Overview
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is widely regarded as one of the best flexible rewards credit cards in Canada — and the numbers back it up. With 6x Scene+ points at Sobeys-family stores, 5x on all other groceries, dining, and entertainment, and 3x on gas, transit, and streaming, it earns points faster on everyday spending than almost any other card in the country.
Add no foreign transaction fees, a first-year fee waiver, comprehensive travel insurance, and a personal income requirement of just $12,000, and you get a premium card that's accessible to nearly everyone. The only real trade-off is American Express acceptance, which is narrower than Visa or Mastercard at some Canadian merchants.
The current welcome offer delivers up to 45,000 bonus Scene+ points (worth $450 in travel), with the first-year annual fee waived — making the card completely free to try for year one.
Earning Scene+ Points
The Gold Amex has the strongest everyday earn rates of any Scotiabank card, with five earning tiers:
- 6 Scene+ points per $1 at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, IGA, Foodland, Voilà, Thrifty Foods, and partner grocery stores
- 5 Scene+ points per $1 on other groceries, dining, and entertainment
- 3 Scene+ points per $1 on gas, select streaming services, and daily transit
- 1 Scene+ point per $1 on foreign currency purchases
- 1 Scene+ point per $1 on all other purchases
Real-World Earning Example
On a typical monthly spend of $500 at Sobeys ($3,000/month total across all categories), $200 on dining, $150 on gas, and $50 on streaming, you'd earn approximately 39,600 Scene+ points per year — worth $396 in travel — before any welcome bonus. That alone nearly covers the $120 annual fee.
Scene+ Travel Bonus
Book through Scene+ Travel, powered by Expedia to earn up to 4x Scene+ points on hotel bookings, car rentals, and activities, stacking on top of your regular earn rate.
Why 1x on Foreign Currency Matters
An important detail: while the card charges no foreign transaction fees, it only earns 1x Scene+ points on foreign currency purchases regardless of the merchant's category. So dining at a restaurant in Paris earns 1x (not 5x), but you still save the 2.5% FX markup. It's still a great card for international spending — you just won't get the bonus earn rate abroad.
Redeeming Scene+ Points
Scene+ points are among the most flexible loyalty currency in Canada, with multiple redemption paths at strong value:
Top-Value Redemptions (1.0¢/point)
- Any travel via Scene+ Travel (Expedia) — Flights, hotels, car rentals, packages
- Any travel from any provider — Book anywhere, apply points as a statement credit
- Cineplex theatres — Movie tickets and concessions
- Recipe Unlimited restaurants — Swiss Chalet, Harvey's, Montana's, The Keg, and more
- Eligible grocery stores — Pay with points at Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland, IGA, FreshCo, and participating locations
- Home Hardware — In-store redemption
Lower-Value Redemptions
- Statement credits — 0.8¢/point
- Apple & Best Buy merchandise — 0.77¢/point
- Gift cards — 0.74¢/point (avoid)
At the 5x dining rate, your effective return when redeeming for travel is 5% on restaurant spending — one of the highest dining returns available on any Canadian credit card.
Welcome Bonus Breakdown
The welcome offer has two tiers:
| Tier | Requirement | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Spend $2,000 in the first 3 months | 25,000 Scene+ points |
| Tier 2 | Spend $7,500 in the first year | 20,000 Scene+ points |
| Total | 45,000 Scene+ points |
Plus, the first-year annual fee is waived. The bonus offer ends July 1, 2026. At 1.0¢/point, the 45,000 points are worth $450 in travel — making the first-year value proposition outstanding given you pay nothing.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Like the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite, the Gold Amex charges 0% on foreign currency purchases — saving you the standard 2.5% markup that most Canadian credit cards charge. On a $3,000 international vacation, you'd save $75 compared to a card with FX fees.
One caveat: foreign currency purchases only earn at the 1x base rate regardless of merchant category. If you're spending heavily abroad, you'll still want this card for the FX savings, but don't expect the 5x dining rate to apply at international restaurants.
Insurance & Benefits
The Gold Amex punches well above its $120 price point with 12 types of insurance — a package that rivals many $150+ Visa Infinite cards:
Travel Insurance
- Travel emergency medical insurance — Up to $1,000,000 for 25 days per trip (3 days if over 65)
- Travel accident insurance — $500,000 coverage
- Trip cancellation insurance — Up to $1,500
- Trip interruption insurance — Up to $1,500
- Flight delay insurance — Up to $500
- Baggage delay insurance — Up to $1,000
- Lost or stolen baggage insurance — Up to $1,000
- Hotel burglary insurance — Up to $1,000
- Car rental collision/loss damage waiver — Decline the rental company's coverage
Purchase & Device Protection
- Mobile device insurance — Up to $1,000 for accidental damage and theft
- Purchase protection — 90 days
- Extended warranty — 1 additional year
American Express Perks
- Amex Offers — Targeted discounts and cashback from participating merchants
- Amex Front Of The Line — Early access to concert, theatre, and event ticket sales
Scotiabank Gold Amex vs. Passport Visa Infinite
Both cards earn Scene+ points and charge no FX fees, but they serve different purposes:
| Feature | Gold Amex ($120) | Passport Visa Infinite ($150) |
|---|---|---|
| Sobeys-family grocery | 6x | 3x |
| Other grocery / dining / entertainment | 5x | 2x |
| Gas / transit / streaming | 3x | 2x |
| All other purchases | 1x | 1x |
| Foreign currency earn rate | 1x | 1x |
| Foreign transaction fee | 0% | 0% |
| Airport lounge passes | None | 6 passes |
| Network | Amex | Visa |
| Insurance types | 12 | 11 |
| Income requirement | $12,000 | $60,000 |
| Additional card | $29 | $50 |
Choose the Gold Amex if you want maximum everyday earn rates and don't need lounge access or universal acceptance.
Choose the Passport Visa Infinite if you need Visa acceptance, airport lounge passes, or prefer a card that works everywhere including Costco and Loblaws.
Best strategy: Carry both. Use the Gold Amex at Amex-accepting merchants for the higher earn rate, and the Passport Visa Infinite everywhere else and at the airport. Both earn into the same Scene+ pool.
Who Should Get This Card?
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is ideal if you:
- Spend heavily on groceries, dining, and entertainment — 5–6x earn rates are class-leading
- Shop at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, or FreshCo — the 6x rate is the highest grocery multiplier in Canada
- Want no FX fees on an affordable card — $120/year with first year free
- Don't qualify for high-income cards — only $12,000 personal income required
- Want comprehensive insurance — 12 types including 25-day emergency medical and mobile device coverage
- Can tolerate Amex acceptance limitations — carry a backup Visa or Mastercard
Bottom Line
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is the earn-rate king of the Scotiabank lineup. With 6x at Sobeys-family stores and 5x on all other groceries, dining, and entertainment, it outearns every other Scotiabank card on the spending categories that matter most to everyday Canadians. Add no foreign transaction fees, 12 types of insurance, a $450 welcome bonus, and a first-year fee waiver, and you get one of the best value propositions in Canadian credit cards.
The only real limitation is Amex acceptance — pair it with a Visa or Mastercard for full coverage, and you've built a powerful earn-rate optimizing wallet.
