Scotia Gold Amex: 50,000 Scene+ Points, 6x on Groceries
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The Scotia Gold Amex, officially the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, earns up to 6 Scene+ points per dollar at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and other partner grocery stores. New cardholders can get up to 50,000 Scene+ points, worth up to $500 in travel.
What Is the Scotia Gold Amex Welcome Offer?
The welcome offer totals up to 50,000 Scene+ points, earned in two steps:
- 30,000 Scene+ points after $2,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months
- 20,000 more Scene+ points after $7,500 in eligible purchases in the first year
That's up to $500 in travel credit, since 10,000 Scene+ points are worth $100 against travel purchases charged to the card. The card below shows the current offer and its end date.
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$500Total$500Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $500
- Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 12 months
- Up to 50,000 points
- Ends Nov 1, 2026
Apply Now
on Scotiabank's website
Why Choose this Card from the Scene+ Program?
The Scene+ program is Scotiabank’s travel points loyalty program. This card is part of a complete ecosystem including the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite + Card and the Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card.
You can have a single Scene+ account combining your different credit cards, allowing you to accumulate many points both through sign-up bonuses and generous accumulation on certain spending categories.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $399 | |||
| $599 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 |
How Does Scene+ Points Accumulation Work?
The card offers a tiered accumulation system that is particularly generous for everyday spending:
6 Points per Dollar: Partner Grocery Stores
You earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
5 Points per Dollar: Essential Categories
You accumulate 5 points per dollar on purchases at:
- Grocery stores and supermarkets (including Metro, Super C)
- Restaurants (food service, beverages, fast food, delivery services like Good Food or Hello Fresh)
- Entertainment venues (cinemas, live productions, ticket agencies, concerts)
3 Points per Dollar: Transportation and Services
You accumulate 3 points per dollar on purchases at:
- Gas stations and automated fuel dispensers
- Public transit (local transit, commuter, ferries, trains, taxis, limousines, coach bus)
- Streaming services (Netflix, etc.)
At Shell, link the card to a Shell Go+ account to get an instant 3¢/L discount on all fuel grades at participating stations in Canada, an extra 4¢/L on V-Power fuel until June 1, 2027, and up to 5¢/L in Scene+ points value, for up to 12¢/L in total.
1 Point per Dollar: all other Purchases
Everywhere else, and abroad, you will accumulate 1 point per dollar spent.
Advanced Strategy: Gift Cards at Grocery Stores
You can earn 5 or 6 points per dollar in grocery stores, which is great since that’s where you can buy a wide variety of gift cards!
Finally, through gift cards, you can earn 5 to 6 points per dollar for many other stores: SAQ, Amazon, Ikea, Gap, Aldo, Home Depot, etc.
To find out more about our gift card points strategy, click here!
What is the Annual Accumulation Limit?
The accelerated earn rates apply to the first $50,000 in eligible purchases each calendar year. Once this limit is reached, you will earn 1 point per dollar. You will also earn 1 point per dollar in all purchase categories when you travel abroad.
How to Use your Scene+ Points for Travel?
You can directly apply your Scene+ points to your travel expenses (flights, hotels, Airbnb, car rentals, etc.) charged to the card: 10,000 Scene+ points = $100.
So 50,000 Scene+ points = $500 in travel credit.
This is also one of the cards we recommend in these strategies:
You must use at least 5,000 points ($50) when redeeming (after this threshold, redemptions are made at the rate of 100 points = $1).
By using your Scene+ points against travel expenses, you ensure a return of 1 to 6% depending on the merchant where you accumulated them.
What are the Exclusive Benefits of this Card?
24/7 Concierge Service
If you need help with restaurant reservations or finding tickets for a show, the concierge service, provided by American Express, is available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This service can help you get access to restaurant tables “fully booked” or create personalized activity lists for your travel destinations.
Access to American Express Offers
Since this card is part of the American Express network, you can access American Express online offers, including Shop Small.
It’s handy if you don’t have (or no longer have) American Express cards from American Express Canada! Simply register your card on this page.
American Express Front of the Line® Service
As this is an American Express card, you also enjoy certain cardholder benefits such as “American Express Invites/Front Of The Line.”
This allows you to get front-of-the-line access to many experiences: concerts, plays, restaurants, movies, fashion, and shopping.
To register for the service once you have your card, click here!
What Insurance is Included with this Card?
The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card provides comprehensive travel insurance coverage:
Travel Medical Insurance
Coverage is provided:
- for eligible individuals under 65 years old for a period of up to 25 consecutive days
- for individuals 65 years and older for a period of up to 3 consecutive days.
Trip Cancellation / Trip Interruption Insurance
Charge at least 75% of your trip cost to your card and get trip cancellation/interruption insurance at no additional cost.
You, your spouse, a travel companion, and your eligible dependent children traveling with you automatically benefit from coverage of up to $1,500 per person (up to $10,000 per trip).
Flight Delay Insurance
When you pay at least 75% of the cost of your tickets with your card, you are entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses (e.g., the cost of a hotel room, meals, and other exceptional expenses).
You may be reimbursed for all eligible necessary and reasonable living expenses incurred due to a flight delay of at least four hours, up to $500 per insured person on the same trip.
Delayed or Lost Baggage Insurance
When you pay the full cost of your airline, train, bus, or cruise tickets with your card, you are covered if your checked baggage is delayed or lost.
- Lost Baggage: up to $1,000 coverage
- Delayed Baggage: up to $1,000 for essential items if baggage is not delivered within 4 hours
Other Important Insurance
- Common Carrier Accident Insurance: up to $500,000 per person
- Rental Car Collision Insurance: full coverage (max 48 days, vehicles up to $65,000)
- Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance: up to $1,000 in Canada and the United States
- Purchase Security: 90 days protection + doubled warranty (lifetime limit $60,000)
Scotia Gold Amex at a Glance
| Feature | Scotia Gold Amex |
|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Up to 50,000 Scene+ points (up to $500 in travel) |
| Partner grocery stores (Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland…) | 6 points per dollar |
| Other groceries, dining, food delivery, entertainment | 5 points per dollar |
| Gas, public transit, select streaming services | 3 points per dollar |
| All other purchases | 1 point per dollar |
| Annual limit on bonus categories | $50,000 in purchases per calendar year |
| Annual fee | $120 (rebated with the Ultimate Package, $40 rebate with the Preferred Package) |
| Minimum personal income | $12,000 |
| Foreign transaction fees | None |
Pros and Cons: Complete Analysis
Benefits
- Excellent welcome offer (up to 50,000 points)
- Generous accumulation on groceries (5-6 points/$)
- Scene+ points easily redeemable for travel or everyday expenses at a rate of 1,000 points = $10.
- Very accessible income requirement ($12,000)
- No foreign transaction fees for foreign currency transactions
- Full travel insurance
- 24/7 Concierge Service
- Highly profitable gift card strategy
Cons
- Annual limit of $50,000 on bonus categories
- American Express acceptance sometimes limited
- Points not transferable to partners
Conclusion
It's one of the best cards for earning points in the Scene+ program.
This Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card will be very interesting for several profiles:
- Those who do not want to pay a foreign currency conversion fee
- Those who want reliable insurance
- Those who don’t have the income required for other cards, since this one only needs an income of $12,000.
- Those who can earn lots of points through grocery purchases (think gift cards!).
- Those who already have one or more Scene+ cards in their wallet.
With this welcome offer, you can get up to 50,000 points (a $500 value).
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$500Total$500Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $500
- Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 12 months
- Up to 50,000 points
- Ends Nov 1, 2026
Apply Now
on Scotiabank's website
Interested in the Scene+ program? Check out these different Scene+ credit card offers:
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Scene+ points can I get with the welcome offer?
You can get up to 50,000 Scene+ points (a $500 value). To qualify, you must meet the minimum spending requirements within the timeframes set when you apply.
What is the difference between 5 and 6 points per dollar on groceries?
You get 6 points per dollar at specific partner grocery stores (Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry, and Co-Op), and 5 points per dollar at all other grocery stores like Metro or Super C.
Does a purchase at the counter of a convenience store with a gas station earn 5 or 3 points per dollar?
The rate does not depend on where you pay (at the counter or at the pump) or on what you buy, but on the Merchant Category Code (MCC) the business carries in the American Express network. Under Scotiabank's terms, only merchants classified as "grocery" earn 5 points per dollar (6 at partner grocery stores), and merchants classified as "gas" earn 3 points per dollar. A purchase at a merchant whose primary business is not in a bonus category, or at a separate business on the same premises with a different classification, earns 1 point per dollar. Scotiabank does not publish each merchant's code, so for a convenience store with a gas station such as Couche-Tard, the safest approach is to check the points posted on your statement after a first purchase. These rules apply as of October 2026.
Can I really accumulate 5-6 points per dollar on Amazon with this card?
Yes, thanks to the gift card strategy. You buy an Amazon gift card at a grocery store (5-6 points per dollar), then use it on Amazon. This method allows you to get the bonus rate on purchases that would normally only earn 1 point per dollar. This strategy also works for SAQ, Ikea, Gap, Aldo, Home Depot, and many other retailers.
What is the minimum income required for this card?
The minimum income required is only $12,000 per year, making it one of the most accessible premium cards on the Canadian market.
How do I use my 50,000 Scene+ points for travel?
You apply your points directly against travel purchases charged to the card, at a rate of 10,000 points = $100. So 50,000 points = $500 in travel credit. This works for flights, hotels, Airbnb, car rentals, and more. The minimum you can redeem at once is 5,000 points ($50).
What is the annual limit on bonus categories?
The annual limit is $50,000 in spending across all combined bonus categories (groceries, restaurants, entertainment, gas, transportation, streaming). Once this limit is reached, you will accumulate 1 point per dollar on all purchases. For most households, this limit is high enough not to be restrictive.
Is this card accepted everywhere like Visa and Mastercard cards?
As an American Express card, acceptance may be slightly more limited than Visa or Mastercard, especially at some small merchants. However, the majority of large chains and online businesses accept American Express in Canada. It is recommended to have a backup Visa or Mastercard for the rare cases where Amex is not accepted.
Are there foreign transaction fees with this card abroad?
No, this card does not impose any foreign transaction fees on purchases made in foreign currencies. This is a significant advantage for travelers, as you save the typical 2.5% fees imposed by most other cards. Abroad, you will accumulate 1 point per dollar on all purchases.