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Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

4.0 Ratehub rated
Best for Groceries & dining
Travel
Welcome bonus – Earn up to $500 in first-year bonuses.
Gift offer – Get a $50 gift card on approval.
Ends

Card highlights

First year reward

$1,286

Based on spending $2,200/mo after $120 annual fee

Welcome bonus

$500

Annual fee

$120

Ratehub’s review

Natasha Macmillan

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card earns an honourable mention as one of the best overall travel credit cards for the outstanding benefits it offers to cardholders. This card stands out as a top choice, thanks to its exceptional return on spending and a variety of travel-related perks. This card is particularly useful for those who dine out often, travel, and enjoy entertainment.

Pros

  • No foreign exchange fee: Save on foreign currency purchases while travelling abroad or shopping online, as this card doesn’t charge the typical 2.5% foreign transaction fee
  • Extensive insurance coverage: Enjoy comprehensive travel insurance, including the $1 million travel medical insurance, which lasts for 25 days and is one of the longer coverage periods available on the market
  • High return on spending: Earn five points per $1 spent on groceries, restaurants, food delivery, and entertainment – one of the best in class multipliers in the market. Earn three points per $1 spent on gas and transit expenses 

Cons

  • Limited acceptance: American Express isn’t as widely accepted in Canada compared to Visa and Mastercard
  • Annual Fee: This card carries an annual fee of $120
  • Fixed point values: Although earn rates are high, travel points are always worth one cent per point and you can’t transfer your points to other airline rewards programs like you can with other cards
  • Airport lounge access is not free: Although you’ll get a discount on a Priority Pass membership for airport lounge access, lounge visits aren’t included with the card


Rewards & bonuses

See what you could earn based on how you spend.

Welcome bonus

Earn up to $500.

Earn 30,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $2,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. Earn an additional 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in everyday eligible purchases in your first year.

Earn rates

6 points/$1
On Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco, Foodland and more.*Up to $4,167 / month, then 1 point/$1
5 points/$1
On dining, food delivery and other eligible grocery stores. Includes popular food delivery and food subscriptions.*Up to $4,167 / month, then 1 point/$1
5 points/$1
On Canada eligible entertainment purposes. Includes movies, theatre and ticket agencies stores.*Up to $4,167 / month, then 1 point/$1
3 points/$1
On eligible gas and daily transit options. Includes rideshares, buses, subway, taxis and more.*Up to $4,167 / month, then 1 point/$1
3 points/$1
On eligible select streaming services.*Up to $4,167 / month, then 1 point/$1
1 point/$1
On all other eligible everyday purchases.*

Caps apply where shown. Rewards are earned on eligible purchases only, see the card’s terms for full details. 100 points = $1.

Your earning potential

First year reward

$1,286

Based on spending $2,200/mo after $120 annual fee

Second year reward

$736

Based on spending $2,200/mo after $120 annual fee

These numbers are based on estimations and the calculation breakdown below.

Adjust your spending

First year reward

If you spend $2,200/month, you’ll earn
$856
Welcome bonus
+ $500
Gift card offer
+ $50
Annual fee
– $120
First year reward
$1,286

Second year reward

If you spend $2,200/month, you’ll earn
$856
Annual fee
– $120
Second year reward
$736

Estimate calculated by Ratehub.ca and is based on current offers and a monthly spend of $2,200. It is for illustrative purposes only.


Perks & insurance

Perks and insurance coverage included with the card.

PerksDetails
Lounge access Not included
No foreign exchange fees Included
Extended warrantyUp to one additional year
Price protection60 days from the date of purchase of most new items of personal property purchased in Canada
InsuranceDetails
Travel accident insuranceup to a maximum of $500,000 (to a maximum of $1,000,000 per occurrence)
Travel emergency medical$1,000,000 for 25 days (under 65)
Car rental insuranceMSRP of up to $65,000, for 48 days
Trip cancellationUp to $1,500 per person for travel expenses (maximum $10,000 per trip)
Trip interruptionUp to $1,500 per person for travel expenses (maximum $10,000 per trip)
Flight delay insuranceUp to $500 coverage per person
Baggage loss insuranceUp to $1,000 (combined maximum with lost baggage)
Baggage delay insuranceUp to $1,000 (combined maximum with lost baggage); delays over 4 hours
Hotel/motel burglaryUp to $1,000 per burglary occurrence
Mobile insuranceUp to $1,000 per occurence
Purchase assuranceCovered for 90 days

Details & eligibility

Fees

Annual fee
$120

Rates

Purchase interest
21.99%
Balance transfer rate
22.99%
Cash advance rate
22.99%

Type

Provider
Scotiabank
Card type
Travel
Payment network
American Express

Eligibility

Minimum personal income
$12,000
Minimum household income
N/A
Minimum credit score
725+
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Terms & conditions