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Our verdict

Get a hard-to-beat return on your everyday purchases with the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card.

If you want to earn rewards points up to 6x faster, then the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card might be the right fit for you. It's one of the rare cards that comes with no foreign transaction fees, saving you 2.5% each time you use your card overseas or online with an international retailer.

Best for: Those who travel a lot and want to earn accelerated rewards points on everyday purchases like groceries.

Pros

Earn up to 6x points per $1 spent
Earn a welcome bonus of 40,000
No foreign transactions fees
Travel perks and insurance

Cons

You'll pay an annual fee of $120
Amex is not as widely accepted as Visa and Mastercard

Earn up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points in your first year (that's up to $650 towards travel). Apply by July 1, 2024. To qualify for the 40,000 bonus Scene+ points offer, earn 20,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $1,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, earn a 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in purchases in your first year.

The basics

Earn 6 Scene+ points for every $1 you spend in Canada at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and more, 5 Scene+ points per $1 spent on eligible grocery, dining and entertainment purchases, 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transportation and select streaming services, and 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on eligible purchases elsewhere.

You can also use your card to book travel through Scotia Rewards Travel Service, a full-service travel agency, and redeem your points on exclusive offers on travel packages as well as take advantage on hard-to-beat complimentary travel insurance.

Beyond travel rewards

If you don’t plan to travel in the near future but you want to redeem your rewards, you can also choose from a wide selection of merchandise and gifts offered by Scene+. If you’re feeling particularly generous, you can even donate your points to charity.

The perks

Welcome bonus. Earn up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points in your first year (that's up to $650 towards travel). Apply by July 1, 2024. To qualify for the 40,000 bonus Scene+ points offer, earn 20,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $1,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, earn a 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in purchases in your first year.
High return on points. Earn 6 Scene+ points for every $1 you spend in Canada at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and more, 5 Scene+ points per $1 spent on eligible grocery, dining and entertainment purchases, 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transportation and select streaming services, and 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on eligible purchases elsewhere.
No foreign transaction fees. Pay no foreign transaction fees every time you use your card overseas or online with an international retailer.
Travel perks. Book and redeem any flight for any time through Scotia Rewards Travel Service, a full-service travel agency. Plus, take advantage of the Best Price Guarantee on airfare.
World class service. Contact customer service 24/7 to report issues with your account and troubleshoot problems by speaking directly to an agent.

Comprehensive Insurance Package

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offers extended purchase and travel insurance:

Purchase security and extended warranty insurance. Get extended warranty and insurance coverage to cover theft, loss or damage on most items purchased with your card. Covered in the first 90 days from date of purchase.
Purchase protection. With Scotiabank’s price protection service, you will get covered for up to $100 per claim or up to $500 per year when you charge your card on eligible purchase in Canada and spot the same item with a lower price within 60 days.
Travel insurance. Make use of a wide suite of travel insurance to cover car rentals, flight cancellations/interruptions, baggage delays or lost luggage, hotel burglaries and other incidentals. This comes on top of $1,000,000 in Travel Emergency Medical Insurance and $500,000 in travel accident insurance.

What to watch out for with this Scotia Gold Amex

Annual fee. The annual fee for this card is $120, with an additional $29 charge for supplementary cards.
Not as widely accepted overseas. The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card may not be accepted in as many locations as Visa and Mastercard branded cards.

Scotiabank Gold American Express Card interest rates

Interest Type	Interest Rate
Purchase interest rate	20.99%
Cash advance rate	22.99%
Standard balance transfer rate	22.99%

What do other customers say?

Many customers enjoy the flexibility of Scene+ points, which can be exchanged for travel, merchandise, SCENE points and more. Many cardholders are very appreciative of the 5x return per dollar on points with this card, although some would prefer to pay no annual fee in exchange for less points. Many are also pleased with the comprehensive insurance package offered through this card. One limitation of the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is that customers can’t use American Express cards as easily overseas.

What should I know before I apply

To apply for the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card you need to:
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Be at least 18 years old, or the age of majority in your province or territory.
- Have an annual gross income of at least $12,000.
- Your name, residential status and contact information.
- Your social insurance number (SIN) and date of birth.
- Your email address and phone number.

How to apply for the Scotia Gold American Express Card

Click Go to site on this page to be securely directed to your Scotiabank Gold American Express Card application.
Read through the Disclosure Statement details and click Accept & Continue.
Complete the application with details that include your name, email address, social insurance number and birth date.
Review and submit your application.

Bottom line

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers a full suite of perks and benefits for a $120 annual fee. Plus, get comprehensive purchase and travel insurance and avoid paying foreign transaction fees.

If you’re looking for a fee-free card with similar benefits, you might like to check out the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card.

Pictures: scotiabank.com/ca

Frequently asked questions

Yes, depending on when you signup. Earn up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points in your first year (that's up to $650 towards travel). Apply by July 1, 2024. To qualify for the 40,000 bonus Scene+ points offer, earn 20,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $1,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, earn a 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in purchases in your first year.

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Claire Horwood is a writer at Finder, specializing in credit cards, loans and other financial products. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies from the University of Victoria, and an Associate’s Degree in Science from Camosun College. Much of Claire’s coursework has focused on writing and statistics, with a healthy dose of social and cultural analysis mixed in for good measure. In her spare time, Claire enjoys rock climbing, travelling and drinking inordinate amounts of coffee. See full profile

Emma Balmforth is a producer at Finder. She is passionate about helping people make financial decisions that will benefit them now and in the future. She has written for a variety of publications including World Nomads, Trek Effect and Uncharted. Emma has a degree in Business and Psychology from the University of Waterloo. She enjoys backpacking, reading and taking long hikes and road trips with her adventurous dog. See full profile

Scotiabank Gold American Express Card Review