Scotiabank issues many of the top credit cards in Canada, and a few of them are certified Frugal Flyer favorites when it comes to using the Scene+ loyalty program. One of the least talked about cards is the Scotiabank Platinum American Express card which comes with the highest annual fee, but also the best benefits of any Scotiabank credit card.
Let’s consider everything you need to know about the Scotiabank Platinum American Express card and see if it’s worth adding to your wallet.
Overview
Welcome Bonus
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express card currently has a welcome bonus in which new cardholders can earn up to 80,000 Scene+ points:
- Earn 60,000 Scene+ points upon spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
- Earn 20,000 Scene+ points upon spending $10,000 in the first 14 months
Plus: You can earn an additional $200 FlyerFunds Rebate on the Scotiabank Platinum American Express card when you apply through Frugal Flyer Rebates!
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card offers benefits such as no foreign transaction fees and ten annual airport lounge access passes.
Check out our Scotiabank Platinum American Express card review for more details.
Earn when you apply through Frugal Flyer.
80,000 Scene+ points
$10,000
$1,000+
$399
No
Jan 1, 2026
This offer has an expiry date of Jan 1, 2026.
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express card has an annual personal income requirement of $12,000 or an annual household income requirement of $12,000, making it accessible to the large majority of Canadians. This card also has a minimum credit limit of $10,000.
Earning Rates
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express card earns Scene+ points for all eligible purchases made on the card at the following rates:
- Earn up to 4 Scene+ points for every dollar spent on hotel bookings, car rentals, and things to do with Scene+ Travel, Powered by Expedia.
- Earn 2 Scene+ points for every dollar spent on all eligible purchases.
This earning rate is weaker compared to many other Scotiabank credit cards, so it might not be the best card to use if your main goal is to accrue Scene+ points.
Annual Fee
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express card has an annual fee of $399. As a premium credit card, the annual fee is on the higher end compared to other cards in Canada, but this can be worth it by utilizing the various benefits that this card offers.
Benefits
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express credit card offers a number of travel-focused benefits plus a full suite of insurance coverages.
10 Complimentary Airport Lounge Passes
Scotiabank Platinum American Express cardholders will receive 10 complimentary airport lounge passes to access Priority Pass and Plaza Premium airport lounges. These complimentary lounge access passes can be used by both the cardholder and their guests to access a large number of airport lounges worldwide.
Accessing this benefit does vary based on whether you are entering a Priority Pass lounge or a Plaza Premium lounge:
- Priority Pass Lounges: Present your Priority Pass physical or digital membership card. Cardholders will need to sign up for the complimentary Priority Pass membership here and enter the invitation code “Scotia1”.
- Plaza Premium Lounges: Present your Scotiabank Platinum American Express card to gain access to the lounge.
If you have yet to experience the pluses that an airport lounge can add to your travel experience, such as complimentary food and drink, consider looking into a few of the best credit cards with complimentary airport lounge access. There are other cards in Canada that come with unlimited airport lounge access as well if that is more suited to your travel needs.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express card is one of the best three credit cards that offer no foreign exchange fees in Canada which means that cardholders who spend in foreign currencies, whether in-person or online, will save 2.5% on those transactions.
This means that for every $1,000 CAD spent on foreign currency purchases, whether on flights, hotels, or other expenses, you will save $25 over using a card that does not offer this benefit as only the exchange rate applies. We recommend all Canadians who travel hold at least one card that offers this benefit, as the savings can add up simply by using the right credit card.
This makes this card great to use when traveling, provided you are spending at retailers that accept American Express as a payment method.
American Express Offers
As the Scotiabank Platinum American Express card is part of the American Express payment network, cardholders can access American Express Offers. These card-linked offers give cardholders a way to save money at various retailers, restaurants, on travel, and much more.
Cardholders will need to visit the Scotiabank American Express Offer Portal to see what offers are currently available and to register for any offers they are interested in, before spending at the required retailer.
Insurance Coverage
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express credit card offers the following insurance coverages:
- Emergency travel medical insurance: $2,000,000 per person per trip (up to 31 days for cardholders aged 64 and under; up to 10 days for cardholders aged 65 and over)
- Trip cancellation insurance: $2,500 per person, up to $10,000 per trip
- Trip interruption insurance: $5,000 per person, up to $25,000 per trip
- Travel accident insurance: $500,000 of accidental death and dismemberment coverage
- Car rental collision, loss, and damage coverage: Comprehensive coverage for cars up to $65,000 MSRP
- Delayed and lost baggage insurance: $1,000 total coverage per trip
- Flight delay insurance: $1,000 coverage per person for reasonable purchases when delayed or missed connection for 4 hours or more
- Hotel burglary insurance: $1,000 total coverage for stolen items
- Mobile device insurance: $1,000 coverage for theft, loss, or accidental damage to your mobile device
- Purchase security: Coverage for accidental physical damage or theft for 120 days from the date of purchase (Maximum lifetime limit of $60,000)
- Extended warranty protection: Extend the manufacturer’s original warranty up to two additional years
Refer to the Scotiabank Platinum American Express card certificate of insurance for additional details, including terms and conditions for eligibility.
Redeeming Scene+ Points
Scene+ points can be redeemed for maximum value when applied against any travel purchase made on your card at the rate of 1 cent per point. Eligible travel purchases cover a wide range of categories, including hotel accommodations, flight bookings, and rental cars.
Our favorite use for Scene+ points is to use them for miscellaneous “Book Any Way” travel purchases, such as Disneyland tickets or the seaplane en route to the Le Meridien Maldives. While it is easy to save on flights and hotels with miles and points, utilizing a program like Scene+ makes it easy to cut down vacation costs further thanks to their flexible loyalty currency.
Scene+ points can also be redeemed for shopping and dining purchases at participating retailers (including grocery and liquor purchases), entertainment purchases, movie tickets, a statement credit, and more. Some of these options present decent value, but you should never redeem Scene+ points for any value less than 1 cent per point.
Comparable Credit Cards
If you are looking for other credit cards that have comparable benefits, there are a few other cards worth considering.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card is a great option that has comparable benefits, and a much lower annual fee.
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card offers benefits such as no foreign transaction fees and six annual complimentary airport lounge access passes.
Check out our Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card review for more details.
Earn when you apply through Frugal Flyer.
45,000 Scene+ points
$40,000
$600+
$150
No
Jan 1, 2026
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card is another card that offers no foreign transaction fees on purchases in foreign currencies which saves travelers 2.5% on all purchases over other credit cards. There are only a handful of cards that offer this perk in Canada, and the best ones are all offered by Scotiabank.
The card offers six complimentary lounge passes which can be utilized through the Dragonpass lounge program. These can be used for the cardholder and their guests and should suffice for the traveler who only takes one or two vacations a year.
Simply put, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card is easily the best all-around mid-tier travel credit card in Canada.
American Express Platinum Card
The American Express Platinum card has a much higher annual fee than the Scotiabank Platinum American Express card but offers even greater benefits for cardholders.
The American Express Platinum Card is a premium card that offers benefits including a $200 travel credit, a $200 dining credit, airport lounge access, instant elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, and more.
Check out our American Express Platinum card review for more details.
100,000 Membership Rewards points
$10,000
$2,000+
$799
Yes
–
If you can stomach the annual fee, you’ll benefit from a number of perks and credits. Starting out, cardholders receive an annual $200 travel credit for use with Amex Travel Online which can also be applied towards a Fine Hotels & Resorts booking.
Cardholders will also receive an annual $200 dining credit that can be used at any eligible restaurant as designated by American Express. They will also benefit from a $100 statement credit that can be used towards NEXUS membership or renewal.
Cardholders also receive unlimited complimentary airport lounge access through the American Express Global Lounge Collection which includes over 1,200 lounges worldwide. Cardholders are eligible to receive access for themselves and oftentimes at least one additional guest.
Conclusion
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express card commands a higher annual fee, and as such, offers the most valuable benefits available on a Scotiabank credit card. If you desire additional lounge passes but don’t quite want to commit to a card with an even higher annual fee that offers unlimited airport lounge access, the Scotiabank Platinum American Express card can be a good middle-ground option.
If you aren’t sure if this is the right card for you, consider looking into our credit card comparison tool to see all the options that are available to you.
Josh Bandura
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