Skip the FX Fees: Two Scotiabank Cards with Limited-Time Welcome Offers

If you’ve ever come home from a trip abroad and winced at your credit card statement, you already know the sting of foreign transaction fees.

That quiet 2.5% tacked onto every purchase (the café au lait in Paris, the sunscreen you grabbed in Cancún, the Airbnb you booked online) adds up faster than you’d think. For travellers, avoiding that fee is one of the single most impactful things you can do to stretch your travel budget.

The good news? Two cards from Scotiabank have quietly become some of the best tools in a Canadian’s wallet, and both charge zero foreign transaction fees. As well, they both have limited-time promotions that end July 1st, 2026, so now is a great time to apply.

Let’s break them down.

Note: The referral links mentioned in this blog post help support Canadian Jetsetter at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

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Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card — The Everyday Earner That Travels Well

Annual Fee: $120 | Welcome Bonus: Up to 45,000 Scene+ Points (ends July 1, 2026)

At first glance, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card looks like a grocery and dining card, but once you dig in, it reveals itself as a surprisingly well-rounded travel companion.

No Foreign Transaction Fee: The Star of the Show

Most Canadian credit cards charge 2.5% on every foreign currency purchase. On a $5,000 trip, that’s $125 gone before you’ve even thought about souvenirs. The Scotiabank Gold Amex eliminates this entirely. Only the exchange rate applies. Whether you’re shopping online in USD or paying for dinner in euros, what you see is what you get.

A Limited-Time Welcome Offer Worth Acting On

Right now, the Scotiabank Gold Amex is offering up to 45,000 bonus Scene+ points as part of its welcome offer, which Scotiabank values at up to $850 in total first-year value when you factor in rewards and savings. This offer ends July 1, 2026, so if you’ve been on the fence, the clock is ticking.

Earn Points While You Prep for Your Trip

The earning structure is genuinely impressive for a $120 card:

• 6x Scene+ points at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, FreshCo, and other partner grocery stores
• 5x points at restaurants, food delivery, and other eligible grocery stores
• 5x points on eligible entertainment in Canada (movies, theatre, ticket agencies)
• 3x points on gas, daily transit, and eligible streaming services
• 1x point on everything else

That means every grocery run before your trip, every Uber Eats order during a busy week, and every movie night is quietly building toward your next adventure.

Travel Insurance That Actually Matters

The card comes with comprehensive travel insurance — a feature that often costs hundreds of dollars on its own. For a $120 annual fee, that’s exceptional value.

Who Is This Card For?

The Scotiabank Gold Amex is the perfect card for travellers who want no-frills foreign transaction savings paired with strong everyday earning.

The $12,000 personal income requirement makes it accessible to a wide range of Canadians, and the $120 fee pays for itself quickly if you spend regularly on groceries, dining, or entertainment.

One caveat: American Express acceptance is more limited in some countries than Visa or Mastercard. It’s worth carrying a backup card for smaller merchants abroad.

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Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card — The Premium Traveller’s Best Friend

Annual Fee: $150 | Welcome Bonus: Up to 60,000 Scene+ Points (ends July 1, 2026)

If the Gold Amex is the everyday earner, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is the card that really leans into the travel lifestyle. For $30 more per year, you unlock a suite of perks that frequent flyers dream about.

No Foreign Transaction Fee — Again, the Foundation

Same deal as the Gold Amex: zero foreign transaction fees, no matter where in the world you swipe. For a Visa Infinite card with this level of perks, that’s rare and genuinely valuable.

Generous Welcome Offer

Up to 60,000 bonus Scene+ points are on offer right now, part of a total first-year value of up to $1,500 in welcome offers, rewards and savings. This offer ends July 1, 2026, so it’s worth moving on sooner rather than later.

6 Free Airport Lounge Visits Per Year

This alone can justify the annual fee. Airport lounges offer complimentary food, drinks, showers, fast Wi-Fi, and a quiet escape from the chaos of a busy terminal. The Passport Visa Infinite includes 6 complimentary visits per year, which works out to roughly $25 per visit in value. Frequent travellers know that this perk alone can be worth $150 or more annually.

Visa Infinite Perks That Elevate Every Trip

The Visa Infinite network unlocks benefits that go well beyond the card itself:

• Visa Infinite Concierge Services — available 24/7 for travel bookings, dining reservations, and more
• Visa Infinite Hotel Collection — preferred rates and perks at premium properties worldwide
• Visa Infinite Dining and Wine Country Program — exclusive culinary experiences for food-loving travellers

Earning Points on the Road and at Home

• 3x Scene+ points at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, and participating Co-ops
• 2x points at other eligible grocery stores, dining, entertainment, and daily transit
• Up to 4x points on hotel bookings, car rentals, and activities via Scene+ Travel (powered by Expedia)
• 1x point on everything else

First Additional Cardholder Is Free

The first additional card comes with no annual fee (a $0 add-on, compared to $29 on the Gold Amex). For couples or families who travel together, this is a meaningful saving.

Who Is This Card For?

The Passport Visa Infinite is built for the traveller who takes at least two or three trips a year and wants their credit card to feel like a travel partner, not just a payment method. The income requirement is higher ($60,000 personal / $100,000 household), but for those who qualify, the value proposition is hard to beat.

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Side-by-Side: Which One Is Right for You?

Feature	Scotia Gold Amex	Passport Visa Infinite
Annual Fee	$120	$150
Foreign Transaction Fee	0%	0%
Welcome Bonus	Up to 45,000 pts	Up to 60,000 pts
Network	American Express	Visa
Lounge Access	❌	✅ 6x/year
Travel Insurance	✅	✅
Top Earn Rate	6x (groceries)	3x (groceries)
Income Requirement	$12,000	$60,000 personal / $100,000 household
Best For	Everyday spenders & new travellers	Frequent flyers & premium seekers

TIP FOR YOU! Do you know you can compare multiple credit cards side-by-side on my website? Just click “Compare” beside the cards you’re interested in.

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The Bottom Line

Both cards solve the foreign transaction fee problem, and that alone puts them ahead of the majority of Canadian credit cards. But they serve slightly different travellers.

If you want maximum everyday earn rates and an accessible income requirement, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is a stellar choice. If you want lounge access, Visa acceptance everywhere, and premium travel perks, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is worth the extra $30 a year.

The real power move? If you can qualify for both, carry them together. Use the Gold Amex for groceries, dining, and entertainment at home. Use the Passport Visa Infinite at the airport lounge, abroad, and anywhere Amex is not accepted.

Safe travels, everyone. The world is waiting and you shouldn’t have to pay extra to explore it. ✈️

Note: The referral links mentioned in this blog post help support Canadian Jetsetter at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Welcome bonus offers end July 1, 2026. Terms and conditions apply.

Note: Do not apply for a Credit Card if you can’t pay back your monthly balance comfortably.