Maximize the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card

Milesopedia recommends this card from Scotiabank

Up to 45,000 Scene+ points Ends Oct 31, 2024

The Scotiabank Gold American Express credit card is currently on special, which only happens once a year! Here’s how to make the most of this credit card with travel points.

An advantageous points accumulation system

The Scotiabank American Express Gold credit card is part of the Scotia Rewards loyalty program. This is the highest point travel credit card available when used in certain categories of stores.

4 points per dollar spent at gas stations

All gas stations (except Costco) accept American Express credit cards. You could use it at Esso, Petro Canada, Shell, Ultramar, Couche-Tard…

mtlatable aeroplan 3 — 4 points per dollar at the gas station

For every $50 spent, this card earns you 200 Scotia Bonus Points or $2!

But you could be even smarter: by buying gift cards at your local gas station, you could earn 4 points for every dollar you spend at a whole bunch of other stores!

Some gift card ideas for popular businesses:

Amazon
SAQ/LCBO
Canadian Tire
Home Depot, Rona…
Netflix

Example
If you frequently shop at Amazon.ca, it’s worth buying Amazon gift cards through your gas station! This will get you the equivalent of 4% off on Amazon… which you could add to the 2-4% offered by rewards sites like ebates.ca !

4 points per dollar spent in grocery stores

metro canada — 4 points per dollar in groceries

Of course, not all grocery stores accept American Express.

However, here are some of the ones that accept the card:

IGA (some grocery stores)
Subway
M&M foods
Sobey’s
Super C
Sleeper

And just like gas stations, you’ll findlarge departments of gift cards in your grocery stores! Another opportunity to save for other types of businesses!

4 points per dollar spent in restaurants and fast food outlets

restaurant addition — 4 points per dollar at the restaurant

Most restaurants accept American Express as do most fast food restaurants (McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, Starbucks…).

When you are in a group, offer to pay the bill and get reimbursed afterwards! 4 points per dollar is the best return you can get with a credit card at a restaurant!

4 points for every dollar spent on entertainment (movies, theaters…)

If you’re a movie buff, you’ll get 4 points for every dollar you spend at the theaters (Guzzo, Cineplex).

Also, the major ticketing companies (Tickets.com, Ticketmaster…) will also allow you to get 4 points per dollar!

1 point per dollar everywhere else

For all other purchases, you will only earn one point per dollar. We we will advise you to use another card that will give you a superior return such as the MBNA Rewards World Elite MasterCard and its 2% rebate everywhere.

Also valid for purchases made abroad

The Scotiabank American Express Gold credit card has a foreign currency transaction fee of 2.5% (which puts it on par with all major credit cards in Canada).

However, it is interesting to use this card abroad in the categories of businesses that give you 4 points per dollar (grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations…). Your effective return will then be 1.5%… which no other card will give you!

See for example a use in the US last month:

scotia 4 points usa — 4 points per dollar in the US (restaurants, gas stations)

Or in France and Malta last summer:

scotia 4 points france malta — 4 points per dollar in France and Malta (Grocery stores, restaurants)

So by playing strategically, you can also earn points when you travel with the Scotiabank Gold American Express credit card!

The list of the main shops

Here is the page where you will find the list of the main businesses that allow you to earn 4 points with your Scotiabank Gold American Express card.

An example of the use of the card

I had taken advantage of a similar promotion a little over a year ago, so I have a good return on this credit card.

Here’s a rundown of the spending & gift cards I’ve purchased over the past year to take advantage of the 4% return:

Merchant	Category expenses	Expenses per month	Expenses per year	Bonus points Scotia obtained
	Gas 4 points	$200	2 400 $	9,600 points
	Gift-card Gasoline: 4 points	$200	2 400 $	9,600 points
	Gift-card Gasoline: 4 points	$50	$600	2,400 points
	Gift-card Grocery store: 4 points	$50	$600	2,400 points
	Gift-card Grocery store: 4 points	$50	$600	2,400 points
	Gift-card Grocery store: 4 points	$30	360 $	1,440 points
	Grocery 4 points	$600	7 200 $	28,800 points
	Dining 4 points	$200	2 400 $	9,600 points
MISCELLANEOUS	Other 1 point	$20	$240	960 points
	TOTAL	1 400$	16 800 $	67,200 points

67,200 bonus points over one year or $672 in available travel credit. Knowing that the promotion offers 20,000 points or $200, I found myself with $872 available in my Scotia Rewards account!

And the big advantage of these points is that they can be used:

at any travel service provider
for any travel expense
from 5,000 points ($50)

So you could do what I do: pay for your trips with Aeroplan or British Airways miles… and pay for taxes/carrier surcharges with your Scotiabank American Express Gold credit card. Once these expenses appear on your account – and are considered travel expenses – you can apply your points to them!