Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card Review 2024
Are you looking for a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card review? Let me tell you right now that this is one of my favourite cards. With no foreign transaction fees, good travel insurance, and lounge access, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is arguably the best all-in-one travel credit card.
Over the years, many credit cards have introduced no foreign transaction fees as a standard benefit, but the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite was one of the first out of the gate. What’s interesting is that even though this credit card was introduced a few years ago, it’s still one of the best travel credit cards in Canada. Read my Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Review now for the full details.
Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card
- $150 annual fee
- 30,000 Scene+ points when spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
- 10,000 points when spending $40,000 in the first year
- Earn 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent at Empire owned supermarkets
- Earn 2 Scene+ points per $1 spent on eligible grocery stores, dining, entertainment, and daily transit purchases
- Earn 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
- Visa Airport Companion Program membership + 6 passes per year
- No foreign transaction fees
Welcome bonus and earn rate
The welcome bonus for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card often changes, but it typically ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 Scene+ points. In most cases, you need to charge $1,000 to your card within the first three months of card membership to get the first part of the bonus. The card also gives you an additional 10,000 Scene+ points when you spend at least $40,000 in everyday eligible purchases annually. There is an annual fee of $150, but that’s often waived for the first year.
Admittedly, the earn rate is not the highest, but it’s quite respectable. You’ll earn 3 Scene+ points per dollar spent at Empire-owned supermarkets (Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà, etc). 2 Scene+ points are earned per dollar spent on eligible grocery stores, dining, transit (including taxis) and entertainment purchases. All other purchases earn you 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Benefits and perks
You’ll want to know about the benefits if you’re reading this Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card review. You’ll be delighted to hear that this card comes packed with great perks for all travellers.
No foreign transaction fees
The best feature of this card is easily the no foreign exchange fees. Basically, most credit cards charge you a 2.5% conversion fee whenever you charge anything to your card in a foreign currency. However, with this card, only the exchange rate charged by Visa applies.
Airport lounge access
As a cardholder, you get a free Visa Airport Companion Program membership, plus six complimentary annual lounge visits. With this program, you’ll have access to 1,200+ global airport lounges. In addition, the primary cardholder can share passes with any travelling companions. For reference, a similar lounge membership would cost you US$99 a year, plus US$32 per visit. In other words, the lounge passes are worth more than the annual fee. It should be no surprise that this card is on my list of the best credit cards with lounge access.
Annual 10,000 points bonus
If you spend $40,000 on your Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card each year, you’ll get 10,000 Scene+ points. While this annual bonus is nice, that’s a lot of spending you need to do. If you’re naturally spending that much, it may be better to apply for other cards throughout the year to take advantage of the welcome bonuses.
Save on rental cars
Cardholders get a complimentary Avis Preferred Plus membership. This gives you complimentary upgrades (when available) and a discount of up to 25% in Canada and the United States.
Travel insurance
- Travel medical – $2,000,000 for 25 days / 3 days if you’re 65 or older
- Trip cancellation/trip interruption – up to $1,500 per person / $10,000 total
- Flight/trip delay – up to $500 / 4 hours
- Delayed and lost baggage – up to $1,000 / 4 hours
- Auto rental car collision/loss damage – 48 consecutive days / $65,000
- Hotel/motel burglary – $1,000
- Travel accident insurance – $500,000
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is on my list of the best credit cards with travel insurance since you’re covered for quite a few things, but you really need to pay attention to your policy details. For example, trip cancellation/interruption is covered as long as you charge 75% of your trip costs to your card. However, with the rental car and hotel/motel burglary, you must charge the entire amount to your card.
Purchase insurance
- Purchase security – 90 days
- Extended warranty – One additional year
With purchase security, your purchases are protected for 90 days from loss, theft, and damage. Under the extended warranty policy, your manufacturer’s warranty is doubled up to one additional year. These two insurance policies can be incredibly valuable. Just make sure you keep your purchase receipts in case you ever need to make a claim.
Visa Infinite benefits
- Concierge service – Get help planning your trip, making reservations, delivering presents and more.
- Luxury Hotel Collection – You’ll get access to the best available rates, free Wi-Fi and a room upgrade (when available) when booking through the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection.
- Dining and Wine Country programs – Cardholders can enjoy food and wine at private events hosted by some of the biggest names in culinary.
How to redeem your points
Scene+ (formerly known as Scotia Rewards) is Scotiabank’s rewards program. Ever since they merged with SCENE, the program has become more flexible. 1,000 Scene+ points get you $10 off the following:
- Travel
- Cineplex movie theatres and Cineplex.com
- Participating restaurants (Harvey’s, Swiss Chalet, East Side Mario’s and more)
- Participating grocery stores (Sobey’s, Safeway, Foodland, IGA and more)
There are other redemptions you can use your points for, but they have a lower value.
Since most people will use the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card for travel, I’ll focus on travel redemptions. You can redeem as little as 100 Scene+ points for travel for $1 off travel purchases. You can use your points immediately if you book through the Scene+ travel portal. Alternatively, you can charge any travel purchase to your card and then apply your points to that purchase seven days later. If you go this route, there’s a minimum redemption of 5,000 points ($50).
Now, you might be wondering why you would want to book on your own instead of the travel portal since there are extra conditions. By doing things yourself, you can find the lowest prices and take advantage of any status benefits you may get when booking direct.
For more information, read my detailed Scene+ guide.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card eligibility
- You’re a Canadian citizen or are a permanent resident
- You’re at least the age of majority in your province or territory
- You have a minimum annual personal gross income of $60,000 or a household income of $100,000
- You haven’t declared bankruptcy in the past seven years
- Your home address matches your credit report home address
Scotiabank is very specific when it comes to its card eligibility. As you can see, this is a mid-tier card that requires a minimum personal income to be approved. I should mention that Scotiabank doesn’t say what credit score you need to be approved. That said, you want yours to be at least 700 before applying since that would put you in at least good standing.
How the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card compares to others
The best travel rewards credit card space is crowded. There are dozens of great travel credit cards out there, so you should focus on the earn rate and rewards you get.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card vs. Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
The most comparable card to the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card. Both cards earn Scene+ points, but the Amex card gives you 5 points per $1 spent on eats and entertainment. At face value, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card has a much lower earn rate, but it may appeal to people because it’s a Visa card instead of American Express. In addition, the Amex Gold card has no lounge access.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card vs. American Express Gold Card
If you want a travel credit card with lounge access, consider the American Express Gold Rewards Card instead. With this card, you only get four annual lounge passes, but American Express Membership Rewards are more flexible than Scene+ since you can transfer to travel partners such as Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy. In addition, you can redeem your Membership Rewards point as a statement credit at the same value as travel rewards. In other words, Membership Rewards points are more flexible than Scene+. That said, this card does charge foreign transaction fees.
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card vs. American Express Platinum Card
While the Scotiabank card offers well-rounded travel benefits, the American Express Platinum Card is designed for luxury travellers and those who travel a lot. With the Platinum card, you get unlimited airport lounge access for you and a guest, hotel status upgrades, an annual $200 travel credit, a $100 NEXUS credit, Toronto Pearson International Airport benefits, and more. The tradeoff is that the annual fee for the Platinum card is $799.
Final thoughts
My Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card review is positive. This is a very flexible card that comes with a lot of benefits and is appropriate for people in the following situations:
- You want a card with no FX fees – You’ll save the standard 2.5% fee that most credit cards charge on foreign currency transactions.
- You want an all-in-one travel card – With lounge access and no FX fees, this is arguably the best overall travel credit card for casual travellers.
- You prefer simplicity – Scene+ points can be applied to any travel purchase you make. There’s no need to worry about reward charts, blackout dates or specific airlines when you use your points.
If you’re considering this card just because it’s one of the best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees, then you’re on the right track. This card is highly competitive and is often the card I recommend.
Although the earn rate is not the highest compared to other travel rewards credit cards, I feel that the included benefits and the fact that there are no foreign transaction fees make this a worthy card. If you’re looking for an all-in-one travel card, this is the one to get.
The first additional card is also free. Thank you
I’ve been looking for a Visa or MasterCrad to supplement my primary card, an Amex, and this just might fit the bill (unless you have other suggestions?). I already have the Scotia Amex Gold, so this can help me earn more Scotia Rewards points for merchants where Amex is not accepted.
Dana,
It depends on the primary use of the card. The Scotia Amex Gold has better multipliers, but as you’ve noted, it’s not a Visa or Mastercard. If you still spend a significant amount at stores where Amex isn’t accepted or you value the lounge access passes, then this card is likely worth it. Now if you just want a card with no foreign transaction fees, you may want to check out this post https://www.moneywehave.com/canadian-credit-cards-without-foreign-transaction-fees/
I wouldn’t say a significant amount and I do have lounge access through another Amex, though will close that card before the annual fee is up. Might be prudent to wait for a first-year-free promo for this card then. My search for a decent Visa or MC for when Amex is not accepted continues. (If only my carshares and local transit accepted Amex!)
Dana,
Transit is a multiplier for the Scotiabank card so that’s something to consider if you do plan on cancelling your Amex. I personally also favour Amex cards for travel rewards.
Hello,
Where did you find that priority passes can be applied towards meals at select restaurants, and how can you find which restaurants? I was not able to find this anywhere in the priority pass fine print..
Hi Madison,
You basically need to search each airport on the Priority Pass website. For example, here’s one available at YYZ – https://www.prioritypass.com/en/lounges/canada/toronto-lester-b-pearson-intl/yyz11d-lee-kitchen-restaurant
Barry, isn’t it the case that the Amex lounge passes are not free as you have to buy a membership so this is really not worth it if that’s all you want the card for as you’ll pay 150~ and a us fee every time you access a lounge.
Hey Aaron,
In this specific case, the reader was asking about the Scotiabank Passport Visa vs. the Scotiabank Gold Amex. With the passport card, you get a lounge membership + 6 annual passes. The Gold card has better multipliers (no lounge membership or passes).
Thanks Barry! Love your blogs
You do get 25,000 points as a sign-up bonus and can convert 21,000 points into a statement credit of $150 according to this page https://www.scotiarewards.com/en-CA/Rewards/Reward/PointsForCredit. That basically makes the first year free.
That’s their “cashback” option. You’re better off using your points for travel where 25,000 points works out to a $250 travel credit when booked through Scotiabank’s travel service.
How does Scotiabank expect someone to spend $40,000 on their credit card to earn the additional 10,000 points ?
Brad,
yeah seriously, If I’m spending that much, I’m signing up for multiple credit cards to get the signup bonus.
Stupid question, but would the $40000 include both spending from the original card and the supplement card?
Tony, I’m not 100% sure on that, you’d have to ask Scotiabank.
Hi Tony,
I checked with Scotiabank and they confirmed that spending from the supplementary card counts towards the bonus.
There is no statement about what FX rate will be applied to transactions. You can waive the fee but then claw it back with the spread on the currencies.
I have the scotia amex gold (which I will likely be canceling due to the drop in trip ins from 2500 now down to 1500 and just got the National Bank World Elite for the 2500/5000) but I noticed the foreign transaction currency rate us BETTER than what I can buy usd at the bank for. ie Scotia was listing their retail buy rate around 1.36 and the amex was doing my purchases for about 1.33
Go to Visa.com and find the currency conversion tool. Enter the currency pair, date, and 0% for bank fee, that’s the exchange rate they use, it may be a tad higher than the Bank of Canada noon day rate, but it is the same rate that all Visa cards use but without the markup. For reference, for Oct 11, 2019 the no mark up Visa rate for CAD/EUR is 1.469 compared to BoC rate of 1.457 and with the standard markup of 2.5% that other Visas charge, you’d be looking at 1.5058
A small tip. The visa still gives you the 2X rate even when getting the no foreign transaction fee benefit where the Amex does not
The currency conversion tool shows what Visa uses as an exchange rate to the banks. Each bank then decides what rate to charge their cardholders. Visa’s exchange rate on July 18/23 was 1.326 and Scotiabank on this card charged me a whopping 1.401. What a ripoff, so much for no FX transaction fees!
Gerald,
This is the first I’ve ever heard of this since the card was released.
Did you pay in the local currency or did you choose Canadian dollars while abroad? Did you verify that exchange rate with multiple purchases?
I paid in local U.S. This was a test of an online purchase before I was going to make several very large foreign purchases. Scotiabank could not explain why the rate was so hight and said there is nothing they can do about it. About a month earlier I tried a test where I made two identical purchases, one using my Mastercard with foreign exchange fees and my new Scotiabank Visa with no fees. The posted amount for Visa was several dollars higher than the MC purchase. Again I contacted customer support and they gave me the runaround. This card is certainly not working for me. How many other people just assume they are getting a better deal? This card is supposed to work for online and onsite foreign purchases. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case.
GMS,
Although MC typically has better rates than Visa, the spread shouldn’t be that crazy. This is highly unusual. As mentioned, no one else has reported this. My readers are quite savvy and would have informed me right away.
I’ve had the Marriott Rewards VISA card through Chase for years and earned almost a million MR points for hotel stays, airplane tickets, etc. Then, effective March 15 Chase killed the card — so Marriott replaces it with an Starwood Amex card that can’t be used for parking, convenience stores, etc…and it charges the 2.5% currency transaction fees. The sign up Bonus for the Starwood card is 75,000 MR points…but if you have the SPG card already, you can’t get the bonus points. Bad move Marriott. Looks like Scotiabank will get my business.
Adman,
Note that this is temporary solution. It was Chase that decided to pull out of Canada. Credit cards likely take 2 years from concept to market so I wouldn’t be surprised if Marriott comes out with a new card in late 2018 or 2019. That being said, it’s likely the next card from Marriott will also be from American Express.
This card is an excellent addition if you have the Scotia Amex Platinum. That card gives you the same reward benefit as the Gold, however comes with 12 lounge passes. So if you are looking for 6 more, and a second card that will earn you decent points that can combine with their Amex, this is the card for you. That way you are covered for all merchants, and you’ll have a total of 18 lounge passes. Not to mention Scotia told me if I get a supplemental user on my Visa, they too can get a Priority Pass membership with 6 visits. This is obvious to me. I currently also hold an RBC Visa Infinite Privilege Visa, and I can’t see why it’s work the $399 any longer compared to this new Visa card from Scotia.
Are you positive that the secondary card holder also get 6 priority pass access?
I called Scotia bank 2 times and both of them told me it is only a told of 6.
It should only be a total of 6 passes
Sorry I forgot to mention, you can combine all your Scotia Rewards points from your Visa and Amex and use them towards travel purchases that you’ve made on either card. Much better than having to use the travel agency that is linked to the card like RBC’s or BMO’s. This way if I have a membership to an organization that gets me special discounts on hotels, I can use it because it’s not travel agent friendly and I can save even more money.
Mark,
Yes, I agree that this card with the lounge access can be really beneficial for those people who already collect Scotia Rewards. I also like how you’re not forced to use their own booking service. One thing to note, the Scotia Amex Platinum offers higher multipliers on certain categories so you need to be strategic about which card you use.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the reply. With the Amex I do get higher multipliers for the categories that I use often like dining and gas. I just got the Visa card yesterday as an upgrade from their white 1 point for every $2.00 spent card. Thier Amex is my first choice. I use to be an Amex Platinum card holder, but their rewards earning sucks. 1.25 points per dollar across the board. Also their travel insurance is very poor compared to these cards or RBC Infojite Privilege.
Mark,
The Amex Platinum card is my main travel card. I agree that the multipliers suck, that being said, for me, it’s about the referrals and transfer options. I can often max out my referrals every year. I then take those points and transfer them to SPG / Marriott. I like hotels so that’s an incredible value for me. Way more useful than those Aeroplan points I’m still sitting on.
What’s the referrals?
Sam,
When people sign up with my referral link, I get a commission from Scotiabank.
“I also like how you’re not forced to use their own booking service.”
1. I actually liked using their travel service and did it for the 25 years I’ve had the ScotiaGold Passport Visa (not the same as the infinite) because you got 5% extra back on trips booked through the service. They’ve basically killed that incentive when they dropped the travel cancellation/interruption coverage from the card from 2500.00pp to ZERO.
2. Another nice thing about having scotiagold passport visa and scotia amex gold is that the points I earn on the amex can be set to automatiically be moved to the passport visa acct, or vice versa.
Will the supplementary cardholder also get their own Priority Pas + 6 lounge access or is it only for the primary cardholder? Thanks.
Hi Ali,
It applies to the primary cardholder only.
Does the priority pass extend to my spouse as she has a secondary card or would I have to pay for her to use lounge privileges?
Ken,
If you’re travelling with her, I believe you could use the lounge passes for her.
If she’s travelling alone, I don’t think the Priority Pass membership would apply to her. I’m not 100% sure on this so I would check with Scotiabank directly (I’m literally sending them an email right now).
Hi Barry,
Any update on this question regarding if the supplementary card holder can use the lounge visit without the primary user?
Thanks!
Hi Stan,
From what I understand only the primary cardholder gets a Priority Pass membership so the supplementary holder does not get access to the lounges without the primary user present.
If I am planning to travel in three weeks, will I get the card and the lounge pass in time before I leave? I apply for the home trust cards 4 weeks ago, just not sure if it will come in time.
Windy,
After you’ve submitted your application, just call them and let them know about your situation and they’ll likely rush you the card. As for the lounge passes, I’m not sure if they come with the card, so you would need to ask them.
Hi Windy,
I just applied for the card and, after approval, Scotia said I’d receive the card in the mail within 5-7 business days.
I just got this card. It comes with signup authorization for Priority Pass. You have to wait for the Scotiabank card to arrive and go online to Priority Pass to sign up. They will give you immediate electronic membership verification and will send out a physical Priority Pass card in the mail about three business day later. You can use the electronic membership record in the meantime, but it is only accepted at some locations. The Scotia card took about 1.5 weeks to arrive at my house; I signed up for Priority Pass a week ago and am still waiting for that card to arrive.
Sandra,
Thanks so much for the info. The Priority Pass app should be accepted at all lounges, but I could be wrong. If I recall correctly, the physical Priority Pass card takes some time to arrive.
It’s not completely clear to me how the Scotiabank cards are rated as highly as they are. I recently got a Rogers m/c which charges 2.25 fee on foreign transactions…but pays me 3% cash back on those transactions netting me 3/4 % cash for the transactions. That combined with 1.25% on other transactions + a 29$ annual fee makes the card very attractive. I also carry a Tangerine cash-back card and receive 2% back on groceries, restaurants and reoccurring bills (the only categories I use the Tangerine card for).
End result is I receive a fairly good rate of return on my spends that does not have to be dedicated to ‘travel’. Am I missing something?
Dave,
I believe the foreign transaction fee is 2.5% for the Rogers so you get .5% back. The annual fee is being dropped as of May 23rd. You’re not wrong about your assessment of the card, it’s just a personal preference. The Scotiabank is more of a travel card and comes with great benefits (insurance and lounge access). Using the Rogers card and Tangerine card is a good mix.
Hi Barry,
I would like to know what it means by “rental car” insurance. Last time when I was in Hamilton Ontario, I got a flat tire and it was not a pleasant experience. Ever since then I buy rental insurance($29 per day) to avoid similar trouble. If this card offers the renter waiver insurance, I feel it is a great great saving. Thanks.
Hi April,
You can read the details of Scotiabank’s car rental insurance here.
https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/common/cc/pdf/en/Scotiabank_Passport_Infinite_Visa-EN-Ekit.pdf
A flat tire wouldn’t be covered, but towing would be. You really need to read the details.
I just got a Home Trust Preferred Visa which has no foreign transaction fees, the card is FREE, you earn cash back and it has rental care CDW to boot. Id say it was a pretty good deal.
The Home Trust card is a good choice if you want no fees. The Scotiabank card is excellent if you’re looking to earn rewards and have additional benefits.
I ordered the Home Trust VISA card and after applying it said it will take 4+ weeks to get the card due to the fact they are so busy.
So then I ordered the Scotiabank VISA and had it in 5 days – you have to go to a bank to get it.
Having 2 VISA cards might be a dumb move. I read recently that when you cancel a card, even if you’ve been a good client, that the card company reports it to the credit bureau and it may give you problems.
When you cancel a card, your credit score may take a small hit, but it’ll go back up so I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
No intention of shilling for Rogers, but I just received an offer to upgrade to their newest offering which comes with 4% cash back on foreign currency purchaes, 1.75 on all other purchases, plus a range of added insurances (car/trip/warranty extensions etc). So basically back to what the card was originally but with the addition of the insurances and the elimination of the annual fee. If you’re like me and have a fair number of purchases outside Canada, I’m not I can find a better deal than that.
Hey David,
Yes Rogers alerted me to this card and it’s essentially an upgraded version of the current card. When the Rogers World Elite Mastercard is released, the current Rogers card will be devalued. Since it’s a World Elite Card, it does have an $80K annual income requirement.
I wasn’t a big fan of Rogers cards before, but this one is actually pretty decent. I plan on writing about it later.
I don’t currently carry any Scotia Rewards card, but how do the points work out in terms of flight? I know Aventura, Aeroplan costs me 75k points to get to ASIA, but Asia Miles is only 60k points… therefore something like the RBC Avion sounds more attractive in terms of flight point costs…. Whats your opinion?
Hi Michael,
100 Scotiabank Rewards points = $1 in redeemable travel so it’s like a cashback program.
You can use Scotiabank’s travel agency to book your flights or simply call in to claim your points after charging your travel your credit card.
So basically if you apply for this card, you would instantly get $111 off any flight ($250 in points minus $139 annual fee) + lounge passes and insurance.
If you found this info useful, please consider using my referral link.
Hi Barry – could you direct me to where it says 100 points = $1? I am on https://www.scotiarewards.com/en-CA/Rewards/Reward/PointsForCredit and it calculates that you need 125-150 points for every $1 redeemable as credit. Thanks!
Points for Credit is Different than redeeming for travel. You get a different rate (100 pints = $1) when you redeem for travel. Have this card and do it all the time.
Can I use Scotia rewards points to pay for taxes on an Aeroplan redemption? ie. are taxes on a flight reward considered ‘redeemable travel’? I mean, I’m paying the taxes because I booked travel so it should work?
Hi Cait,
From what I understand, that would qualify since it would be Air Canada or Aeroplan making the charge. That being said, I would still check with Scotia to confirm.
what attracts me is the 10 day medical coverage for people over 65 and it has no upper age limit. i have a servus credit union master card now and it covers 15 day till age 74. i am considering to get this card as i have been pre-approved. i also like the 6 free airport lounge visits.
Nelson,
Yes, good catch. The travel insurance benefits of this card are quite impressive. 6 free lounge passes are the most you’ll get from a credit card with a fee of $150 or less.
Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite pays 4% cash back on grocery and gas purchases, 2% on drugstore purchases, with annual fee of only $99. Belongs on list of best credit cards.
George,
Yes, it’s a great card for the multipliers. The downside is that it doesn’t have a big signup bonus.
This post and thread is so helpful thanks everyone! Related to one of the comments here, does it make sense to have BOTH Scotiabank Gold Amex AND this Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card?
I like the former for the multiplier but the latter for the no foreign transaction fee. But there are annual fees for both (yes first year the latter card the fee is waived after spending a certain amount, but if you have it multiple years, then you will have to pay the annual fees). I plan to go on a year-long world travel in May of 2019 so wondering if I should wait to get the Visa closer to when I’m leaving vs get it right now (as I have the Scotiabank Gold Amex right now and for the past 2 years).
Btw: redeeming points of the Scotiabank Gold Amex is SO EASY 🙂
thank yoU!
Hi Pylin,
As you know, the Gold Amex has higher multipliers so its one heck of a card so should you get the passport card now or wait a year?
I personally would get it now since you get 6 lounge passes every year and you get the signup bonus right away. Those 6 passes are worth more than the annual fee so you’re getting good value.
Now, let’s say you personally don’t enjoy lounges or don’t mind sitting in the common areas in the airports. Well, you could simply apply for a different credit card with no foreign transaction fees such as the Home Trust Card or the Rogers World ELite Mastercard around the 8 month mark. By doing this, you’ll have plenty of time to get your new card before cancelling your Scotiabank card.
If you want to read more about your other options, check out this post I wrote.
https://www.moneywehave.com/canadian-credit-cards-without-foreign-transaction-fees/
Also, please consider using my referral link if you plan on applying for the Scotiabank Passport card =D
Thanks Barry! I read your other post first before getting to this one 🙂 What I don’t like about the Home Trust card is it seems customer service isn’t their priority and as we all know, when there’s a problem it’s best to have a responsive customer service! (Scotiabank has been pretty good). As for the Rogers’ cards, I don’t use that many Rogers products to justify getting them because the points only go towards Rogers products, hence this Scotia Passport Visa seems to be the best fit. I also like that the points go towards the same Scotia points system with the Gold Amex.
Good point about the 6 passes! I’m only planning on going to Iceland this year (2018) so I can use the lounge at Pearson but there doesn’t seem to be one it Reykjavik. But some vacations early in 2019 will come up for sure!
So sounds like I should get the Passport Visa now in addition to my current Gold Amex so I’ll have both (and only spend with the Visa one for the first few months to ensure I get the sign up bonus). Will definitely be using your referral link because I learned all this from you!
Pylin,
It’s true, Home Trust has questionable customer service, but once I got the card, I had no issues. That being said, their weird hours of 9-5 EST, Monday to Friday seems a bit silly.
Both the Home Trust and Rogers World Elite Mastercard have no fees so they’re still worth considering. With the Rogers card, you can ask for a statement credit every December which gets applied to your account in January.
To be truthful, I’m hoping a better no forex fee card comes out sometime in the next year. If one does, I’ll just get it.
I definitely value lounge passes. Since you’ll be travelling in Europe next year, you can look up lounges in advance and use them at the airports where the lounges are highly rated.
Thanks for using my referral and thanks for reading!
Thank you for the review … I was looking for a card to be our main credit card replacing the Aeroplan for daily use, and this article helped me with my decision. I use credit card for almost all purchases, big and small, and pay it off at the end of the month. Main attraction of this card is to allow me to apply rewards to my (travel-related) purchases directly.
I used your referral link. My application was approved in minutes.
Thank you!
Hi Vu,
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and for using my referral. The Scotiabank card is an excellent all-in-one card. Since you like to travel, the 6 yearly lounge passes are a nice bonus.
Hi there
If i fill gas in my car at a grocery store like Co-op or Safeway or superstore using this card, would it still qualify for 2x points? i am having difficulty determining if thats the case. please guide.
Hi Ajay,
It depends on the merchant code. E.g. if the superstore gas station falls under the merchant code of Superstore, you’d get the 2X points. However, it’s possible that gas stations at grocery stores don’t fall under the same merchant code. It can also differ per location so it’s impossible to give you a definite answer.
http://www.scotiabank.com/images/en/filespersonal/20600.pdf
I am an Canadian living in the US because and work here remotely. so my bank accounts are all in Canadian dollars and i get paid in Canadian currency. Since i live in the US, i feel like this card would be a better choice for me than getting a US credit card with my current bank which is TD bank. I was told with the TD US Credit card i would not pay the 2.5% visa fee but I would only pay the exchange rate for when I pay the card off using Canadian Dollars. Is Scotiabank card a better option for me? Would i still be paying more. Right now the US exchange and bank fees are killing me so I need the best card for my purpose so I am not losing a crap ton of money every time I make a transaction. Can you please give me some advice?
Hi Trish,
Your fees with the Scotiabank card would be lowered compared to paying your USD TD card in Canadian dollars. You’d still pay a slight spread, but it would be much lower than 2.5%.
Technically speaking the cheapest way would be to use a USD card and pay it in USD. However, as you’ve stated, you get paid in CAD so it’s better to use the Scotiabank card or the Home Trust Preferred card (this has no fees). There’s also the Rogers card to consider.
https://www.moneywehave.com/canadian-credit-cards-without-foreign-transaction-fees/
[…] The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card has a nice signup bonus, but the earn rate of points is just a touch lower than other travel rewards cards. The card does have an annual fee, but the additional benefits do make it worthwhile. Obviously, no foreign transaction fees is a major win, the 6 annual airport lounge passes are 2 more than other travel reward cards, and then there’s the travel insurance. This is a very attractive card for those who want an all in one travel rewards card with no foreign exchange fees. Read my Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card review now. […]
Hi there,
Does the 2pts / $1 earned on grocery, dining, entertainment, and transit include spending in these categories outside of Canada?
ALex,
I’m not sure about that, you’d have to check with Scotiabank.
Yes it does!
Beware of ordering air tickets through Scotia Rewards. If they make a “mistake” and the fare is higher than you agreed to, you are obligated to pay whatever higher price they decide is correct.
Thanks Harry for the informative read. I have applied and am approved for the card using your referral link (well deserved)
The six lounge access, priority pass and travel benefits are great incentives for me!
Thank you and keep up writing the good reviews!
I actually did write Barry!
Thanks Frank!
Hi Barry
Just happened to come across your site. Thank you for the information. I am planning to visit Europe in 4 weeks’ time and it seems that the Scotia Passport Infinite card is a good choice with NO foreign transaction fees + 6 free visit of Priority Pass lounge. There are couple of questions that I would like to find out before applying for this card :
1. what is the difference to apply through your “Referral Link ” vs directly with bank ?
2.. For the Priority Pass airport lounge visit, does it mean there is NO extra charge and there is NO time limit for passengers staying at the lounge ?
3. Do I need to apply a supplementary card for my spouse so that we are able to use the Priority Pass airport lounge ? Any extra fee then ?
Thank you !
Mary
Hi Mary,
When you apply through my affiliate link, I get a commission. There is no difference if you apply directly through the bank, but I hope the information I provided was useful and you’ll consider using my link.
Technically speaking there is a 2 hour limit per visit, but they NEVER check. I’ve been in a lounge for 5 hours with no questions asked. There is definitely no extra charge.
The passes are only available to the primary cardholder. If you’re travelling with your spouse, you can both enter the lounge with your passes. However, if your spouse is travelling alone, he/she will not be able to use your passes or membership.
Hi Barry
Thanks for the prompt reply….I will definitely apply through your referral link. I have some other questions on credit card which kindly advise :
1. for Scotia bank Passport Visa Infinite card, any extra cost for a supplementary card ?
2. I am currently using RBC Avion Visa Infinite and it can transfer my rewards points to BA Executive Club with 30% bonus ( ie a return flight from YVR to HK only cost approx. 84,000 points for premium EY. If I use cash, it will cost approx. $ 2,200 Cdn ) . Do you think this is a valuable card to use ? However, booking the flights with BA are sometimes very hectic and I ‘d prefer to use cash back so that I can buy whatever airline and itinerary I prefer. Any suggestions for a good VISA card particularly for Travel purpose ?
Thanks again !
Mary
Mary,
The first supplementary card is free, but if you need additional cards, they’re $50 per year each. In regards to BA and travel points. BA is a pain to book with and they charge quite a bit in fees. The best value out of YVR is to book via Cathay Pacific but then you need to Collect Alaskan Airlines points since Cathay is a partner. Cash-back cards definitely offer more flexibility. The only other VISA cards worth considering are the CIBC Aventura cards, but mainly because they come with $150 points and a $100 travel credit. I personally prefer the Scotiabank card over the CIBC cards
[…] most comparable card is the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card since they are similar in look and name. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is a much […]
Would you suggest applying for both the Scotiabank Gold Amex and the Passport Visa Infinite? I
Hi An,
It sort of depends on what you prefer. The Gold Amex gives you 4X the points on gas, grocery, dining, and entertainment purchases whereas the passport card gives you 2X the points. That being said, the Passport card gives you travel benefits and is more widely accepted than the Amex. If you apply for both, that’s two yearly fees you’re paying so I think it only makes sense to have both if you do a lot of spending and like the travel benefits of the Passport card.
Hi Barry,
I need some suggestions with picking up some proper credit cards. I currently have the old RBC Rewards Gold Visa (which basically doesn’t really do much. I have accumulated about 15k pts that can be redeemed for travel, but the multiplier for the card is quite slow) and the RBC Cashback Mastercard (only 2% on groceries and 1% cashback credit for other qualifying purchases which I’ve currently have $105 in cashback credit). I would most likely cancel them both as I don’t think I’ve gotten much from it.
I would like to have a card that helps to accumulate points that can be used for travel and a card that can earn a high cashback. I spend money on groceries & drug stores, rent/utility bills, restaurants, entertainment, public transportation and shopping, no ownership of a car as of yet. I also try to travel twice a year if there is a good deal. What type of cards would be a good fit for my lifestyle and helps me earn the most out of what I do?
Hi Patricia,
It sort of depends on where you should for groceries. If you do a lot of shopping at Loblaw’s owned stores then the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard is a good choice. If you shop at a place that takes Amex then the Cobalt or Scotiagold Amex are valuable.
For travel, it sort of depends but the BMO World Elite Mastercard, Scotiabank Passport, and CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite are all good.
Another “free” cashback card is the Tangerine Money-Back card. If you charge a lot to your card, maybe the Amex SimplyPreferred card may be a better choice.
I actually really like this card. Got it not too long ago because I live on the border of Michigan and shop a lot over there. I can confirm that you get the bonus points outside of Canada. I get bonus for restaurants and grocery in the USA including at a store called Meijer in Michigan which is like Walmart; has everything. GameStop (US EB Games) counts as the Entertainment category and so does my monthly recurring game subscription to Final Fantasy 14 charged in US Dollars. Just wanted to share this info. Great card. Haven’t tried redeeming points yet though. Love the no foreign transaction fee.
Shawn,
Thanks for sharing all the data points about US merchants.
Hello Barry,
I have a few questions wrt the Scotiabank passport credit card:
1. which airline company does the points connected to? For instance, Aeroplan connects with air canada.
2. What does it mean by no blackout dates? I have experienced a lot of times when I tried to book a flight on certain day through air miles, seats were not available.
3. Insurance for rental car damage. Is it the same as “renter waiver insurance” which waived all my liability from flat tire, scratches to collision etc. does this insurance offer the same protection for free?
4. Traveler medical insurance. What does it cover and is there limitation in terms of geo?
Thanks!
Hi Ann,
1 – The points aren’t tied to a specific airline. Your points can be used for any airline since you would book it through Scotiabank’s online portal or by calling into their full-service travel agency
2 – There are literally no blackout dates. If you can find the ticket through their search, you’ll be able to use your points
3 – You’d have to read the details of the car rental insurance policy and then compare it to Scotiabank’s as well as your own personal car insurance
4 – Scotiabank has one of the more detailed travel insurance packages which you can read about here https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/common/cc/pdf/en/Scotiabank_Passport_Infinite_Visa-EN-Ekit.pdf – With Medical, it’s up to $1 million if you’re under the age of 65 for a total of 25 consecutive days. There are no restrictions as far as geography is concerned. That being said, there are restrictions e.g. if you travel a country where there’s a travel advisory, you won’t be covered.
Thanks for all the info. Spent 45 minutes on the phone with Scotia trying to get a question answered about using points to pay the balance on the card instead of booking travel (they won’t book to Cuba, among other places). Spent another hour applying online several times, website is “experiencing difficulty” on both my iPad and laptop. Called the 800 number to apply, can’t do it unless my husband is with me (I was applying for a card in his name and adding me as a supplementary card, he is too busy to do stuff like this). Not impressed. Really wanted this card.
I just got this card about a month ago, and the service has been awful. The card was compromised, and I didn’t really think much of it and called them. They cancelled the card, but wouldn’t send me a new one until I had spoken to their Fraud/Security dept, which was only open Monday through Friday (the card was shut down on a Saturday). I called Monday morning and had to wait about an hour and 20 mins. The guy I spoke to was nice and was surprised that they didn’t issue me a new card right away. I asked for the new card to be expedited, which he said he could only do if it was sent to a branch for pick up. I agreed. It’s been almost two weeks. I called and was told the card went by regular mail to my home. Just the thing I was trying to avoid (Canada Post backlog). That’s two weeks of spending during the holiday shopping season that I could have added to my $40,000 goal. So not impressed.
I was just approved for this card. I used your referral link. Great information and answered all my questions
Colleen,
Thank you so much for using my referral!
Hi Barry,
I came across your blog when searching for no foreign exchange fees credit card. Thank you for providing invaluable info about the Scotia card. I have a couple of questions with regards to the 6 airport lounge visits. They are as follows:
1. Can you use the pass even though you did not charge your airline ticket with the Scotia card?
2. If both my husband and I go to the lounge, would that be considered 2 passes used?
I currently have the TD Visa infinite travel card which the fee is waived as part of my banking package.
What is your opinion on that card as far as perks and rewards as compared to other travel cards?
Thanks.
Hi Diane,
You can use the lounge passes at any time regardless if you used the card to pay for your flight. If you bring your husband, that would indeed be 2 passes.
The TD Visa card is not bad (better for you since the fee is waived). I personally like the Scotiabank card since it comes with the lounge access. The sign up bonus is worth $250 and it has a fee of $139 so you’re coming out ahead for the first year. Basically, you can test it for the first year to see if you like it before deciding if you want to cancel before your annual fee kicks in.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for your reply. Will certainly apply through your referral link if I do go ahead with the card.
Hi Barry,
Just one more question re: lounge passes. Do you know if the airport passes can be used in every airport internationally? Is there a list of airports where it can or cannot be used?
Thanks!
Hi Diane,
You get access to any Priority Pass Lounge
https://www.prioritypass.com/en/airport-lounges
Since you have a limited amount of passes per year, I recommend looking up reviews before you depart so you know if it’s of good use. For example the lounge in Portugal is excellent whereas the one in Rome’s domestic terminal can be underwhelming.
Thank you. This is a super helpful post. I have been using RBC Avion for many years. I confess I am super lazy abut research so just want one good all around travel card, with travel rewards and insurance perks at the top of the list. I have my spouse and our two young adult kids on avion as authorized users so they can get the insurance as well. Can you offer your thoughts on comparing these two cards, Barry? At first glance it seems like Scotiabank offers more bang for the buck. Thanks so much!
Hey Sophie,
I personally think the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite gives you more benefits. The lounge passes alone are worth more than the annual fee and not having to pay forex fees is pretty sweet. The one good thing about RBC points is that you can transfer them to WestJet Dollars.
Hi Barry,
Hmmm…Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite or RBC Avion Visa Infinite?? Aside from the lounge passes & the no foreign transaction fee, does Avion have a better points redemption schedule?
Hi Aries,
RBC’s Avion points are comparable to Scotia Rewards. The nice thing about RBC Avion is you can transfer them WestJet Dollars or used the Fixed Points Program.
I personally think the Scotiabank Passport Card is better than the RBC card, but I’d favour RBC’s points program a bit over Scotiabank’s
Hi. Just applied for this last weekend. Question though. We will be renring a car in Europe. We can opt Basic rate (without collision insurance and theft protection insurance),since this will be covered by this. Am I right? Hence when travelling in Europe,we need that insurance paper as proof. How and where shall we obtain this?
It is a a regulation in Europe to always bring this third party provider insurance. Thanks!
Liz,
You should get the insurance documents with your card but I think this is the PDF
https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/common/cc/pdf/en/ScotiaGold-Passport-Visa-Eng-Ekit.pdf
You need to opt out of the optional insurance from the car rental provider for your Scotiabank policy to be valid. Note that Scotiabank doesn’t include any third party liability insurance. If you have home auto insurance, check to see if you’re covered when travelling.
The first impression Scotiabank visa, used by confident and feel secured every foreign transaction got the notification by email… Love it , so luxury lifestyle
I have been researching and ready to apply for Scotiabank Passport VISA. The only question I have is where is the merchant list that offers 2 scotia points per $1 spent? A scotiabank employee has been trying for 2 days to get this list and has had no luck!
Can anyone help me with this?
Evelyn,
Here’s a link to the Mastercard merchant list which wouldn’t be any different from Visa.
https://www.mastercard.us/content/dam/mccom/en-us/documents/rules/quick-reference-booklet-merchant-edition.pdf
With this card you earn 2 points for grocery, dining, entertainment, and transit purchases which should be pretty straightforward. The only things that throw people off are Costco and Wal MArt which doesn’t count as grocery. That being said, Wal Mart supercenters do count as grocery from what I recall.
Hi Barry, I am planning to apply for the Scotiabank Visa Infinite Passport card, but it is astounding to me that Scotia is not able to provide a list of two point vendors. The link to the MasterCard list is helpful, but can we be sure that it will apply to the Scotia Visa? Also, the M/C list is from 2009 – is it possible to get a newer one? Thanks, Doug
I’m not aware of any other list that exists.
It’s not Scotiabank that sents the merchant codes but rather Visa and Mastercard.
Generally speaking, Mastercard and Visa have the same merchant list.
[…] easily offset their costs by using one of the best travel credit cards in Canada. For example, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card comes with a signup bonus worth up to $250 and the card has no foreign transaction fees. There’s […]
I got a pre approval for this card.. does it means its in the mail if i accept it? Or is there other hoops I need to hop through first
Thanks
Cathy,
That’s correct. If you accept it, they’ll mail you out a card.
I have TD VISA INFINITE AEROPLAN card. If I keep a balance of 5K there is no yearly fee, I get 1 lounge visit per yr, travel insurance same points for groceries gas etc….I use it as a travel card, Pretty much anywhere in North America 25k points, 60k for Europe. I have had no problem so long as it it booked in advance. So with SB card how is the cost of the flight determined? Is it the regular listed price at the airport? Can you provide a pro/con TD vs SB infinite cards
Mike,
The cards are different. With the TD card, you can only earn and redeem Aeroplan. The 1 lounge visit only applies to flights redeemed on Aeroplan. With the Scotiabank card you can redeem your points for any type of travel including ANY flight. The priority pass membership and 6 annual lounge passes are more flexible. The Scotiabank card also has no forex fees.
I am still curious at the point to air travel ratio. For example how many points would be required to fly from Halifax to LAX?
Mike,
It takes 10,000 points to claim $100 in travel so if your flight from Halifax to LAX is $600, then it’ll cost you 60,000 points. You can read more about Scotia Rewards here https://www.moneywehave.com/scotia-rewards/
Scotiabank’s exchange rate is truly terrible when compared directly to Mastercard or Visa. I would not advise using this card to anybody because of that.
Bob,
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card has no forex fees so you’re paying Visa’s midmarket rate whenever you make a purchase in a foreign currency. This is one of the lowest rates possible.
Hello Barry, thanks for replying.
I was referring to this page from scotiabank:
https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/personal/rates-prices/foreign-exchange-rates.html
This seems to be Scotiabank’s exchange rates. As far as I can tell this has nothing to do with the forex fees, but I could be wrong.
In comparison, here is the exchange rate using visa directly:
https://usa.visa.com/support/consumer/travel-support/exchange-rate-calculator.html?amount=1&fee=0&exchangedate=06%2F26%2F2019&fromCurr=CAD&toCurr=EUR&submitButton=Calculate+exchange+rate
If I’m reading these correctly, then for Canadian dollars being used for Euros, the exchange rate when using a scotiabank card for me (the one using it) is 1.538. The visa card would be 1.505. This would make for a difference of about 3.3%, if I’m doing all of this correctly – which would definitely make it not worth using the scotiabank card.
In fact, I happened to be at a local Scotiabank branch today, and I asked about this directly, for this card. I was told that Scotiabank does have a higher exchange rate than visa or mastercard, and that is what the card would be using. It’s possible the teller was confused, but perhaps you can shed some light on this.
I look forward to your response – thanks
Bob,
Those rates refer to if you’re getting actual cash and is similar to what other banks charge. I 100% agree that those rates are terrible. However, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite credit does not charge any forex fees so you pay the midmarket rate that Visa sets.
For any Scotiabank credit card that doesn’t have no forex as a benefit, you pay 2.5% on top of the Visa mid market rate.
The teller was clearly mistaken. Visa sets the exchange rate, not Scotiabank. Scotiabank can add a fee ontop of the rate (which they do for some cards), but not with the passport card.
Thanks again for the reply, you’ve certainly clarified some things. After looking things over again, I think the best option for me is the home trust preferred visa, due to it being directly cash back at 1%, versus the scotia rewards points, which has most purchases giving back only 1% in scotia rewards points. The travel insurance from this scotiabank option is nice, but since it’s only for 25 days, this for me directly offsets the yearly cost of the card, so it’s kind of a wash. I also have no need for lounge access. I think I’ll end up going with the Home trust preferred visa card, and a STACK Mastercard for my cash needs. Thanks for your articles, they’re very helpful.
Bob,
That’s a great combination of cards to keep your fees down (or rather to 0). If you use my STACK link, you’ll get $25 as a sign up bonus.
https://www.moneywehave.com/stack-mastercard-review/
No worries, I will certainly use your referral link. Thanks.
Hi Barry,
I am looking for CC with access to Priority Pass Membership + Free visits (Primary Req)
My TD Visa Infinite CashBack CC covers my travel, rental and road side assistance needs..
Considering other perks like joining bonus, No foreign transaction fees, Travel Credits, NEXUS rebates, Points accumulation – I am confused between Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite and CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite
Provided i can use the passes for my wife as well in travel.
Pls recommend.
Hi Barry. How does lounge access work with guests. Would I have to use a pass per guest? Or can I use one pass and have them as my guest(without using additional passes)? How does it work with kids? Can i use one pass and have them enter for free?
Ali,
One pass must be used per person but kids under the age of 2 are usually free
Hi Barry! Thanks for all this great info.
Just last night, before we discovered your site, we applied for the Hometrust Preferred Visa. Then we found your site and have seen the poor reviews and bad experiences others have had. We are now concerned about the lower credit limit most seem to get and the timing for receiving the card and pins. We are now 10 weeks out for travel and will be paying for our resort in USD when we get there.
Our first question is, will applying for a second credit card, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite, so close to the first affect our credit?
Then our second question is would you advise that we carry through with the Hometrust Visa?
And our third question is will that larger resort payment count towards our $1000 in the first 3 months for the sign-up bonus?
Hi Mel,
Your credit score would likely drop another 10 points if you applied for another credit card, but that would go up again in a few months after you pay your bills on time. Once you have the Scotiabank Passport Visa, there’s really no point in keeping the HomeTrust card. That said, the HomeTrust card has no annual fee whereas the Scotiabank card does. You could test out the Scotiabank card to see if you like it. If you don’t feel like you’re getting your $139 annual fee for what you get, cancel it and start using the Home Trust card.
I’m not sure what you mean by a larger resort payment, but generally speaking, all purchases count towards the $1K. Only things like interest payments on credit card balances don’t count.
Thanks for your quick reply and advice, Barry.
I was hesitant to say the amount payable when we arrive at the resort, so I said ” larger resort payment”. Silly, huh.
We appreciate everything we have learned here and will be glad to use your affiliate link to apply for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite. It does sound like a good deal with the sign-up bonus, lounge access, and travel-related extras.
Actually if you read the fine print, only the “regular” daily purchases (grocery, entertainment, restaurant) would count towards the first $1000 in the first 3 months in order for you to get the bonus 25,000 points. It’s really up to how the merchant is classified in the Visa system. You can see the little symbol next to each transaction online or in the app, if it has either the grocery cart, or the camcorder, or the fork & spoon symbol, then those are considered the transactions that earn you 2 points per dollar spent, and also count towards the first $1K spent in the first 3 months for the 25K bonus points.
[…] $250 – $1,000 so it’s worth getting a new card if you have upcoming expenses. For example, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card has a welcome bonus worth $250 and it also has no foreign transaction fees. There’s also the […]
is it true that if you have a Scotiabank STEP (Scotia total equity plan home owner line of credit) that the annual fee is only 69 bucks? if that’s the case maybe both my wife and I will get a STEP LOC (free with no balance) and get our own cards (no sup cards.) that way we get 12 lounge passes between us as well as the sign up bonus’ and the total yearly fees is 138 bucks total.The question is with 2 primary cards can we combine our points ?
Kordtsy,
You’d have to ask Scotiabank about the rebate with STEP as I’m unfamiliar with it. If you have two separate cards, I don’t believe you can combine points.
Hi Barry, I’ve been an Avioner for years and currently use the infinite privilege.. annual fee is a little high but I LOVE this card for the extended warranty coverage which triples the manufactures on products… does the scotia bank passport offer similar warranty benefits .?
Hi John,
The card does indeed come with extended warranty (up to one extra year) as a standard benefit. In addition, you get price protection and purchase security. I hope you’ll use my referral link if you decide to sign up.
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the useful info!
I’ve narrowed down my options to Scotia Passport Visa Infinite and CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite. My main care is points to be redeemed for travel. Any thoughts on which one is preferable?
Hi Barry … yet another question for you and thanks in advance!!. Now looking at getting the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite because of the travel insurance for 10 days if you are over 65 & the lounge passes. My question is this, what designates 75% of travel being charged to the card?
For example we have the Royal WJ MC (for the companion fare and free bags) and if we book a flight using the $99 companion fare and/or use some WJ dollars for a flight and charge the bottom line cost to the Visa card , this is technically our 100% “flight cost”. Do they consider that as being the 100% cost of the flight for the insurance purposes?
Hi Carol,
You need to read the fine print. Generally speaking, you need to spend 75% of your trip expenses in regard to the said insurance. For example, if you want your trip cancellation to be valid, you need to charge 75% of your flights and hotels to your card.
Using a WJ companion voucher is tricky as some insurance providers may consider it a discount so you may not meet the 75% requirement even if you charge the rest of the fare to your card. There are some exceptions, the BMO World Elite Mastercard states if you charge ANY amount, your trip cancellation applies.
One final note, and this is the most important. If you’re over the age of 65, I don’t recommend relying on credit card insurance. You’re better off buying a multi-trip, yearly policy. The reason I advise this is that when you buy this type of policy, the underwriting is usually done at the time of purchase. When using credit card travel insurance, the underwriting is done at the time of the claim. Basically, the insurance company has more ways to NOT pay you when using credit card insurance. This applies to any age really.
Hi Barry
After a lot of research I thought this would be a great card (especially with the lounge passes) until I just read the “Legal” point #1 small print on the Bank site for this card and it says “individuals who are currently or were previously primary or secondary cardholders of a Scotiabank retail credit card in the past 2 years, including those that switch from an existing Scotiabank retail credit card as well as employees of Scotiabank (and I assume that also means retired staff) are not eligible for the 25,000 Scotia Rewards point bonus offer.”
WHAT? … so am I reading this correctly, if you have or had any kind of existing Scotiabank credit card within the past 2 years, even though you pay the $139 annual fee, you won’t get the bonus points. Can you confirm?
Carol,
Technically speaking, you’re correct. However, this clause was put in to deny people who have applied for the card in the past and then cancelled it within a short period of time (known as churners). If this is your first time applying for the card, you’ll likely get the bonus.
[…] As you can see, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card comes packed with benefits. It’s the first credit card with no foreign transaction fees from a major bank which is quite impressive. Clearly, Scotiabank has targeted this as an all-in-one card travel card. The overall package is quite impressive if you’re the type of person who doesn’t like carrying multiple credit cards just to earn the maximum amount of points. Read my full review of the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card now. […]
There is one big flow with this card in relation to Car rental insurance.
One that you probably use the most.
What contracts says is:
” Vehicles which belong to the following categories are NOT covered:
Any vehicle with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) excluding all taxes, over sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000) Canadian,at the time and place of loss.”
In out time 65K CAD is not a lot and probably exclude all premium cars, especially if you rent in Europe.
Even worse. Let say you pre-payed for regular car in Europe and they offered you free upgrade to Luxury car, let say BMW. You happily accepted and you just lost all your CLD insurance and they will pay $0 to any damage to a car.
I am so pissed off with this limitation. I was in this situation. I did not have any damage, but I just realized I was driving without CLD. And car I got as free upgrade was probably in range of $85K (BMW 530)
A lot of other card do not have this limitation. So I would suggest be very careful if you use this card for Car Rental.
Will the passport visa be a good companion to the Scotia amex gold? I want to be in a program where I can maximize my points earnings. I love the benefits of both cards but seem to always long for the other so I thought why not both? I know it will be a high annual fee but if I can get one waved(for a year) or try it for a year, I would not mind so much. I originally want the amex cobalt but the downside is its an amex in Canada and there is not visa that can really help the amex, I know there are some aeroplan programs but, I also hear it can be a hassle . I also like the benefits of the Scotia cards with no forex. But I also love the idea of the amex benefits. I like to watch shows, and shop, then travel once or twice a year. I thought having 2 cards with awesome benefits using the same program may be a good combo. Any thoughts, notes on disadvantages or tips? I feel that if I use the lounge (my wife and I) just twice, its already pays for the fees of that year, let alone the rewards. And same thing with the amex, if I get access to the amex lounge and get ticket services etc. That would help pay the fees too. I always see card stacking with one travel card with a rebate card but why not points that I can use for anything… I have a scene card right now and having not paid for movies for the last three years and the next 1-2 is pretty cool, I figured if I spend properly I can reap some benefits.
The other card stack I was thinking of was Amex gold (amex) with TD aeroplan to maximize on the aeroplan but it feels limiting and has forex…
Any thoughts, tips, warnings etc. would really help. Oh and do you think soctia will let me get both cards with the sign in bonuses for both(as long as I can earn them right?)?
Xian,
When pairing two credit cards, you should think about your goals. The two Scotiabank credit cards are good because they both own you Scotia Rewards points, and you’re technically getting the Gold Card for free for the first year.
What you should consider is what you plan on doing with your points. For example, if you know you want to make an Aeroplan redemption, then you should be getting cards that earn you Aeroplan points or allow you to transfer your points to Aeroplan.
The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card is a good all-ine-one travel card since it has lounge access, no forex fees and good travel insurance. That said, Scotia Rewards isn’t the most flexible rewards program. I personally favour American Express credit cards since American Express Membership Rewards points are very flexible.
Thanks for the answer Barry! I do like the amex but my concern is that Toronto is not always favorable of the card and there is no visa/mastercard that contributes to MR points . Is the Areoplan program that much better than the Scotia rewards? Are scotia rewards that much of a disadvantage(I dont know as I have never been able to access it, which is scary)? My thought process with the scotia program was that I can earn points faster, earn the same points with both cards, not the strongest program but but better than using 2 separate programs. How are the scotia rewards for travel? I know they are at least worth the scene points lol.
Xian,
Scotia Rewards is a good program because you can use your points for any type of travel. But your points have a fixed value where as Amex MR and Aeroplan, you can get a lot of value for your points depending on what you’re redeeming for. That said, although you can get more value with Aeroplan, finding a seat can be tricky.
Your thoughts about using one program is smart. Amex is good because you can transfer your points to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy so you can still pool points.
In the end, youjust gotta choose what makes more sense for you. Check out these guides I wrote on Scotia Rewards and Membership Rewards.
https://www.moneywehave.com/scotia-rewards/
https://www.moneywehave.com/american-express-membership-rewards/
the card is free if you keep $5000 in the ultimate package account.
We have had this card for a few years now, thanks to your recommendation. Just wondering if the trip cancellation insurance has been reinstated, after being suspended during Covid back in 2020? Looking to book a trip and would like to put it on this card. Thank you.
Lynette,
You’d have to call the insurance provider to confirm. I imagine it’s available, but it only applies to qualifying reasons (COVID would not count)
Thank you for the quick reply Barry. I’ll call them now.
Hi Barry,
I stumble your post on April 1st about the best credit card in Canada and decided to give it a try.
Applied Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card on April 6 and then got pin code on April 14 where card didn’t arrive till we call customer service on April 22 and they said they scratched the old card with no reason explained and will issue new cards to be delivered in 3 days. Today surprisingly, old cards arrived in our door steps (deactivated) with no sign of new card.
I’d like to try this card as I am travelling for next 2 months and sadly I couldn’t get the card before my departure.
Here I’d just like to get your 2 cents or anyone who has longer experience with Scotia bank. Is this just an odd case or who I should seek help to in order to resolve potential issue in the future?
Thank you
Jasmine
Hey Jasmine,
I’ve personally applied for cards where the PIN arrived a few days before the card.
It sucks that it’s taking this long and really annoying that you didn’t get your card before you travelled. That said, I believe you can still register for PriorityPass / DragonPass via the app. You’d just need someone at home to give you your card info if possible.
Thank you for your swift reply. I did contact customer service hoping they can share the new credit card # so I can register priority pass/dragon pass in time for my flight. But they said I can’t unless the new card is activated and lounge will ask me to present the card on arrival.
If you’re travelling, the lounges may not ask for your card. They can’t keep tracking of hundreds of cards that offer lounge access.
If you’re registered with Priority PAss / DragonPass via their apps, you should be able to access the lounges.
It is true that you need your card to be activated first. If you have someone you trust picking up your mail, they could potentially activate your card for you.
I was told I did not have to buy my airline ticket with the card but my spouse and myself are covered for 2 million travel medical insurance. Up to 25 days away. This seems amazing considering the price of travel medical. She said even if my husband traveled on his own out of the country it applies even if I am the card holder. Do you know if this is true?
Thank you
Michele,
Yes, you get travel medical insurance just by having the card. That said, if you want your extended travel benefits such as trip cancellation, you have to charge your flights to the card.
If your husband is a secondary user on the card, he should be covered even if you’re not with him. Check the certificate of insurance as it’ll be pretty clear.
This is the worst credit card I ever have. Not one of the worst, but THE WORST! Save yourself time and hassle by staying far away from this garbage card!
TLDR:
It advertised as a travel card with lounge passes.
But I got rejected by lounges, card got declined in USA (Costco & supermarket), got declined even back in Canada.
Details:
Useless lounge access:
I got this card right before I am traveling to USA. Was looking forward to use the lounge passes. When I got to JFK airport, went to the Virgin Atlantic lounge, got rejected at the entrance saying they no longer participate with DragonPass. (I checked the website and it’s still ok the list) I then went to another lounge also on their list, got rejected again at the entrance. I was told they they will only accept PriorityPass but not DragonPass. Super Frustrated!
Declined everywhere:
While I was in USA, I tried to se this card in Costco. Tried tapping (contactless) but failed. Learnt that it’s because it’s over the tapping limit (100?). Then tried entering pin and declined again. Tried in other stores (Safeway) for much small amount (<$10) and same, declined. Call card center and they said maybe the card was damaged. They sent me a replacement cards and no surprise, same problem, declined. Call again and again, they sent me yet another replacement card. And guess what, declined, declined, and more declined….
Came back to Canada and just for the sake of trying this card again, and guess what? Of course it’s declined again!
Hey!
A bit confused
Do I get Priority Pass or Visa Companion? Or both?
Also, for first year fee waived, is that something I should call about? I just got approved yesterday. Thanks
Jamie,
It used to be Priority Pass, now it’s Visa Companion which technically uses Dragon Pass.
technically, there still exists a “Priority Pass” which is separate from what Dragon Pass now is no?
Priority Pass and Dragon Pass are two different lounge networks but give you access to nearly the same lounges. The Scotiabank Card uses the Dragon Pass netowrk.
I commented on this post back in 2018 and I still have this card and still love it. They changed the rewards program from Scotia Rewards to Scene+ and the redemption value dropped a bit but I’ve still been able to get a lot of gift cards with my points over the years. I know gift cards aren’t the best value but it works well for me. I usually get BestBuy gift cards and then get video games and accessories but I’ve also gotten clothes and other things. I use this card for everything and had enough points to buy my friends a Nintendo Switch, extra controllers and a game a couple Christmases ago with BestBuy gift cards. I hope they never change this card.
Shawn,
Although gift cards may work for you, it’s a huge devaluation of your points. You’d be better off with a Scotiabank cash back card or an American Express Card that earns you Membership Rewards points since you can get the same value for statement credits.