Scotiabank Gold Amex Card Review: No Foreign Transaction Fees!

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card makes you richer, especially if you love to travel. If you love rewards and hate foreign transaction fees this card is a goldmine, pun intended. The Scotia Gold Amex is the ultimate travel and cash back card for Canadians who are wanderlust, want flexible rewards, and want to get cash back on their everyday purchases.

The Scotiabank Gold Amex Card is another fan favourite winning awards across 4 different credit card categories such as best travel points, foreign transaction (FX) fees, everyday spending, and overall rewards for everyday use. Catch more flights, stack more cash. Here’s how:

Benefits and perks

• 6x points for eligible purchases at participating grocers
• 5x points for eligible food purchases
• 5x points for eligible entertainment purchases
• 3x points for eligible gas & transit
• 3x points on eligible streaming services.
• 1x point for everything else.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Redeem points for travel anytime, anywhere, no restrictions
• Points never expire
• Best Price guarantee on airfare within 24 hours of booking
• Comprehensive travel insurance coverage
• Discounted Priority Pass™ membership for VIP lounge access
• Up to 25% off AVIS and Budget Car rentals
• Exclusive American Express Invites™
• 24/7 concierge services
• Scene+ members get exclusive bonus point offers
• Brand-name merchandise rewards
• Redeem points online at Apple Store and Best Buy
• Redeem points for prepaid cards and gift cards
• Redeem points for a credit on your Scotiabank credit card or bank account
• Book travel with Scene+Travel service
• Book travel with any travel provider
• Redeem points for all your trip expenses for up to 12 months after the purchase date
• American Express Advantage
• Amex Offers
• Amex Front Of the Line
• American Express Invites 

The Welcome Offer when you get a Scotiabank Gold Amex Card

As a Scotiabank Gold Amex cardholder, you could earn up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points in your first year. That’s worth about $400 you can put towards your next travel purchase! To get the full bonus, you need to do two things:

First, spend at least $1,000 on the card in the first 3 months to earn 20,000 bonus points. You’ll get those bonus points within 2-3 business days after you meet those requirements.

Second, spend another $7,500 on the card within the first year to get another 20,000 bonus Scene+ points. Once you meet the annual spend threshold by the deadline, you’ll get your points within 2-3 business days.This offer ends on October 31, 2023.

No foreign transaction fees: the best travel feature?

Globetrotters are in-love with the Scotiabank Gold Amex Card because it saves them a ton of money. Scotiabank won’t charge you any foreign transaction fees when you use the card abroad or when shopping online with foreign merchants. Only the standard market exchange rate will apply; not an additional 2.5% foreign currency conversion surcharge that is standard with most other credit cards on the market. That makes travelling, dining, and shopping abroad a heck of a lot cheaper for travel-lovers.

Earning Scene+ points

The Scotiabank Gold Amex Card offers an aggressive rewards earn rate for those who like to dine out, go to movies and concerts, drive places, and use streaming apps. Basically, if you’re human and like to live your life, this is your go-to card. The accelerated earn categories give you extra points on the first $50,000 of purchases per year combined across those categories.

Once you exceed the $50,000 spending limit, the earn rate drops to 1 point per dollar. However, there is no limit on the amount of Scene+ points you can accumulate and they never expire. You can use your rewards for travel, merchandise, a credit on your account, and more. 

• 6X the points on participating grocers
• 5X the points on food
• 5X the points on entertainment
• 3X the points on streaming services
• 3X the points on gas & transportation
• 1X the points on everything else

5x the points on food: eat, drink, earn, repeat

Food prices are among the hardest hit by inflation. The Scotiabank Gold Amex Card helps you fight inflation with an aggressive rewards earn rate for purchases at eligible stores, as well as dining out at restaurants, fast food joints, drinking establishments, and even meal box subscriptions like Hello Fresh. You’ll earn 5 Scene+ points for every $1 spent on eligible food and grocery purchases. Food prices are projected to increase 5 – 7% this year. If that’s the case, this card will help you keep your food and dining budget in-check, so you can enjoy your life without breaking the bank. 

5x the points entertainment: more fun, less stress

What’s dinner without a movie, concert, or something cultured like ballet? The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card has you covered there too. You’ll earn 5 Scene+ points for every $1 spent at eligible Cineplex movie theatres, other eligible theatres, and ticket agencies. If inflation is taking a bite out of your disposable income, but you don’t want to stop living your life because it’s been long enough for crying out loud, you’ll definitely want this card in your wallet. It’s made for humans who want to leave the house without losing their shirt. 

3x the points on gas & transportation: get rewarded for moving

If you’re feeling personally victimized for driving a car, the Scotiabank Gold Amex Card helps temper the sting of gas prices. You’ll earn 3 Scene+ points for every $1 in eligible gas purchases. If you’re thinking of ditching your wheels, or already hit the pavement with greener transportation, Scotiabank sees you too. For the non-car owners, you’ll still earn 3 Scene+ points for every $1 spent on buses, taxis, the subway, and rideshare services like Uber. 

3x the points on streaming: it pays to relax

Of course, no bus or subway ride is complete without your favourite Netflix show or personal finance podcast, so you can master your money at expert level. The Scotiabank Gold Amex Card helps you live green and earn it too with 3 Scene+ points on every $1 you spend on eligible streaming services. 

1x the points on everything else: never miss a point or a bargain

For all your other purchases, you’ll earn 1 Scene+ point per $1 you spend with your Scotiabank Gold Amex Card. But here’s the kicker, if you love a bargain you could snag up to 20% more cash back points if you use your Scotiabank Gold American Express Card when you shop through Rakuten. This deal is available exclusively to Scene+ members. Not to mention, Rakuten keeps you up to date on new money-saving offers from featured stores. This match made in heaven helps you buy the things you want, need, and love like inflation was just a bad dream. 

Turbocharge your points

Earn Scene+ points at ludicrous speed with exclusive offers! Register online at sceneplus.ca to become a member when you get your Scotiabank Gold Amex Card. You’ll start earning bonus Scene+ points and get access to the full roster of great stuff you can redeem your points on. Scene+ members get access to exclusive deals and discounts. Points are flexible and can be for pretty much whatever you want from travel to merchandise, discounts, or even a credit on your Scotia credit card or bank account, and more. 

Bonus, the more you spend the more you earn. Say hello to what you love, on your terms. Scene+ points can be used for almost anything. Travel lovers and cash back die-hards alike will love the flexibility of this card. Jetsetters can redeem points for flights anytime, anywhere with no restrictions when they book through the Scene+Travel service.

Scene+ members can get an extra 20% cash back on purchases through Rakuten. They can also redeem points for any item at the Apple Store or Best Buy. For those that just want a break on bills, you can even redeem points for a credit on your Scotiabank credit card or bank account. 

Get more perks when you register with American Express

Register your Scotiabank Gold Amex Card online with American Express to access American Express perks. You’ll get exclusive offers for travel, dining, shopping, and so much more. Make sure to add offers to your card to maximize your potential benefits.

American Express members get access to Front Of The Line presale tickets to concerts, theatre productions, other special events and restaurants. You’ll get the best seats before they sell out to the general public.

Sign up for American Express Invites to get personalized special offers and events. You’ll get access to advanced screenings of major movies, getaway packages, and exclusive shopping deals. Offers are sent to you through e-Updates so you’ll never miss out on that gotta-be-there event. 

Purchase protection on your Scotiabank Gold Amex card

Protect all your purchases big and small with built-in protection. Scotiabank Gold Amex Card comes with two complimentary coverages for items purchased with your card. The first is Purchase Security, which protects most items purchased on the card with insurance against loss, theft, or damage for up to 90 days from date of purchase. The other is Extended Warranty Protection. This protects most items purchased on the card, from anywhere in the world, by doubling the manufacturer’s warranty up to 1 year.

Booking travel with your Scotiabank Gold Amex card

American Express cardholders get exclusive offers to other travel-related perks too. Register your Scotiabank Gold Amex Card with sceneplus.ca to get special offers on vacation deals and weekend getaway packages. You can also use your card to redeem Scene+ points for trips anytime, anywhere. And enjoy a 25% discount on car rentals from AVIS and Budget Car rentals anywhere in continental North America. 

Flights booked through travel providers or Scene Plus Travel, an in-house full-service travel agency, won’t have any restrictions. If you’ll also get the best price guarantee on your flights if prices change within 24 hours of booking. You also get a special American Express member discount on a Priority Pass that unlocks access to over 1200 VIP Lounges around the world.   

With your Scotiabank Gold Amex Card you’ll also get complimentary concierge service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They’ll help you with getting those coveted Beyonce tickets, a table at your favourite haute cuisine restaurant, or help planning a trip. Scotiabank Gold Amex Card puts Alfred, Batman’s butler, at your beckon call. 

Travel insurance on your Scotiabank Gold Amex

When adventure calls, answer it with peace of mind. Your Scotiabank Gold Amex Card comes with a host of built-in insurance protection benefits when you book travel and make purchases with your card. The hardest part of planning your trip is deciding where to go first. 

Of course, it is always in your best interest to look out for your best interests. Travel insurance is something that you can supplement, especially if your credit card’s insurance won’t cover you for certain things. Always read the terms of the contract. If you are under-insured, you can buy travel insurance on your own.

Emergency medical insurance

Pay for your trip with your Scotiabank Gold Amex and you, your spouse, dependent children and travelling companions are each covered up to $1 million in emergency medical coverage. Your age, though, impacts how long you are covered. If you are under 65 years old, it is a consecutive 25 days. If you are over 65 years old, it is 3 consecutive days. You can always extend your coverage. 

Trip delays, cancellations & accidents

You get a lot of coverage from Amex. This is is where being part of the Amex family has its benefits. Just be sure to use the Scotiabank Gold Amex when you book all of your travel arrangements. The extra travel coverage includes:

• Trip interruption/cancellation insurance: charge at least 75% of trip expenses to your Card and you’re automatically insured for up to $2,500 per person (maximum $10,000 per trip).

• Flight delay insurance: it includes reimbursement for eligible living expenses when the delay lasts four hours or more. You are covered up to $500 per insured person on the same trip.

• Delayed or lost baggage insurance: when you purchase tickets with your Card, and you are eligible for coverage for all insured persons on the same trip up to a maximum of $1,000 for lost luggage, and up to $1,000 for delayed luggage if it isn’t delivered within 4 hours from the time you arrive at your destination.

• Travel accident insurance: you are insured up to a maximum of $500,000, or to a maximum of $1,000,000 per occurrence when you charge at least 75% of your ticket cost to your Card.

• Rental car insurance: charge the full amount of the car rental to your Card. Then you are insured for the amount you are liable to the Rental Agency, up to the actual cash value of the vehicle. The rental period cannot exceed 48 consecutive days or vehicles valued at over $65,000.

• Hotel theft insurance: charge your stay in any hotel or motel in Canada or the US to your Card and you are eligible for coverage up to a maximum of $1,000.

Who is the Scotiabank Gold Amex for?

This card is made for humans who want to enjoy life without busting their budget. If you’re tired of spending your retirement fund on the cost of groceries and gas, enjoying life’s simple pleasures becomes a non-starter. The Scotiabank Gold Amex Card is here to restore your joie de vivre and make your purchases pain-free. 

And you don’t have to be in the 1% to get the Scotiabank Gold Amex Card, either. You’ll be rewarded for going out into the world and doing things like buying groceries, gas, and a coffee with friends. The minimum annual income to qualify is $12,000 a year and a decent credit score. You also need to be the age majority in your province or territory, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and no bankruptcies in the last 7 years. That’s not too shabby.