Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card

Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card

Reviewed by Jen, founder of MoneyMint · Updated September 30, 2026

Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
Scotiabank®Premium Travel

Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card

Our take: strongest for groceries and gas — about 2% back in value (est.) for $399 a year, plus a welcome bonus* we value at roughly $1,000.

Welcome bonusEarn up to 100,000 Scene+ points as a welcome bonus (over 3 stages, 14 months), for accounts opened by Nov 1, 2026*
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The Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card is a premium travel rewards card built around the Scene+ points program, with a $399 annual fee, unusually low 9.99% purchase and cash advance APRs for a rewards card, and no foreign transaction markup on purchases made in other currencies. It’s aimed at travelers who already use Scene+ and want a flat, uncomplicated earn rate rather than rotating bonus categories, though its everyday earn rate is modest compared to some competing premium travel cards.

4.0out of 5

MoneyMint rating

#7 of 10 premium travel cards · How we rate

Rewards value
6/10
Insurance
10/10
Flexibility
6/10
Welcome bonus
10/10
Fee value
2/10
Perks
6/10

≈ $1,093

estimated first-year value after the annual fee, on a typical $2,050/month budget. Points are converted to dollars using MoneyMint’s own valuations — see our points value calculator for how each program is valued. See it for your spending →

At a Glance

Annual fee

$399$99 per additional card

Rewards rate

2 Scene+ pts/$1flat rate on all purchases

Welcome bonus

Up to 100,000 Scene+ pts*over 3 stages / 14 months; open by Nov 1, 2026

Rewards

~2%on groceries (est. value)

Credit score needed

Very good

Foreign transaction fee

Noneno markup over exchange rate

Purchase APR 9.99% · Cash advance APR 9.99%

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Unusually low 9.99% purchase and cash advance APR for a rewards card — helpful if you sometimes carry a balance
  • No foreign transaction fee, which is rare among Canadian travel rewards cards and can save 2.5% on every foreign-currency purchase
  • Flat 2 Scene+ points per $1 on every purchase, so there are no bonus-category rules to track
  • Large potential welcome bonus for those who can meet all three spending stages within 14 months
  • Scene+ points can be redeemed for travel, Cineplex, gift cards, and merchandise, offering redemption flexibility
  • 10 complimentary airport lounge visits a year through Priority Pass and Plaza Premium lounges, with a membership for both the primary and supplementary cardholders, plus 24/7 concierge service
  • Full travel insurance package: up to $2 million in emergency medical coverage (31 days if under 65, 10 days if 65 or older), trip cancellation and interruption, flight delay, delayed and lost baggage, rental car collision, hotel/motel burglary and travel accident coverage
  • Mobile device insurance up to $1,000, plus purchase security (120 days) and extended warranty (up to 2 extra years)

Cons

  • $399 annual fee is high, and there’s no clearly stated fee waiver for additional cardholders beyond the $99 add-on price
  • A flat 2x earn rate is unremarkable next to cards offering 3-5x in categories like travel or dining
  • The full 100,000-point bonus requires meeting spending thresholds across three separate stages over more than a year, which not everyone will complete
  • American Express is accepted less widely than Visa or Mastercard at some smaller Canadian merchants
  • Requires very good to excellent credit, so it’s not accessible to those newer to credit

Rewards & Earn Rates

All purchases2 pts/$1flat rate, no categories
Scene+ Travel bookings5 pts/$1hotels and car rentals booked through Scene+ Travel (2x base + 3x bonus)
Travel earns the same flat 2 points per $1 as everything else. The one exception is booking channel, not category: hotels and car rentals booked through Scene+ Travel earn 3 extra points per $1, for 5 points total. Flights and other travel booked there stay at 2x.

Who It’s For

Best for

  • Frequent travelers who want a simple flat earn rate without tracking bonus categories
  • People who regularly make purchases in foreign currency and want to avoid the typical 2.5% conversion fee
  • Existing Scene+ members who already redeem points for travel or Cineplex
  • Those who occasionally carry a balance and want a lower APR than most rewards cards charge

Not ideal for

  • Anyone unwilling to pay a $399 annual fee for a flat, moderate earn rate
  • Shoppers who spend heavily in specific bonus categories like groceries or dining, where category-based cards earn more
  • People without very good to excellent credit
  • Those who won’t complete the multi-stage welcome bonus spending requirements and would only get a fraction of the advertised value
IssuerScotiabank
Annual fee$399
Welcome bonusUp to 100,000 Scene+ pts*
Foreign transaction feeNone
MoneyMint rating4.0 / 5

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4.0MoneyMint rating

Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card

Best for groceries and gas · $399/year · ~$1,000 welcome bonus (est.)* · $175 Mint Rebate from MoneyMint

Get $175 Mint Rebate – Apply NowFind a better fit

J

Jen, founder of MoneyMint

Reviewed by Jen. Every figure on this page was checked against Scotiabank’s official card page on September 30, 2026. How we rate cards →

This is general information, not personalized financial advice — consider your own spending habits and consult a professional for decisions specific to your situation. Rates, fees, and offers are set by Scotiabank and can change without notice; always confirm current terms on the issuer’s official page before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the annual fee for the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card?

The Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card has an annual fee of $399 ($99 per additional card).

What is the rewards rate on the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card?

The Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card offers: 2 Scene+ points per $1 (flat rate on all purchases)

Does the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card have a welcome bonus?

Up to 100,000 Scene+ points* for accounts opened July 2 to November 1, 2026. The bonus is split across 3 spending stages over 14 months, and the full bonus requires meeting all thresholds. The 100,000 points arrive in three tranches: 60,000 after $5,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months, 20,000 after $10,000 in the first 6 months, and 20,000 for at least one eligible purchase in the 14th month. Scotiabank promotes this as up to $3,000 in value over the first 14 months†, a figure that also counts its own estimates of everyday points, foreign transaction fee savings and lounge value.

What credit score do I need to qualify for the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card?

Generally, you’ll want a very good credit score to be considered for the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card. Approval also depends on income and overall credit history, not credit score alone.

Does the Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card charge foreign transaction fees?

None — no markup over the underlying exchange rate

Offer Terms and Conditions

*Terms and conditions apply. 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.

* Offer Description and Conditions: The 100,000 Bonus Scene+ Points Offer (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotiabank Platinum American Express credit card accounts (“Account”) opened between July 2, 2026 and November 1, 2026 (regardless of the date you apply for the Account) and is subject to the conditions below.

To be eligible for 60,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “60,000 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $5,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 3 months of the Account open date. To be eligible for 20,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “20,000 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $10,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 6 months of the Account open date. To be eligible for an additional 20,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “Additional 20,000 Point Bonus”), you must make at least one eligible purchase that is posted to your new Account during the 14th month after the month the Account was opened. Eligible purchases include purchases (less any refunds, returns or other similar credits) but do not include payments, cash advances (including balance transfers or cash-like transactions), interest, fees or other charges.

Point Bonus Fulfillment: The applicable point Bonus(es) will be credited to the Scene+ account within approximately 8 weeks after qualifying for a Bonus, provided the Account is open and in good standing. For Joint Accounts with a Primary Borrower and Co-borrower, the applicable point Bonus will be credited as follows: (i) the 60,000 Point Bonus and 20,000 Point Bonus will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the Account of the borrower that completed the last transaction to meet the qualifying amount of eligible purchases (i.e., $5,000 or $10,000) in the appropriate time frame (i.e., first 3 months or first 6 months), and (ii) the Additional 20,000 Point Bonus will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the Account of the borrower that completed the first transaction that qualifies as an eligible purchase during the 14th month after the month the Account was opened. If a supplementary cardholder completes the last qualifying transaction to meet the qualifying amount of eligible purchases for the 60,000 Point Bonus or the 20,000 Point Bonus, or completes the first transaction that qualifies for the Additional 20,000 Point Bonus, the applicable point Bonus will be credited to the Primary Borrower’s Scene+ account linked to the Account. Points can be transferred between Primary and Co-Borrower or Supplementary Cardholder’s Scene+ accounts by contacting Scene+. The Account is considered in good standing if it is not past due or over limit and the Cardholder(s) is not in breach of the Revolving Credit Agreement that applies to the Account. All other terms and conditions of the Scene+ Program Terms continue to apply during the Offer period. Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended at any time without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers.

Eligibility and Exclusions: Individuals who are currently or were previously primary or secondary cardholders of a Scotiabank personal credit card in the past 2 years, including those that switch from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card, as well as employees of Scotiabank, are not eligible for the Offer. Subject to the above exclusions, Scotiabank small business credit cardholders are also eligible for the Offer.

Rates and Fees: The current annual fee is $399 for the primary card and $99 for each additional card (including those issued to co-borrowers and supplementary cardholders). The current preferred annual interest rates for the Account are: 9.99% on purchases and 9.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and cash-like transactions). All rates, fees, features and benefits are outlined in the Application Disclosure Statement and are subject to change.

† Savings and point earn potential in first 14 months includes welcome offer value, first year point earn potential, foreign transaction fee and airport lounge savings as of May 22, 2026:
$600 in travel points (60,000 bonus Scene+ points) for new Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card clients who spend $5,000 within the first 3 months;
$200 in travel points (20,000 bonus Scene+ points) when you spend $10,000 within the first 6 months;
$200 in travel points (20,000 bonus Scene+ points) when you make at least one eligible purchase that is posted to the new Account during the 14th month after the month the Account was opened;
$241 in foreign transaction fee savings based on average annual foreign spend per active account over the last 24 months (don’t pay the 2.5% foreign transaction fee markup typically charged by other card issuers);
$1,023 in first year point earn potential (102,297 Scene+ points) on everyday purchases based on average annual spend per active account over the last 24 months;
$784 value of a complimentary Priority Pass membership and free lounge passes per year for the primary cardholder (‘Standard Plus’ annual membership fee package of approx. CAD$454/USD$329, which includes 10 lounge passes) and for one supplementary cardholder (‘Standard’ annual membership fee of approx. CAD$137/USD$99, plus 4 lounge passes at CAD$48/USD$35 each). Currency conversion as at May 22, 2026.
Potential First 14-Month Value = up to $3,048 (rounded down to $3,000).
Actual offers, savings and points earned will depend on individual card usage and eligibility for applicable offers. Conditions apply.