scotia rewards travel canada

Members can access discounts and special features

Sign in to pay your way with Scene+ points, any payment card, or a mix of both on flights, hotels, car rentals and more. Plus you can earn points, even when you pay with points!

Scene+ travel, powered by expedia.

Earn and redeem points with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia while getting access to member-exclusive deals. Around the world or close to home, it’s up to you. Plus: Earn on the cost of your trip, even when you pay with points!

Travel Rewards: Now you are getting somewhere

Earn 3 points for every $1 you spend on your hotels, car rentals and things to do with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia.

See your points take off 

Spend 100 points for every $1 toward eligible flights, hotels, car rentals and more with Scene+ Travel. You'll even earn on the cost of your trip when you pay with points!

Explore for rewards 

One-stop-shop for searching millions of properties, 500+ airlines, hundreds of car rental companies, and more, with full flexibility and no blackout dates.

Want to earn points faster? 

Pay for your travel with an eligible Scotiabank credit or debit card to earn Scene+ points on every dollar you spend.

Rewards your way

Scene+TM is Canada's leading lifestyle rewards program. As a Scene+ member, you get so many rewards, in so many places. Including groceries, movies, travel, shopping, dining, and more, it's never been easier to earn and redeem rewards your way.

Not a member?

Join Scene+TM today! 

Earn points faster and take-off sooner 

Choose from a range of Scotiabank credit cards — each with their own unique Scene+ and travel benefits.

Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite* Card

• Offer: Earn up to $1,100 † in value in the first 12 months, including up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ TM points and annual fee waived on your first supplementary card. 1
• Earn up to 3X the Scene+ points when you spend $1 on eligible grocery, dining and entertainment purchases. 2
• Pay no foreign transaction fees - save 2.5% on all your foreigncurrency purchases. 3
• Complimentary Visa Airport Companion Program membership and 6 lounge visits. 4
• Annual fee 5 : $150
• Interest rates 5 : 20.99% purchases / 22.99% cash advances
• View more card benefits

Scotiabank® Scene+ TM Visa* Card

• Offer: Earn up to 5,000 bonus Scene+ points within your first year. 6 
• Earn up to 2X the Scene+ points on every purchase. 7
• Save up to 25% off base rates at participating AVIS locations and at participating Budget locations in Canada and the U.S. 8
• Annual fee 5 : $0

Scotiabank® Gold American Express®* Card

• Offer: Earn up to $650^ in value in the first 12 months, including up to 40,000 bonus Scene+ points. 9  
• Earn up to 6X the Scene+ points on eligible grocery, dining and entertainment purchases. 10
• Pay no foreign transaction fee and save 2.5%. 3
• Enjoy a preferred discount on the Priority Pass TM membership and access over 1200 VIP lounges around the world. 11
• Annual fee 5 : $120

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i use my scene+ points to book travel.

You can earn and redeem when you book your next trip with Scene+ Travel. Earn 3 points for every $1 you spend on your hotels, car rentals, and things to do when booked through Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia, even when you pay with your points. Redeem in increments of 100 points for $1 toward your flights, hotel or car rental when you book with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia.

Which Scotiabank bank accounts are eligible for Scene+?

The Ultimate Package, Preferred Package, Student Banking Advantage® Plan and Getting There Savings Program for Youth are eligible for the Scene+ program.

Which Scotiabank Credit Cards are eligible for Scene+?

The following Scotiabank Credit Cards are eligible for the Scene+ program: Scotiabank®* Scene+TM Visa* Card (and Scotiabank®* Scene+TM Visa* Card for Students) Scotiabank Passport®* Visa Infinite* Card Scotiabank®* Gold American Express® Scotiabank®* Platinum American Express® Scotiabank®* American Express® Scotiabank Passport®* Visa Infinite Business* Card

I have a Scotiabank bank account, but I am not earning Scene+ points. How can I begin earning points?

If you would like to begin earning Scene+ points with your debit card, you will need to ensure that you have a Scene+ ScotiaCard debit card that is linked to one of four Scene+ eligible bank accounts: Ultimate Package Preferred Package Student Banking Advantage Plan Getting There Savings Program for Youth To switch your bank account, visit your nearest branch or call us at 1.800.4SCOTIA. If you already have an eligible account but you do not have a Scene+ ScotiaCard, you can change your card by visiting a branch or by following these steps: Sign in to Scotia OnLine From your Account page, select Manage My Accounts Select Profile Select Replace or change ScotiaCard

Terms and Conditions: 

† Savings and reward potential in first 12 months based on the following card usage and offers:

  $350 in travel rewards (35,000 bonus Scene+ points) when you spend $1,000 within your first 3 months (to earn 25,000 points) and when you spend $40,000 within your first 12 months (to earn an additional 10,000 points);

  $50 supplementary card fee waiver on your first supplementary card;

  $104 in foreign transaction fee savings based on average first year annual foreign spend per account (save the 2.5% foreign transaction fee typically charged by other card issuers);

  $287 in travel rewards (28,733 Scene+ points) on everyday purchases based on average annual first year spend per account with an average spend of 19% in 2x accelerator categories.

  $343 value with a complimentary Visa Airport Companion Program Membership and 6 lounge passes (annual membership plus one free visit of approx. CAD$134/USD$99 plus 5 lounge passes at CDN$42/USD$31 per pass). Currency conversion as at March 30, 2023.

Potential First Year Value = up to $1,132

Actual savings and rewards earned will depend on individual card usage and eligibility for applicable offers. Conditions apply.

^ Savings and reward potential in first 12 months based on the following card usage and offers:

   $400 in travel rewards (40,000 bonus Scene+ points) when you spend $1,000 within your first 3 months (to earn 20,000 points) and when you spend $7,500 within your first 12 months (to earn an additional 20,000 points);

    $33 in foreign transaction fee savings based on average first year annual foreign spend per account (save the 2.5% foreign transaction fee typically charged by other card issuers);

   $247 in travel rewards (24,709 Scene+ points) on everyday purchases based on average annual first year spend on the Account with an average spend of 21% in 5x accelerator and 7% in 3X accelerator categories.

Potential First Year Value = up to $680

1 Offer Description and Conditions : The 25,000 Bonus Scene+ Points (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite credit card accounts (“Accounts”) that are opened by October 31, 2023 subject to the conditions below.  Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended at any time without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers.   

Plus, as a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite credit cardholder you are always eligible to earn an annual 10,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $40,000 in everyday eligible purchases annually on your Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite account. Conditions apply - see below for further details.

25,000 Bonus Scene+ Point Offer Description and Conditions : To qualify for the 25,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “Bonus Offer”), you must have at least $1,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account within the first 3 months of the Account open date. 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. The 25,000 Bonus Offer points will be credited to the primary cardholder’s Scene+ account within approximately 2-3 business days following the qualifying $1,000 in eligible purchases being posted to your Account within 3 months from the Account open date, provided the Account is open and in good standing. 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. Bonus Offer applies to new Accounts only opened by October 31, 2023.

10,000 Annual Bonus Scene+ Point Conditions : As a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite credit cardholder you can earn an annual Scene+ point bonus starting at 10,000 Scene+ points when you make at least $40,000 in eligible purchases annually on your Account each year (12-months). Annual period starts from the Account open date and resets every 12 months thereafter. You will earn 2,000 bonus Scene+ points for every additional $10,000 in eligible purchases thereafter in that same year, after the $40,000 annual spend has been reached.  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.

The Annual bonus Scene+ points will be credited within approximately 2-3 business days after you have met the $40,000 annual spend threshold on the Account and within approximately 2-3 business days after you have met each additional $10,000 annual spend threshold on the Account, provided your Account is open and in good standing (as defined above).

Offer 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 $150 for the primary card, $0 for the first additional card and $50 for each additional card thereafter. The current preferred annual interest rates for this Account are: 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and cash-like transactions). All rates, fees, features and benefits are subject to change.

2 You are awarded three (3) Scene+ Points for every eligible $1.00 purchase made at Sobeys, Safeway, participating IGA, Foodland, Foodland & Participating Co-ops, FreshCo, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, Rachelle Béry, Les Marchés Tradition, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by Safeway and Voilà par IGA locations charged and posted to the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Account. This list of eligible grocers may be changed from time to time without notice. See  full list of participating merchants across Canada at scotiabank.com/participatingstores. You are awarded two (2) Scene+ Points for every eligible $1.00 purchase on all other grocery (not listed above), dining, entertainment, and daily transit purchases charged and posted to the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Account (the earn rates for each of the above categories and merchants are referred to as the “Accelerated Earn Rates”). See below for the Spend Threshold that applies to this Accelerated Earn Rate. You are awarded one (1) Scene+ Point for every $1.00 in all other purchases of goods and services charged to the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Account (the “Regular Earn Rate”).

Merchant classifications – Visa network Purchases must be made at merchants classified through the Visa network with a Merchant Category Code (“MCC”) that identifies them in the Visa network in the “grocery store”, “dining”, “entertainment”, or “transit” category. Purchases at merchants where these categories are not their primary business do not qualify. Some merchants may (1) provide other goods or services; or (ii) have separate merchants located on their premises that may not be classified with an MCC under the Accelerated Earn Rate categories and such purchases will not earn the Accelerated Earn Rate as applicable. The Accelerated Earn Rates for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Account applies to the first $50,000 in purchases charged to that Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite account  annually at merchants qualifying for the Accelerated Earn Rate under the “MCC” categories of grocery, dining, entertainment and daily transit purchases as more particularly described above), with the annual period calculated on a 12-month basis. Annual period starts from the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card Account open date and resets every 12 months thereafter. Once you exceed the applicable annual spend (purchase) threshold, you will continue earning Scene+ Points at the Regular Earn Rate of one (1) Scene+ Point per $1.00 in purchases charged and posted to the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card..  Eligibility: Only purchases earn Scene+ Points. Cash advances (including Balance Transfers and Cash-Like Transactions), fees, interest or other charges, returns, refunds or other similar credits to your Account do not qualify for Scene+ Points. Scene+ Points will not be posted to an Account that is not in good standing when purchases are made or when a statement is issued, or if the Account is not open when a statement is issued. See your Scene+ Points terms at www.scotiabank.com/sceneplusrewards for full program details. All dollar amounts are in Canadian currency unless otherwise stated.

3 We will not charge you Foreign Transaction Fees on foreign currency transactions including purchases, only the exchange rate applies. The term “Foreign Transaction Fees” is a substitute for “Foreign Currency Conversion” as described in the Disclosure Statement for this Card. This fee relates to the 2.5% mark-up that is typically charged by credit card issuers in addition to the exchange rate. See the Foreign Currency Conversion section of the Disclosure Statement for this Card for full details. Rates and fees are subject to change.

4 Primary Cardholders with a valid Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card account (the “Account”) have access to participating lounges within the Visa Airport Companion Program (“Program”), hosted and managed by DragonPass International Ltd. Cardholders must enroll for this benefit either through the Visa Airport Companion App (available to download for free) or on the Program Website ( visaairportcompanion.ca ) using a valid Card on the Account. Upon enrollment, 6 complimentary lounge visits will be available for the Primary Cardholder per membership year; the complimentary visits can be used by any Cardholder for themselves and for their accompanying guests at participating lounges (however, Primary Cardholder must be present for each such use). Lounge visits are counted on a per person per visit basis (e.g. lounge access by a Cardholder and one accompanying guest will count as two (2) visits). All additional visits beyond complimentary visits are subject to a fee of $32 USD (subject to change) per person per visit. Applicable lounge access fees will be charged to the Card connected to the Cardholders’ Program membership (i.e. the Card enrolled in Program).

To view a full list of participating airport lounges, their facilities, opening times and restrictions Cardholders can visit the Program App and  Website . To view the full Terms and Conditions for the Program, including DragonPass Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Visa’s Privacy Policy that apply to the Program, visit the Visa Airport Companion Program App or  Website . 

The Program services and benefits are provided by DragonPass and applicable third party offer providers and neither Visa nor the 

Bank of Nova Scotia is responsible for the Program or any claims or damages arising from participation in the Program.

Unless the Program membership is suspended or cancelled, the Program membership and any included complimentary lounge visits (if applicable) will automatically renew annually on the anniversary date (based on date when the Cardholder enrolled for the Program). Program membership will be cancelled if your Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is cancelled. If your Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is renewed or replaced, remember to update your card details within the Visa Airport Companion Program (either on the App or on the Program  Website ).

Access upon presentation of a valid and enrolled Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card, while available in most lounges within the Visa Airport Companion Program, is subject to availability.

5 For current rates and information on fees and interest cost, call 1-888-882-8958. Interest rates, annual fees and features are subject to change without notice. Learn more about  credit card fees  and  interest rates.

6 Offer Description and Conditions: The 5,000 Bonus Scene+ Points Offer (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotiabank Scene+ Visa credit card accounts (excluding Scene Student Visa cards) (“Account”) opened by October 31, 2023 and is subject to the below terms and conditions. Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended without notice at any time and cannot be combined with any other offers.

5,000 Bonus Scene+ Point Offer Description and Conditions: To be eligible for 5,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “5,000 Point Bonus”), you must open a new Account by October 31, 2023 and have at least $750 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 3 months of the Account open date. 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.

The 5,000 Point Bonus will be credited to the primary cardholder’s Scene+ account within approximately 2-3 business days after the qualifying $750 in eligible purchases being posted to your Account within the first 3 months of Account open date, provided the Account is open and in good standing. 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.

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: There is currently no annual fee for the primary card and no fee for each additional card. The current preferred annual interest rates for the Account are: 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and cash-like transactions).  All rates, fees, features and benefits are subject to change.

7 Regular Earn Rate: You are awarded one (1) Scene+ Point for every $1.00 in all purchases of goods and services charged to the Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Account (the “Account”).

Accelerated Earn Rates: You will earn accelerated earn rates on the following eligible purchases charged to the Account:

Grocery Stores

You are awarded two (2) Scene+ Points for every eligible $1.00 purchase made at Sobeys, Safeway, participating IGA, Foodland, Foodland & participating Co-op, FreshCo, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, Rachelle Béry, Les Marchés Tradition, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by Safeway and Voilà par IGA locations charged and posted to the Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Account. This list of eligible grocers may be changed from time to time without notice. See full list of participating merchants across Canada at scotiabank.com/participatingstores.  

Home Hardware Stores

You are awarded two (2) Scene+ Points for every eligible $1.00 purchase made at eligible Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre, Home Furniture locations in Canada and online at homehardware.ca charged and posted to the Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Account. The list of eligible locations may be changed from time to time without notice.  See full list of eligible locations across Canada at Scotiabank.com/participatingstores. 

You are awarded two (2) Scene+ Points for every $1.00 purchase made at Cineplex theaters, the Cineplex App and online at cineplex.com charged and posted to the Account.

Eligibility: Only purchases earn Scene+ Points. Cash advances (including Balance Transfers, and Cash-Like Transactions), fees, interest or other charges, returns, refunds or other similar credits to your Account do not qualify for Scene+ Points. Scene+ Points will not be posted to an Account that is not in good standing when purchases are made or when a statement is issued, or if the Account is not open when a statement is issued. See your Scene+ Points terms at www.scotiabank.com/sceneplus for full program details.

All dollar amounts are in Canadian currency unless otherwise stated.

8 The savings of up to 25% applies to Avis and Budget base rates and is applicable only to the time and mileage charges of the rental. All taxes, fees (including but not limited Air Conditioning Excise Recovery Fee, Concession Recovery Fee, Vehicle License Recovery Fee, Energy Recovery Fee, Tire Management Fee, and Frequent Traveler Fee) and surcharges (including but not limited to Customer Facility Charge and Environmental Fee Recovery Charge) are extra. The Bank of Nova Scotia is not responsible for, and provides no representations, warranties or conditions regarding this offer or any Avis or Budget products or services, including Avis Preferred Plus membership and services and those obtained under this offer, which are governed solely by Avis’ terms and conditions. Avis Preferred Plus membership and services are provided by Avis.

9 Offer Description and Conditions:  The 40,000 Bonus Scene+ Points Offer (the “Offer”) applies only to new Scotiabank Gold American Express credit card accounts (“Accounts”) opened by October 31, 2023 and is subject to the conditions below. Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended without notice at any time and cannot be combined with any other offers. 

40,000 Bonus Scene+ Point Offer Description and Conditions:  To be eligible for 20,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “20,000 Point Bonus”), you must open a new Account by October 31, 2023 and have at least $1,000 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in the first 3 months of the Account open date. To be eligible for an additional 20,000 bonus Scene+ points (the “Annual 20,000 Point Bonus”), you must have at least $7,500 in eligible purchases posted to your new Account in your first year (12 months) of Account open date. 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.

The 20,000 Point Bonus will be credited to the primary cardholder’s Scene+ account within approximately 2-3 business days after the qualifying $1,000 in eligible purchases being posted to your Account within the first 3 months of Account open date, provided the Account is open and in good standing. The Annual 20,000 Point Bonus will be credited to the primary cardholder’s Scene+ account within approximately 2-3 business days after you have met the $7,500 annual spend threshold on the Account, provided your Account is open and in good standing. 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.

Rates and Fees:  The current annual fee is $120 for the primary card and $29 for each additional card. The current preferred annual interest rates for the Account are: 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and cash-like transactions). All rates, fees, features and benefits are subject to change.

10 You are awarded six (6) Scene+ Points for every eligible $1.00 CAD purchase made at Sobeys, participating IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry, and Co-Op locations charged and posted to the Scotiabank Gold American Express Account. This list of eligible grocers may be changed from time to time without notice. See full list of participating merchants across Canada at scotiabank.com/participatingstores.

You are awarded five (5) Scene+ Points for every eligible $1.00 CAD purchase on all other grocery (not listed above), dining, and entertainment charged and posted to the Scotiabank Gold American Express Account. You are awarded three (3) Scene+ Points for every eligible $1.00 CAD purchase in gas, public transit and select streaming services purchases charged and posted to the Scotiabank Gold American Express Account (the earn rates for each of the above categories and merchants are referred to as the “Accelerated Earn Rates”). You are awarded one (1) Scene+ Point for every $1.00 in all other purchases of goods and services charged to the Scotiabank Gold American Express Account (the “Regular Earn Rate”).

You will earn the accelerated Scene+ Points (6X, 5X or 3X as applicable) under the Scene+ program if you make purchases in Canadian currency only. For purchases that are made in foreign currency, you will only earn 1 Scene+ Point for every $1 charged to the Scotiabank American Express® credit card once that foreign currency has been converted into Canadian dollars.

Merchant classifications – American Express network Purchases must be made at merchants classified through the American Express network with a Merchant Category Code (“MCC”) that identifies them in the American Express network in the “grocery”, “dining”, “entertainment”, “gas”, “streaming service” or “transit” category. Purchases at merchants where these categories are not their primary business do not qualify. Some merchants may (i) provide other goods or services; or (ii) have separate merchants located on their premises that may not be classified with an MCC under the Accelerated Earn Rate categories and such purchases will not earn the Accelerated Earn Rate as applicable. The Accelerated Earn Rates for the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card applies to the first $50,000 in purchases charged to the Scotiabank Gold American Express Account annually at merchants qualifying for the Accelerated Earn Rate, calculated annually from January 1st to December 31st each year. Once you exceed the applicable annual spend threshold, you will continue earning points at the Regular Earn Rate of one (1) Scene+ Point per $1.00 in purchases charged and posted to the Scotiabank Gold American Express Account. Eligibility: Only purchases earn Scene+ Points. Cash advances (including Balance Transfers and Cash-Like Transactions), fees, interest or other charges, returns, refunds or other similar credits to your Account do not qualify for Scene+ Points. Scene+ Points will not be posted to an Account that is not in good standing when purchases are made or when a statement is issued, or if the Account is not open when a statement is issued. See your Scene+ Points terms at  www.scotiabank.com/sceneplusrewards  for full program details. All dollar amounts are in Canadian currency unless otherwise stated.

11 Priority Pass™ membership includes access to airport lounges participating in the Priority Pass program. Certain terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Unless cancelled, Priority Pass membership automatically renews on its anniversary date. Priority Pass membership will be cancelled if your Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is cancelled. For complete Priority Pass terms and conditions, please visit  prioritypass.com/Conditions-of-use .

® Registered trademarks of The Bank of Nova Scotia. American Express is a registered trademark of American Express. This credit card program is issued and administered by the Bank of Nova Scotia under license from American Express

™ Scene+ and the Icon Design are trademarks of Scene Plus IP Corporation, used under license

* Visa Int. / Licensed User

How to use Scene+ points to reduce travel costs

by Anne Betts | Mar 21, 2024 | Travel Hacking | 32 comments

Updated March 21, 2024

What’s the best use of Scene+? Is Scene+ a useful program for travelling the world on miles and points? How does Scene+ work and what are the ways to use Scene+ points to reduce travel costs ? How does it measure up against the former Scotia Rewards program? How does it compare to other fixed-point reward programs? These questions and more hopefully will be answered in this guide to Scene+.

Table of Contents

Scene+ loyalty program

How to earn scene+ points, current scene+ credit card offers, other scene+ credit cards, what’s the best use scene+ points, 1. scene+ travel, how to redeem using ‘apply points to travel’, what qualifies as a travel purchase , refundable bookings, 1. several ways to earn scene+, 2. enhanced earning on travel purchases, 3. convenient system to cancel refundable bookings, 4. discounted annual fee, 5. no forex fee, 6. one-tier redemption value, 7. twelve months to redeem points, 8. excellent online redemption process, 9. access to rebates on credit card applications, 10. user-friendly scene+ app, 1. no way to extract greater value, 2. limited number of travel expenses, 3. points can’t be transferred to airline or hotel loyalty programs, 4. a rocky transition to the new program, 5. cineplex booking fee, final verdict.

Scene+ is the result of a merger between two former programs: Scotiabank’s Scotia Rewards and Cineplex’s SCENE with an effective date of December 13, 2021. In June 2022, grocery giant Empire joined as a third partner with a plan to replace Air Miles with Scene+ as its loyalty program.

Scene+ is a third-party program  operated by Scene Limited Partnership (owned by Scotia Loyalty Ltd., a subsidiary of The Bank of Nova Scotia), Galaxy Entertainment Inc. (a subsidiary of Cineplex Entertainment LP), and Empire Company Ltd., the parent company of stores that include Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland, IGA, FreshCo, Needs,Thrifty, and Lawtons Drugs.

As such, Scotiabank no longer has an in-house loyalty program. This means that Scene+ points earned on Scotiabank credit cards reside in a third-party account. If the credit card that earned Scene+ points is cancelled, the points remain in the member’s Scene+ account, pooled with points earned on other Scotia banking products or a Scene+ Membership Card.

However, there are rules regarding activity. A Scene+ account may be closed, and points forfeited, without any earning or redeeming activity during any 24-consecutive-month period. But a member with a Scene+ Scotiabank product (a credit card or debit card in good standing) is exempt from account closure.

The Scene+ program offers several earning opportunities. These include:

• sign-up bonuses associated with credit cards that earn Scene+ points
• everyday spending on a choice of seven credit cards earning Scene+ points
• purchases using a debit card associated with Scotiabank’s banking packages (Preferred Package, Ultimate Package, Private Banking, Student Banking Advanced Plan, Getting There Savings Program for Youth)
• purchases at partners such as *Empire stores (e.g., Sobeys and Safeway) and  Home Hardware
• movie and entertainment purchases at Cineplex theatres or online at the Cineplex store
• cashback in points by shopping through the rebate portal, Rakuten
• dining at partners that include East Side Mario’s, Harvey’s, Kelsey’s, Montana’s, and Swiss Chalet 
• booking hotel stays and car rentals through Scene+ Travel (powered by Expedia)
• purchases of games and eats at Playdium and The Rec Room

Another advantage of the merged program is that it’s possible to double-dip on earning at partner locations when using a Scene+ credit card and Scene+ Membership Card. Dining purchases at Swiss Chalet, for example, earn one point for every $3 spent and five points per dollar with the dining multiplier on the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card. Special offers increase the earning power.

It pays to check your Scene+ account on a regular basis for current offers from Scene+ partners.

*Empire stores include Sobeys, Sobeys Liquor, IGA, Safeway, Safeway Liquor, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry, and Needs Convenience. In the Atlantic, Scene+ points can be earned at Lawtons Drugs that’s owned by Empire.

And of course, Scotiabank customers using select Scotiabank credit cards can ‘double dip’ by paying for purchases with a Scotiabank credit card that earns Scene+ points. At Empire grocery stores, the multipliers are higher.

• Scotiabank Gold American Express Card earns 6 points per dollar
• Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card earns 3 points per dollar
• Scotiabank American Express Card earns 3 points per dollar

The latest promotion on the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card sees a return of an annual fee waiver in the first year (a saving of $150). The sign-up bonus is

• an attractive 30,000 Scene+ on spending $1,000 in the first three months
• an unattractive 10,000 Scene+ points on spending $40,000 each year

Besides having worldwide acceptance as a Visa card, attractive features of the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite include

• an accelerated earning rate of x3 at Empire stores
• accelerated earning rates of x2 on eligible grocery, transit, ride share, dining, and entertainment (applicable worldwide)
• no foreign transaction fees (2.5%)
• complimentary Visa Airport Companion membership and six lounge visits per year

The offer is available until July 1, 2024. Applying through the Great Canadian Rebates portal sweetens the deal with a $30 rebate.

The current promotion on the popular Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is in effect July 1, 2024. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have an annual fee waiver in the first year. The annual fee is $120, or $79 for seniors, that can be offset by applying through a rebate portal. The current rebate at Great Canadian Rebates is $125.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card earns:

• 20,000 Scene+ on a $1,000 spend in the first three months
• additional 20,000 Scene+ on a $7,500 spend in the first year
• 6 Scene+ per dollar spent at Empire grocery stores
• 5 Scene+ per dollar spent on groceries (at grocery stores other than Empire), dining, food delivery, and entertainment
• 3 Scene+ per dollar spent on gas, transit, and select streaming services
• 1 Scene+ per dollar spent on everything else  

There’s no FOREX (foreign transaction) fee on purchases in a foreign currency.

Like most banks, Scotia offers a banking package where the annual fee on a credit card can be waived every year. For more information see the  Ultimate Package bank account.

In addition to the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, the other Scene+ credit cards are:

• Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
• Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business Card
• Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
• Scotiabank American Express Card
• ScotiaGold Passport Visa Card
• SCENE Visa Card
• SCENE Visa Card for Students

What’s the value of a Scene+ point?

Scene+ can be redeemed for Apple and Best Buy merchandise and gift cards, dining, movie tickets, and Scotiabank credit card account credits. Unless there are special offers, these types of redemptions are at a lesser value than when redeemed for travel.

The exception is at participating grocery stores where 1,000 points can be redeemed for $10 off grocery purchases. This is a value of one cent per point.  

Travel redemptions are consistently valued at one cent per point (i.e., 10,000 points = $100). This applies to Scene+ Travel bookings, and those booked independently through other providers.

Much like the former Scotia Rewards Program, there are two ways to redeem points for travel. An advantage over the former program is that the minimum threshold of 5,000 points ($50) no longer exists.

Scene+ Travel replaces the former in-house Scotia Rewards Travel Service. The new service under the auspices of Expedia operates in much the same way as ExpediaForTD, the portal for members of the TD Rewards program. Points can be redeemed against any travel booked via the portal.

Charge the full amount to your credit card, or against the points balance in your account. Or, use the part-points-part-charge option.

2. ‘Apply Points to Travel’

This operates much the same way as it did under the former Scotia Rewards Program. It’s for bookings with travel providers other than Scene+ Travel.  

Charge a purchase to your credit card and wait for it to post to your account. Points can then be redeemed against the purchase. This includes taxes, booking fees, airport fees, and travel insurance premiums.

A cardholder has 12 months from the posting date of the purchase to apply the points.

Log into your Scene+ account and navigate your way to  > Rewards > Travel (under Spend your points) > Apply Points to Travel

A drop-down menu will list the credit cards attached to your Scene+ account. Clicking on each credit card will reveal any purchases coded as travel in the period you select.

For example, in my case, all travel purchases charged to my Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card in the last 90 days appear as a list. They include a visa for Turkey, airport bus, hostel accommodation, transit card purchase and initial load, train ticket, scooter account top-up, and a drink at a hotel. 

I can redeem Scene+ points for specific charges by selecting each one. The Summary box to the right shows me my selected charges, the total number of points I’ve chosen to redeem, the monetary value of those points, and the remaining points in my Scene+ account.

Clicking the Continue button takes me to a confirmation page, and the information that the monetary value of my redemption will be credited to my credit card account in two to three days. A confirmation email with the same information is received within seconds.

To be eligible for redemption, the charge needs to be recognized as a travel purchase with merchant codes or identifiers set by the Visa network as:

• airlines and air carriers, airports, flying fields, and airport terminals
• lodgings, hotels, motels, resorts, trailer parks, and campgrounds
• passenger railways, bus lines, steamship, and cruise lines
• travel agencies and tour operators
• automobile rental agencies, and motor home/recreational vehicle rentals

These were the same identifiers previously used by the Scotia Rewards Program.

Based on previous experience, I’ve found that charges for passenger railways, bus lines, and tour operators could be inconsistently included or excluded as candidates for redemption.

For example, Queensland Rail travel between Brisbane and Maryborough West in Australia was eligible as a travel redemption. A journey of a similar distance with Irish Rail between Dublin and Galway wasn’t.

Also, when a purchase is coded as entertainment, it’s excluded from the list of travel charges. This has an impact on tours. For example, tours of Dublin’s Kilmainham Gaol and Belfast Titanic were coded as entertainment. As a result, they didn’t appear on the list of eligible travel redemptions. Admission to Dublin’s Christ Church Cathedral for a self-guided tour wasn’t coded as entertainment, but it appeared on the list of possible travel redemptions.

Another observation concerned dining purchases if they were purchased at a hotel or while travelling by train. They appeared as travel purchases on my account and were therefore eligible as a travel redemption.

There are many reasons to make refundable bookings. One issue to consider is whether you prefer to be refunded in points or cash if you need to cancel.

If you book through Scene+ Travel and make a booking using points, your cancelled booking will be refunded in points rather than cash. If you prefer a cash refund, you should book through a platform other than Scene+ Travel (e.g., Expedia) using your Scotiabank credit card and prepay in full. Once the charge posts to your account as a travel purchase, use the ‘Apply Points to Travel’ feature and select the transaction for redemption. The points value of the charge will be deducted from your Scene+ points balance and the cash value of the charge will post to your account within a few business days.

Then, cancel the refundable booking. I find the online process at Expedia using the Virtual Assistant is user-friendly and efficient. The charge will be refunded to your credit card account within five business days.

Ten attractive features of the Scene+ program

When combined with Scotiabank’s best features, the Scene+ program offers several advantages.

In addition to opportunities to earn points with Scene+ partners, Scotiabank has seven credit cards in the Scene+ family. Several of them offer points multipliers for various types of category spending.

The best points multiplier is on spending using the popular Scotiabank Gold American Express Card. It earns 5 points per dollar on groceries, dining, and entertainment and 3 points on gas, daily transit, and select streaming services. (The multiplier increases to 6 points per dollar at Empire grocery stores.)

Only purchases in Canadian funds are eligible for the points multiplier, but there have been reports of cases where the multiplier has been applied while travelling abroad. In my view, t he best use of the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is to use it exclusively for the x5 multiplier (x6 at Empire grocery stores). Even for gas, purchase gas gift cards at a grocery store for the x5 or x6 multiplier, and gift cards of other merchants you support. 

For moviegoers, the Scene Visa Card (or the Scene Visa Card for Students) may be useful as a no-fee ‘forever card’ to build and anchor a person’s credit history. It earns x5 on purchases at Cineplex theatres or at cineplex.com, but its value to someone without a lengthy credit history is that it could help elevate a credit score and a person’s credit worthiness. 

Scene+ credit cards earn 3 points per dollar (pre-taxes and fees) on hotel and car rental bookings at Scene+ Travel. The occasional offer such as x10 points on hotel bookings in the fall of 2022 boost earning efforts. This is in addition to the points earned on the respective credit card.

Refundable bookings at Scene+ Travel are conveniently and efficiently processed by Expedia’s Virtual Agent. Clicking on the Customer Support link at the bottom of the confirmation email takes you to your Scene+ account login and then to the Virtual Agent where you’ll be prompted to enter your itinerary number or the last four digits of the credit card used for the booking. Once the Virtual Agent locates the booking, one click cancels it and an email arrives within seconds confirming the cancellation. 

Scotiabank offers discounted annual fees for seniors. The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card has a fee of $79 (as opposed to $120). The ScotiaGold Passport Visa Card’s fee is $65 (compared to $110).  

Scotiabank is to be applauded for being the first of the big-five banks to offer a no-FOREX-fee credit card to its Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card. I suspect that dropping the 2.5% fee cuts into a lucrative profit margin but clearly it’s been worth it. Otherwise, Scotia wouldn’t have added this feature to the popular Scotiabank Gold American Express Card. Needless to say, it came with an annual fee increase from $99 to $120 and the downgrading of several benefits.

To help you decide if a no-FOREX-fee credit card is the best credit card to have while travelling abroad, see Is a no-FOREX-fee credit card always the best choice for international travel?

Unlike other programs (e.g., TD Rewards), there’s no loss of value between using Scene+ Travel and other travel providers. The flexibility to book travel with any provider without any devaluation of points means cardholders can search for the best deal and use a vendor of their choice.

Dealing directly with a provider can be beneficial. In the case of flight delays and overbooked or cancelled flights, it’s my experience that service is better if the booking was made directly with the airline. For hotel bookings, it’s usually necessary to have booked directly with the hotel’s booking service to earn loyalty points and other loyalty program benefits.

(For AirBnB bookings, if you’re chasing Avios points, consider booking through the British Airways Executive Club portal to earn x3 Avios points on each pre-tax £1/€1/$1 spend on accommodation or experiences, plus what you earn on your credit card of choice.)  

Having 12 months to use the ‘Apply Points to Travel’ route means you don’t need to have the points when you book. You can accumulate the necessary points using the welcome bonus and points multipliers with your Scene+ credit card, and then redeem them when it’s to your advantage.

The online system for post-purchase redemptions is user-friendly and efficient.

Scotiabank regularly uses affiliate partners that offer rebates on approved credit card applications. For example, the Great Canadian Rebates (GCR) rebate of $150 on the popular Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is very appealing.

Offers are loaded on the app and the Scene+ membership card is within easy reach to take advantage of earning opportunities. Tapping on an account holder’s points total reveals points-earning activity by date and credit card, with multipliers. A quick glance reveals if points and multipliers have been correctly applied.

The Scene+ app mirrors essential account information available at the Scene+ site.

  Five shortcomings of the Scene+ program

Unlike CIBC Aventura, RBC Avion Rewards, and American Express Membership Rewards, at the present time, Scene+ doesn’t have a flight reward chart where it’s possible to extract a value greater than one cent per point.

For more information on the CIBC Rewards (Aventura) program, see When travelling the world on miles and points, is the CIBC Aventura program worth it?

The system of merchant codes and travel identifiers is mostly restricted to flights, accommodation, transit, car rentals, cruises, and travel packages. Attractions, tours, and sundry travel purchases are mostly excluded. In this respect, TD Rewards can be redeemed for a broader range of travel expenses.

For more information on the TD Rewards program, see: When travelling the world on miles and points, is the TD Rewards program worth it?

There are no conversion partners where it might be possible to extract a greater value than one cent per point on travel redemptions.

Based on the comments in various miles-and-points forums, far too many people had negative experiences with the transition to the Scene+ program. Missing points, missing multipliers, and other anomalies have resulted in reports of people who, in frustration, stopped using Scene+ credit cards until such time as the glitches were resolved. While some issues have been addressed, not all problems have been resolved. Thankfully, Scene+ has a callback system based on a caller’s place in the callback queue.

Also, Scene+ is yet to expand its two-factor authentication to include email. Members with a physical SIM card and local number (or eSIM data-only package) while travelling abroad cannot receive a text or call to a Canadian number that temporarily doesn’t exist or is not in service. Unlike Aeroplan, I can receive an email to confirm my identity and log into my account to manage bookings. This isn’t possible with Scene+ and renders it less useful while travelling.   

In June 2022, Cineplex undermined the convenience of online bookings by introducing a non-refundable booking fee $1.50 per movie ticket. The fee is discounted for Scene+ members (to $1.00 per ticket), and waived for CineClub members enrolled in Cineplex’s monthly subscription service. It doesn’t apply to movie tickets purchased at the theatre.

1. The x5 points multiplier on groceries, dining, and entertainment (x6 at Empire grocery stores) helps make the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card a useful keeper card for many cardholders, and a strong earner of Scene+ points.

2. The addition of Empire is exciting news for Scene+ members who find value in the Scene+ program and now earn points on grocery and drug store purchases at stores under the Empire umbrella. The points boost from x5 to x6 on purchases at Empire grocery stores on the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is welcome news indeed.  

3. The flexibility in redeeming Scene+ for purchases from any travel provider with no loss in value makes it a very attractive fixed value program. In this respect, it has the edge on the TD Rewards Program that has a two-tier redemption structure.

4. The ease of redeeming points online is a welcome user-friendly feature. Having 12 months to do so adds to the appeal.

5. Scene+ points are handy for a variety of travel expenses such as budget flights or those that aren’t part of a primary airline alliance/frequent flyer program. They’re useful for ground transportation, ferries, and miscellaneous accommodation that are outside existing airline and hotel loyalty programs. When used strategically, they can play a beneficial role in reducing out-of-pocket travel expenses.

6. The program has excellent potential as one of several secondary programs in a diversified miles-and-points portfolio. As such, it can be used to complement frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs that are capable of generating a much greater value than one cent per point.

As far as I can see, the new Scene+ program is greater than the sum of its former parts. With no obvious signs of devaluation, it replaces Scotia Rewards as my favourite fixed-point program.

If you found this post helpful, please share it by selecting one or more social media buttons. Do you collect Scene+ points? If so, what’s your experience with the program? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Thank you.

Might you be interested in my other miles-and-points posts?

• When travelling the world on miles and points, is the CIBC Aventura program worth it?
• Is a no-FOREX-fee credit card always the best choice for international travel?
• Finding Aeroplan flights: a step-by-step guide
• Meeting Minimum Spend Requirements to travel the world on miles and points  
• Lounge and flight review of United Airlines’ Polaris experience
• Does the BMO Air Miles World Elite MasterCard deserve a place in your wallet?
• Travelling the world on miles and points. Is the TD Rewards program worth it?
• Why the Best Western loyalty program is good for travellers
• What is the best credit card for trip cancellation, trip interruption and flight delay insurance for trips on points?

Care to pin for later?

32 Comments

Hi Anne Great article on a card I do not have yet. One question. It says that the points credit may not show up for up to two statements. Does this mean interest is charged for those two months, then credited back or is the credit in the system but just not showing? I would hate to leave any balance on a card even when a credit will eventually come.

Hi John. The credit appeared on my account much faster, and there’s no interest involved. Here’s an example using the Spirit of Queensland train fare. I charged it to my credit card in January and the $371.38 charge appeared on my next statement. Each monthly balance is paid in full so by the time I took the train in March, it had already been paid. When I returned from Australia in April, I redeemed 37,138 points and the credit voucher for $371.38 appeared in my account within a matter of days. That put my credit card account in the black at the end of April, and each subsequent charge on my credit card was deducted from that credit. Had I chosen to close the account with a credit, I could have asked for a cheque, or had it transferred to my no-fee Scotia credit card. Does this help answer your question?

Anne, hi. I have the same question on how many days are taken from the date of post-purchase redemption request to a date of showing up in a credit card account. The UP-TO 2 statement periods is really scaring me. You said that it took only several days in your example. Based on your experience , is a week realistic?

Hi Seong. Thanks for dropping by. My experience involved just a few days. It’s my sense banks are over cautious with their “up-to” advertised long periods for points, refunds, buddy passes and the like to be posted. I should think a week is a reasonable expectation despite the stated two statement periods.

Hi Anne, as March 8 2023, the Apply Points to travel Button seems to be gone as an option to redeem existing points. The only way left is to purchase a new trip through their portal powered by Expedia!

Hi Anne, Although in theory the merger of ScenePlus and ScotiaRewards seems to be an excellent program, it is having some serious startup problems : missing points, missing multiplier points, as well as points double-posted including double-posted points for returns. Calculating an accurate points total is almost impossible. A month and a half after the merger the problems have not yet been resolved. Phoning in to rectify the points balance involves wait times of up to four hours plus. All of this for a points program that that involves annual fees. Disappointed? You bet.

Agreed, there have been lots of complaints, especially on multipliers. I’m fortunate in that my Scotia Rewards all converted to Scene+ but I’m taking a break from using Scene+ credit cards until there are reports that the glitches have been fixed. Some reports indicate a commitment to have it fixed sometime in February. Fingers crossed, as I quite like this as a secondary program.

Hello, Anne. Although the merger of ScenePlus and ScotiaRewards appears to be a great programme in theory, it has a number of major initial issues, including missing points, missing multiplier points, and double-posted points, including double-posted points for returns. It’s nearly impossible to calculate an exact point total. The issues have not been resolved a month and a half after the merger. Calling in to correct the points balance can take up to four hours or more. All of this for the sake of a points programme with annual payments. Disappointed? Yes, absolutely.

Hello, Anne. I have the same issue about how long it takes from the time a post-purchase redemption request is submitted to the time the funds appear in a credit card account. I’m terrified of the UP-TO 2 statement periods. In your example, you mentioned it just took a few days. Is a week realistic based on your experience?

A week was realistic with the former Scotia Rewards program. I’m yet to make a redemption from the new Scene+ program.

Hi Anne, thanks for the review. The lack of Forex fees is a big win for me and anybody who uses their VISA abroad. However I noticed that booking travel although is ‘powered by’ Expedia, doesn’t offer the same benefits as using Expedia directly. i.e. must book flights and hotels separately, no packages or package discounts are available. I even did a head-to-head comparison for an upcoming trip to Miami and found the Expedia website price cheaper than via Scene+ Travel, which is very frustrating.

Thank you for this breakdown Anne. I have the Scotia Gold Amex and waiting for the Scotia passport in the mail. Im have no experience in this program and my question is, do my points combine from both cards or do I end up with 2 separate Scene+ accounts?

Marlene, your points combine in the same Scene+ account. You’ll see your total points and a breakdown of the points from your feeder cards. Many people have experienced problems with points being posted correctly, including multipliers, so it’s a good practice to check your points during these early months of the new program.

Greetings, I have a Scotiabank Passport Infinite card I’ve been using in the United States but I don’t seem to be accumulating scene rewards points. Are US dollar spends eligible for points? Tried to connect with Scenes.ca but don’t have time to wait for the estimated 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Yes, the Passport Visa Infinite earns Scene+ on foreign purchases, both base points and the multiplier. It sounds like you’re one of several people experiencing glitches during the transition from Scotia Rewards to Scene+.

This was really helpful – thank you so much! I was struggling to find information on the new program and you’ve summarized it in a very user-friendly way.

Hello. Do you know if AirBnB bookings can be redeemed as part of the Points for Travel program? Is it considered an Eligible Travel Expense?

Hi Cathy. AirBnB is a recognized accommodation provider by the Visa network so it should appear on your list of eligible travel redemptions on your Scotiabank credit card account that earns Scene+ points.Good luck.

Unlike with Scotia Rewards, booking airfare through the new Scene+ system is a complete horror show. People assisting with bookings are incompetent and most do not have adequate English language skills.

I have had exactly the same experience. Very disappointing after receiving consistently excellent service through the previous program.

Where can I find the redeem Scene+ points for travel purchases already made button. I can see my points balance but can’t seem to find the button to redeem. Thanks

It should be in your Scotia account (not Scene+). Any purchases coded as travel should appear as eligible for redemption.

The apply points to travel is not operating at all like it used to with scotia rewards. I made several purchases in the last 6 months of airlines, hotels, taxis, etc. and none of them show up in the list for redemption. It’s really frustrating. Also I used to get double points with my card on any travel bookings before and now it’s just regular points. And living overseas it used to also allow me to get bonus points on restaurants/ entertainment that wasn’t exclusively in Canada. Now not..

Says you need to phone if you want to apply “partial” redemption, as it isn’t yet available in the app. But when you live overseas calling doesn’t work. Overall just a huge disappointment since switching.

Thanks a lot for your summary – so useful. I’ve had a Scotiabank visa infinite since earlier this year. My question is, I have about 60000 scene + points. I’ve incurred hundreds of dollars of travel expenses within the last 6 months. Is there any downside to simply using the “apply points to travel” option and cashing everything out? Am I missing out on any potential better use of the points? Doesn’t seem like it to me, but I’m new to this program, so just wanted to ask an expert. Thanks!

Hi Jonathan. Unless there are special offers, I’m assuming travel redemptions at a penny a point offer the best return. The only downside I can think of to NOT using the points now against recent travel expenses is the possibility of a devaluation. I like to think that’s not likely in the near future given the need to attract members and build confidence in the Scene+ program.

My mother just got her visa infinite scene card in the mail and she is ready to collect points. After reading this I’m a little concerned. We planned on paying our travel agency with the card to earn points, but I’m starting to see that won’t work. Will we earn points for booking tours and whatnot when not using the travel portal? Do you earn points with every purchase?

Thanks for the help

Yes, you earn points with every purchase. So is it the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card? If so, the earning rate is 1 point for every $ spent, except it increases to 2 points per $ on groceries, dining, entertainment, and daily transit. So if you pay your travel agent $500, 500 points will be earned on the purchase. Does this help?

I just got a new Scene+ card from my local Foodland store. When I went to register it I was not happy that I was expected to enter a credit card number as well to complete the process. I found that very suspicious and unless I can be convinced that it is necessary I won’t bother with the card.

Scene is terrible to deal with, please if you are reading this DO NOT GET ANY SCENE CARD! I ordered a 100 dollar gift card that never came. I have called and emailed for months and they will not return my points, so I’m out 100 dollars. All banks have points now, go to one that works, scene is garbage.

It is March 2023 and Scene+ still is in a mess. It is unclear whether they give 3x points for flights and hotels (as they advertise) or 1 point for every dollar spent. Just got back from Europe where all travel and hotels were paid for using Scotiabank Infinite Passport card and only 1 point/$spent appears on statement. The call centre staff are, for the most part, absolutely useless. Why is it called Powered by Expedia? Do you have to book through Expedia?

Thanks for this information. I’ve been trying to confirm with Scotia Passport Visa Infinite Card that even foreign purchases earn points (1 point per dollar). Is that your understanding? Purchases made around the world still earn points? Thank you!

Yes, the Scotia Passport Visa Infinite earns points on all foreign transactions. It also earns points on the multiplier categories. So if you use the card in any country on dining or groceries, it earns x2 points. If you link it to your Uber account, you’ll earn x2 on the ride-share category. All the best.

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Help Centre

• Popular questions
• Credit cards
• Travel & insurance

How do I find out if I can change or cancel my flight?

If you booked travel with the Scotia Rewards Travel Centre before December 13, 2021, you can reach the Scotia Rewards Travel Service at 1-866-586-2805. Follow the prompts for travel to make changes to your booking (select 1 for travel, select 2 for travel booked before December 13, 2021).

If you booked on or after December 13, 2021, please contact the Scene+ Travel service at 1-866-586-2805 for help with your request.

Related Articles

Where can I download the Scene+ app?

Where can I see my Scene+ rewards and account history?

What happens if I close my Scene+ bank account or credit card?

Have a question, lost your Scene+ membership card, or forgot your Scene+ number or password?

What is Scene+?

About Barry Choi

Barry Choi is a Toronto-based personal finance and travel expert who frequently makes media appearances. His blog Money We Have is one of Canada’s most trusted sources when it comes to money and travel. You can find him on Twitter: @barrychoi

35 Comments

Thanks Barry,

Appreciate the info. Just got to figure how many cards I want to carry.

Great article. Contains the in-depth evaluation/comparison of rewards programs for which I’ve been waiting for a while so thanks for being the first to do it (at least that I’ve seen).

One thing missing for me is the inclusion of the annual fees for the credit card(s) you’d use to earn points in each of these programs to enable a quick cost vs. benefit. For example, AMEX may be #1 on the benefits side but the Platinum card has an annual fee of $699 whereas the RBC Visa Infinite Avion is only $120/year.

The other big thing is the ease of actually getting the flights you want when redeeming points. This is the principal reason why I quit CIBC to go to Scotia (that plus the no forex fees on Scotia’s Passport VISA) – I could never find anything usable when I tried to use my CIBC points. No one at CIBC ever told me I could find what I wanted on Expedia and then book that over the phone. However, I realize that quantifying this element in a semi-meaningful way would be impossible without spending countless hours trying to book a sample package of flights/hotels/vacations on each program.

Good point about the annual fees, I should make an edit. I try to avoid including the fees since some people look at the fee and just get turned off. I wanted to explain what the value of the different programs are without putting a price on it.

Hey Barry, To expand on my reasoning for leaving the CIBC Aventura program (and why I think it’s a terrible program), here’s an example that is very representative of my past experiences. I wanted to book a hotel room I found on Expedia.ca for $217.14 (incl. taxes/fees) for 2 nights. When I called CIBC Rewards, the same room was going to cost me 25,730 or the equivalent of $257.30. That would have given me 0.84% value on the nominal 1 point/$1 in purchases I had made on the card over the past several years. And that is just one example. At least with Scotia rewards, I know I’m going to get a full 1% in value every time by redeeming my points for travel-related purchases I’ve made in the past few months – it’s the closest thing to a cash-back card I’ve been able to find in the travel rewards space, and I get no forex fees, 2 more airport lounge visits per year and all of the same VISA Infinite benefits I got with the CIBC Aventura card. For me, the two programs are miles apart – it’s not even close.

Yes, the ability to redeem on any travel you find on your own with Scotiabank is a huge thing for many people.

Hello. You should correct the td rewards points to x9 for purchase bought through Expedia for Td

When I wrote it, I meant 3X the points than your regular earn rate e.g. Expedia for TD gives you 9 points, but regular purchases gives you 3 points. I can see where the confusion is and will update the article. Thanks for flagging it.

Hi, Enjoyed your article as far as it went. Currently have travel and medical insurance through BMO world elite MasterCard and wondered if you have any comparable data with other bank cards. Thanks, C. Durant

Hi C. Durant,

These two articles may be of interest.

https://www.moneywehave.com/how-credit-card-travel-insurance-works-when-booking-a-flight-on-points-or-miles/ https://www.moneywehave.com/the-best-credit-cards-with-travel-insurance/

[…] Rewards is a popular program better known under the CIBC Aventura name. Although I rank the CIBC Rewards program behind American Express Membership Rewards and RBC Rewards, CIBC Rewards […]

[…] MomentumPLUS Savings account, then the monthly fee will be waived1. Scotia Rewards is one of the best bank travel rewards programs in Canada so make sure you choose that over SCENE points as your bonus when you open a new […]

This is a great article and I agree with your rankings 100%. For Canadians today I don’t think there’s a better combination of using American Express as your primary card and using Avion where your Amex isn’t accepted. This is the best perks and most flexible rewards redemption plan out there. I myself use the American Express Platinum as my primart, the RBC Avion VISA Infinite Privelege for anywhere that doesn’t accept Amex. I also carry an mbna Alaska World Elite MC for retailers (Costco, etc) that only take MasterCard.

I hope HSBC decide to add aeroplan to their transfer partner one day

If the average point value for BMO is 71 cents, doesn’t that crush the other programs in terms of value?

It depends on how you look at things. 4 of the programs have a higher base value for their points. BMO Rewards points are worth more than TD Rewards and HSBC, but BMO Rewards has less flexibility with their points.

One thing I would add to your RBC Rewards section is the fact the fixed rewards chart is only available to RBC card users who have Avion. If you use an RBC Rewards+, Signature Rewards, you don’t get access to this chart. This is precisely been my strategy for me is to use Signature Rewards VISA at a lower annual fee to accumulate points. Once I earn enough, to switch to Infinite to either transfer to the airline partners or to use the fixed reward chart. Once complete, switch back

Good point, and a very interesting strategy.

This article was great – I’ve been reading others that you’ve written trying to learn a little more about travel points. I’m super new to this, and quite honestly a dumb dumb when it comes to redeeming points. I have an RBC Infinite Visa which sounds like it’s a great card to have. I’m starting an e-commerce platform and will be making some very large purchases soon so I would like to charge to the most valuable card possible. I love eating out – restaurants and drinks and UBER when travelling in different cities. My family and I go to Amsterdam every year to visit my sister and travel to surrounding countries while we’re there. I’ll likely be purchasing all tickets with my points and would like the flights /travel experience be as comfortable as possible (lounges, luggage perks/priority check) for my parents – I’m curious to know if you would recommend the AMEX Cobalt or the Scotiabank AMEX or if there is another you would recommend instead? Apologies for long and winded comment – thanks so much for the help!

FUnny, I have family in Amsterdam too and try to get there as often as I can.

As for your questions. It sort of depends on how much you’ll be charging to your credit cards. American Express has the best points program and some of the best business credit cards. However, this only works to your advantage if vendors you use accept Amex.

The Amex Platinum Business Card gives you 1.25X the points on all purchases and lots of travel benefits e.g. unlimited lounge access. However, the Amex Cobalt gives you a high earn rate on eats and travel (including Uber), so that’s a good choice too.

If you’re charging 10K+ a month, you’re probably better off with a business card. If it’s $5K-$7K, go with the Amex Cobalt. Note that the Platinum Card gives you a bonus if you use a referral link. The Cobalt bonus is the same if you use a referral link or the regular link.

As for your RBC Rewards points. They’re still pretty good, but if you can eventually collect just American Express points, you’ll be better off due to their flexibility.

Love Amsterdam – one my favourite places to travel, my sister has a rental agency there if your family ever needs help finding a place!

Amazing – thanks so much for the speedy response and the insight! in the first month, it’ll be about 15-20K for inventory, shipping supplies, repurchases will be dependent on monthly traffic. So maybe the Cobalt? How does one get a referral link?

Thanks again Barry!

Yes, Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities. The last time I was there I stayed in Amsterdam west and then the Marriott. Now that I travel with my daughter, finding apartments are more appealing. Please send me a link to her company.

The American Express Cobalt card is a regular credit card, if you can get a limit of 20K+, it could be worth it. That said, it might better to get an American Express Platinum Business Card for business expenses and travel benefits.

You could then get the Cobalt Card for personal expenses such as food and drink since the earn rate is higher. You can transfer your points to Aeroplan with both cards, so you’ll have plenty of flexibility.

Oh amazing! I’ll do that then. Thanks so much for all the help Barry, you’ve been great!

Absolutely her agency is more for relocation/permanent residency – just in case, you can find her site here http://amsterdamlifehomes.com/ , name is Lyna.

I’ve shared a couple of your articles with a some of friends of mine as I found them insightful, detailed and easy to follow. Great work!

Feel free to use my referral links =D

Also, thanks for your sister’s website.

Oh perfect!! Thanks Barry and no problem! She has a few friends who Airbnb so feel free to contact me as well and I can connect you guys.

Take into consideration earn rate and BMO easily becomes the most valuable. You get 2-3 points for every dollar spent compared to RBC 1 point. All things considered BMO World elite is a much much better credit card than RBC.

It’s clumsy to just to look at redemption rate only…many bloggers on this are making the same mistakes.

The earn rate is just part of the equation. How you can burn your points is just as important. While the BMO World Elite has some higher multipliers, the base earn rate is one of the lowest for a premium travel credit card. BMO Rewards also forces you to use their travel portal, so it’s less valuable than other programs.

I personally favour American Express Membership Rewards since there are multiple ways to use your points and you can transfer your points to Airline and hotel partners. Plus, the American Express Cobalt Card has arguably the best earn rate of all cards out there.

Both earn rate and redemption are equally important which is exactly my point. More specifically, I’m comparing #7 ranked BMO with #2 ranked RBC. I hold both cards by the way.

Here’s some simple math so majority can understand the implications.

If you spend $100,000

BMO RBC Basic Earn Rate 2 1 Accumulated Points 200,000 100,000 Redemption Rate for Travel Spending 0.67 1 Cost of Tickets Covered $1,340 1,000

Difference profit with BMO $340

Note: Ignore the options 1.25 points earn rate for RBC for travel or the 3 points with BMO for travel. Just work with basic earn rate for simplification.

It is clear BMO is better for the dollar spent. Add in much better insurance (MUCH better) + lounge access and its not even close.

I know people will say “Redemption Schedule” RBC. Has anyone actually used that to their benefit? It’s one of the biggest scams…its almost ALWAYS better to use their fixed 100 points for dollar conversion. So people need to stop saying redemption schedule as a benefit and see it as a unusable scam.

As for BMO portal, again please use it first. It covers all flights you would find on google. Never had an issues to find the lowest priced flight on google and then finding it on BMO portal. Its really easy to use and straight forward as well.

As for your American Express comment, yes that’s true. There are better travel cards but comparing it within the big banks….BMO World Elite is pretty much the best travel card.

Don’t trust me. Just try it and you will see.

BMO just announced that the BMO World Elite Mastercard will now earn just 1 point per $1 spend for the base rate, so the value has gone down significantly.

As for your initial analysis, you’re not wrong. But here’s my counter argument and why I personally rank RBC Rewards higher. With RBC, you can get a value of 2 cents per point for the fixed points program. You can also transfer your points to Cathay and BA. If you used your points for business flights, you could get an even higher value.

I use the redemption schedule quite a bit for short haul flights e.g. Toronto to Ottawa or New York.

I’m not disagreeing with you. I’m just saying everyone has a different value and uses their points for different reasons.

Hey, love the info!

Looking to get into the travel card space and stuck between getting an AMEX PLAT (mainly due to the sign up bonus & perks) paired with the cobalt for everyday purchases along with HSBC WEMC for non amex stores.

2nd option is RBC Avion infinite privilege with RBC ION+ do you think having the 3x multiplier on everything and the covert to Avion Elite rewards.

Do you think the new Ion+ card with its 3x spending on everything and accepted everywhere will be a better option to the AMEX combo? My main goal is to accumulate as many points as possible to fly business class and stay at premium hotels 2 or 3x/year with my girlfriend. I like flexibility with booking as I don’t mind flying on less premium airlines (Egyptair, united, Finnair) along as im saving a lot compared to the more exclusive airlines.

Hey Xavier,

I personally prefer the Platinum / Cobalt combo since the earning potential for Aeroplan is much higher. Plus, the benefits are much much better. Getting the HSBC WEMC might be overkill for non Amex, but it does have some good perks.

The Avion/IOn combo isn’t bad, I just like Amex more.

Amex points will always be more flexible than RBC, which is why I favour those cards/points over everything else.

Hello Barry, that is an aawesome in depth analysis!

What do you mean by “You can also pair an Avion credit card with another RBC credit card to rack up points quickly” in the RBC section?

Hey Pierre-Luc,

It’s really about combining points where you can. For example, RBC has an Avion card and WestJet Card. You can transfer your Avion points to WestJet. Alternatively, you could get a premium credit card in the Avion Visa Infinite and then a more basic card like the RBC Ion+ card. The points you get from the welcome bonus of the Ion card can be transferred to your Avion Infinite account.

Hi Barry, I have the TD First Class Travel Infinite Card and planning to rent a car this summer at Calgary International Airport for a week to drive around Banff and Jasper using the card for payment. Do I need to purchase insurance from the car rental company or the insurance coverage on my credit card should be sufficient? Would appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks and have a great weekend

Hey Manish,

Check with your personal auto insurance provider first. They typically cover car rentals. That should be enough.

If you don’t have personal auto insurance, TD insurance is good enough for collision, but you would likely want to opt in for liability (ask them what liability they provide, as liability may be extra coverage).

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The best Scotiabank credit cards in Canada for 2024

We’ve broken down our picks for the best Scotiabank credit cards—whether you’re looking for cash back, points, no-fee cash back or low interest.

Why trust us

MoneySense is an award-winning magazine, helping Canadians navigate money matters since 1999. Our editorial team of trained journalists works closely with leading personal finance experts in Canada. To help you find the best financial products, we compare the offerings from over 12 major institutions, including banks, credit unions and card issuers. Learn more about our  advertising and trusted partners .

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The best Scotiabank cards by category

By Keph Senett on July 2, 2024 Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Scotiabank offers 17 credit cards tailored to various financial needs and goals. But a handful stand out as the very best the Big Six bank has to offer. Below, we break down our picks for the top Scotiabank credit cards across categories, from travel rewards to cash back and low-interest to perks.

Best for travel rewards

At a glance: While the bank has a few options when it comes to collecting travel rewards, our top pick is the Scotiabank Gold American Express. The annual fee is well worth it for the card’s earn rate, welcome bonus and perks, including no foreign transaction fees . For those who cross-border shop or travel, the latter is like an automatic 2.5% savings on each purchase in a foreign currency. A suite of travel-related insurance coverage and a discount on Priority Pass membership sweeten the deal.

Scotiabank Gold American Express

• Annual fee: $120 (waived first year)
• Earn rates: 6 points per $1 spent at Sobeys-affiliated stores; 5 points per $1 on dining, entertainment and groceries; 3 points per $1 on gas, transit and streaming; 1 point per $1 on everything else
• Welcome offer: earn up to $950 in value in the first 12 months, including up to 45,000 bonus Scene+ points. To qualify, apply by October 31, 2024.
• Annual income requirement: $12,000
• Point value: 1 Scene+ point = $0.01 when redeemed for travel, store purchases and food and drink at Cineplex and Scene partners
• Recommended credit score   for approval : 700 or higher
• Interest rates: 20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances, 22.99% on balance transfers

Best for cash back

At a glance: Cash back cards are exactly what they sound like: cards that rebate a percentage of your purchases as cash (usually applied directly to your balance). Our Scotiabank pick in this category is the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite. This card features an excellent earn rate of 4% back on groceries, recurring bills and subscription services (such as Netflix), 2% back on gas, public transit and ride-sharing services (including Uber), and 1% on all other purchases. Comprehensive travel insurance and concierge service make this an attractive card.

Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite

• Annual fee: $120
• Earn rates: 4% cash back on groceries, recurring bill payments and subscription services; 2% on gas and public transit; and 1% on everything else
• Welcome bonus: earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in total purchases). No annual fee in the first year, including on additional cards. Offer ends October 31, 2024.
• Annual income requirement: Personal income of $60,000 or household income of $100,000
• Recommended credit score for approval: 660 or higher

Honourable mention

At a glance: Our runner-up in this category is the Scotia Momentum Visa. This card features a solid earn rate of 2% cash back on grocery and drugstore purchases, gas and recurring bill payments—categories that cover the lion’s share of the average Canadian’s spending; all other purchases earn 1%.

Scotia Momentum Visa Card

• Annual fee: $39
• Earn rate: Earn 2% cash back for every $1 spent  on groceries, gas, drug stores and recurring bill payments; 1% back on everything else
• Welcome bonus: earn a 2.99% introductory interest rate with 0% fee on balance transfers for the first 6 months (22.99% after that; annual fee $39). Offer ends October 31, 2024.
• Annual income requirement:  $12,000

Recommended credit score for approval: 670 or higher Interest rates: 19.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances, 22.99% on balance transfers

Best for students

At a glance: Scotiabank’s no-annual-fee Scene+ Visa is a great pick for students who don’t want to pay a fee each year for their credit card. Cardholders collect Scene+ rewards on everyday purchases, which are redeemable for movies at Cineplex cinemas. Scene+ points can also be used for discounts at restaurants—perfect for a study break or night out with friends.

Scotiabank Scene+ Visa card

• Annual fee: $0
• Earn rates: 2 Scene+ points for every $1 spent at Sobeys banner stores and Cineplex; 1 Scene+ point for every $1 spent everywhere else
• Welcome offer: earn up to 5,000 bonus Scene+ points within your first 3 months. To qualify, apply by October 31, 2024.
• Points value: 1 Scene+ point = $0.01 when redeemed for travel, store purchases and food and drink at Cineplex and Scene partners
• Recommended credit score for approval: 670 or higher

Best for low interest

At a glance: At regular credit card interest rates of around 20%, even a small debt can increase quickly. So, if you often carry a balance on your card, consider a low-interest rate option, like the Scotiabank Value Visa. With a low 12.99% interest rate, this card can help you pay down outstanding debt faster.

Scotiabank Value Visa

• Annual fee: $29
• Balance transfer offer: 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for the first 10 months. Offer ends 31 October 2024.
• Recommended credit score for approval: 670
• Interest rates:  12.99% on cash advances, 12.99% on balance transfers

Best for perks

At a glance: For travellers willing to pay an annual fee, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card delivers. Like the Amex above, this card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees and includes a robust suite of travel insurance. Cardholders collect points in the Scene+ program at a rate of 3 points per $1 on eligible grocery stores, 2 points per $1 on restaurants and other grocery stores, entertainment and transit, and 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. Six free DragonPass airport lounge visits annually is an added benefit for this travel card. Plus, you can use your points to travel on any airline of your choosing.

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite

• Annual fee: $150
• Earn rate : 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent at Sobeys stores; 2 points per $1 on groceries, dining, entertainment and transit; 1 point per $1 on everything else. Plus, pay no FX fees
• Welcome offer: earn up to $1,100 in value in the first 12 months, including up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points. To qualify, apply by October 31, 2024.

At a glance: The Scotiabank Platinum American Express bundles many rewards and perks into one standout card. As with other Scotia rewards cards, points can be redeemed for merchandise, gift cards or even cash, but it’s the travel rewards that really shine with the Platinum. In addition to the ability to book travel without restrictions, Platinum cardholders can enjoy 10 complimentary visits to airport lounges in the Priority Pass program, as well as membership in the Hertz #1 Club Gold. Cardholders are eligible for premium events through American Express Invites and VIP Pass. Seven types of travel insurance helps members travel safely, and with priceless peace of mind.

Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card

• Annual fee: $399
• Earn rate: 4 points per $1 on gas, groceries, dining and entertainment; 1 point per $1 on everything else
• Welcome bonus: earn up to $2,100* in value in your first 14 months, including up to 60,000* bonus Scene+ points. Offer ends October 31, 2024.
• Annual income requirement:  $40,000

Recommended credit score for approval: 750 or higher Interest rates: 9.99% on purchases, 9.99% on cash advances, 9.99% on balance transfers

More of Canada’s best credit cards :

• Scotiabank Gold American Express Review
• Best travel credit cards in Canada
• Best cash back credit cards in Canada
• Best low interest credit cards in Canada
• Best no foreign transaction fee credit cards in Canada

Table of contents

• Top Scotiabank cards at a glance
• Best Scotiabank cards by category

About Keph Senett

Scotia Rewards Points Program

• Written by Mohamed Konate
• Published: December 3, 2023

Table of Contents

Scotia Rewards Points Program Review

Over our last couple of reviews, we’ve taken a break from reviewing all the different financial services offered by several of Canada’s leading banks and instead honed in on credit card loyalty programs designed to reward customers for using their bank-issued credit cards to make purchases on all kinds of items ranging from gas and groceries, to pharmaceuticals, to technology, and everything in between. Today, we’re going to look at another loyalty program, this time offered by Scotiabank.

Scotiabank, formerly known as the Bank of Nova Scotia, is part of Canada’s “Big Five” of banking. With nearly $1 trillion in assets under management, Scotiabank is the third largest bank in Canada. Scotiabank has consistently expanded its operations since its founding in 1832, and Scotiabank now serves more than 25 million customers worldwide.

Scotia Rewards Points Overview

The Scotia Rewards program is a credit card loyalty program similar to rewards programs offered by other big banks such as RBC and BMO. Like its counterparts from other banks, the Scotia Rewards program is designed to reward customers with points based on the amount of the purchase price of any purchase they make using their Scotiabank credit card.

Rewards members can then redeem those points for a variety of rewards, including travel, merchandise, gift cards, and experiences.

How do Scotia Rewards work?

The Scotia Rewards program works like all other credit card rewards programs. Rewards members use their enrolled credit card to make a purchase, accumulate points based on the value of that purchase, then redeem those points for rewards once they’ve accumulated enough.

Likewise, members can redeem Scotia Rewards points for air fare, hotels, and other travel-related rewards, merchandise, gift cards, and experience packages. But unlike its competitors, Scotia Rewards offer members more flexibility when booking travel.

Instead of limiting the use of Scotia Rewards points to travel booked through Scotiabank’s travel centre, Scotia Rewards members are free to book their own travel using their Scotia Rewards credit card then apply their Scotia Rewards points toward the cost of the booking in the form of a statement credit.

How To Earn Scotia Reward Points

As we’ve mentioned, Scotia Rewards members accumulate points by using their Scotiabank credit cards to make purchases. Scotiabank offers several credit cards, backed by both American Express,Mastercard and Visa , that allow members to earn rewards points. We’ll set out the details of each eligible rewards credit card below.

– Scotiabank Gold American Express

• $120 annual fee; 19.99% interest rate
• 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months of membership
• 5 points per dollar spent at eligible grocery stores, restaurants, food delivery services, and food subscriptions
• 3 points per dollar spent on transportation, including ridesharing services, public transportation, taxis, and gas
• 1 point per dollar spent on every other purchase
• $0 foreign transaction fee
• Additional benefits include access to Amex Offers, Amex Front of the Line pre-sale event tickets, complimentary concierge service, discounts on airport lounge access, and a comprehensive suite of travel insurance products

– Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite

• $139 annual fee; 19.99% interest rate
• 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months of membership
• 2 points per dollar spent on food, dining, entertainment, and transportation
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
• Additional benefits include complimentary Priority Pass membership, allowing members to access hundreds of airport lounges free of charge, 6 free companion lounge passes, complimentary Avis Preferred Plus membership, and a comprehensive suite of travel insurance products

– ScotiaGold Passport Visa

• $110 annual fee; 19.99% interest rate
• 5,000 bonus points on your first purchase
• 1 point per dollar on all purchases
• 5% cash back on travel booked through the Scotia Rewards Travel Service
• Additional benefits include discounts on rental cars and comprehensive travel insurance

–  Scotiabank American Express

$0 annual fee; 19.99% interest rate.

• 5,000 bonus points after spending $500 within the first three months of membership
• Additional benefits include access to Amex Offers and Amex Invites, rental car discounts, purchase protection, extended warranties, and four types of travel insurance

As you can see, Scotiabank offers a variety of rewards credit cards that are each tailored toward different spending and usage habits. While the Scotiabank American Express Gold card and Passport Visa Infinite card offer a host of additional benefits and the potential to earn substantial bonus points for a relatively modest annual fee, the Scotiabank American Express and Rewards Visa cards provide members who don’t need all the extra benefits with access to Scotiabank’s rewards program and no annual fee.

So, the bottom line is that if you’re looking to maximize your points and you frequently dine out, love to cook, have a large family to feed, or otherwise spend heavily on food and entertainment, the 5x points on those categories of purchases offered by the Scotiabank American Express Gold card could be extremely valuable. Likewise, if you’re a frequent traveler who enjoys access to airport lounges, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite , which includes complimentary lounge access, could be quite valuable, as well.

What Are Scotia Rewards Points Worth?

The Scotia Rewards program is designed to strike a balance between flexibility and value. Still, as with other credit card loyalty programs that we’ve seen, the Scotia Rewards program is most valuable when used for its travel rewards. Thus, although Scotia Rewards points may be redeemed for a variety of rewards, they are most valuable when redeemed for travel-based rewards. In this section, we’ll set out exactly what a Scotia Rewards point is worth in real-world purchasing power based on the type of reward for which it’s redeemed.

– Travel rewards

Scotia Rewards points max out in value at 1¢ per point when redeemed for travel-based rewards. In other words, a Scotia Rewards member can redeem 10,000 rewards points for $100 in value toward air fare, hotels, rental cars, cruises, or vacation packages. Members can elect to pay for the entire cost of their travel purchase with points if they have enough, or they can split the cost of their trip between their credit card and their rewards account.

But the most notable feature of Scotiabank’s rewards program is its Apply Points to Travel feature . This feature allows members to book their own travel, using whichever site or service they prefer, and so as long as they use their Scotiabank Rewards credit card to pay for the cost of the trip, they can apply their Scotiabank Rewards points toward the cost of that purchase for up to 12 months after the fact. Rewards points retain their full 1¢ per point value whether travel is booked through the Scotiabank Rewards Travel Service or whether the member elects to Apply Points to Travel.

– Gift cards

Scotiabank Rewards points can also be redeemed for a variety of gift cards. Members can redeem 7,000 rewards points for a $50 gift card. This comes out to a value of .7¢ per point. This drop in value when compared to redeeming points for travel and is comparable to the drop in value we’ve seen from other rewards program, and it makes it clear that the Scotiabank Rewards program is best used for its travel-based rewards. It can take up to six weeks for members to receive any gift cards ordered using rewards points.

– Statement credits

Recall that the Apply Points for Travel feature allows members to redeem their points for what is essentially a statement credit for the value of travel booked outside the Scotiabank Rewards Travel Service, and those points are still worth their maximum 1¢ per point when used for that purpose.

Well, members can also redeem their points for statement credits on purchases that are not travel-related. However, Scotia Rewards points lose a bit of value when redeemed for a non-travel-related statement credit. Instead of being worth 1¢ per point, they are worth .67¢ per point. In other words, members must redeem 7,500 points to receive a $50 statement credit.

– Merchandise

Members have the option to redeem their rewards points for a variety of merchandise from leading retailers such as Apple and Best Buy. The value of a Scotia Rewards point varies somewhat depending on the exact piece of merchandise, but rewards points can be quite valuable in this scenario, too.

For example, at the time of this writing, members can redeem 45,900 points for a Breville mixer that retails for $399. This comes out to just under .9¢ per point, which is quite close to the maximum value of a Scotiabank Rewards point.

– Experiences

Scotiabank Rewards members can cash in their rewards points for a variety of unique experiences and vacation packages, too. These rewards include tickets to tours and events, admission to the Vancouver Aquarium, and exclusive dining experiences.

– Convert to SCENE Rewards points and vice versa

Lastly, Scotiabank partners with Cineplex to allow its rewards members to convert their Scotiabank Rewards points into SCENE rewards points. Scotiabank Rewards members can currently convert 10,000 rewards points into 7,700 SCENE rewards points. Likewise, members can also convert SCENE rewards points into Scotiabank rewards points.

Scotia Rewards Benefits

Scotia Rewards offer Scotiabank credit cardholders a valuable way to receive a bit more value on money they’re already spending. Additionally, the Scotiabank American Express Gold card’s 5x points on food and entertainment purchases and 3x points on transportation expenses could go a long way toward accumulating a significant points balance quickly given these classes of purchases are quite common and often comprise a large part of many consumers’ monthly spending.

Scotia Rewards members also benefit from the flexibility afforded by Scotiabank’s Apply Points to Travel feature, which allows members to book travel however they prefer and then apply Scotia Rewards points at the same value they would carry if the member booked his or her travel directly through the Scotia Rewards Travel Service.

How To Redeem Scotia Rewards Points

Redeeming points is simple and straightforward. Members begin by logging into their Scotia Rewards account. From there, they can access their credit card statement to apply points toward a travel or non-travel-related purchase, use points to buy merchandise from the Scotia Rewards catalogue, purchase gift cards, or redeem for experiences. Members can also redeem points by booking travel directly through the Scotia Rewards Travel Service.

How to Earn More Scotia Rewards Points

The key to maximizing Scotia Rewards points is to make sure to use an eligible rewards credit card to make as many purchases as you can use it for, but especially to use it to make purchases that are eligible for bonus points, such as food, dining, entertainment, and transportation.

Holders of the ScotiaGold Passport Visa can also maximize their earning potential by using that card to book travel directly through the Scotia Rewards Travel Service because doing so earns the cardholder an extra 5% cash back.

How Scotia Rewards Compares to Other Credit Card Rewards Programs

The Scotia Rewards program is one of several comparable credit card loyalty programs that Canadians can use to make their money go a little further. But what sets the Scotia Rewards program apart from its competition is the flexibility it affords to members by allowing them to redeem points at their maximum value for travel booked both through the Scotia Rewards Travel Service and through third party travel services. This is a feature that we haven’t seen from any other rewards program so far.

Additionally, the 5x bonus points offered by the Scotiabank American Express Gold card is an extremely good deal given that those bonus points are offered on three classes of common expenses: food, dining, and entertainment.

Scotiabank’s rewards program offers credit card users a great way to quickly accumulate rewards points on some of their most common day-to-day purchases. What is more, the fact that Scotia Rewards points can be used to pay for travel booked through third parties provides members with a remarkable amount of flexibility to travel when and how they prefer.

While Scotiabank’s lower-tier rewards credit cards don’t offer much in the way of added value, if you’re in the market for a premium credit card and your spending habits justify an annual fee, the Scotiabank American Express Gold or Passport Visa Infinite could both be strong choices based on their sign-on bonuses, potential to earn bonus points on common purchases, and additional benefits.

Compare the Best Scotiabank Credit Cards in Canada

FAQ’s

How do I log in to my Scotia Rewards account?

Members log in to their Scotia Rewards account by going to www.scotiarewards.com and using the link in the top righthand corner of the website.

How do I contact Scotia Rewards?

Members can contact Scotia Rewards via telephone, email, or social media.

Can Scotia Rewards points be transferred?

Yes. Members can convert their Scotia Rewards points into SCENE rewards points, and vice versa.

Do Scotia Rewards points expire?

No. Scotia Rewards points will not expire so long as the member maintains his or her rewards account.

How do I check my Scotia Rewards points balance?

Members can check their rewards points balance and track when and how they’re earning rewards points all from their online rewards account.

Do Scotia Rewards points cover taxes and fees?

Yes. Members can use Scotia Rewards points to pay for travel-related taxes, fees, and surcharges.

Are Scotia Rewards points subject to blackout dates or seat restrictions?

No. Members are free to use their Scotia Rewards points to book travel anytime and anywhere without worrying about blackout dates or seat restrictions.

How do I earn Scotia Rewards points faster?

Because purchases of gas, groceries, dining, entertainment, and transportation are eligible for 3x to 5x bonus points, the fastest way to earn Scotia Rewards points is to use an eligible rewards credit card to pay for those classes of purchases.

Mohamed Konate is a personal finance expert, blogger, and marketing consultant based out of Toronto. He is a former financial services professional who worked for many years at major Canadian financial institutions where he managed the marketing strategy around various financial products ranging from credit cards to lines of credit. Mohamed is passionate about personal finance and holds a Bachelor in Business Administration from the University of Quebec (Montreal) and a Master in International Business from the University of Sherbrooke (Quebec).He is also the author of the Canadian Credit Card Guidebook. Read his full author bio

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CANADA BUZZ

What You Can Get with Scotia Rewards Points and How to Redeem Them

Canada buzz editorial.

• February 28, 2023

ADVERTISER DISCLOSURE

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Scotia Rewards is the rewards and loyalty program of Scotiabank, one of the largest and prominent financial institutions in Canada. The credit card rewards program is one of the ways by which financial institutions in Canada entice their value-oriented customers, by providing an avenue for the clients to earn and redeem loyalty points for their everyday purchases and payments.

The beauty of every rewards program is its flexibility of earning rewards points, the value of the points, and the simplicity of redeeming the earned points. These and more are what you’d discover in this review of the Scotia Rewards program.

About Scotia Rewards

Scotia Rewards is the rewards and loyalty program of Scotiabank, which is exclusively available to Canadians. The Bank of Nova Scotia, which offers financial services and products to its numerous customers across the Canadian regions, provides the channel through which its customers can earn and accumulate loyalty points for each credit card usage.

Each Scotia Rewards points comes with a value, which can be redeemed towards flights, hotels, cruises, car rentals, tours, and other travel-related usages.

How It Works

The Scotia Rewards is an excellent travel rewards program that makes it easy to earn points. To receive or enjoy the fantastic offers of the rewards program, there is a need to have the right Scotiabank credit card and a complete understanding of the values of the Scotia Rewards.

Scotiabank has about six different travel rewards credit cards/debit cards that offer the opportunity for its customers and cardholders to earn Scotia Rewards points. With each transaction on the credit card, you’ll earn rewards points that can be redeemed towards some travel-related offers.

How To Earn Scotia Rewards Points

There are diverse options available for earning Scotia Rewards points in Canada. To collect and accumulate rewards points, you’ll need any of the Scotiabank Rewards Travel credit cards. Each credit card comes with its unique features and points earning potentials. They are:

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card

This card offers a welcome bonus of 30,000 Scotia Rewards points ($300 in travel rewards) when you spend $1000 within the first three (3) months. You’ll equally earn a total of 30,900 Scotia Rewards points ($309 in travel rewards) on everyday purchases. Other perks and benefits of the card include:

• $50 supplementary card fee waiver on your first supplementary card.
• Potential first-year travel value of $1,153.
• $115 foreign transaction fee savings on foreign currency purchases
• Enjoy 6 free airport lounge visits and priority pass membership valued at $379
• Earn 2x Scotia Rewards points on every dollar spent on eligible grocery stores, dining, entertainment, and daily transit purchases.
• Earn 1x Scotia Rewards point on every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Minimum credit limit: $5000
• Annual fee: $139
• The annual interest rate on purchases: 19.99%
• The annual interest rate on cash advances: 22.99%

Scotiabank Gold American Express Card

This credit card offers the chance to earn 20,000 bonus Scotia Rewards points with your first $1000 in everyday purchases in the first three months. There is a foreign transaction fee waiver on any foreign currency purchases, except the exchange rate. Other perks and features of the card include:

• Earn 5 Scotia Rewards points on every $1CDN spent on eligible purchases including popular food deliveries and subscriptions.
• Earn 5 Scotia Rewards points for every dollar spent on all eligible entertainment purchases including movies, theater, and ticket agencies.
• Earn 3x Scotia Rewards points for every dollar spent on eligible gas and daily transit including buses, taxis, subway, and more.
• Earn 3x Scotia Rewards points for every Canadian dollar spent on eligible select streaming services.
• Earn 1x Scotia Rewards points for every dollar spent on every other purchase.
• Annual fee: $120
• The annual interest rate on cash advances:22.99%

Scotiabank American Express Card

This no-annual-fee card earns you 5000 bonus Scotia Rewards points with your first $500 in everyday purchases in the first three months. The card offers you the chance to book and redeem your points for travel anywhere and anytime, with no travel restrictions. Features of the card include:

• Up to 4 types of travel coverage.
• No supplementary card fees.
• Earn 1 Scotia Rewards point for every dollar you spend on everyday purchases.
• Minimum credit limit: $1000
• Annual fee: $0 (no annual fee)

Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card

This credit card offers the ultimate travel rewards and privileges, as a cardholder, you’ll earn travel rewards up to 4x faster, and comprehensive travel insurance. There is equally a welcome offer of 30,000 bonus Scotia Rewards points upon the first purchase on your Scotiabank credit card account within two months of opening the account.

The card also provides the avenue to book and redeem for travel anywhere, anytime, and with no travel restrictions. Other features and perks include:

• Earn 4x Scotia Rewards Points on every $1 you spend at eligible gas stations, grocery stores, dining, and entertainment.
• Earn 1 Scotia Rewards Point for every dollar spent on everything else.
• Enjoy luxury travel privileges.
• Enjoy access to complimentary concierge services, airport lounges, Hertz #1 club gold membership, merchandise, and rewards.
• Minimum credit limit: $10,000
• Annual fees: $399
• Annual fees on supplementary card: $99 each

Scotia Gold Passport Visa Card

The Scotia Gold Passport Visa credit card offers flexible travel rewards and travel-related coverage. As a cardholder, you’ll earn 5000 bonus Scotia Rewards Points upon the first purchase on your Scotiabank credit card account within two months of account opening.

Other features of this card include:

• Earn 1x Scotia Rewards Point for every dollar spent on every eligible purchase.
• Earn 5% cashback on the cost of your trip when ypu boo your travel through scotia rewards travel service.
• Save up to 25% on car rentals.
• Annual fees: $110
• Annual fees on each supplementary card: $30

Scotiabank Rewards Visa Card

The zero fees Scotiabank rewards visa credit card offers amazing travel rewards and other special offers and merchandise. With this rewards credit card, you can purchase eligible travels or travel-related expenses at any travel agency other than the scotia rewards travel service. Other features of the card include:

• Earn 1x Scotia Rewards Point for every $2 spent on every eligible purchase.
• Save up to 25% off base rate on car rentals.
• Enjoy zero fees on each supplementary card.
• Annual fees: $0.00 (no annual fees)
• Credit limit: $500

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Business Card

The new Passport Visa Infinite Business credit card gives you a special offer of up to 40,000 bonus Scotia Rewards Points in your first year, which is up to $400 travel value. With this card, you can turn your everyday business spending into your next business trip.

Other features of the card include:

• Earn 1.5x Scotia Rewards Points for every $1 spent on business purchases.
• Enjoy access to airport lounges.
• There is no foreign transaction fee on foreign currency purchases either online or outside Canada.
• Access to visa infinite concierge and luxury hotel collection.
• Save up to 25% off base rates on car rentals.
• Annual fee: $199

How To Redeem Scotia Rewards Points For Travel

The Scotia Rewards offers two distinct ways to redeem your Scotia Rewards points for travel towards flight, hotels, cruises, car rentals, tours, and more. These are:

Scotia Rewards Travel Service

You can use your Scotia Rewards to book your trip through the Scotia Rewards Travel Service, which serves as a full-service travel agency. The Scotia Rewards Travel Service is operated on behalf of the Scotiabank by a third party agency, Hogg Robinson Canada Inc.

To redeem your points through the Scotia Rewards Travel Services for travel-related purchases and you will need a minimum of 500 points. You will equally enjoy:

• Exclusive offers on air, car rentals, hotel, and travel packages.
• Best price guarantee on Airfare.
• Access to 24 hours of emergency assistance.
• Flexibility to book travel using Scotia Rewards points only.

Apply Points To Travel

There are situations that you might prefer to book travels on your own. Hence, the Scotia Rewards offers you the opportunity to redeem your points for travel purchases with another travel provider or agency. This service is also known as post-purchase travel redemption. To enjoy this offer:

• Book an eligible flight, hotel, car rental, cruises, or vacation package using your Scotia Rewards program credit card through the preferred travel provider.
• You will have to wait for your travel purchase to reflect on your Scotia Rewards card account or statement.
• Log in to the Scotia Rewards program page and select apply points to travel to redeem your points. You’ll have 12 months from the purchase date to redeem your points.

It should be noted that partial points redemption are not permitted in this points redemption category.

Other Redemption Methods

You can also redeem your Scotia Rewards points for non-travel offers and benefits.

Redeem for Apple and Best Buy Catalogue

You can redeem your points for tech, games, and other merchandise in the Apple and Best Buy catalog.

Redeem For Brand Name Merchandise

You can use your Scotia Rewards towards brand name merchandise, including jewelry and accessories, toys, games, household goods, and other online merchandise.

Redeem For Gift Cards

You can choose from a great selection of gift cards to redeem your points. The available gift cards include Walmart, Amazon, Costco, Longos, Uber Eats, the home depot, Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart, Mobil, Home Sense, Simplex, Star Bucks, Indigo, Best Buy, iTunes, and more.

Redeem Points for Statement Credit

You can redeem your points online in exchange for a credit to your Scotia Rewards program card account.

• 3000 Scotia Rewards Points: $20CAD
• 4500 Scotia Rewards Points: $30CAD
• 7500 Scotia Rewards Points: $50CAD
• 11,000 Scotia Rewards Points: $75CAD
• 14,000 Scotia Rewards Points: $100CAD
• 21,000 Scotia Rewards Points: $150CAD
• 37,500 Scotia Rewards Points: $300CAD
• 62,500 Scotia Rewards Points: $500CAD

Redeem for the SCENE points conversion

You can transfer your Scotia Rewards Points to SCENE Rewards Points and vice versa and enjoy movie benefits. The SCENE loyalty program is a joint program between Scotiabank and Cineplex.  You must convert a minimum of 1000 points per conversion.

Eligibility

To enjoy the complete functionality and benefits of the Scotia Rewards Points loyalty program:

• You must be a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.
• You must be of the age of majority in your province or territory of residence.
• You must meet the required minimum personal income of $60,000 or $100,000 household income (this applies to some of the Scotiabank credit cards).

The Scotia Rewards Points program is a value-laden loyalty program with flexible redemption methods in travel and non-travel related packages.

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Personal Finance and Travel Rewards Expert Contributor

• Freelance writer specializing in personal finance and travel content
• 2020 Plutus Awards Finalist

Kareena Maya is a freelance writer focused on the personal finance and travel spaces. He frequently writes about credit cards, banking, student loans, insurance, travel rewards and more. His work has been featured in publications such as Forbes Advisor, Bankrate, Credit Karma, Finance Buzz, The Ascent and Student Loan Planner.

Home » Credit Cards » Scotiabank Gold American Express Card: new increased bonus of 45,000 points and first year free!

Scotiabank Gold American Express Card: new increased bonus of 45,000 points and first year free!

Scotiabank’s summer offers are out and the only card in their suite of products to receive an increased limited time welcome bonus is the  Scotiabank Gold American Express Card. Right now when you apply for and are approved for the card you can earn up to 45,000 Scene+ points plus pay no annual fee in the first year. This is an increase of 5,000 points over the previous offer which also required the payment of the first year annual fee. This offer is available until October 31, 2024.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is considered the best No Foreign Transaction fee card in Canada and is ranked as the fourth overall best travel rewards card . The card is also one of only three cards that Rewards Canada classifies as a Points Earning Machine .

The 45,000 points + first year free offer

The new welcome bonus offer on the card is broken down as follows:

• Earn 25,000 bonus Scene+ Rewards points by making at least $1,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months.
• Earn 20,000 bonus Scene+ Rewards points when you spend $7,500 within your first 12 months

Unlike other ’12 months’ offers this one is not considered an anniversary bonus as it will be awarded within 2-3 business days of hitting that $7,500 spend mark regardless of time. That means if you go out and spend $7,500 in the first month of having the card you should receive receive all 45,000 bonus point in that first month.

Click here to apply for the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card

Earning points.

Being classified as a Points Earning Machine means this card can rack up points very fast thanks to accelerated earn rates. The earn rates on the card are as follows:

• 6 Scene+ points  for every $1 charged to your account on all eligible purchases 1  at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.
• 5 Scene+ points for every $1 you spend at eligible grocery stores, dining and entertainment *
• 3 Scene+ points for every $1 you spend at eligible gas stations, daily transit, and select streaming services
• 1 Scene+ point for every $1 you spend on all other eligible everyday purchases

The accelerated earn rates of 5 and 3 points per dollar are capped at $50,000 spending annually. This is one of the higher caps in our market and is higher than the comparable Cobalt Card. Although the Cobalt Card’s cap of $30,000 annually is only on eats & drinks – it’s accelerated earn rate on travel, gas, transit, ride sharing etc. is not capped.

One major note is the 5 and 3 point accelerated earn rates are only eligible for purchases in Canada. Should you be travelling outside of Canada you will strictly earn 1 point per dollar on any eligible purchases. But you do have to take into account that you aren’t paying any foreign transactions fees on those purchases.

Travel redemptions

Falling into the Rewards Canada “Travel Points” category in our annual credit card rankings means the points earned are part of the credit card’s semi-proprietary reward program, in this case Scene+ and not a totally separate co-brand program like Aeroplan or AIR MILES. For the vast majority of Canadians this is a good thing since you are not bound by the restrictions and limitations that frequent flyer programs and programs like AIR MILES put on flights and in fact you are not limited to only flights but any travel. This card falls into the book any travel anywhere category of Travel Points cards which means you don’t have to redeem via Scene+ Travel. All you have to do is book your travel whether it be aircanada.com , westjet.com , expedia.ca or anywhere else including your trusted travel agent and when that charge shows up on your statement you simply call up Scotia or go online and redeem points against the charge.

Points are redeemed at a rate of 100 points for $1. That is the beauty of this card and many like it, you don’t have to have the full amount of points to begin to enjoy the rewards! If you buy an airline ticket for $600 and have 30,000 points you can choose to redeem those points for a $300 credit which means your flight only cost $300. You also get 12 months after the travel charge posts to your account to redeem points so you can continue to pay off that vacation with points up to a year after! There aren’t too many card programs in Canada that give you that amount of time to redeem after the fact. Another benefit of this’ book travel on your own’ is you can be on vacation and buy travel on the card (say a rail ticket) and then redeem points when you get home. Essentially the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card falls into the category of most flexible travel rewards cards.

Grocery Redemptions

Now that Empire Company Limited stores like Sobeys, Safeway, IGA and more are part of Scene+ you can redeem the points earned on this card directly at the till to help pay for your groceries. The redemption rate is 1,000 for $10 which means you receive the same return as you would if redeemed for travel. This is a great option from the card and the Scene+ program especially given with the inflation we are seeing in the nation.

Scene+ Partner Redemptions

You can also redeem the points earned on this card at all eligible Scene+ partners including Cineplex and Home Hardware plus their dining partners like Harvey’s, Swiss Chalet and more. Depending on the partner the redemption rate is 100 points to $1 up to 1,000 points for $10 which means you receive the same return as you would if redeemed for travel or groceries. Once againg this is a great option from the card and the Scene+ program as you don’t lose any value across any of these primary redemption options. You don’t have to worry about redeeming 1,000 points at Home Hardware thinking their could be better value for travel or groceries – that’s not the case here!

Cash Back Redemptions

There are also non-travel redemption options in the Scene+ program. Probably the second most popular after travel would be their Points for Credit option which is essentially a cash back option. This works in the same vain as the travel rewards option although with a different redemption rate. Basically you can apply points to receive a cash back credit on a non-travel charge. The redemption rates are as follows:

For the points earned as 1 point per dollar your cash back return are the rates seen above and for your 2 points per dollar it will be double that and 3 points per dollar will be triple that. Not the most ideal seeing there are cash back cards that have better returns but at least the option is here on this card since it is primarily a travel rewards card.

Other Redemptions

You can also redeem Scene+ points for merchandise directly from Apple and Best Buy or via their own merchandise catalog. The last redemption option is using points to redeem for gift cards for dozens of stores, restaurants and more. All these redemption options also come in at a lower value than the above redemptions (Except for gift cards for Scene+ partners) but it is nice to have them as an option!

Wrapping it up

Scotiabank’s summer welcome bonus offers include an increased offer for the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card. a When you apply for the card by October 31, 2024 and are approved you can earn up to 45,000 Scene+ points and pay no annual fee in the first year on the card. This is a great welcome bonus offer for an amazing card and essentially you get to test drive it for a year to see if it meets your needs since you don’t have to pay the first year fee.

*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

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• Best Bank Accounts For Teenagers in Canada

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Best Bank Accounts For Teenagers In Canada For July 2024

Updated: Jul 3, 2024, 5:08pm

Fact Checked

Teen chequing accounts offer young Canadians an opportunity to manage their own money—whether that’s getting direct deposits from their part-time job, paying their phone bill or making everyday purchases with their debit card.

The best teen chequing accounts often have low or no fees, easy access to funds and digital banking tools. Some even earn interest, giving teens an extra incentive to save their money.

These features make teen chequing accounts practical for everyday transactions and effective for teaching money management skills. With this in mind, we’ve ranked the best teen chequing accounts in Canada.

• Featured Partner

Best Teen Chequing Accounts In Canada For July 2024 

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• Best Student Chequing Accounts
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• Best Online Banks In Canada

Featured Partner Offer

BMO Performance Chequing Account

Limited offer

Through October 31, 2024, earn up to $600 after opening a Performance Chequing Account with an Eligible Bank Plan and a Savings Amplifier Account and add a family member as part of the Family Bundle.

Transactions

Unlimited everyday banking transactions for a competitive monthly price of $17.95 ($4,000 minimum balance to waive fee)

Interest rate

5.50% promotional interest rate when you add a Savings Amplifier Account.

We’ve compared the 15 teen chequing accounts available to find the five best options available. See below to learn why we picked these accounts and each account’s pros, cons and other details.

BEST FOR BUILDING FINANCIAL LITERACY

Minimum Deposit Requirement

Monthly maintenance fee, excess transaction fee.

The Scotiabank Getting There Savings Program for Youth stands out as a solid choice for Canadians under the age of 19. This account encourages both savings and everyday banking without the burden of fees, making it particularly accessible for young people.

This account shines through its focus on financial literacy through practical banking experience combined with the benefits of the Scene+™ rewards program, which links money management with everyday lifestyle benefits.

• Unlimited debit and Interac e-Transfer transactions
• Earn Scene+ points on everyday and Cineplex theatre purchases
• No monthly fees
• Earn interest on your balance
• Free digital or paper statements
• Only available to those 18 years of age or younger
• Scene+ points account holders can earn are capped
• The annual percentage yield earned on balances is very low
• Must be 18 years of age of younger to be eligible for this chequing account
• No minimum balance required
• No monthly account maintenance fee
• Earn 1 Scene+ points for every 5 dollars spent on everyday transactions
• 1 Scene+ point for every dollar spent at Cineplex theatres
• Earn 0.05% interest on deposits up to $499.99
• Earn 0.10% interest on deposits of $500 or more
• Free paperless or paper statements
• Receive free Scotia InfoAlerts–emails, text messages or in-app push notifications–when account activity takes place.
• Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to open an account.
• Children aged 12 to 15 or over may open an account by themselves, if they are able to provide adequate ID.
• Age 11 and under: Only parent ID required
• Age 12 to 15: Child ID and/or parent ID required Note: Parent ID is required if the child aged 12 to 15 cannot provide adequate ID on their own or if the child would like a debit card.
• Age 16 or over: only child ID required

BEST FOR NO FEES

The Affinity Credit Union Youth Chequing Account is a good choice for its commitment to fee-free banking, and is made for users up to age 20. With no minimum deposit and no monthly fees, it’s easy for any young person to get started.

It offers unlimited transactions and free Interac e-Transfer® services, meaning teens can both send and spend their money without piling on any extra costs.

• No monthly fees and no minimum balance requirements
• Unlimited transactions and free Interac e-Transfer® services
• Access to over 1,800 ding-free® ATMs across Canada
• The availability of the Affinity Mobile app and other digital banking tools
• Real-time spending alerts
• Limited to users in Saskatchewan
• Charges for non-network ATM withdrawals and some assisted services
• No interest earned on deposits
• Account accessible to users aged 20 and under to foster early financial responsibility
• Easy transition to a Student Chequing Account upon reaching age 21 to ensure continued benefits
• Real-time alerts and other digital tools to help young people monitor and manage their finances actively. A streamlined process for opening an account (with online options and minimal documentation requirements)
• Includes a Member Card® debit card

BEST FOR ATM ACCESS

The Vancity Youth Chequing Account is ideal for young Canadians under 25, offering access to over 4,000 fee-free ATMs across Canada.

This account also allows users to manage their money freely, whether withdrawing cash, transacting online or using a debit card—all without any fees. With no monthly maintenance fees or minimum deposit requirements, it’s a highly accessible account that promotes financial independence.

A unique feature of this account is its community impact—deposits support local businesses and community projects, adding social value to everyday banking.

• No monthly fees and no minimum deposit required
• Free unlimited transactions (including ATM, online and mobile transactions)
• Access to a wide network of fee-free ATMs for easy cash access nationwide
• Local community support through banking transactions
• Exclusive benefits (like 50 free personalized cheques for members under 25)
• Limited to users in British Columbia
• Designed specifically for youth under 25
• Inclusive banking features like mobile cheque deposits and online banking
• Involvement in the credit union’s community decisions and benefits through the “one member, one vote” system
• Deposits insured 100% by the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation (CUDIC) of British Columbia.
• Financial peace of mind with comprehensive transaction coverage and no hidden fees

BEST FOR PAPERLESS STATEMENTS

The Alterna Bank Youth Start Account is a top choice for its straightforward banking, designed specifically for users aged 18 and under. However, this account only allows for 30 free transactions per month, which can be limiting.

The real appeal of this account lies in its ease of use and the lack of monthly maintenance fees, which make it a practical option for teaching teens the basics of financial management.

• 30 free transactions per month
• Accessible online banking
• Specifically tailored to the needs of users 18 and under
• Live chat support for immediate assistance
• Fee after the first 30 transactions
• Limited to users in Ontario
• Online account opening is available (without visiting a branch)
• Account transitions to another type of account once the user turns 19
• Live chat available for quick online support
• Includes eco-conscious, convenient digital banking tools like e-statements
• Straightforward eligibility requirements (only basic identification documents for youth under 18)

BEST FOR EARNING INTEREST

0.05% on balances up to $500 and 0.50% on balances over $500.01

The Canadian Western Bank Youth Account’s dual focus on practical daily banking and fostering saving habits makes it ideal for young savers starting their financial journey.

With no monthly fees and no minimum deposit requirement, this account is an attractive option for teens under 18 across Western Canada.

This account also makes everyday banking easier with unlimited transactions and free Interac e-Transfers®. It also rewards saving with a tiered interest structure that benefits larger balances.

• Competitive interest rates to maximize savings on higher balances
• Unlimited transactions
• Free Interac e-Transfers®
• Available across Western Canada and Ontario
• Limited to Western Canada
• Lower interest on balances below $500
• No live chat support
• Interest is calculated daily and paid monthly
• The account is specifically designed for youth aged 18 and under
• Once account holders turn 18, they can easily transition to another type of chequing account at Canadian Western Bank
• Access to a wide network of ATMs and branch services across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario
• Digital banking tools include mobile and online banking, mobile cheque deposit and payment options like Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay

To create this list, Forbes Advisor Canada analyzed 20 chequing accounts. We ranked each account on six data points within the categories of fees, access, customer experience, digital experience, annual percentage yield, plus the minimums and balance needed to avoid monthly fees.

The following is the weighting assigned to each category:

•   Fees: 50%
•   Branch and ATM access: 15%
•   Customer experience: 10%
•   Digital experience: 10%
•   Minimums: 10%
•   Balance to avoid monthly fee: 5%

Specific characteristics taken into consideration within each category included monthly fee, ability to waive the monthly fee, overdraft fee, NSF fee, other fees, ATM network, branch access, Better Business Bureau rating, Trustpilot rating, live chat availability, mobile app ratings, online bill pay availability, online banking access, minimum deposit requirements and minimum balance requirements.

Chequing accounts offering no or very low fees scored the highest, as did those offering low minimum requirements and high customer service and digital experience scores. To appear on this list, the chequing account must be nationally available.

Our research is based on information from the following financial institutions: RBC, TD, BMO, National Bank, CIBC, Scotiabank, UNI Financial, Canadian Western Bank, Coast Capital Savings, Digital Commerce Bank, EQ Bank, First Nations Bank of Canada, Laurentian Bank, Manulife Bank, Motus Bank, Peoples Bank of Canada, Simplii Financial, Tangerine Bank, VanCity, VersaBank, HSBC, Home Bank, ICICI Bank Canada, SBI Canada Bank, CTBC Bank, Bank of China (Canada), KEB Hana Bank Canada, Shinhan Bank Canada, Meridian Credit Union, Servus Credit Union, Envision Financial, Steinbach Credit Union, Affinity Credit Union, Prospera Credit Union, Conexus Credit Union, ConnectFirst Credit Union, Access Credit Union, Assiniboine Credit Union.

What Is a Teen Chequing Account?

A teen chequing account is a type of bank account designed specifically for younger individuals, typically teenagers, to begin learning about and managing their own finances under the supervision of a parent or guardian. These accounts often come with features that promote financial literacy and independence while providing tools for parents to oversee and guide their teen’s spending and saving habits.

What Is the Minimum Age To Open a Teen Chequing Account?

The minimum age to open a teen chequing account can vary by bank but typically starts at around 13 to 14 years old. Some banks may offer accounts to younger children with more restrictive features.

What Do You Need To Open a Teen Chequing Account?

To open a teen chequing account, both the teen and the parent/guardian will usually need to provide:

• Legal proof of identity (e.g., birth certificate or passport)
• Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Proof of address (e.g., utility bill)
• Initial deposit (if required by the bank)
• Educational opportunities: Teaches financial responsibility and money management from a young age.
• Independence: Allows teens to manage some of their own money, make purchases and learn to budget.
• Safety: Provides a safer place to keep money compared to cash.
• Technology: Most teen accounts come with access to mobile banking, helping tech-savvy teens manage their finances digitally.
• Overspending risk: With greater freedom may come the risk of overspending without proper guidance.
• Fees: Some accounts might have fees that can eat into savings if not managed properly.
• Limited features: Depending on the account, there might be restrictions on the number of transactions or types of services available.

When selecting a teen chequing account, consider the following features:

• Fees: Look for accounts with no or low monthly fees and check for other potential costs like ATM or overdraft fees.
• Accessibility: Consider whether the account can be managed online and whether there are branches and ATMs close to where you live or work.
• Parental controls: Choose accounts that offer features allowing parents to set limits on spending and monitor account activity.
• Educational resources: Some banks offer programs or tools that help teach financial literacy.
• Incentives: Check if the account offers any interest on the balance or rewards for saving.

This step-by-step guide will help you and your teen navigate the process of opening and managing a teen chequing account effectively.

• Choose the right bank and account: Research and compare different banks and their teen chequing accounts to find the best fit based on fees, features and convenience.
• Gather necessary documents: Collect all required documents for both the parent(s) and the teenager, such as identification and proof of address.
• Visit a branch or apply online: Depending on the bank, you may be able to start the application online or you might need to visit a branch.
• Fill out the application form: Complete the application with details about the teen and the parent(s) or guardian.
• Make the initial deposit: If the account requires an initial deposit, arrange to transfer funds into the account.
• Set up online access: Register for online banking to manage the account digitally and download the bank’s mobile app.
• Review features and set controls: Familiarize yourself with the account’s features and set up any parental controls if available.
• Educate: Ensure the teen understands how to use the account, the importance of managing their money and the consequences of overspending.
• Scotiabank Getting There Savings Program For Youth: Best for Building Financial Literacy
• Affinity Credit Union Youth Chequing Account: Best for No Fees
• Vancity Youth Chequing Account: Best for ATM Access
• Alterna Bank Youth Start Account: Best for No Fees
• Canadian Western Bank Youth Account: Best for Earning Interest

What is the best bank account for teens?

Based on our evaluation of teen chequing accounts in Canada, Scotiabank’s Getting There Savings Program for Youth ranks the highest with a rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars and is a leading choice for building financial literacy. Nevertheless, each of our top five teen chequing accounts stands out in different ways. The Vancity Credit Union’s Youth Chequing Account is the best account for ATM access, while the Canadian Western Bank Youth Account is the best for earning interest. Ultimately, the best bank account for teens will depend on their unique needs, whether it’s cost-effectiveness, access to funds or learning financial management.

Can a minor have a chequing account?

Yes, minors can have chequing accounts in Canada. These accounts usually need to be joint accounts with a parent or guardian and come with features tailored to younger users, like parental controls and limits on withdrawals.

What happens to a teen chequing account when I turn 18?

When you turn 18, many banks transition your teen chequing account to a standard adult chequing account. This process might involve new terms and fees. In addition, the bank will issue you a new debit card under the standard adult account terms.

Can a 14-year-old open a chequing account?

Yes, a 14-year-old can open a chequing account in Canada, generally as a joint account with a parent or guardian. Banks have specific youth or teen accounts designed for this age group, featuring low or no fees and parental oversight options.

Do teen chequing accounts have monthly fees?

Many teen chequing accounts in Canada do not have monthly fees, aiming to make banking accessible and affordable for young users. However, it’s important to check for other potential costs like ATM fees or fees for transactions beyond set limits.

How old do you have to be to get a debit card?

In Canada, minors can get a debit card at the age of 12 to 13, depending on the bank’s policies for youth accounts. These debit cards are typically linked to a joint account with a parent or guardian.

What’s the difference between a debit card and a prepaid card?

A debit card is linked directly to a chequing account , withdrawing money that the user already has deposited. A prepaid card, on the other hand, is loaded with a set amount of money in advance and can be used until the balance runs out. Debit cards often come with fewer fees and can be reloaded directly by depositing more money into the associated account, while prepaid cards might require purchasing a new load of funds.

Kevin Nishmas is an expert financial content writer with a long and successful history of working with Canada's largest financial institutions. His knack (and passion) for transforming complex personal finance information into clear, compelling content has landed him in leading business publications such as Report on Business, Advisor’s Edge, Benefits Canada and Investor's Digest of Canada.

Strike by WestJet mechanics already affecting Halifax flight schedule

Airline operates about 24 flights a day in and out of halifax stanfield international airport.

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A strike by mechanics at Calgary-based WestJet has begun to affect the airline's operations in Halifax on the busy Canada Day weekend.

Halifax Stanfield International Airport spokesperson Tiffany Chase said travellers who are booked with WestJet this weekend and in the coming days should check for any flight updates from the airline.

Chase said the airline has indicated it will be using the email address associated with the booking to inform customers of any changes associated with their flights.

The airline operates an average of 24 flights a day out of Halifax, Chase said Saturday.

"If all of their operations weren't able to go ahead, that could impact upwards of about 4,000 travellers directly at Halifax Stanfield," she said. " However, we're not seeing that all flights are cancelled at this time."

• WestJet cancels 407 flights as mechanics strike in surprise move on busy long weekend

WestJet mechanics decided to strike on Friday, a day after Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration to solve outstanding issues of the collective agreement between the airline and Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.

The union said that about 680 workers are taking strike action.

WestJet responded to the union going on strike on Friday, saying it was "outraged."

The airline announced in a media release on Saturday that it was cancelling 235 flights from its daily schedule, affecting around 33,000 travellers.

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With files from Omar Sherif

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• Thousands affected after WestJet cancels flights in anticipation of mechanics strike
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Carbon capture 'not growing as quickly as canada needs' for net-zero 2050: scotiabank.

High costs are preventing carbon capture and storage from scaling up at the pace Canada needs to achieve net-zero by 2050, according to Scotiabank Economics. The warning comes as research, politics, and cancelled projects signal mounting challenges for deployment of the emissions-sucking technology.

Carbon capture projects typically collect CO2 from large, industrial emission sources, and inject this material deep underground. The capturing can occur at the point of emission, like inside a steel plant, or directly from the air at a specific location.

Canada currently has the third-most operational projects globally, behind the U.S. and China. By 2030, the country is forecast to have roughly 30 million tonnes of installed capture capacity in place. According to the Canada Energy Regulator, that will need to grow up to six per cent annually between 2030 and 2050 to remain on track with net-zero scenarios. Direct air capture would also need to grow at roughly 30 per cent year-over-year in the same timeframe. Scotiabank says this technology is set to experience no growth in Canada from 2026 to 2030.

These projections assume all currently planned projects are operational by 2030.

“Even with planned projects and technical potential, carbon management is not growing as quickly as Canada needs to reach net-zero by 2050,” John McNally, a senior advisor on climate policy at Scotiabank Economics, wrote in research published on Tuesday. “A primary reason for slow growth thus far is high costs for capture solutions, which will have a material impact on the future outlook.”

Recent weeks have cast more uncertainty over that outlook.

In May, Edmonton-based Capital Power ( CPX.TO ) announced plans to pull the plug on a proposed $2.4 billion carbon capture and storage project capable of absorbing up to three million tonnes of emissions from its natural gas units.

Earlier this month, a Deloitte report commissioned by Alberta’s government predicted oil and gas companies will cut production, rather than invest in pricey carbon capture to abate emissions if a cap on the sector were imposed by Ottawa.

Last week, the group of six big oil sands producers behind Canada’s most ambitious carbon capture plan scrubbed content from its website and social media feeds in response to a federal bill aimed at combating so-called “greenwashing.”

The Pathways Alliance includes Canadian Natural Resources ( CNQ.TO )( CNQ ), Imperial Oil ( IMO.TO )( IMO ), MEG Energy ( MEG.TO ), Cenovus Energy ( CVE.TO )( CVE ), ConocoPhillips Canada, and Suncor Energy ( SU.TO ) ( SU ).

They’ve committed to reducing oil sands emissions by 22 million tonnes per year by 2030, mainly through carbon capture. If built, the group’s proposed $16.5 billion carbon capture network in Alberta would be among the largest in the world. Pathways has said it could begin injecting and storing CO2 by late 2026 . However, the group has not made a firm investment decision on the project, citing uncertainty from the federal government over carbon prices.

'Huge uncertainty'

Meanwhile, Shell Canada announced a plan on Wednesday to deepen its investment in Canadian carbon capture . The company green-lit a final investment decision for its Polaris project in Alberta designed to capture up to 650,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year from its refinery and chemicals complex near Edmonton. The company expects operations to begin near the end of 2028, but did not disclose a dollar figure for the project. Shell’s Quest carbon capture facility in Alberta has been operational since 2015.

The actual dollars and cents behind the technology are tough to gauge, according to a recent Wood Mackenzie analysis of ExxonMobil’s ( XOM ) carbon capture portfolio.

“Project economics are subject to huge uncertainty with transport and storage fee tolls being some of the biggest variables,” researcher Tom Ellacott wrote in a June 21 report. “Delays, operational problems, [and] political and regulatory risks could also put double-digit returns in jeopardy.”

This is true, he says, despite ExxonMobil’s “clear lead” in the United States, a market he describes as the world’s most advantaged.

Scotiabank’s McNally suggests greater investment go to projects that actually use the carbon they capture, rather than permanently lock it underground. Plastics, concrete, and aviation fuel are among the possible uses.

McNally adds that Canada has the land, clean energy, and storage potential to become a global hub for carbon management. According to Wood Mackenzie, global carbon capture capacity will reach 440 million tonnes per year, and storage capacity will hit 664 million tonnes per year, requiring US$196 billion in total investment.

“Canada can try to reduce costs by itself, but effects from learning curves and economies of scale will be more significant if it partners with other countries,” McNally wrote.

“In particular, deeper partnerships with the U.S. could prove beneficial, given its larger market and global leadership role in advancing carbon management projects.”

Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist .

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android .

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