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The bonus unlocks in two parts: a one-time bonus in your first three months, plus a recurring annual bonus:
That’s the main advantage of this credit card: no conversion fees for all your foreign currency purchases. All other credit cards in Canada charge a 2.5% foreign transaction fee for all foreign currency purchases.
This Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card is one of the three no foreign transaction fee credit cards we recommend you carry in your wallet.
Therefore, it will be of particular interest to snowbirds and anyone who regularly travels abroad or buys from sites billing in US dollars, euros, etc.
On each of these transactions, when you pay with the Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card, you save 2.5% and earn Scene+ points!
And remember, you’ll also earn 2 points per dollar for purchases made abroad:
For example, here is a list of purchases made in France, for which I was able to earn 2 points per dollar for all purchases made in euros (without foreign transaction fees):
The Scene+ program is Scotiabank’s travel points loyalty program.
The other main cards participating in the Scene+ program are the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card and the Scotiabank Platinum American Express® Card. This therefore allows you to have another source for accumulating Scene+ points: it is, of course, possible to have a single Scene+ account that combines your various Scene+ credit cards.
Plenty of opportunities to earn points, both through welcome bonuses and generous earning rates on select spending categories!
With this card, you earn:
The accumulation of Scene+ points is not as significant as what is offered by the Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card (5 points per dollar at grocery stores, restaurants, entertainment), but since it is a Visa card, you will be able to use it in more places!
For those who spend $40,000 in a year on the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card, a bonus of 10,000 Scene+ points ($100 value) will be credited to the account. After that, a bonus of 2,000 Scene+ points will be credited to the account for every additional $10,000.
You can redeem your points directly Scene+ on your travel expenses (flights, hotels, Airbnb, car rentals, etc.) charged to the card: 10,000 Scene+ points = $100.
This is 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 redeeming your points Scene+ against travel expenses, you’re guaranteed a return of between 1% and 3%, depending on the retailer from which you’ve earned them.
See in the article below how easy it is to use your Scene+ points to save money when travelling, with a very concrete real-life example:
Here is what the $40,000 of purchases that unlocks the full bonus produces, with 65% of spending in the accelerated categories:
Scene+ points apply to travel purchases at 1,000 points = $10. Here is the full first-year picture, foreign transaction savings included:
After the $150 annual fee, the first year therefore clears roughly $1,080 in net value. And the 6 airport lounge visits are not even counted in that total.
Scotiabank is clearly targeting the travel market. This Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card offers 6 annual airport lounge passes, which partly justifies the card’s annual fee.
This is a very nice perk for casual travellers. Therefore, an individual traveller can visit airport lounges six times a year, while a couple can access them three times!
For more than six visits, a fee of US$32 per entry will be charged.
In Quebec City, you can access the Club Med VIP Lounge!
In Montreal, you have 3 options:
The Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card provides extensive travel insurance coverage:
Coverage is available to eligible persons under age 65 for up to 25 consecutive days, and to persons age 65 and over for up to 3 consecutive days.
Charge at least 75% of the cost of your trip to your card and obtain trip cancellation/interruption insurance at no additional cost.
When you pay at least 75% of the cost of your tickets with your Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite +* Card, you are entitled to reimbursement of necessary expenses (for example, the cost of a hotel room, meals and other exceptional expenses).
When you pay the full cost of your plane, train, bus or cruise tickets with your card, you’re covered if your checked baggage is delayed or lost.
When you pay at least 75% of the full cost of your tickets with your card, you benefit from accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
You’re automatically protected against damage and theft if you pay for your car rental in full with your card.
Use your card to pay for hotel or motel accommodations in Canada or the United States.
We have travelled with the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card for years. The euro purchase examples above come from a real trip to France, statement included.
One thing stands out from that use: the absence of foreign transaction fees is worth more than the points. On $6,000 of foreign currency spending, the 2.5% saving covers the $150 annual fee on its own.
The earn rate, meanwhile, stays average. Two points per dollar on groceries and restaurants is well behind the 5 points of the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card. A Visa does go where Amex is refused, however, and that matters a great deal abroad.
Our calculations rest on three constant rules. First, we value Scene+ points at 1 cent, the rate at which they apply to travel purchases (1,000 points = $10). Second, we count only the benefits actually received during the first year. Finally, we always weigh the value obtained against the real annual fee.
The earnings table assumes a specific profile: $40,000 in annual spending, including $4,000 in foreign currency. That amount matches the threshold for the recurring annual bonus. If your volume is lower, strip out that bonus before comparing.
The offer terms come from Scotiabank. Our analysis remains independent of the commercial agreements we hold with card issuers.
To see how this offer stacks up against the rest of the market, browse our best credit cards page. Also, sign up for our newsletter to get new welcome offers every week.
Scotiabank is the only major Canadian bank to offer a card with no foreign transaction fees. Two other Scotia credit cards also provide this benefit.
This Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card will be very attractive for several profiles:
If you want to apply for this credit card to take advantage of this offer while supporting Milesopedia, click here!
Interested in the Scene+ program? Check out these different Scene+ credit card offers:
Here are frequently asked questions in the milesopedia community about this card.
Savings are this way:
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