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Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card Review: Is It Worth It?

Feb 26, 2026
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card is a cash-back credit card with notable travel perks.
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Written by Georgia Rose
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
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Edited by Athena Cocoves
Managing Editor
Profile photo of Georgia Rose
Written by Georgia Rose
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
+ 1 more
Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

The Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card pairs elevated everyday cash back with Visa Infinite travel perks and insurance.

Annual fee
$120
Interest rates
20.99% / 22.99%
Intro offer
Up to $200
APPLY NOW
on Scotiabank's website

A good fit if you want strong everyday cash back and solid travel insurance in one card.

Not a good fit if you want airline-style perks (like lounge access) or a no-fee card.

What our Nerds think

If you meet the income requirements ($60,000 individual/$100,000 household), the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card can be a compelling one-card setup for everyday spending.

The standout value is its elevated cash back on groceries, with solid additional earn on gas, transit and food delivery — categories many households hit weekly. Add in Visa Infinite travel insurance and hotel perks, and it can be especially appealing if you take a few trips a year and want extra protection and convenience without switching to an airline-focused card.

Just keep in mind that it’s built more for cash back and insurance than premium flight perks. And, you’ll want to ensure the annual fee makes sense for your spending.


Note: This card is scored as a Cash Back card, which means 60% of the star rating is based on the card's cash-back value, 28% on fees and interest rates and 12% on perks. You can read more about how we evaluate Cash Back credit cards on our methodology page.


Perks

"EXCELLENT"

For a cash back credit card, the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card leans “premium” thanks to Visa Infinite benefits and a broad insurance suite.

If you travel a few times a year (even just domestically), the protections and hotel program perks can add meaningful peace of mind — especially compared with no-fee cash-back cards.

Insurance coverage:

Comprehensive

Rental discounts:

Included

Travel benefits:

Included

Comprehensive travel insurance coverage:

  • Travel emergency medical: Up to $1 million for you,your spouse and dependent children. Coverage is only for eligible persons under the age of 65.

  • Travel accident: Up to $500,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children ($1 million maximum per occurrence). 

  • Trip cancellation and trip interruption: Up to $1,500 per person for you, your spouse and dependent children ($10,000 maximum per trip).

  • Flight delay: Up to $500 per insured person for expenses incurred if a delayed flight or missed connection results in a delay of four hours or more.

  • Delayed and lost baggage: Up to a combined maximum of $500 for all insured persons on the same trip. 

  • Rental car collision loss/damage: Coverage lasts for up to 48 consecutive days if you decline the rental agency’s collision or loss damage waiver.

Other insurance coverage:

  • Mobile device protection: Up to $1,000 if you charge the full cost of a new mobile device to your card or charge all of your wireless bill payments to your card when signing up for a new plan. Note that mobile device coverage typically requires charging the full device cost or your wireless bill to the card, so it’s worth confirming your purchase and payment setup qualifies.

  • Purchase security and extended warranty protection: Eligible items are insured against theft, loss or damage for 90 days from the purchase date. The manufacturer’s warranty is doubled for up to one year. 

Additional travel benefits:

  • Visa Infinite Concierge: 24/7 concierge access.

  • Visa Infinite Hotel Collection: Potential perks like room upgrades, late checkout and breakfast when booking through the program.

  • Visa Infinite Dining / Wine Country: Access to select food and drink experiences.

Note: Hotel Collection benefits typically apply only when you book through the Visa Infinite program, and perks like upgrades are often subject to availability.

Cashback value

"EXCELLENT"

The 4% grocery rate grabs the spotlight, but the supporting cast matters: 2% on gas, daily transit (including rideshares) and food delivery can move the needle more than you’d expect over a year.

Reward earn rate:

1-4% per dollar spent

Reward value:

$1 cash back = $1 value

Reward program:

Scotia Momentum Cash Back Program

The cash earned on this card rewards predictable household spending. If your budget is heavy on groceries and the card’s other accelerated categories, the Scotia Momentum Cash Back Program can deliver outsized value — up to $25,000 of annual spend at 4% and another $25,000 at 2% before purchases revert to 1%. You can also redeem using Cash Back Anytime once rewards post (minimum $25).

Earning rewards

  • Earn 4% cash back on eligible purchases in top categories (including grocery stores & supermarkets and recurring bill payments), up to the first $25,000 spent annually in this tier.

  • Earn 2% cash back on eligible gas, daily transit & rideshare, and food delivery, up to the first $25,000 spent annually in this tier.

  • Earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases, and on purchases that exceed the annual spend maximums.

The newly added food delivery category’s eligibility typically depends on merchant coding. So, pay attention to your credit card statement, as some delivery apps may qualify only when processed under the right MCCs.

Redeeming rewards

With Cash Back Anytime, you can redeem cash back anytime once it’s posted/available, with a $25 minimum per redemption. Redemptions can be deposited into an eligible Scotiabank chequing or savings account (in the primary borrower/co-borrower’s name) or applied as a statement credit. Your account must be open and in good standing to redeem.

Fees and rates

"POOR"

The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card charges a $120 annual fee, which is on the high side for a cash-back card.

If you earned 4% cash back on all of your grocery spending, you’d need about $3,000 in eligible grocery purchases to offset the fee.

Annual fee:

$120

Purchase APR:

20.99%

Foreign transaction fee:

2.5%

Annual fee: $120

The annual fee is waived for any new cards opened between October 31, 2025 and April 30, 2026.

The average annual fee for a cash back card in Canada: $33*

Purchase interest rate: 20.99%

The average purchase interest rate for a cash back card in Canada: 21.90%*

Cash advance interest rate: 22.99% (21.99% for Quebec residents)

Cash advances apply to cash-like transactions, such as ATM withdrawals, and start accruing interest immediately. There’s also a per transaction fee of $5 to $7.50, depending on where the transaction takes place.

Balance transfer fee: 22.99%

This is the ongoing rate, outside of any promotions the issuer is running.

Penalty APR: 25.99-27.99%

25.99% (27.99% on cash advances) if you miss two payments within 12 months. This penalty APR will stay in place until you’ve made 12 consecutive payments on time.

Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%

Foreign transaction fees are charged on any purchases made in foreign currencies or when overseas.

The average foreign transaction fee for a cash back card in Canada: 2.43%*

Additional card fee: $50

Waived in the first year for cards issued before Apr. 30, 2026.

*according to NerdWallet’s analysis of over 200 credit cards, as of this writing.


Welcome offer

If you can put $2,000 on the card in the first three months, you’ll earn 10% cash back on that spending. New cardholders also get the annual fee waived for year one, including on additional cards.

Estimated $ value of offer:

$320

Spend requirement:

$2,000

Rewards type:

Cash back

Offer effective as of October 31, 2025.

Earn 10% cash back on all purchases in the first three months of card ownership, up to $2,000 in total purchases. If you don’t hit the full $2,000 cap, you’ll earn 10% only on what you do spend.

No annual fee in the first year, including for additional cards.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Scotia Momentum Infinite Visa Card, you must:

✓ Be a Canadian resident

✓ Be at least the age of majority in your province or territory

✓ Have no history of bankruptcy in the past seven years

✓ Meet one of the minimum income requirements:

  • $60,000 in individual income, or

  • $100,000 in household income, or

  • $250,000 in assets under management.

How to apply for the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card

Applying for the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card can be done by visiting the Scotiabank website. You’ll need to review the card’s terms and conditions, enter your personal details and submit the application.

If you aren’t currently a Scotiabank customer, you’ll have to set up an account with the bank before you can get started.

Approximate credit score needed for approval

Canadian credit card issuers rarely disclose required credit scores, which makes it hard to know your chances of approval when comparing credit cards. What we do know is that higher scores have better chances of approval — that’s true no matter what type of credit you’re applying for.

Learn more about how your credit score affects credit card approval — and the terms you get.

» MORE: How to Check Your Credit Score

Customer ratings and Reddit chatter

  • Below average in customer satisfaction: Scotiabank ranks 8th out of 14 issuers in J.D. Power’s 2025 Canada Credit Card Satisfaction Study. The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card fared better, ranking fifth overall on the annual fee credit card survey list.

  • Low Trustpilot rating: Scotiabank scored 1.2 out of 5 possible stars based on over 1,400 customer reviews, as of this writing.

  • Low Better Business Bureau rating: 1.2 out of 5 possible stars based on just about 50 customer reviews, as of this writing.

What Reddit has to say

We know expert recommendations matter — but so do real-life experiences. On Reddit, Canadian users talk about the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card’s overall value. But they’ve spent an awful lot of time recommending other cards, too.

Redditors who use their cards frequently for elevated earn rate items mentioned generating rewards worth far more than the card’s $120 annual fee. Other cards, like the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card and the BMO CashBack World Elite MasterCard, were suggested as close alternatives.

Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card vs BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard

If you’re looking for a card with higher cash-back rates or prefer travel benefits that include flying and airport perks, you may want to consider a card like the BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard.

Annual fee
$120
Interest rates
20.99% / 22.99%
Intro offer
Up to $200
Recommended credit score700-900
APPLY NOW
on Scotiabank's website

Annual fee
$120
Interest rates
21.99% / 23.99%
Intro interest rate
0% interest rate on balance transfers for 12 months
Intro offer
Up to $650 in value
Recommended credit score660-900
APPLY NOW
on BMO's website

Methodology

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NerdWallet Canada selects the best credit cards based on overall consumer value as well as their suitability for specific kinds of consumers. Factors in our evaluation methodology include each card’s earning rates, rewards structure (such as flat-rate or bonus categories), annual fee, redemption options, promotional APR period for purchases, bonus offers for new cardholders, and noteworthy features such as insurance, loyalty bonuses or the ability to choose one’s own rewards categories.