Overview of the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card
Earn rewards
On entertainment, groceries, restaurants (including fast food & drinks), daily transit
1 point/$1On other purchases
Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card details
- Welcome bonus
- earn up to $1,100+ in value in the first 12 months, including up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points. Offer ends 31 October 2023.
- Annual fee
- $150 (first year waived)
- Reward
- Earn 2x points on entertainment, groceries, restaurants (including fast food & drinks), daily transit, 1x points on other purchases
- Average point value
- $0.01
- Purchase interest rate
- 20.99%
- Cash advance interest rate
- 22.99%
- Balance transfer interest rate
- 22.99%
- Minimum income
- $12K/yr
- Household income
- Any amount
- Recommended credit score
- 660+
- Network
- VISA
- Provider
- Scotiabank
- Card type
- Travel
Detailed card summary
Benefits & features
- Ratehub.ca’s 2023 Award Winner – Best Travel Credit Card
- Earn up to $1,100+ in value in the first 12 months, including up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points and first year annual fee waived on your first supplementary card.
- The only major bank credit card offering you no foreign transaction fees, including for shopping online or abroad
- Your Award Winning Card For Travel
- Earn 2 Scene+ points on every $1 you spend on eligible grocery stores, dining, entertainment purchases, and daily transit purchases (including buses, subways, taxis and more)
- Earn 1 Scene+ point on every $1 you spend on all other eligible purchases.
How to redeem
Redemption flexibility
HIGH
Redeem your points against any travel purchase on your statements
How to get approved
Eligibility
- Minimum income $12K/yr
- Household income Any
- Recommended credit score 660+
- You are a permanent Canadian resident and have reached the age of majority in the province in which you live.
Ratehub review

Mikael Castaldo
Launched in early 2018, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite entered the fray as the only credit card from the country’s big banks to completely waive its foreign transaction fees (and made headlines for doing so). But its appeal doesn’t stop there.
One of the best travel credit cards in Canada, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is packed with other perks frequent travellers care about like airport lounge access, a strong sign-up bonus, and flexible points that can be redeemed flexibly for flights on virtually any airline.
For everything you need to know about this card, read our full breakdown below.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite – quick review
The Pros
- It’s one of the few cards in Canada to completely waive its foreign transaction fees. Aside from Scotia, none of Canada’s other big five banks issue cards that’ll save you on fees when spending in an international currency.
- You’ll receive a complimentary Priority Pass membership with six free annual passes to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide
- You’ll earn double the points for every dollar spent on groceries, dining, entertainment, and daily transit (including taxis and Ubers).
- The Scotia Rewards program is easy to understand (1 point = 1% off your travel purchase) and flexible (redeem points for flights on any airline).
- With Scotia’s Apply Points to Travel option, you can use points to save on travel booked directly with an airline or hotel provider. You won’t be restricted to using the bank’s in-house travel agency when redeeming points.
- The card comes with several types of insurance, including travel emergency medical coverage, trip cancellation/interruption, flight delay, lost baggage, and more.
- You can add a supplementary cardholder at no extra cost (most other premium cards charge an extra $39-$50).
The Cons
- The Passport Visa Infinite has an annual fee of $139, which is slightly above the average $120 annual fee found on many comparable travel rewards cards.
- You can earn more points on your everyday spending on a handful of other rewards cards, like the Scotiabank Gold American Express.
- It has an income requirement of $60,000 (or $100,000 as a household), which means it might be out of reach for some.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite – detailed breakdown
No foreign transaction fees
One of the greatest perks of this card – and arguably what it’s most known for – is that it comes with no foreign transaction fees.
You might not realize it, but almost every credit card charges an additional 2.5% foreign transaction fee on top of the exchange rate whenever you make a purchase in a non-Canadian currency — like when swiping your card while abroad or shopping online in US dollars.
If you’re a frequent traveller or typically spend a lot in foreign currencies, that can add up. For instance, if you budget $1,000 for food and transit during your one week vacation in London, this fee would typically cost you an extra $25 just for the convenience of using a credit card.
By saving you the cost of foreign transaction fees, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite makes sticking with a credit card while travelling more compelling. That means you can avoid carrying huge wads of foreign cash or relying heavily on currency exchange offices (which tack on their own costly fees, especially in tourist hot spots).
Using a credit card abroad also means you get the added security of pin and purchase protection while also earning rewards on your spending. In the case of the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite, you’ll earn Scotia Rewards points on all your international purchases along with saving on foreign transaction fees.
Airport lounge benefits
The other major perk of the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is its complimentary membership to Priority Pass, which opens up the door to a network of over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide.
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite’s lounge access benefits stand out for two reasons.
First, whereas most credit cards with lounge access only provide two to four free annual lounge passes, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite offers six.
Second, if you were to purchase the equivalent membership directly from Priority Pass, it would set you back $291 USD every year – which on its own is over double the card’s annual fee.
Rewards on everyday spending
The Passport Visa Infinite earns 2 Scotia points for every dollar spent on groceries, dining, entertainment, and transit (including taxis, subway, buses, and rideshares including Uber).
On all other purchases, the card nets 1 Scotia point per dollar.
When redeemed for travel, 1 Scotia point equals $0.01, so in a way, this card acts like a cash back card for your travel purchases (with its 2 and 1 point per dollar earn rates working out to the equivalent of a 2% and 1% return respectively).
It’s worth noting that the card does have a slightly lower everyday earn rate than some comparable rewards credit cards, like the Scotiabank Gold American Express. But the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is a well-rounded card that offers a ton of added value with side perks that are tailored to travellers like its no foreign transaction fees and lounge access benefits.
Redeeming Scotia Rewards (and points values)
Scotia Points are extremely flexible and can be redeemed for travel rewards in two ways:
- The Scotia Rewards Travel Service, the banks in-house travel service and search engine that lets you intuitively browse different travel options;
- By Applying Points to Travel, which gives you the flexibility to purchase a flight ticket or hotel stay directly from an airline or travel provider of your choice, and use points to offset the cost at a later date. You can redeem points retroactively up to 12 months after the purchase date, and you’ll receive a credit on your statement equal to your points’ value.
The latter is a great feature and means you’re not locked into using the bank’s in-house travel agency and can instead compare flight prices online and book travel plans completely on your agenda.
As mentioned earlier, the value of 1 Scotia Reward point is worth a consistent $0.01 when redeemed travel. That makes it easier to determine the value of a point compared to most other travel rewards programs since points values are constant and don’t fluctuate according to a rewards chart. Keep in mind though, you must redeem points in a minimum of 5,000 increments ($50 value).
When redeeming points for anything non-travel related (like gift cards or merchandise), you’ll get less than $0.01 per point in value – so it’s best to stick to using your points for travel-related redemptions. If you’re not much of a traveller and want to use your rewards to save on your everyday spending, consider checking out some of the best cash back credit cards in Canada instead.
Redemption options | Value of 1 point |
Travel | 1 cent |
Cash credits | 0.67 – 0.8 cents |
Gift cards | 0.74 cents |
Merchandise | Varies (but typically below 0.8 cents) |
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite travel insurance
It’s always reassuring to have travel insurance. Luckily, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite’s insurance benefits are some of the best of any travel rewards card. Here’s an overview of what this card offers:
Insurance | Coverage amount |
Travel emergency medical | $1 million per insured person (25 days for age 64 and under, but 10 days for age 65 and older) |
Trip cancellation | $2,500 per person (up to $10,000 per trip) |
Trip interruption | $2,500 per person (up to $10,000 per trip) |
Flight delay | Up to $500 per person per trip |
Delayed and lost luggage | Up to $1,000 per trip after only 4 hours |
Hotel/motel burglary | Up to $1,000 per occurrence in Canada or the US |
Rental car collision/loss damage | For vehicles up to $65,000 in value (for 48 days) |
Common carrier travel accident | Up to $500,000 per person/up to $1 million per occurrence |
There’s also purchase insurance and price drop protection included. Most personal items are covered against loss, theft, or damage if the full cost of the item is charged to the card. Coverage extends for the first 90 days from the purchase date up to $60,000 and is in addition to other insurance coverage.
Fees, interest rates, and income requirements
The card has an annual fee of $139, which is a little higher than some other travel rewards cards that charge around $120. That said, there isn’t an additional annual fee for adding your first authorized user – so you can pick up a supplementary card for a loved one at no extra cost. Most other premium cards charge around $50 to $39 a year for adding a supplementary cardholder.
The purchase interest rate is 19.99% if you have an unpaid balance and the cash advance rate is 22.99%. This rate won’t enter the equation as long as you pay off your balance in full every month and avoid borrowing money from your credit card.
To qualify for the card, you need to have an annual income of at least $60,000 or a minimum household income of $100,000.
Other perks
The Passport Visa Infinite gives you a free Avis Preferred Plus membership, which provides up to 25% off car rentals in Canada and the US as well as complimentary upgrades (when available). You can also get a special number to call for reservations and customer support.
As a Visa Infinite cardmember, you’ll have access to the Visa Infinite concierge, who can help you with airline or hotel reservations, pre-trip planning, ticket or event bookings, and restaurant reservations.
You’ll even have access to the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection – a selection of over 900 hotels around the world. When staying at an eligible hotel, you’ll get a best available rate guarantee, free daily breakfast for two, an automatic room upgrade or late checkout (when available), and a $25 food or beverage credit.
Legal
Savings and reward potential in first 12 months based on the following card usage and offers:
$350 in travel rewards (35,000 bonus Scene+ points) when you spend $1,000 within your first 3 months (to earn 25,000 points) and when you spend $40,000 within your first 12 months (to earn an additional 10,000 points);
$50 supplementary card fee waiver on your first supplementary card;
$104 in foreign transaction fee savings based on average first year annual foreign spend per account (save the 2.5% foreign transaction fee typically charged by other card issuers);
$287 in travel rewards (28,733 Scene+ points) on everyday purchases based on average annual first year spend per account with an average spend of 19% in 2x accelerator categories.
$341 value with a complimentary Visa Airport Companion Program Membership and 6 lounge passes (annual membership plus one free visit of approx. CAD$133/USD$99 plus 5 lounge passes at CDN$42/USD$31 per pass). Currency conversion as at January 18, 2023.
Potential First Year Value = up to $1,132
Actual savings and rewards earned will depend on individual card usage and eligibility for applicable offers. Conditions apply.
Offer Description and Conditions: The 25,000 Bonus Scene+ Points and First Year Annual Fee Waiver on First Supplementary Card Offer (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite credit card accounts (“Accounts”) that are opened by October 31, 2023 subject to the conditions below. Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended at any time without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers.
Plus, as a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite credit cardholder you are always eligible to earn an annual 10,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $40,000 in everyday eligible purchases annually on your Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite account. Conditions apply – see below for further details.
25,000 Bonus Scene+ Point Offer Description and Conditions: To qualify for the 25,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “Bonus Offer”), you must have at least $1,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account within the first 3 months of the 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. The 25,000 Bonus Offer points will be credited to the primary cardholder’s Scene+ account within approximately 2-3 business days following the qualifying $1,000 in eligible purchases being posted to your Account within 3 months from the Account open date, provided the Account is open and in good standing. 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. Bonus Offer applies to new Accounts only opened by October 31, 2023.
10,000 Annual Bonus Scene+ Point Conditions: As a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite credit cardholder you can earn an annual Scene+ point bonus starting at 10,000 Scene+ points when you make at least $40,000 in eligible purchases annually on your Account each year (12-months). Annual period starts from the Account open date and resets every 12 months thereafter. You will earn 2,000 bonus Scene+ points for every additional $10,000 in eligible purchases thereafter in that same year, after the $40,000 annual spend has been reached. 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.
The Annual bonus Scene+ points will be credited within approximately 2-3 business days after you have met the $40,000 annual spend threshold on the Account and within approximately 2-3 business days after you have met each additional $10,000 annual spend threshold on the Account, provided your Account is open and in good standing (as defined above).
First Year Annual Fee Waiver on First Supplementary Card Offer Description and Conditions: We will waive the annual fee for the first supplementary card issued before October 31, 2023 on the Account for the first year only.
Offer 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: The current annual fee is $150 for the primary card, $0 for the first additional card and $50 for each additional card thereafter.
The current preferred annual interest rates for this Account are: 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and cash-like transactions). All rates, fees, features and benefits are subject to change.
To qualify for these offers, make sure to open a new Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite credit card account by October 31, 2023.
To qualify for the 35,000 bonus Scene+ points:
1. Earn 25,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $1,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months.
2. Plus, as a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite cardholder, you are eligible to earn an annual 10,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $40,000 in everyday net eligible purchases annually.
Once you qualify, we’ll credit your account in 2 instalments:
1. 25,000 bonus Scene+ points will be credited to your account within approximately 2-3 business days following the qualifying $1,000 in net purchases being posted to your Scene+ membership Account in your first 3 months.
2. Annual 10,000 bonus Scene+ points will be credited to your Scene+ membership account within approximately 2-3 business days after you have met the $40,000 annual spend threshold.
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 25,000 bonus points offer. All cardholders remain eligible to earn an annual 10,000 Scene+ point bonus with an annual spend of at least $40,000.
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