurance Coverage: Insurance is confined to mobile devices and purchase security & extended warranty protection.
  • Lower Acceptance: Due to being an American Express network card, less merchants may accept it.

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.

Legal


*See Card Provider's website and Card Application for complete card details, terms and current offers. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accuracy of information. Check here for full details and current product information.

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