What the Card Offers
Scotiabank markets the Gold Amex as its everyday rewards card for food and entertainment: up to 6x Scene+ points at Sobeys-family grocers, 5x on dining and entertainment, no foreign transaction fees, and a full travel insurance package.
- 6x
Points at Sobeys-family grocers1
6 Scene+ points per $1 at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, FreshCo and other Empire stores; 5x at other grocery stores.
- 5x
Dining and entertainment1
5 points per $1 on dining, food delivery, food subscriptions and entertainment.
- 3x
Gas, transit and streaming1
3 points per $1 on gas, public transit, rideshare and select streaming services.
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- 0%
No foreign transaction fees2
Purchases in foreign currencies are charged the exchange rate only, without the usual 2.5% fee.
- 50,000
Welcome bonus points3
30,000 points after $2,000 in 3 months, plus 20,000 after $7,500 in the first year.
- $1M
Travel emergency medical4
Up to $1 million for 25 days if under 65 (3 days if 65 or older).
- $1,000
Mobile device insurance4
Up to $1,000 for a lost, stolen or damaged phone or tablet bought with the card.
Benefits as advertised by the issuer. The conditions attached to them are in the Fine Print Report below.
Sources (4)
- Scotiabank Gold American Express product page, footnote 1 (retrieved 2026-10-16)
- Scotiabank Gold American Express product page, footnote 5 (retrieved 2026-10-16)
- Scotiabank Gold American Express product page, footnote ** (retrieved 2026-10-16)
- Scotiabank Gold American Express welcome kit and Certificates of Insurance 50390722 (10/22)
Points & Redemption
Show 4 more options (shopping, statement credit)Show fewer
Rates: Scene+ Program Terms and Conditions (effective April 22, 2026) (Scene+ Travel, Empire and Shell terms); Scotiabank Gold American Express product page, Redeem examples (retrieved 2026-10-16). The CardTruth estimate is our own valuation, not a rate stated in the terms. It assumes the redemption described above; most other options return less.
The Fine Print Report
Moderate fine print. Strong earn rates, with limits on foreign spending and older travellers.
Foreign purchases earn only 1xImpact level: High
Foreign-currency purchases earn only 1 point per dollar, even in bonus categories
The 6x, 5x and 3x rates apply only to purchases made in Canadian currency. A purchase in a foreign currency, such as a restaurant meal abroad, earns 1 point per $1 after conversion to Canadian dollars.
Why it matters: The card has no foreign transaction fee, which makes it look ideal for travel, but your dining and grocery spending abroad earns the base rate.
Medical: 25 days, or 3 days at 65+Impact level: High
Emergency medical covers only 25 days, and only 3 days if you're 65 or older
Travel emergency medical covers up to $1 million per person, but only the first 25 consecutive days of a trip if you're under 65, and the first 3 days if you're 65 or older. There's no coverage for the rest of a longer trip. Benefits may be reduced or excluded if the administrator isn't contacted before treatment.
Why it matters: Travellers 65 and older need separate insurance for anything but a long weekend.
20,000 bonus points need $7,500 in a yearImpact level: Medium
20,000 of the 50,000 bonus points require $7,500 in purchases in the first year
The first 30,000 points require $2,000 in purchases within 3 months. The remaining 20,000 require $7,500 in purchases within 12 months of opening. Purchases are net of refunds and exclude payments, cash advances, interest and fees.
Why it matters: Most of the bonus is easy to reach; the last 20,000 points need about $625 a month on the card.
No bonus if you had a Scotia card in 2 yrsImpact level: Medium
The welcome offer excludes anyone who has had any Scotiabank personal credit card in the last 2 years
The 50,000-point offer excludes current and former primary or secondary cardholders of any Scotiabank personal credit card in the past 2 years, including people switching from another Scotiabank card. Bonuses are credited about 8 weeks after you qualify, and only if the account is open and in good standing.
Why it matters: If you already hold a Scotiabank card, or did recently, you won't receive the bonus, even as a supplementary cardholder.
Statement credit: about 0.67¢ a pointImpact level: Medium
Points used as a statement credit are worth about a third less than on travel
Scotiabank's own examples value 20,000 points at $200 off travel (1¢ a point) or at eligible grocery stores, but 3,000 points at only a $20 account credit (about 0.67¢ a point). Apply Points to Travel only works on travel charged to the card in the previous 12 months, while the account is open.
Why it matters: To get full value, redeem for travel, groceries at Sobeys-family stores, Cineplex or Home Hardware rather than as a credit to the card.
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Points lost if account is closed for causeImpact level: Medium
Points are cancelled immediately if Scotiabank closes the account because it isn't in good standing
If Scotiabank closes the card account because it's past due, over limit or otherwise in breach of the credit agreement, the Scene+ points associated with it are cancelled and forfeited immediately. Points also aren't posted while the account isn't in good standing. If you close the account yourself, the points stay in your Scene+ account.
Why it matters: Redeem points regularly rather than letting a large balance build up.
Scotiabank can debit your other accountsImpact level: Medium
Scotiabank can take what you owe from your other Scotiabank accounts
The credit agreement lets Scotiabank debit any other account you have with it for any payment you owe on the card and apply it to your balance.
Why it matters: If your chequing account is also at Scotiabank, a missed card payment can lead to a withdrawal you didn't schedule.
$50,000 yearly cap on bonus categoriesImpact level: Low
Bonus rates stop after $50,000 of bonus-category spending a year
The accelerated earn rates apply to the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year (January 1 to December 31) at qualifying merchants. After that, everything earns 1 point per $1 until the period resets.
Why it matters: Only very high spenders reach the cap, but businesses or large households should note it.
Bonus points depend on merchant codesImpact level: Low
Bonus points depend on how the merchant is coded, and stores where the category isn't the main business don't count
Accelerated points are awarded by Merchant Category Code (MCC). Purchases at merchants where the category isn't their primary business don't qualify, and separate merchants inside a store may be coded differently. Foreign-currency and cash-like purchases don't earn bonus rates.
Why it matters: Groceries bought at a big-box or warehouse store, or meals at a food court inside another business, may earn only 1 point per dollar.
Priority Pass is a discount, not freeImpact level: Low
Lounge access isn't included: the card gives a discount on a paid Priority Pass membership
The card offers a discount on a Priority Pass membership, which you pay for. The membership renews automatically each year unless cancelled, and ends if the card is cancelled.
Why it matters: Budget for the membership and per-visit charges if you want lounge access.
Bank-package rebate has conditionsImpact level: Low
The Preferred Package fee rebate needs $15,000 in spending and skips the first year
With an Ultimate Package chequing account, the annual fee is rebated (up to $150). With a Preferred Package, the rebate is $40, only from the first anniversary, and only if $15,000 in purchases posted in the previous 12 statement periods.
Why it matters: The Preferred Package rebate is worth $40 at most, and only for steady spenders.
No FX fee, but a double conversionImpact level: Low
No conversion fee, but most foreign currencies are converted twice, and refunds may not match
This card has no foreign currency conversion fee; only the exchange rate applies. On Scotiabank Amex cards, purchases in a currency other than U.S. dollars are converted to U.S. dollars first and then to Canadian dollars. If a foreign purchase is refunded, the credit is converted at the rate on the refund date, so it may not match what you paid.
Why it matters: The fee saving is real, but the two-step conversion means the rate you get on euros or pounds can be slightly worse than a direct conversion.
Card can be frozen, limit cut without noticeImpact level: Low
Scotiabank can freeze the card or cut your limit to zero without notice or a reason
The agreement lets Scotiabank block, suspend or freeze the account, or reduce the credit limit (even to zero), at any time, without telling you in advance and even if you're not in default, including when the account is inactive.
Why it matters: Don't rely on this card as your only way to pay, especially while travelling.
Who This Card Is For
Great fit if you...
- Spend heavily on groceries at Sobeys-family stores
- Eat out and buy entertainment often
- Want no foreign transaction fees
- Redeem points for travel or groceries
- Are under 65 and take trips under 25 days
Consider alternatives if you...
- Shop mostly at non-Empire grocers or warehouse clubs
- Want bonus points on spending abroad
- Are 65+ and travel for more than 3 days
- Need a card accepted everywhere (it's an Amex)
- Want free airport lounge access
Welcome Bonus History
Scotia Gold Amex Welcome Bonus History
The Verdict
The Scotia Gold Amex has some of the highest everyday earn rates among Canadian cards: 6x at Sobeys-family grocers and 5x on dining and entertainment, with points worth 1¢ on travel and groceries.
The bonus rates apply only to Canadian-dollar purchases, so spending abroad earns 1x despite the fee-free conversion, and emergency medical drops to 3 days at 65.
The Recommendation: A strong everyday card if you shop at Sobeys-family stores and dine out. Pair it with a Visa or Mastercard for places that don't take Amex.
Before you apply: This teardown is general information, not financial, legal or insurance advice, and reflects the issuer's documents as of October 2026. Terms, rates, fees and offers change, and the issuer's own agreement, disclosure statement, insurance certificates and program terms are what govern your card. Read them in full and confirm details with the issuer before you apply. Full disclaimer