Who this card is for
A good fit if you…
- People who travel or shop in foreign currency often enough that skipping FX fees is the main reason to pay a $150 annual fee.
- Travellers who will use the six complimentary lounge visits a year (Visa Airport Companion / DragonPass) instead of paying à la carte.
- Scene+ collectors who will use 3 points per $1 at Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland, participating IGA, co-ops, and other participating grocers, and who will book some hotels or cars through Scene+ Travel for the extra points.
- Scotiabank customers with an Ultimate Package chequing account, which rebates the $150 annual fee. A Preferred Package is a $40 rebate, not a full waiver.
- Applicants who meet the income bar: a minimum of $60,000–$80,000+ personal, $100,000–$150,000+ household, or $250,000–$300,000+ in assets under management.
Skip it if you…
- Domestic-only spenders. If you rarely pay in USD or euros, a no-fee Scene+ or cash-back card will usually beat Passport’s $150 fee.
- Air Canada loyalists who want Aeroplan, not Scene+. Passport will not feed your Star Alliance account.
- Applicants who held a Scotiabank personal credit card in the past two years (including switchers), or who are Scotiabank employees, and are applying only for the 25,000-point offer. They are excluded from that bonus. They can still earn the annual 10,000-point bonus at $40,000 spend.
- Anyone who needs 4–5% grocery cash back. Passport earns Scene+ points: 3 per $1 at participating Empire and co-op grocers, and 2 per $1 at other eligible grocery stores, on the first $50,000 a calendar year together with the other elevated rates. That is not Momentum’s 4% cash back.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No foreign-transaction fees is still rare among Canadian Visa Infinite cards and is the cleanest way to value this product.
- Six complimentary lounge visits a year through Visa Airport Companion (DragonPass) is a concrete perk, not unlimited lounge access.
- 3 Scene+ points per $1 at Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland, participating IGA, co-ops, and other participating grocers, and 2 points per $1 on dining, other eligible grocery, eligible entertainment, and daily transit, on the first $50,000 a calendar year.
- An annual 10,000 Scene+ bonus at $40,000 spend, then 2,000 points per extra $10,000, rewards people who put the year on this card on purpose.
- The first supplementary card is $0, then $50 each — useful for a travelling partner.
Cons
- The annual fee is $150 unless an Ultimate Package chequing account rebates it. A Preferred Package is a $40 rebate, not a waiver.
- Scene+ is a weaker long-haul airline currency than Aeroplan for many redemptions. Know how you will use the points before you chase the welcome offer.
- The 25,000-point welcome excludes anyone who held a Scotiabank personal credit card in the past 2 years, including switchers, and Scotiabank employees. Scotiabank’s “up to $1,250” first-year figure is not universal. The annual 10,000-point bonus at $40,000 can still apply.
- Purchases are 20.99% and cash advances are 22.99%. Pay the card in full.
- Lounge visits are six a year through Visa Airport Companion / DragonPass. That is a fixed allotment, not The Platinum Card’s Global Lounge Collection (more than 1,550 lounges; from January 1, 2027, complimentary Plaza Premium and Priority Pass visits on that card are a limited annual number unless the spend unlock applies). The 3x and 2x rates stop after $50,000 in a calendar year.
Fees and value: is the annual fee worth it?
First-year snapshot (estimate)
- Annual fee
- $150
- Estimated welcome bonus value
- $1,250
- Bonus minus fee (estimate)
- $1,100
This is a simple comparison of the estimated welcome-bonus value against the annual fee. It ignores rewards on spending, credits you have to remember to use, and interest if you carry a balance. Offers change — verify with the issuer.
Passport’s annual fee is $150. An Ultimate Package chequing account rebates that fee.
A Preferred Package gives a $40 rebate. The first supplementary card is $0, then $50 each.
There are no foreign transaction fees. The return can be FX savings rather than a guess at point values.
Take last year’s foreign-currency spend, apply a typical 2.5% conversion fee you would have paid on another Visa, and compare that with $150. If you also use the six lounge visits and a Scene+ travel booking, the card can clear the fee without heroic spend.
If the Ultimate Package already rebates the fee, the bar drops further. A Preferred Package’s $40 rebate does not make the card free.
The current welcome is 25,000 bonus Scene+ points after $2,000 in everyday eligible purchases in the first 3 months, plus the annual 10,000-point bonus at $40,000 spend: up to 35,000 points and up to $1,250 in first-year value, per Scotiabank, for new accounts opened August 4 to November 1, 2026. Income is a minimum of $60,000–$80,000+ personal, $100,000–$150,000+ household, or $250,000–$300,000+ in assets under management.
Purchases are 20.99% and cash advances are 22.99%. Offers change.
FX savings assume you actually use this card abroad. Confirm the live terms on Scotiabank’s page.
Rewards and earn rates explained
Rewards program: Scene+ Points
Passport earns Scene+ points. You earn 3 Scene+ points per $1 at Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland, participating IGA, co-ops, and other participating grocers, and 2 points per $1 on dining, other eligible grocery stores, eligible entertainment, and daily transit.
Those 3x and 2x rates apply to the first $50,000 in a calendar year. Every other purchase, including eligible travel, earns 1 point per $1.
Hotels and car rentals booked through Scene+ Travel (Expedia) earn an extra 3 points per $1. The annual bonus is 10,000 points when you spend $40,000, then 2,000 points for each extra $10,000.
This is not a 5x cash-back dining card and not an Aeroplan cobrand. Scene+ shines for people who already redeem at Cineplex, participating restaurants, or Scene+ travel.
If your only redemption is Air Canada business class, you will likely be happier with an Aeroplan card and a separate no-FX tool for overseas spend.
Welcome bonus: how to unlock it
Get up to $1,250 in value in the first year, including up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points with minimum spend
The current offer is 25,000 bonus Scene+ points after $2,000 in everyday eligible purchases in the first 3 months, plus the annual 10,000-point bonus when you spend $40,000 in the year. That is up to 35,000 points and up to $1,250 in first-year value, per Scotiabank, for new accounts opened August 4 to November 1, 2026.
Anyone who held a Scotiabank personal credit card in the past 2 years, including people who switch from an existing Scotiabank card, and Scotiabank employees, are excluded from the 25,000-point offer. They can still earn the annual bonus.
If you already have a Scotia card, read that twice before you apply. Spend hurdles should be everyday purchases you would make anyway, not a points chore.
Offers change. Confirm on Scotiabank’s page.
Welcome bonus eligibility: Individuals who are currently or were previously primary or secondary cardholders of a Scotiabank personal credit card in the past 2 years, including those that switch from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card, as well as employees of Scotiabank, are not eligible for the 25,000 bonus points offer. All cardholders remain eligible to earn the annual Scene+ point bonus with an annual spend of at least $40,000.
FAQ
Is the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card worth it?
It is worth it when foreign-currency spend, six lounge visits, and Scene+ bookings cover the $150 fee — especially if an Ultimate Package chequing account rebates that fee. It is not a 4% cash-back grocery card or an Aeroplan substitute. Grocery earn is Scene+ points, and the 3x and 2x rates share a $50,000 calendar-year cap.
Can the Passport annual fee be waived?
An Ultimate Package chequing account rebates the $150 annual fee. A Preferred Package gives a $40 rebate. That is a Scotiabank bundle, not a universal first-year sale. Confirm which package you actually hold before you count on $0. Offers change. Confirm on Scotiabank’s page.
How do the no foreign-transaction fees work?
Purchases in foreign currency are billed without the extra conversion percentage most Canadian issuers add. You still pay the network’s currency conversion at the Visa rate. Use Passport as the overseas card, and keep a backup for merchants that prefer cash or another network.
Passport Visa Infinite vs Passport Visa Infinite Privilege?
Privilege sits above this card on fee and perks. If you will not use the extra Privilege benefits, the regular Passport Infinite is the no-FX workhorse most travellers actually need.
Passport vs an Aeroplan travel card?
Passport is for FX, lounge visits, and Scene+, including 3 points per $1 at participating grocers. Aeroplan cards such as TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite are for Air Canada flight rewards and usually still charge FX. Some travellers keep Passport for the trip and an Aeroplan cobrand for tickets. Two fees need two jobs.
Compare related cards and guides
More Canadian credit card lists that match this product, plus a few cards people usually compare it with.
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