Scotiabank American Express® Card Review

If you want to earn points that you can use towards entertainment and travel, all for no annual fee, then the Scotiabank American Express Card could be the credit card for you.

Jun 24, 2026 1:56 PM

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The Bottom Line


As long as you meet the small annual income requirement, the Scotiabank American Express Card is a top option for a no-fee card, earning cardholders plenty of Scene+ points on multiple everyday spend categories, plus tons of ways to redeem those points.

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Welcome Bonus

Earn up to 10,000 bonus Scene+ points within your first 3 months (that’s up to $100 towards travel).

Rewards Rate

1x - 3x

Points

Annual Fee

$0

Interest Rates

21.99 / 22.99%

RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300
Poor
560
Fair
660⁎
Good
725⁎
Very Good
760⁎
Excellent
⁎Estimates based on Equifax scoring

Rewards

  • Earn 3x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco and more
  • Earn 2x Scene+ points 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+ points 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
  • Rates, fees and other information are effective as of May 1, 2026. Subject to change.

Insurance

Coverage

  • mobile device insurance

    Mobile Device Insurance

    $500
  • purchase protection

    Purchase Protection

    90 days
  • extended warranty

    Extended Warranty

    Up to a year

Benefits

Details

  • Amex logo

    American Express® Experiences

  • gas station

    Gas Discount2

    Get up to 11¢/L in value on fuel purchases at Shell stations
  • car rental

    Car Rental Discount

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

Eligibility

  • Credit Score

    Good
  • Annual Income

    $12,000 personal

Welcome Bonus Details


Earn up to 10,000 bonus Scene+ points within your first 3 months (that’s up to $100 towards travel).1

  • To be eligible for 2,500 bonus Scene+ points (the “2,500 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $250 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 3 months of the Account open date.
  • To be eligible for an additional 7,500 bonus Scene+ points (the “Additional 7,500 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $1,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in your first 3 months of Account open date.

Offer valid from May 1, 2026 – November 1, 2026


Card Details


Interest Rates

Purchase APR

21.99

Cash Advance APR

22.99%

Balance Transfer APR

22.99%

Fees

Annual Fee

$0

Additional Cards

$0

Eligibility

Minimum Individual Income

$12,000

Minimum Household Income

N/A

Credit Score Estimate

Good

Type

Card Type

Credit

Reward Type

Points

Loyalty Program

Scene+

Pros & Cons


Pros

  • Strong rewards
  • Shell Fuel Savings
  • Mobile device insurance
  • Exclusive perks
  • No annual fee
  • Flexible redemptions
  • Instant decision. No credit impact.

Cons

  • Limited insurance
  • Lower acceptance

Our Detailed Review


How You Earn Rewards with the Scotiabank American Express Card

Here are the exact specialized categories that will earn you American Express Membership Rewards points with the Scotiabank American Express Card:

  • 3 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland & Participating Co-ops 
  • 2 points per dollar spent on dining and at other grocery stores, plus entertainment purchases at places like movie theatres and ticket agencies
  • 2 points on rides, including rideshare, buses, taxis, subways and more
  • 2 points on eligible streaming services, including Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, Crave and more
  • 1 point on everything else

Clearly, this card was made for the budget-conscious everyday spender. Whether you tap your Scotiabank Amex card at partnered grocers, restaurants, the movies, the subway, or link it to your Netflix account, you’ll collect plenty of valuable points.

Redeeming your Rewards with the Scotiabank American Express Card

Speaking of point value, it’s important to talk about what exactly you can spend your Scotiabank American Express Card’s American Express Membership Rewards points on.

Here’s a look at this card’s redemption categories, ranked of course from most valuable to least valuable:

  • Entertainment and Experiences: referring to redeeming your points towards entertainment purchases at movie theatres, performances, and concerts.
  • Travel: when you redeem your points towards any regular travel or travel booked through a partnered platform.
  • Groceries (at Sobeys): redeeming your points towards grocery stores, in this case, Sobeys.
  • Restaurants: when you redeem your points at eligible restaurants.
  • Merchandise: using your points to purchase eligible everyday items.
  • Gift Cards: purchasing an eligible gift card with your points.
  • Statement Credits: redeeming your points towards your credit card statement balance.

Despite the order of this list, the first four redemption categories (entertainment and experiences, travel, groceries at Sobeys, and restaurants) actually offer the same value for your points, meaning there are plenty of high-value redemptions to choose from. This makes the Scotiabank American Express card ideal for different types of cardholders, whether you like to use points to complement your trips, your nights out, or your appetite.

After reading through our review, you might be wondering what the Scotiabank American Express Card’s income requirement is.

Benefits and Perks


8 Benefits of the Scotiabank American Express Card


There are plenty of perks that make the Scotiabank American Express Card one of the best Scotiabank credit cards in Canada.


With American Express' personal cards, you can see if you will be approved before you apply, without impacting your credit score. To make this decision, Amex runs a soft credit check instead of a hard credit check.


Most lenders perform a hard credit check when you apply for a new card, which can temporarily impact your credit score. A soft credit check, however, does not affect your credit score.


Instant decisions are only available for personal card applications and the soft credit check process is not available for applications done by phone. 


Obviously, one of the first best perks worth mentioning is the fact that the Scotiabank American Express Card has no annual fee. Along with having low income requirements, this makes the card accessible to all types of applicants.


What makes this card even more tempting is the fact that it's also one of the top earning no-fee credit cards in Canada.



A good welcome bonus is sometimes the final incentive you need to commit to a credit card. 


With the Scotiabank American Express Card, you can earn extra Scene+ points when you meet a specified spending requirement on everyday purchases in the first few months of membership. That’s not all, you can earn more Scene+ points when you meet an even higher spending requirement on everyday purchases within that same timeframe.


So, if you plan on running tons of errands in the first few months of receiving your card, you can accumulate more rewards than expected.


Besides the welcome bonus, the Scene+ rewards program on the Scotiabank American Express Card is already something to brag about.


The points you earn on popular everyday categories like partnered grocers, dining, entertainment, transit, and streaming are already competitive amongst other cards on the no-fee market.


Get up to 11¢/L in value on fuel purchases at Shell stations.


With a Scotiabank American Express Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account, you can save up to 7 cents per litre instantly on fuel. That's 3 cents on all grades, plus an extra 4 cents on premium fuel (V-Power®). You can also earn up to 4 cents per litre in Scene+ points value on fuel purchases. Combined, that's up to 11 cents per litre in savings and rewards on premium fuel, though actual value varies based on your card, fuel grade, and how you redeem your points.


American Express Experiences are a standard across Amex issued credit cards. 


Still, it’s worth mentioning that this perk includes the American Express Front Of The Line program which provides cardholders with presales and reservations to the hottest concerts, performances, and restaurants – not to mention the option to reserve blocks of exclusive seating.


If you’re constantly on the road and in need of a rental car, the Scotiabank American Express Card also comes with a car rental discount off base rates at Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car across Canada and the U.S.


How do you access these deals? All you’ll need to do is pay with your Scotiabank Amex card.


You can make reservations in advance through each rental company either online or by phone.


The insurance categories on the Scotiabank American Express Card are pretty basic – particularly its inclusion of standard purchase protection and extended warranty insurance.


That said, this card is also equipped with mobile device insurance, a rare and valuable insurance type that protects your most prominent sidekick – your mobile phone.



Drawbacks and Considerations


2 Downsides of the Scotiabank American Express Card


Where there are benefits, there are also downfalls.


Here are some of the drawbacks associated with the Scotiabank American Express Card:


As with any American Express credit card, one of the most prevalent cons is the network's lower acceptance rate. 


Compared to other networks like Mastercard and Visa, American Express cards are less widely accepted around the world (particularly within Europe) and at small-scale retailers. Travellers and small-business shoppers beware!


While it’s nice that the Scotiabank American Express Card includes valuable mobile device insurance alongside useful purchase protection and extended warranty insurance, it still doesn’t offer cardholders a ton of protection.


This is especially true for those using the Scotiabank Amex for travel redemptions. In this case, it would be helpful if the card came with some travel-specific insurance to support your trips.

Compare to Similar Cards


Comparison to other Top No-Fee Points Cards


There are a couple of other high-ranking no-fee points credit cards on the Canadian market that are worth comparing to the Scotiabank American Express Card.


After reviewing all of these no-fee options, you can make an informed decision about which budget-friendly contender is best for you.


Here’s a sneak peak at these upcoming comparisons:


Annual Fee

$0

$0

$0

$0

Interest Rates

Purchase

21.99

Cash advance

22.99%

Balance transfer

22.99%

Purchase

21.99%*

Cash advance

21.99%*

Rate details

Purchase

21.99%

Cash advance

22.99%

Balance transfer

22.99%

Purchase

21.99%*

Cash advance

22.99%*

Balance transfer

22.99%*

Rate details

Welcome Bonus

Earn up to 10,000 bonus Scene+ points within your first 3 months (that’s up to $100 towards travel).

Up to 10,000 Membership Rewards® points

Up to 10,000 bonus points†† + 4x points on restaurant, grocery, digital media, membership and household utility purchases††

Earn up to 5,000 bonus Scene+ points within your first 3 months.

Rewards

$424.08

First year rewards

$610.66

First year rewards

$509.07

First year rewards

$296.72

First year rewards

Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

Apply Now

on American Express' website

Apply with Confidence — won't impact your credit score

Apply Now

on MBNA's website

Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website


Scotiabank Amex vs Amex Green Card


The American Express Green Card, one of the best no annual fee credit cards in Canada, simplifies its rewards program by earning cardholders a flat rate of American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on all purchases. Even though the Scotiabank Amex offers more bonus categories, American Express Membership Rewards points are more valuable than Scene+ points. The Scotiabank Amex also has better insurance. In terms of benefits, Amex Green cardholders can expect extra points on Amex Travel Online purchases, plus Amex Experiences. The Amex Green Card also avoids annual fees completely.


Verdict: While the Scotiabank Amex provides more optimization opportunities and coverage, the Amex Green Card is more accessible and valuable overall.


Scotiabank Amex vs MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard


The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard earns more MBNA Rewards points on dining and groceries, particularly during the first 10k spent annually. After that, the reward rates are similar. By comparison, Scotiabank Amex offers more bonus categories and Scene+ points are much more flexible overall. While the two cards offer similar insurance categories, the MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard has better mobile device coverage. On top of car rental discounts, MBNA Rewards cardholders can also expect an annual birthday bonus of extra points. This card is also more accessible since it avoids income requirements.


Verdict: The MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard offers better earn rates during the first 10k spent, has better coverage, includes a unique birthday perk, and is more accessible for applicants. That said, the Scotiabank Amex provides a more flexible points system.


Scotiabank Amex vs Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card

The Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card is another no-fee Scene+ point collector. This contender optimizes partner groceries, home improvement purchases, Cineplex purchases, and Scene+ Travel bookings. Unfortunately though, this card lacks coverage and only comes with car rental discounts as an added perk. That said, it at least avoids annual income requirements.


Verdict: For those who meet the income requirement, the Scotiabank American Express Card offers superior optimization, plus better perks and coverage.



Frequently Asked Questions

As of now, the card requires applicants to have a personal income of $12,000.

About the author

Sara Skodak

Sara Skodak

Lead Writer

Since graduating from the University of Western Ontario, Sara has built a diverse writing portfolio, covering topics in the travel, business, and wellness sectors. As a self-started freelance content ...

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Scotiabank American Express® Card Points Calculator

^Additional 3¢/L Fuel Discount Offer: Offer Valid from October 5, 2026  to December 31, 2026 ("Promotional Period"), eligible Scotiabank credit and debit cardholders enrolled in the Shell Fuel Benefits Program who have linked an eligible Scotiabank payment card (an "Eligible Card") to their Shell Go+ account will receive an additional instant fuel discount of 3 cents per litre on eligible fuel purchases at participating Shell-branded retail locations in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories (the "Eligible Provinces") excluding Shell Flying J locations. Fuel purchases made outside the Eligible Provinces are not eligible for this offer.

To receive the additional fuel discount, customers must pay with their linked Eligible Card at the time of purchase.

The additional fuel discount is in addition to the fuel savings available through the Shell Fuel Benefits Program and may be combined with other eligible fuel discounts, rewards programs, and promotional fuel offers unless otherwise stated in the applicable offer terms and conditions.

The additional fuel discount is available on up to 1,000 litres of eligible fuel purchases per calendar month for each Eligible Card. The 1,000-litre limit resets at the beginning of each calendar month.

The additional fuel discount is non-transferable, is not redeemable for cash, and cannot be substituted or exchanged.

Participation in the Shell Fuel Benefits Program is subject to the applicable program terms and conditions available at Scotiabank Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.

Shell Canada reserves the right to make changes to this offer and to terminate the offer at any time, for any reason and without notice.

All other applicable terms and conditions of the Shell Fuel Benefits Program, Shell Go+, Scotiabank continue to apply.

®™ Shell trademarks are owned by Shell Brands International AG. Used under license.


1. Offer Description and Conditions: The 10,000 Bonus Scene+ Points Offer (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotiabank American Express credit card accounts (“Account”) opened between May 1, 2026 and November 1, 2026(regardless of the date you apply for the Account) and is subject to the below terms and conditions. 


To be eligible for 2,500 bonus Scene+ points (the “2,500 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $250 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 3 months of the Account open date. To be eligible for an additional 7,500 bonus Scene+ points (the “Additional 7,500 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $1,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in your first 3 months of Account open date. Eligible purchases include purchases (less any refunds, returns or other similar credits) but do not include payments, cash advances (including balance transfers or cash-like transactions), interest, fees or other charges. 


Point Bonus Fulfilment The applicable point Bonus(es) will be credited to the Scene+ account within approximately 8 weeks after qualifying for a Bonus, provided the Account is open and in good standing. For Joint Accounts with a Primary Borrower and Co-borrower, the applicable point Bonus will be credited as follows: (i) the 2,500 Point Bonus and Additional 7,500 Point Bonus will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the Account of the borrower that completed the last transaction to meet the qualifying amount of eligible purchases (i.e., $250 or $1,000) in the appropriate time frame (i.e., first 3 months). If a supplementary cardholder completes the last qualifying transaction to meet the qualifying amount of eligible purchases for the 2,500 Point Bonus or the Additional 7,500 Point Bonus, the applicable point Bonus will be credited to the Primary Borrower’s Scene+ account linked to the Account. Points can be transferred between Primary and Co-Borrower or Supplementary Cardholder’s Scene+ accounts by contacting Scene. The Account is considered in good standing if it is not past due or over limit and the Cardholder(s) is not in breach of the Revolving Credit Agreement that applies to the Account.  All other terms and conditions of the Program Terms continue to apply during the Offer period.  Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended without notice at any time and cannot be combined with any other offers.


Eligibility and Exclusions: Individuals who are currently or were previously primary or secondary cardholders of a Scotiabank personal credit card in the past 2 years, including those that switch from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card, as well as employees of Scotiabank, are not eligible for the Offer. Subject to the above exclusions, Scotiabank small business credit cardholders are also eligible for the Offer.


Rates and Fees: There is currently no annual fee for the primary card and no fee for each additional card (including those issued to co-borrowers and supplementary cardholders).  

The current preferred annual interest rates for the Account are: 19.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and cash-like transactions). 

All rates, fees, features and benefits are outlined in the Application Disclosure Statement and are subject to change.


2.Get up to 7 cents per litre in instant fuel discounts for a limited time and earn up to 4 cents per litre in Scene+ points value with a Scotiabank American Express Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account:

 

  • Instant 3 cents per Litre Discount on Fuel Purchases (All Grades): Receive an instant 3 cents per litre discount on purchases of fuel (all grades) (“Fuel Purchases (All Grades)”) at participating Shell locations in Canada when you use any eligible Scotiabank debit card or credit card linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per Scotiabank debit card and per Scotiabank credit card account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per payment card account. This discount is subject to the Scotiabank Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.
  • Instant 4 cents per Litre Discount on Premium Fuel: Between May 26, 2026 and June 1, 2027 (“Promotional Period”), receive an instant 4 cents per litre discount on  purchases of V-Power® gasoline, or V-Power® diesel (“Premium Fuel Purchases”) at participating Shell locations in Canada when you use any eligible Scotiabank credit card that earns Scene+ points linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per credit card account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per credit card account. This promotional offer, including the Promotional Period, may be changed, extended, or withdrawn at any time without notice. These promotional offer terms are in addition to the Scotiabank Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.  
  • Earn up to 4 cents per Litre in Scene+ points Value (Equivalent) on Fuel Purchases: Each time you use your linked Scotiabank credit card that earns Scene+ points on Fuel Purchases (All Grades) at participating Shell locations in Canada, you will earn at least 2 Scene+ point per $1 spent.  Plus, as a Scene+ Member you will also automatically earn 1 Scene+ point for each litre in Fuel Purchases (All Grades), and as a Shell Go+ member, automatically earn 1 additional Scene+ point for each litre in Premium Fuel Purchases, made with your linked Scotiabank credit card. This means that for every litre in fuel purchased with your linked credit card, you can earn the equivalent of up to 4 cents of redeemable Scene+ points value based on a redemption value of $10 for every 1,000 Scene+ points redeemed for fuel purchases at participating Shell locations.  Actual value may be lower depending on how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points. Earn and redemption limits may apply. See the Scene+ Program Terms and Conditions available at sceneplus.ca/terms-and-conditions for full details including redemption options and additional terms. 

 

Note: Highest value of 11 cents per litre assumes a Premium Fuel Purchase made with a Scotiabank American Express Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account. Actual value will vary depending on payment card used and whether or not the card is linked, fuel grade purchased, and how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points.  


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.

Scotiabank American Express® Card
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on Scotiabank's website