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The great thing about Scotiabank credit cards is that they offer a wide variety of options, depending on your needs. They have traditional credit cards, low-rate credit cards, travel credit cards and more.
Top Credit Cards to Choose From
With so many credit card options, it can be difficult to choose just one. Here are some of the ones considered to be the best Scotiabank credit cards.
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is a great credit card for those who travel a lot or just like to use their credit card for all of their purchases. The minimum credit limit on this card is $5,000, and the annual fee is $120. The purchase interest rate is 20.99% and the cash advance rate is 22.99%. Each supplementary card is $29.
One of the main benefits of this card is that there are no foreign transaction fees when travelling or shopping online and making foreign currency purchases. You only have to pay the exchange rate. Other benefits included with this card are:
- Scene points
- Amex offers
- Front of the Line Presale Tickets
- Front of the Line Reserved Tickets
- Complimentary concierge services
- Preferred discount on a Priority Pass Membership
On top of these great perks, you also get some insurance benefits. These include:
- Travel Emergency Medical Insurance
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance
- Flight Delay Insurance
- Delayed and Lost Baggage Insurance
- Travel Accident Insurance
- Rental Car Collision Loss /Damage Insurance
- Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance
- Mobile Device Insurance
- Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Protection
When it comes to points, you can earn some great ones with this card. You get 6x the points on every $1 you spend at Sobeys, Safeway, Freshco, Foodland, and other Canadian grocery stores. You can also get 5x the points on dining, food delivery, and other eligible grocery stores. You can also get 5x the points on entertainment purchases. You can get 3x the points on eligible gas and daily transit purchases, as well as with eligible streaming services.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
Another great option for a travel credit card is the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card. That said, in order to qualify, you need a minimum income of $60,000 per year, or a household income of $100,000. You can also have a minimum of $250,000 in assets under management. If you’re approved, then the minimum credit limit you can get is $5,000, and the annual fee is $120. The purchase interest rate is 20.99%, and the cash advance rate is 22.99%.
With this card, you can also earn Scene points. You can get:
- 3x the points at Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland, IGAs and participating Co-ops
- 2x the points on dining and other eligible grocery purchases
- 2x the points on entertainment
- 2x the points on eligible gas and transit purchases
- 1x the points on all other eligible purchases
Besides the points, you also have access to some great Visa benefits. These include world-class concierge services, access to the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection and exclusive culinary experiences. When it comes to travel, the perks include no foreign transaction fees, 6 complimentary lounge visits with the Visa Airport Companion Lounge Program, car rental discounts and the ability to use your Scene points for travel.
The insurances included with this credit card are:
- Travel Emergency Medical Insurance
- Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance
- Flight Delay Insurance
- Delayed and Lost Luggage Insurance
- Rental Card Collision/Loss Damage Insurance
- Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance
- Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
- Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Insurance
Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite Card
The Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite Card is a cash back card. There’s no minimum income requirement, but the minimum credit limit you can get is $5,000, and the annual fee is $120. The purchase interest rate is 20.99%, and the cash advance rate is 22.99%. Each supplementary card is $50.
This card offers 4% cash back on groceries and recurring payments, 2% on gas and daily transit, and 1% on all other purchases. You could also qualify for the special offer of 10% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000).
The benefits you can get include Visa Infinite Concierge Services, the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection, and the Visa Infinite Dining and Wine Country Program rates. You can also get insurance which includes:
- New Mobile Device Insurance
- Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance
- Travel Emergency Medical Insurance
- Flight Delay Insurance
- Delayed and Lost Baggage Insurance
- Travel Accident Insurance
- Rental Car Collision Loss/Damage Insurance
- Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Protection
Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card
The Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card is another great option for those who like to travel as well as earn rewards points. The minimum credit limit is $10,000, and the annual fee for this card is $399. However, the purchase interest rate is only 9.99% and the cash advance rate is 9.99% as well. Each supplementary card is $99.
The list of benefits you can get with this card is long. It includes:
- 10 complimentary airport lounge visits with Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Lounges
- No foreign transaction fees
- Beyond travel rewards
- Premium concierge services
- Front of the Line Presale Tickets
- Front of the Line Reserved Tickets
- Premium Lifestyle Experiences
- Amex Offers
The list of insurances you get includes:
- Travel Emergency Medical
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption
- Flight Delay
- Rental Car Collision Loss/Damage
- Delayed and Lost Baggage
- Travel Accident
- Hotel/Motel Burglary
- Mobile Device
When it comes to points, you can earn 2x the points on all eligible purchases.
Scotiabank American Express Card
The Scotiabank American Express Card has no annual fee and a minimum credit limit of only $1,000. The purchase interest rate is 19.99% and the cash advance rate is 22.99%. There’s no fee for supplementary cards.
The Scene points that you can earn with this card include:
- 3x at Sobey’s, Safeway, Freshco, Foodland, and more
- 2x on food purchases and other eligible grocery stores
- 2x on entertainment, and eligible daily gas and transit purchases
- 2x on eligible streaming services
- 1x on all other purchases
The benefits and insurance coverages include:
- Amex Offers
- Ames Experiences
- Beyond Travel Rewards
- Car Rental Discounts
- Mobile Device Insurance
- Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Protection
Scotiabank Momentum Mastercard Credit Card
Another great cash back card that you can get with Scotiabank is the Scotiabank Momentum Mastercard. This card has no annual fee and a minimum credit limit of $500. The purchase interest rate is 20.99% and the cash advance rate is 22.99%. There is no fee for supplementary cards.
You can earn 1% cash back on recurring payments as well as eligible gas station, grocery store and drug store purchases. You can earn 0.5% cash back on all other purchases. You can also save on car rentals and get access to Mastercard Global Services, Mastercard Worldwide Acceptance, and Booking.com rewards. There are no insurance benefits included.
Scotiabank Momentum Visa Card
The Scotiabank Momentum Visa Card is a low annual fee cash back card. The annual fee is $39 and the minimum credit limit is $500. There’s also a purchase interest rate of 19.99% and a cash advance rate of 22.99%. Each supplementary card is $15 per year.
When it comes to cash back, you earn 2% back on all eligible purchases at gas stations, grocery stores and drug stores. You also get 2% back on recurring bill payments. On all other purchases, you get 1% back. Other benefits that are included with this card are car rental discounts, Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Protection.
Best Scotiabank Credit Card for Beginners
If you’re new to credit cards and looking for your first credit card, Scotiabank has a few options that could work for you. However, the best is considered to be the Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card.
Scotiabank Scene Visa Card
The Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card has an annual fee of $0 and a minimum credit limit of $500, making it perfect for those just starting out. It has a purchase interest rate of 20.99% and a cash advance rate of 22.99%. There’s no fee for any supplementary cards.
When it comes to points, you can earn 2x on eligible entertainment purchases, home hardware purchases, and at participating grocery stores. You can earn 1x on all other eligible everyday purchases. You can also get discounts on car rentals, but there is no insurance included with this card. This is also one of the credit cards that’s given as an option for students.
Best Scotiabank Credit Card for Travel
While Scotiabank does offer a variety of different travel credit cards, there’s one that stands above the rest. This is the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege Card. This card is great for those who qualify, but the other options are also a great way to earn travel rewards.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege Card
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege Card has a minimum credit limit of $10,000 and an annual fee of $599. The purchase interest rate is 20.99% and the cash advance rate is 22.99%. Each supplementary card is $199. In order to qualify, though, you also need to meet the minimum income requirements. These are individuals who have a minimum personal income of $150,000 per year, or a minimum household income of $200,000. You can also have a minimum of $400,000 in assets under management.
With this card, you can also get 3x the points on all eligible travel purchases. If you make your purchases through Expedia, you can also get double the points. You can earn 2x the points on dining and entertainment, and 1x the points on everything else. Some other benefits that you can get with this card include:
- $250 annual travel credit on your first booking with Scene+ Travel
- 10 complimentary airport lounge visits annually with the Visa Airport Companion Program
- Priority security and taxi lanes, discounted valet parking, and dedicated parking.
- Premium benefits at over 200 Relais & Chateaux Properties
- Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection
- Ability to become an Avis President's Club member
- Exclusive culinary experiences
- Benefits with over 60 participating wineries
- Exclusive benefits with the Toronto International Film Festival
- Access to over 25 members-only Prive Club courses
- World-class concierge services
- Exclusive access to primetime restaurants
The travel insurance coverage and other insurance benefits that you have access to include:
- Travel Emergency Medical Insurance
- Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance
- Flight Delay Insurance
- Lost Baggage and Delayed Baggage Insurance
- Rental Car Collision and Loss Damage Insurance
- Hotel Burglary Insurance
- Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance
- Mobile Device Insurance
- Purchase Security and Extended Warranty Coverage
Best Scotiabank Credit Card for Students
While Scotiabank offers a variety of options when it comes to credit cards for students, the best option for most is the Scotiabank Value Visa Card for Students. This card is meant to hold a balance for a small cost, which can make it a great choice for students.
Scotiabank Value Visa Card for Students
While there is an annual fee of $29 and a minimum credit limit of $500 for the Scotiabank Value Visa Card, the interest rate is only 13.99%. There’s also no fee for any supplementary cards. This is also a great card for balance transfers since you can get a rate of 0.99% on all transfers for 9 months with a 2% rate for cash advances. However, the only other benefit you’ll receive with this card is rental car discounts. This card can even be available to those who aren’t students.
Best Scotiabank Credit Card with No Annual Fee
While many of Scotiabank’s credit cards have an annual fee, there are a few that don’t. These cards can still also earn you rewards, but at just a lower rate. The most popular no-fee credit card with Scotiabank is the Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa Card.
Scotiabank Momentum No-Fee Visa Card
The Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa Card has a minimum credit limit of $500, a purchase interest rate of 19.99% and a cash advance rate of 22.99%. There’s also no fee for any supplementary cards. When it comes to cash back, you can earn 1% back on all purchases at eligible grocery stores, gas stations and drug stores. On all other purchases, you’ll earn 0.5% cash back. Other than that, you can also get discounts on car rentals.
Current Scotiabank Card Promotions
When you’re looking at getting a Scotiabank credit card, one other thing you should be looking at is their promotions. Often, they’ll offer promotions on their cards to entice people to change or get a new credit card. These are the current ones available.
| Credit Card | Promotion/Welcome Bonus |
| Scotiabank Gold American Express Card | Earn up to $1,050 in welcome offers, up to 50,000 bonus scene points, and no annual fee for the first year. |
| Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card | Earn up to $1,350 in value in the first 12 months, including 45,000 bonus points and no annual fee for the first year for the first supplementary card. |
| Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite Card | 10% cash back, up to $2,000 in total purchases, on all purchases for the first 3 months. No annual fee for the first year for the primary cardholder and all additional cardholders' cards. |
| Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card | Earn up to $2,500 in value in the first 4 months. This includes up to 80,000 plus bonus scene points. |
| Scotiabank American Express Card | You can earn up to 7,500 bonus points in the first 3 months. This is equal to $75 in travel rewards. |
| Scotiabank Momentum Mastercard Credit Card | An introductory interest rate of 7.99% on all purchases for the first 6 months. |
| Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card | Up to 5,000 bonus scene points in the first 3 months. |
| Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Privilege Card | Earn up to a total of 80,000 bonus points in your first 4 months, which is equal to an $80 value. |
| Scotiabank Value Visa Card for Students | An introductory rate of 0.99% on balance transfers for the first 9 months. All cash advances will have a rate of 2%. |
| Scotiabank Momentum No-Fee Visa Card | Earn up to 5% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in total purchases). There’s also a 0% introductory rate on balance transfers for the first 6 months, with a rate of 2% per cash advance. |
| Scotiabank Momentum Visa Card | A 2.99% balance transfer introductory rate for the first 6 months. |
Scotiabank US Dollar Visa Card
Another choice for a credit card that you can get with Scotiabank is the Scotiabank US Dollar Visa Card. It’s a great choice for those who make a lot of US dollar purchases. There’s no US dollar foreign currency conversion fees, and the annual fee is only $35.
With this card, the minimum credit limit that you can get is $500 and the purchase interest rate is 19.99%. The rate for cash advances is 22.99%. The cost of each supplementary card is $0. Two additional benefits that you can get with this card are car rental discounts, and purchase security and extended warranty coverage.
Scotiabank Cards Available for Students
As a student, many of the credit cards that are available to everyone are also available to you. These cards include:
- Scotiabank Scene+ Visa
- Scotiabank Value Visa Card
- Scotia Momentum Visa Card
- Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa Card
- Scotia American Express Card
The aspects of each of these cards don’t change whether you’re a student or not; what changes is the application requirements. If you can prove that you’re a student, the application process is a little more lenient.
Overall Comparison of Scotiabank Credit Cards
Since we’ve discussed all of the things that each Scotiabank credit card has to offer, let’s take a look at a closer comparison. Here are all of Scotiabank’s credit card options, along with their rates, annual fees, and income requirements.
| Card | Purchase Interest Rate | Cash Advance Interest Rate | Annual Fee | Income Requirements | Minimum Credit Limit |
| Gold American Express Card | $20.99% | 22.99% | $120 | None | $5,000 |
| Passport Visa Infinite Card | 20.99% | 22.99% | $150 | Personal income of $60,000, household income of $100,000 or $250,000 in AUM | $5,000 |
| Momentum Visa Infinite Card | 20.99% | 22.99% | $120 | None | $5,000 |
| Platinum American Express Card | 9.99% | 9.99% | $399 | None | $10.000 |
| American Express Card | 19.99% | 22.99% | $0 | None | $1,000 |
| Momentum Mastercard | 20.99% | 22.99% | $0 | None | $500 |
| Scene+ Visa Card | 20.99% | 22.99% | $0 | None | $500 |
| Passport Visa Infinite Privilege | 20.99% | 22.99% | $599 | Personal income of $150,000, household income of $200,000 or $400,000 in AUM | $10,000 |
| Value Visa Card | 13.99% | 13.99% | $29 | None | $500 |
| Momentum No-Fee Visa Card | 19.99% | 22.99% | $0 | None | $500 |
| Momentum Visa Card | 19.99% | 22.99% | $39 | None | $500 |
| US Dollar Visa Card | 19.99% | 22.99% | $35 | None | $500 |
Credit Score Needed to Get a Scotiabank Credit Card
While your credit score doesn’t have to be perfect to get a Scotiabank credit card, it’s generally recommended to have a score of at least 660. Being a large traditional bank, they often have stricter requirements than credit unions and other smaller banks. However, it’s not just your credit score that they look at. They also look at your credit history and overall financial health. This includes whether or not you have a steady income.
Which credit card you’re applying for will also impact what your credit score needs to be to get approved. Most Scotiabank credit cards that don’t require high incomes, and student credit cards, will be approved with a lower credit score. A very good credit score may be needed for many of the rewards credit cards. It may also be simpler for Scotiabank customers since they already have a relationship with the bank.
How to Get the Most Benefit Out of a Credit Card
While credit cards can be a great tool when you’re in a pinch, overusing them can actually hurt your credit score. The key to improving your credit score and keeping it excellent can be found in the way you use your credit cards.
Since credit cards are a form of revolving credit, they can be used continuously as you rack them up and pay them off. However, your balance on your statement date can hurt or help your credit score. To get the best credit score, you want to have a statement balance of 30% of your total revolving credit limit, or lower. This is because this statement balance is reported to the credit bureaus.
The best way to use a credit card to your advantage is to use your rewards cards to save money on grocery store purchases, and other purchases. Those who like to travel can get rewards cards that void foreign exchange fees, include comprehensive insurance coverage and travel accident insurance, as well as other benefits. The comprehensive travel insurance can be expensive purchasing it separately, but having it by purchasing your vacation using your credit card can save you on insurance coverage rates.
If you prefer cash back cards, there are plenty where you can earn cash as rewards points as use them towards savings or even a statement credit. This way the savings value will benefit you instead of having to pay interest on all of your purchases. However, if you pay your balance after the statement date, usually there will be interest incurred.
Final Thoughts
Picking a credit card can end up being a very difficult decision. There are so many different ones to choose from, and which one you pick can directly affect your financial situation. Those who tend to hold a balance on their card should go with a low-rate card; that way, there isn’t as much interest to pay. Those looking for a rewards card may not even have to worry about the interest rates.
No matter which Scotiabank credit card you choose, you can’t really go wrong. That said, picking the one that reflects your lifestyle the most can give you the best rewards. You can earn free vacations, get cash back for your savings, and more. Plus, if you use your credit card correctly, you won’t ever have to worry about any interest payments.
