Scotiabank Gold American Express Review 2025: Is It Worth It?
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is one of four Amex cards offered by Scotiabank. Cardholders earn Scene+ points on select grocery, restaurant, entertainment, transit and streaming purchases. However, points can only be redeemed within the Scene+ platform or as a statement credit.
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Scotiabank Gold American Express full review
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card earns between 1 and 6 Scene+ points per CAD spent on transit, entertainment, dining and eligible grocery stores. This card may be a great choice if you:
Collect Scene+ points. Scene+ points can be used to purchase a range of products and services, such as movie tickets, flights, groceries and more.
Don’t plan to carry a balance month-to-month. While not unusually high, the card’s 20.99% purchase APR can lead to significant credit card debt if you don’t pay off your balance regularly. Therefore, this card may be a better fit if you’re confident you will pay off the balance in full each month.
24/7 concierge customer service.
Discounted membership to Priority Pass, which grants access to more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide.
Extensive travel insurance, including hotel burglary, trip cancellation, trip interruption, flight delay, baggage delay, travel accident, emergency medical, rental car, and lost luggage coverage.
No foreign transaction fees, which means you just pay the exchange rate.
No cash-back rewards.
Points can’t be used or transferred outside of the Scene+ platform.
Is the Scotiabank Gold American Express worth it?
Whether the Scotiabank Gold Amex makes sense for your wallet depends on how you want to earn rewards. If you’re looking for a card that offers Scene+ points, has Amex perks and a low income requirement, this card may be worth it. However, if you want a card that offers cash back rewards or low interest rates, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Scotiabank customer ratings
Below average in customer satisfaction: Scotiabank ranks 8th out of 14 issuers in J.D. Power's 2025 Canada Credit Card Satisfaction Study.
Low Trustpilot rating: Scotiabank scored 1.2 out of 5 possible stars based on more than 1,300 customer reviews, as of this writing.
Low Better Business Bureau rating: 1.2 out of 5 possible stars based on just 65 customer reviews, as of this writing.
Scotiabank Gold American Express eligibility
Who qualifies for the Scotiabank Gold American Express card?
To qualify for the Scotiabank Gold Amex, you must:
Be a Canadian resident.
Be at least the age of majority.
Have no history of bankruptcy in the last seven years.
Have a minimum annual gross income of $12,000.
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.
Want to learn more? Visit our “What Credit Score Is Needed for a Credit Card?” page.
Scotiabank Gold American Express rewards
Earn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points. To qualify:
Spend at least $2,000 in eligible everyday purchases within the first three months of card ownership and receive 30,000 Scene+ points.
Earn an additional 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in everyday eligible purchases in your first year).
Plus, pay no annual fee in the first year.
Offer ends October 31, 2025.
You can earn Scene+ points on the following purchases.
6x points on purchases at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland and more.
5x points on eligible restaurants, food delivery and grocery stores.
5x points on eligible ticket purchases to movies and theatres.
3x points on gas and daily transit, including rideshare.
3x points on select streaming services.
1x points on everything else.
Plus, earn 3x Scene+ points for every dollar you spend on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia.
In the first year of ownership, it's possible to get roughly $1,050 in value out of the card, according to the issuer’s website, which more than offsets the annual fee. Here's what earning that value might look like:
$500 in travel rewards (50,000 bonus Scene+ points)
$61 in foreign transaction fee savings (based on average first year annual foreign spend per account).
$377 in first year point earn potential — 37,700 Scene+ points — on everyday purchases (based on average spend in accelerator categories).
$120 in savings by waiving the first year's annual fee.
Point value breakdown
The value of Scotiabank Scene+ points may vary based on the redemption method you choose, but according to NerdWallet analysis, you can expect to get around 1 cent per point on travel, movies, dining, entertainment, banking, and retail, pharmacy and grocery shopping.
Scotiabank Gold Amex vs Amex Cobalt
If you’re not committed to Scotiabank’s Scene+ program, and you’re simply looking for an Amex that earns rewards, you might consider the American Express Cobalt® Card. The card has a similar annual fee to the Scotiabank Gold Amex but earns Amex Membership Rewards points instead.
Rewards breakdown
Rewards breakdown
NerdWallet's take
NerdWallet's take
Card details
Card details
Rewards breakdown
Rewards breakdownNerdWallet's take
NerdWallet's takeCard details
Card detailsReasons you might want a different card
You may want to consider a different card if you:
Want to earn cash back or non-Scene+ points.
Want a card with customizable spending categories.
» MORE: Best American Express credit cards
Scotiabank Gold American Express facts
Scotiabank Gold American Express | |
|---|---|
Card type | |
Fees and interest rates | |
Annual fee | $120.00* ($79 if primary cardholder is at least 65 years old). *waived for the first year. |
Regular/purchase APR | 20.99%. |
Penalty APR | 25.99% (27.99% on cash advances) if two or more payments are missed in a 12 month period. The penalty is removed after you make the minimum payment for 12 consecutive months. |
Cash advance APR | 22.99%. |
Balance transfer APR | 22.99%. |
Foreign transaction fee | No foreign transaction fee. |
Rewards and benefits | |
Intro offer | New cardholders can earn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points in the first year.
|
Reward earn rates | Earn between 1x and 6x Scene+ points on eligible purchases, such as groceries, gas and streaming services. |
Other perks | Access to: Amex Offers, presale tickets for select events and Scene+ Travel, an in-house travel booking service. Discount on Priority Pass membership with access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide. |
Insurance coverage | |
Travel accident | Up to $500,000 ($1 million per occurrence). |
Travel medical | Up to $1 million per insured person per trip. |
Flight delay | Up to $500 for necessary expenses, such as accommodation, meals and sundries. |
Delayed or lost baggage | Up to $1,000 of coverage per trip for all insured persons. |
Hotel burglary | Up to $1,000 of coverage. |
Rental car theft/damage | For up to 48 days. |
Extended warranty | Up to one additional year. |
Purchase Protection | 90 days. |
Mobile Device Protection | Up to $1,000 of mobile device protection in case of loss, theft, accidental damage or mechanical issues. Conditions apply. |
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BACK TO TOPFrequently asked questions
What is the minimum income for Scotiabank Gold American Express?
What is the minimum income for Scotiabank Gold American Express?
You must have a minimum gross income of $12,000 to apply for the Scotiabank Gold American Express card.
Does Scotiabank Gold Amex have lounge access?
Does Scotiabank Gold Amex have lounge access?
Yes, for a discount. The Scotiabank Gold American Express card offers a discount on Priority Pass membership, which grants access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide.
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Shannon Terrell
