Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card Review

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card review

While we adhere to strict editorial guidelines, partners on this page may provide us earnings.

Overall rating

First year value

$1,782

Get this card if you:

  • want exclusive travel benefits like no foreign exchange fees
  • need comprehensive travel insurance benefits
  • want to access exclusive Amex offers

At a glance

The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is a rewards credit card that offers accelerated earn rates on categories such as groceries, dining, and entertainment. It also provides benefits like no foreign transaction fees and comprehensive travel insurance, making it suitable for both everyday spending and international use.

Highlights

$1,782

First year value

up to 50,000 points

Welcome bonus

$120

Annual fee

$29 for each supplementary card; First year annual fee waived for primary card

Interest Rates

20.99%

Purchase APR

22.99%

Balance transfer APR

22.99%

Cash advance APR

Eligibility

Very Good

Recommended credit score

Quick overview of the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card has “Scene” better days. I was actually using this card for a secret point scheme to fly my wife’s friend to visit her in France. All was going well until they migrated over to Scene points! Which, while not bad (we’ll dive into why below) are definitely nerfed in a big way for travel-fiends.

That’s not to say it’s all doom and gloom, though. For every-day-purchasers, Scene+ points can pack a punch and are relatively valuable when applied to things like groceries, paying down your balance and (of course) movie tickets. Plus, one for my fellow travellers, the Scotiabank American Express Gold saves you on foreign exchange fees when abroad, which adds up if you’re away for a while. Your savings might even help you pay off the not-insubstantial $120 fee. And on top of that, it offers wildly good travel-related insurance, including emergency medical, trip cancellation, flight delay, lost baggage and more.

Who’s the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card for?

There’s sort of a melange going on with the Scotiabank Gold Amex that makes it hard to pin to a certain type of person. The Scene+ points are earned on everyday purchases, with big bonuses on earning them from participating grocery stores, dining and movies. But then there’s the fact that it’s an Amex, making consistent daily spending tough (you’re out of luck Loblaws fans). And on top of that, though the waived foreign exchange fees are going to tempt travellers (plus a discount on Priority Pass for lounges), the Scene+ points aren’t nearly as good as Amex or Aeroplan for travel. In essence, the Scotiabank Gold Amex is a grab bag, with morsels that will appeal to several demographics without directly catering to one.

Pros and cons

Pros
  • Lots of daily spend options to earn multiplied point bonuses
  • Swanky Amex perks like Front of the Line presale concert tickets
  • Save on foreign transaction fees when abroad
  • Fantastic insurance coverage, especially for travel
Cons
  • Relatively low-value welcome bonus
  • $120 annual fee that chews into your point value substantially
  • Scene points redeem poorly for travel

Current welcome bonus

  • Earn up to $1,050* in value in the first 12 months, including up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points..

How to earn Membership Rewards points

As I mentioned before, the best way to use this card is as your daily spender:

  • Earn 6x Scene+ points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco, Foodland and more
  • Earn 5x Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on dining, food delivery, food subscriptions, other eligible grocery stores, and eligible entertainment purposes. Includes popular food delivery, food subscriptions, and movies, theatre and ticket agencies stores.
  • Earn up to 4x Scene+ points for every dollar you spend on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia
  • Earn 3x Scene+ points for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible gas and daily transit options, including rideshares, buses and subways, as well as eligible select streaming services.
  • Earn 1 Scene+ point on all other purchases

That is actually pretty good. While the welcome bonus isn’t exactly compelling, achieving minimum spend on basically all life-requirement purchases should be a cinch, and you’ll be racking up big points in the meantime. My advice? Before leaping in, check where you spend your money. That grocery bonus looks pretty sweet, but if your local store is a Loblaws, your SOL. Oh, and just like Loblaws, many places still don’t take Amex cards. Make sure your regular haunts do, or you might find the Scene point stream cut down to a trickle.

Redeeming your Membership Rewards points

Scene+ points may not offer premium value for travel, but they excel in versatility for everyday redemptions. We recommend exploring these redemption options:

  • Everyday purchases: Redeem for gift cards at popular grocery stores, movie tickets, and participating restaurants
  • Statement credits: Apply points directly to pay down your credit card balance
  • Travel redemptions: Two main options available:
  • Book through the Expedia portal via Scene+ (better point value but limited selection)
  • Apply points against travel purchases on your statement (flights, hotels, car rentals)

The Scene+ website offers a streamlined redemption experience with an intuitive interface for managing all your point transactions. While travel redemptions provide slightly better value than standard statement credits, they don't match the premium returns offered by dedicated travel rewards programs.

Breakdown of the insurance coverage

This has to be one of the few cards I’ve actually been excited to write about the insurance for. If the points aren’t appealing to travellers, the insurance coverage definitely is.

  • Travel emergency medical insurance: $1 million of coverage for 25 consecutive days, for card holders under 65 plus their spouses and dependents, while travelling outside their home province.
  • Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance: Card holders and their immediate family are eligible up to $1,500 each for travel expenses (up to $10k) when at least 75% of trip expenses were put on the Scotiabank Amex Gold.
  • Flight delay insurance: Charge 75% of your trip expenses to this card and you’ll be covered for hotels, meals and emergency items in the event your flight is delayed.
  • Delayed and lost baggage insurance: If you pay the full cost of your travel ticket, you’re covered up to $1,000 in the event your luggage is lost or delayed.
  • Travel accident insurance: If three quarters of your trip was bought on the Scotiabank Amex Gold, you and your immediate family are insured against accidental loss of life up to $500,000 (or $1,000,000 total, per occurrence). 
  • Rental car collision loss/damage insurance: Rent a car fully on your Amex and you're fully covered (unless the vehicle you rented is valued at more than $65k).
  • Hotel/motel burglary insurance: Use this card to book a hotel or motel and you’ll have up to $1,000 in coverage in case your room is broken into and your stuff is stolen.
  • New mobile device insurance: For devices purchased after October 1, 2022, you’ll be covered up to $1,000 if it's lost, stolen, damaged or breaks.
  • Purchase security and extended warranty protection: Most items (Scotiabank neglects to state the exceptions) purchased on this card receive 90 days of coverage from the date of purchase, and they also double the manufacturer's warranty for up to a year.

⭐️Key benefits

  • Great welcome bonus
  • Great earn multipliers on participating groceries, restaurants and movies
  • Save money on foreign exchange fees when spending in foreign currency
  • Amex perks like Amex Front of the Line for presale tickets and American Express Invites for access to special offers and events
  • Amex perks like Amex Front of the Line for presale tickets and American Express Invites for access to special offers and events
  • Complimentary concierge service for making reservations, booking tickets and more
  • Priority Pass discount and access to 1,200 VIP lounges worldwide

What people have to say about this card

I would say the biggest reasons to take the Scotia card are if you will spend a lot in the 5x entertainment category, and if you really value the trip cancellation and interruption insurance. No foreign exchange fee is nice but if you are travelling outside of North America, Amex is pretty bad for acceptance.

/u/bohemian_plantsody

Welcome Bonus: Earn up to 110,000 Membership Rewards® points*. Expires Aug 18, 2025

On American Express'Secure Site

Get this card if you...

  • are a frequent traveller who wants to earn flexible rewards
  • want a great welcome bonus and rewards on everyday spending
  • want great travel perks and comprehensive travel insurance

The Amex Gold was, is and probably will remain the king of the (relatively) accessible travel card. It's a big ole welcome bonus. Plus it has tons of perks, great lounge access, travel credit and insurance that rivals or surpasses the Scotiabank Gold Amex.

That said, its annual fee, is more than double that of American Express Gold Scotiabank. So – is travel twice as important to you compared to, say, groceries and movies? If so, the Amex Gold is the clear winner. But for a daily collector and a lukewarm traveler, I might give the nod to Scotiabank on this one.

Disclosures:

  • Contact American Express for the most up-to-date referral bonus figures.

    American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. Conditions apply. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Welcome Bonus: Earn up to $2,500* in value in the first 14 months, including up to 80,000 bonus Scene+ points. Expires Oct 31, 2025

On Scotiabank'sSecure Site

Get this card if you...

  • travel often and want premium travel perks like lounge access
  • want to avoid paying foreign exchange fees
  • value a great welcome offer

The best points, the best perks, and a sexy metal card to boot. For point-heads, it's hard to beat Scotiabank Platinum American Express. But all that comes with an hefty annual fee, something anyone but the travel-obsessed or incredibly well-to-do would grow squamish at. 

Basically, if you’re looking at the Scotiabank Amex Gold, you’re probably not considering the Platinum. I think this is essentially a Venn Diagram where the only comparison in the middle is, “I like a concierge service attached to my credit card.”

Disclosures:

  • Conditions Apply. Visit here for the Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card to learn more.*See Card Provider's website and Card Application for complete card details, terms and current offers. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accuracy of information.

Welcome Bonus: Earn up to 15,000 Welcome Bonus Membership Rewards® points* – that’s up to $150 in value.

On American Express'Secure Site

Get this card if you...

  • quickly rack up rewards on dining and grocery purchases
  • want a flexible rewards program with travel rewards
  • want access to exclusive events and robust travel insurance

For a slightly higher annual fee, you can access Amex's flexible rewards program with the Amex Cobalt. However, if superior travel insurance coverage is your priority, the Scotiabank Gold Amex is the better choice.
Earn up to 15,000 Welcome Bonus Membership Rewards® points* – that’s up to $150 in value. with the Cobalt.

Disclosures:

  • Contact American Express for the most up-to-date referral bonus figures.

    American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Is the Scotiabank Gold American Express® worth it?

You know what? Yes! I think this card offers a lot for $120 a year, even if it’s target audience is a little vague. It’s a grab bag with a lot that will appeal to a lot of people, and while in and of itself isn’t going to allow you to pull off an incredible point scheme, I think it could definitely find a place in a lot of wallets. Don't forget to check out our best Scotiabank credit cards list to compare more great cards.

Disclosures:

  • Conditions apply. Visit here for the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card to learn more.*See Card Provider's website and Card Application for complete card details, terms and current offers. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accuracy of information.

FAQs

  • Do Scotiabank Gold American Express® points expire?

    +

    Nope! Scene+ points are good as long as you have your card, so just make sure to use them in the event you want to cancel it.

  • What grocery stores accept the Scotiabank Gold American Express® card?

    +

    All grocery stores that accept American Express cards will take it for payment, but Foodland, FreshCo, Sobeys and Safeway offer 6x the Scene+ points on purchases.

  • Where to collect points for the Scotiabank Gold American Express®?

    +

    You can collect points on almost all purchases made with the Scotiabank Amex, but the best for collecting are groceries, movies, dining out/ordering in, and at participating partners.

Cameron Smonk Freelance Writer

Cam is a content marketer with a passion for saving, financial independence, and pulling off elaborate credit card point schemes. He has worked in Fintech and Finserve (specifically Group Retirement) and loves researching and writing about finance.

Cory Santos Credit card editor

Cory Santos is a finance writer, editor and credit card expert with nearly a decade of experience in personal finance. Cory joined Wise Publishing from BestCards, with bylines in numerous print and digital publications across North America, including the Miami Herald, BlogTO, Debt.ca, AOL, MSN and Medium as well as financial podcasts like KOFE Talk. He's also the creator and author of the annual Money.ca Credit Card Awards.

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