Scotiabank American Express Card Review (2024)

The Scotiabank American Express card is one of three popular American Express cards offered by Scotiabank.

The other two are the Scotiabank Gold American Express card (the best travel credit card in Canada) and the Scotiabank Platinum American Express card.

The Scotiabank American Express card offers up to 2 Scene+ points for every $1 you spend on everyday purchases (1% return), mobile device insurance benefits, and up to 12,000 bonus points ($120 value) in the first year.

Also, this card has no annual fees, which makes it even more attractive.

This review of the Scotiabank American Express card covers its features, insurance coverage, downsides, and everything else you need to know.

Scotiabank American Express Card Summary

• No annual fee
• Get 7,000 bonus points after spending $750 in the first 3 months
• Earn 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent at participating stores
• Earn 2 Scene + points per $1 spent on grocery, restaurants, and food delivery (3 points at some grocers)
• Earn 1 Scene + point per $1 spent on everything else
• Extended warranty and purchase security
• Save up to 25% on car rentals
• 19.99% purchase APR and 22.99% APR for cash advances

Scotiabank American Express Card Benefits

1. No Annual Fee: This card has no annual fee.

2. Sign-up Bonus: You receive 7,000 bonus points when you spend up to $750 in your first three months. This is equivalent to $70 in travel rewards.  Get another 5,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $5,000 in your first year (for a total of $100 value in year one). 

3. Earn Scene+ Rewards: Earn 3 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, and other participating stores; Earn 2 points per $1 spent on groceries, restaurants, and food delivery; 1 point per $1 spent on everything else.

You can easily redeem your Scene+ points for travel through Scene+ Travel. There are no restrictions, and you get a “best price guarantee” on airfare. Apart from flights, you can redeem your points for thousands of other rewards and merchandise.

4. Mobile device insurance: It includes up to $500 in mobile device insurance in the event your cell phone, smartphone, or tablet is lost, stolen, accidentally damaged, or experiences mechanical failure.

5. Purchase Security and Extended Warranty: Your purchases are protected against damage, loss, or theft for the first 90 days. The manufacturer’s warranty is also doubled for up to one additional year.

6. Car Rental Discounts: Save up to 25% on car rentals at participating AVIS and Budget locations.

7. Other perks offered by the Scotiabank American Express card are:

• American Express Invites
• Earn more points when you book hotels and car rentals through Scene+ Travel using your Scotiabank American Express Card
• Free supplementary cards

Scotiabank AMEX Card vs. Scotiabank Gold AMEX Card

The most popular Scotiabank AMEX card is the Scotiabank Gold American Express card.

The Scotiabank Gold Amex Card comes with a $120 annual fee and a host of premium benefits, including:

• 45,000 bonus points ($450 value).
• No foreign transaction fee (savings of 2.5%).
• 5x points on groceries, dining, and entertainment; 3x points on gas and daily transit; 1x point on everything else.
• Comprehensive travel insurance (8 types), including travel emergency medical for up to 25 consecutive days if you are under 65.
• Access to AMEX offers, AMEX Front of The Line, and AMEX Express Invites.
• Discounted Priority Pass Membership for access to over 1,200 VIP lounges worldwide.

If you are looking for a premium travel credit card, Scotiabank Gold American Express takes the spot. However, note that it will cost you $120 in annual fees.

Read our detailed Scotiabank Gold American Express review for more information.

Is The Scotiabank AMEX Card For You?

This card combines no annual fees with cash back rewards. If you do not want to shell out an annual fee but want to earn travel rewards, the Scotiabank American Express is worth checking out.

Apply for the Scotiabank AMEX Card

Related: Best Scotiabank Credit Cards.