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Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card: Which one is better?
Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card
American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card
Welcome Bonus
Earn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+TM points†◊ and pay no annual fee in your first year.◊ Earn 30,000 bonus Scene+TM points by making at least $2,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. You are eligible to earn an additional 20,000 Scene+TM point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in everyday eligible purchases in your first year.
Welcome Bonus
New American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Cardmembers can earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points. Earn 60,000 Aeroplan points after spending $7,500 in purchases on your Card within the first 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $2,500 in purchases in month 13. That’s up to $2,600 or more in value when you combine your welcome bonus points and card benefits.
Our Cash Offer
$75 $150 Cash Rebate offer from FinlyWealth
Promotional rebate expires on Oct 1, 2025
Our Cash Offer
N/A
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$644.5
Scene+
First Year Bonus Value
+
$500
Scene+
Annual Fee
-
$120
$0
First Year Waived
Finly Rebate
Exclusive Offer
First Year Value
$1,294.5
$524.5 in years after
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
Rewards Breakdown
Annual Rewards
$659.8
Air Canada Aeroplan®
First Year Bonus Value
+
$0
Air Canada Aeroplan®
Annual Fee
-
$599
First Year Value
$60.8
Based on a hypothetical $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.
While the first year bonus value here may show $0, the actual welcome bonus offer for this credit card is Earn up to 85,000 Aeroplan points, which we value at $1,785 when you meet the minimum spending or other listed requirements. The value of $0 here was derived based on numbers in the spending inputs and whether you meet the minimum listed requirements.
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
- 3x Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on eligible Air Canada® and Air Canada Vacations® purchases
- 2x Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on eligible dining & food delivery purchases
- 1.25x Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on all other purchases
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
Extended Warranty
Up to 1 year
Purchase Protection
90 days
Hotel Burglary Insurance
$1000/occurrence
Emergency Out of province Medical
$1M, Up to 25 days
Trip Cancellation
$1500/person, $10000/trip
Trip Interruption
$1500/person, $10,000/tripFlight Delay
$500/person
Mobile Device Insurance
$1,000Emergency Medical Over 65
$1M, Up to 3 days
Insurance Included
Lost or Stolen Baggage
$1KBaggage Delay
$1K/person after 6 hoursCar Rental Damage & Theft
$85K Up to 48 consecutive rental daysTravel Accident
$500,000Extended Warranty
1 yearsPurchase Protection
90 daysHotel Burglary Insurance
$1000Emergency Out of province Medical
$5M/insured up to 15 daysTrip Cancellation
$1.5K/person, $3K/tripTrip Interruption
$1.5K/person, $6K/tripFlight Delay
$1,000/person after 4 hours
Extra Benefits
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Avoid the 2.5% foreign transaction fees incurred when spending in non $CAD.svg)
Concierge Services
Discount
Discount on PriorityPass Membership
American Express® Experiences
Extra Benefits
Companion Voucher
Annual Worldwide Companion Pass from $99 to a max of $599 After spending $25,000 on your card.svg)
Status lift
Reach Aeroplan Elite™ Status sooner by earning 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and one (1) Status Qualifying Segment for every $5,000 of net purchasesStatus lift
Complimentary upgrade to Avis® President's ClubStatus lift
Primary Cardholders who also hold Aeroplan Elite Status can roll over up to 200,000 Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) beyond the status level for which they’ve qualified, from the prior qualification year to qualify for status the next year.Status lift
Primary Cardholders who also hold Aeroplan Elite Status will benefit from an extra 12 months to use eUpgrade credits, for a total of 24 months from issuance..svg)
Free first checked bag
First checked bag is free for primary cardholder on Air Canada branded flight and up to 8 guests
Extra points
Earn points twice at over 150 Aeroplan partner brands and over 170 online retailers through the Aeroplan eStore
Free Extra Night at Hotels
Cardmembers can now get an extra night free for every 3 hotel nights redeemed with Aeroplan points. Enjoy even more at over 300,000 hotel properties worldwide
Nexus Program Rebate
$100 every 4 years
Priority Travel
At Toronto Pearson airport get benefits such as Priority Security lane, Complimentary valet, premium parking spots, priorioty taxi and limo lane and discount for parking and car care.Priority Travel
Get Priority Check-in, Priority Boarding and Priority Baggage Handling, Priority Airport Standby & Priority Airport Upgrades for you, your authorized users and up to 8 companions on the same flight (Only AirCanada)
Airport Lounge - Maple Leaf and AirCanada Cafes
Unlimited Access for you and one guestAirport Lounge - Priority Pass
Pass only. No Complimentary visits!Amex Experiences™
Amex Experiences™ opens doors for you to access a number of special events, including special dining experiences, VIP parties, advance film screenings and more
Interest Rates
Purchase:
20.99%
Cash Advance:
22.99%
Balance Transfer:
22.99%
Interest Rates
Purchase:
21.99%2
Cash Advance:
21.99%2
2 If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.
Annual Fee
$120
$0$
First Year Waived
Annual Fee
$599
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
$12,000
Min Household Income:
$12,000
Income Required
Min Personal Income:
N/A
Min Household Income:
N/A
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
Travel
0.825¢ / pointMerchandise
0.75¢ / pointGift Cards
0.72¢ / pointMost Optimal
Aeroplan® Flights
2.1¢ / point
Car Rentals
0.9¢ / 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?
If you are a frequent Air Canada traveler, having an Aeroplan card for perks like free checked bags and priority service can be very beneficial. Many financial institutions offer Aeroplan cards, but I don't believe the American Express version is the best one. Opting for another option might be better. However, the Amex card does have a very large sign-up bonus, making it a great choice for those specifically seeking that.
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
- Generous rewards rate with up to 3 Aeroplan points per $1 spent on purchases, particularly beneficial for frequent flyers.
- Enjoy free checked bags when flying with Air Canada, reducing travel costs.
- Access to preferred pricing on Aeroplan flight awards, maximizing the value of your points.
- Unlimited access to Maple Leaf lounges when flying with Air Canada, providing a more comfortable travel experience.
- Extensive insurance coverage, including 11 types of insurance, offering peace of mind during your travels.
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
- As an American Express card, it may have limited acceptance compared to other credit cards, potentially limiting its use in some places.
- The most valuable rewards are generally tied to Air Canada flights, which may not appeal to travelers who fly with other airlines.
- The card comes with a high annual fee of $599, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious users.
- The unlimited lounge access is limited to Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafe lounges which don't have a great worldwide coverage.
vs Scotiabank Value® Visa* Card
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vs Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card
vs Scotia Momentum® No-Fee Visa* Card
vs Scotia Momentum® Mastercard®* Credit Card
vs Scotiabank® Scene+ Visa Card
vs Scotiabank American Express® Card
vs Neo World Elite® Mastercard®
vs American Express Platinum Card®
vs SimplyCash® Card from American Express
vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Card
vs Scotia Momentum® Visa* Card
vs CIBC Costco Mastercard
vs CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
vs BMO CashBack® World Elite® Mastercard®
vs MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®
vs American Express® Green Card
vs American Express Gold Rewards Card®
vs Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®
vs Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card
vs Rogers Red Mastercard®
vs TD Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
vs American Express Cobalt® Card
vs Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card
vs SimplyCash™ Preferred Card from American Express
vs American Express® Green Card
vs American Express® Aeroplan®* Card
vs American Express Platinum Card®
vs SimplyCash® Card from American Express
vs Scotia Momentum® Visa* Card
vs CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
vs MBNA Rewards World Elite® Mastercard®
vs American Express Gold Rewards Card®
vs Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®
vs Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card
vs American Express Cobalt® Card
Legal
◊Conditions apply.
†With minimum spend in the 1st year.
*On eligible purchases in Canada only. Conditions apply.
Terms and conditions apply. 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.
*Terms and conditions apply.
If you have 2 separate missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99%. If you have 3 or more separate missed payments, the applicable rates will be 29.99%.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.