
Scotiabank®* Platinum American Express® Card
Card highlights
Welcome bonus
Anniversary bonus
Annual fee
Ratehub’s review
Natasha Macmillan
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express card offers a unique combination of benefits: rewards, travel perks like airport lounge access and a low purchase interest rate – but you pay for those benefits with the higher annual fee.
Pros
- Low interest rates with added perks: Not only do you get a below-average interest rate but you also get Scene points, airport lounge access, travel insurance and other perks
- Save on foreign transaction fees: You won’t be charged 2.5% in forex fees with this card on top of the exchange rate
Cons
- Very high annual fee: The annual fee is very high compared to other low-interest cards, some of which have a $0 annual fee
- Lower rewards earn rate: You’ll get a lower return on your spending with this card than with some other rewards credit cards, although for a low-interest card, earning rewards at all is rare
Rewards & bonuses
See what you could earn based on how you spend.
Welcome bonus
Earn up to $800.
earn up to $3,000 in value in the first 14 months, including up to 100,000 bonus Scene+ points.
Anniversary bonus
Earn up to 20,000 points (a $200 value).
Earn 20,000 Scene+ points once you make at least one eligible purchase in month 14.
Earn rates
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
Based on spending $2,200/mo after $399 annual fee
Second year reward
Based on spending $2,200/mo after $399 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
- Welcome bonus
- Annual fee
- First year reward
Second year reward†
- If you spend $2,200/month, you’ll earn
- Anniversary bonus
- Annual fee
- Second year reward
† 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.
| Perks | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | Enjoy complimentary lounge access with Priority Pass™ and Plaza Premium lounges with access to over 1200+ VIP lounges around the world. Enjoy up to 10 free visits per year from the date of enrolment. | You’ll gain complimentary passes to airport lounges. The number of passes and lounges you have access to will vary. |
| No foreign exchange fees | Scotiabank Platinum American Express Cardmembers aren’t charged the usual 2.5% foreign currency conversion markup on foreign currency purchases. | A surcharge that credit card holders pay for purchases made in a foreign currency (typically 2.5%). |
| Extended warranty | Most of the new items you buy with your Card are insured against theft, loss, or damage for 120 days from the purchase date. | Either doubles the length of the item’s manufacturer’s warranty coverage or extends it by 1 year, whichever is less. |
| Price protection | Not included | If, within a certain amount of time of purchasing an item, its price drops or you find an identical item offered for a lower retail price than what you paid, you will be reimbursed for the difference. |
| Insurance | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Travel accident insurance | When you charge at least 75% of your trip to your Card, you’re insured against accidental loss of life or dismemberment. | If you suffer a loss as a result of an accidental bodily injury sustained while occupying a common carrier, you are eligible for this coverage. |
| Travel emergency medical | Receive up to $2 million CAD in emergency medical coverage for you, your spouse, and your eligible dependent children. | If you require urgent medical care while on a trip outside of your home province, you will be covered for any eligible medical expenses incurred. |
| Car rental insurance | Charge the full cost of your eligible rental car to your Card and you’re automatically insured if your rental is damaged or stolen. | Credit card rental car insurance usually covers theft, loss and damage to your rental car in the case of an accidental collision. |
| Trip cancellation | Protect your travel investment with trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance at no extra cost when you charge at least 75% of your trip costs to your Card. | If you have to cancel your trip before it’s even started, your prepaid travel costs will be covered up to a maximum amount if the cause of cancellation is eligible for the insurance. |
| Trip interruption | Protect your travel investment with trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance at no extra cost when you charge at least 75% of your trip costs to your Card. | If your trip has to be cut short or is delayed after the scheduled departure date, you will be covered up to a maximum amount for an eligible cause of interruption or delay. |
| Flight delay insurance | Charge at least 75% of the full ticket cost to your Scotiabank American Express Platinum Card and you’ll be eligible for reimbursement of necessary expenses such as hotel accommodations, meals and other emergency items. | If your flight departure is delayed by a certain number of hours, you’ll be reimbursed a certain amount for necessary and reasonable expenses. |
| Baggage loss insurance | Charge the full cost of your airplane, train, bus or cruise ship tickets to your Card. If your checked luggage is delayed or lost – you’re covered. | If your checked bag cannot be located by a common carrier, you’ll be reimbursed for a portion of the replacement cost of lost personal property. |
| Baggage delay insurance | Charge the full cost of your airplane, train, bus or cruise ship tickets to your Card. If your checked luggage is delayed or lost – you’re covered. | If your checked bag is not delivered within a specified time upon your arrival, you’ll be reimbursed for the cost to replace essential items. |
| Hotel/motel burglary | When you use your Card to pay for your stay at any hotel or motel in Canada or the US, you’re eligible for coverage against theft if your room is broken into. | Provides protection, while you’re checked in, for your personal belongings when left unattended in your room up to a certain dollar amount. |
| Mobile insurance | You may be covered for up to $1,000 in the event your cell phone, smartphone, or tablet is lost, stolen, accidentally damaged, or experiences mechanical failure. | Reimburses a portion of your cell phone in the event it’s damaged or lost. Device coverage is limited to a certain period of time after purchasing with your credit card. |
| Purchase assurance | Most of the new items you buy with your Card are insured against theft, loss, or damage for 120 days from the purchase date. | Automatically protects new purchases by insuring them for 90 days from the date of purchase in the event of loss, theft or damage. |
Details & eligibility
Fees
- Annual fee
- $399
Rates
- Purchase interest
- 9.99%
- Balance transfer rate
- 22.99%
- Cash advance rate
- 9.99%
Type
- Provider
- Scotiabank
- Card type
- Travel
- Payment network
- American Express
Eligibility
- Minimum personal income
- $12,000
- Minimum household income
- N/A
- Minimum credit score
- 760+
Terms & conditions
* Savings and point earn potential in first 14 months includes welcome offer value, first year point earn potential, foreign transaction fee and airport lounge savings as of May 22, 2026:
$600 in travel points (60,000 bonus Scene+ points) for new Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card clients who spend $5,000 within the first 3 months
$200 in travel points (20,000 bonus Scene+ points) when you spend $10,000 within the first 6 months
$200 in travel points (20,000 bonus Scene+ points) when you make at least one eligible purchase that is posted to the new Account during the 14th month after the month the Account was opened.
$241 in foreign transaction fee savings based on average annual foreign spend per active account over the last 24 months (don’t pay the 2.5% foreign transaction fee markup typically charged by other card issuers);
$1,023 in first year point earn potential (102,297 Scene+ points) on everyday purchases based on average annual spend per active account over the last 24 months;
$784 value of a complimentary Priority Pass membership and free lounge passes per year for the primary cardholder (‘Standard Plus’ annual membership fee package of approx. CAD$454/USD$329, which includes 10 lounge passes) and for one supplementary cardholder (‘Standard’ annual membership fee of approx. CAD$137/USD$99, plus 4 lounge passes at CAD$48/USD$35 each). Currency conversion as at May 22, 2026.
Potential First 14-Month Value = up to $3,048 (rounded down to $3,000)
Actual offers, savings and points earned will depend on individual card usage and eligibility for applicable offers. Conditions apply.
1 Offer Description and Conditions: The 100,000 Bonus Scene+ Points Offer (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotiabank Platinum American Express credit card accounts (“Account”) opened between July 2, 2026 and November 1, 2026 (regardless of the date you apply for the Account) and is subject to the conditions below. To qualify for 60,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “60,000 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $3,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 3 months of the Account open date. To qualify for 20,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “20,000 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $10,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 6 months of the Account open date. To qualify for an additional 20,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “Additional 20,000 Point Bonus”), you must make at least one eligible purchase that is posted to your new Account during the 14th month after the month the Account was opened. . 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 Fulfillment: 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 60,000 Point Bonus and 20,000 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., $5,000 or $10,000) in the appropriate time frame (i.e., first 3 months or first 6 months), and (ii) the Additional 20,000 Point Bonus will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the Account of the borrower that completed the first transaction that qualifies as an eligible purchase during the 14th month after the month the Account was opened. If a supplementary cardholder completes the last qualifying transaction to meet the qualifying amount of eligible purchases for the 60,000 Point Bonus or the 20,000 Point Bonus, or completes the first transaction that qualifies for the Additional 20,000 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 Scene+ Program Terms continue to apply during the Offer period. Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended at any time without notice 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: The current annual fee is $399 for the primary card and $99 for each additional card (including those issued to co-borrowers and supplementary cardholders).
The current preferred annual interest rates for the Account are: 9.99% on purchases and 9.99% 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.