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Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

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CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

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Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card vs CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card: Which one is better?

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

4.9

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RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300

Poor

560

Fair

660

Good

725

Very Good

760

Excellent

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CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

3.3

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RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE

300

Poor

560

Fair

660

Good

725

Very Good

760

Excellent

Get your free credit score

Finly Rebate

$150 Cash Rebate from FinlyWealth

Now $150 until Nov 30, 2024

Finly Rebate

N/A

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$644.5

Scene+

First Year Bonus

$450

Scene+

Annual Fee

$120

First Year Value

$1,094.5

$524.5 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Rewards Breakdown

Annual Rewards

$541.37

Air Canada Aeroplan®

First Year Bonus

$630

Air Canada Aeroplan®

Annual Fee

$139

First Year Value

$1,032.37

$402.37 in years after

Based on $2,000/mo average spending. Calculate your rewards.

Insurance Included

Lost or Stolen Baggage

$500/person, $1000/trip

Baggage Delay

$500/person, $1,000/trip After 4 hours

Car Rental Damage & Theft

$65K up to 48 days

Travel Accident

$500K/person, $1M/occurrence

Mobile Device Insurance

$1,000

Extended Warranty

Up to 1 year

Purchase Protection

90 days

Hotel Burglary Insurance

$1000/occurrence

Emergency Out of province Medical

$1M, Up to 25 days

Emergency Medical Over 65

$1M, Up to 3 days

Trip Cancellation

$1500/person, $10000/trip

Trip Interruption

$1500/person, $10,000/trip

Flight Delay

$500/person

Insurance Included

Lost or Stolen Baggage

$500

Baggage Delay

$500

Car Rental Damage & Theft

yes

Travel Accident

$500,000

Mobile Device Insurance

$1,000

Extended Warranty

Up to 1 year

Purchase Protection

90 days

Hotel Burglary Insurance

$2,500

Emergency Out of province Medical

15 days

Emergency Medical Over 65

3 days

Trip Cancellation

$1,500

Trip Interruption

$2,000

Flight Delay

$500

Extra Benefits

Discount

Discount on PriorityPass Membership

No Foreign Transaction Fees

Avoid the 2.5% foreign transaction fees incurred when spending in non $CAD

Concierge Services

American Express® Experiences

Extra Benefits

Discount

Primary cardholders can often book flight rewards for even fewer points

Car Rental Discount

Get up to 25% off auto rentals at participating Avis and Budget locations worldwide.

Visa Infinite Exclusive Benefits

Exclusive offers

Gas Discount

save up to 10¢/L on fuel at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations

Status lift

Reach Aeroplan Elite Status sooner: Earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and 1 Status Qualifying Segment for every $10,000 in eligible purchases made on your card

Free first checked bag

Enjoy a free first checked bag for you, authorized users and up to 8 companions every time you fly with Air Canada

Free Extra Night at Hotels

Extra night free for every 3 hotel nights redeemed with Aeroplan points

Interest Rates

Purchase:

20.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%

Balance Transfer:

22.99%

Interest Rates

Purchase:

20.99%

Cash Advance:

22.99%, for Quebec 21.99%

Balance Transfer:

22.99%

Annual Fee

$120

First Year Waived

Annual Fee

$139

First Year Waived

Income Required

Min Personal Income:

$12,000

Min Household Income:

$12,000

Income Required

Min Personal Income:

$60,000

Min Household Income:

$100,000

Welcome Bonus

Earn 25,000 bonus Scene+ points by making at least $1,000 in everyday eligible purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, for a limited time, you are eligible to earn a 20,000 Scene+ point bonus when you spend at least $7,500 in everyday eligible purchases in your first year.

Welcome Bonus

10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first purchase, 20,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $5,000 or more during the first 4 monthly statements periods, 10,000 Aeroplan points as an additional anniversary bonus when you have at least $10,000 in net purchases posted on your account during the first 12 monthly statement periods

Rewards Rate

6 Points per $1 spent at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland & Participating Co-ops
5 Points per $1 spent on eligible dining, other grocery stores, entertainment purchases including movies, theatre, and ticket agencies
3 Points per $1 spent on rides which includes rideshare, buses, taxis, subways and more
3 Points per $1 spent on eligible streaming service payments (Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, Crave and more)
1 Point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases

Rewards Rate

1.5 Aeroplan® points per $1 spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries and with Air Canada directly, including through Air Canada Vacations®
1 Aeroplan® point per $1 spent on all other purchases

Loyalty Program

Scene+

Loyalty Program

Air Canada Aeroplan®

Point Redemption Options

Travel

1¢ / point

Merchandise

0.76¢ / point

Gift Cards

0.74¢ / point

Entertainment

1¢ / point

Groceries (Sobeys)

1¢ / point

Restaurants

1¢ / point

Statement Credits (Cash)

0.7¢ / point

Point Redemption Options

Travel

0.825¢ / point

Merchandise

0.75¢ / point

Gift Cards

0.72¢ / point

Most Optimal

Aeroplan® Flights

2.1¢ / point

Car Rentals

0.9¢ / point

Is this card worth it?

The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card is one of our favorite cards. It has a very solid rewards program, earning one of the highest rewards among all credit cards in Canada. In addition, it offers comprehensive travel benefits, including the rare and valuable no foreign transaction fee benefit, making it a great and balanced credit card in terms of both rewards and benefits. The first-year annual fee waiver is the cherry on top, providing even greater value to cardholders.

Is this card worth it?

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card is great for Air Canada travelers who want to rack up Aeroplan points and enjoy perks like free checked bags and preferred pricing on flight redemptions. With solid reward rates in key spending categories like gas, groceries, and Air Canada purchases, this card offers decent returns. Additionally, the first-year annual fee waiver and comprehensive travel insurance make it a solid option for those looking for value without the upfront cost. However, its highest value is for people who frequently travel with Air Canada and make use of Aeroplan rewards, especially for flights.

Pros

No foreign transaction fee saves you 2.5% on all non-CAD purchases.
Rewards cover all high-spending categories, including food, groceries, entertainment, and gas.
Comprehensive coverage of all travel insurance.

Pros

Generous Welcome Bonus: 40,000 Aeroplan points upon meeting the initial spending requirements.
High Reward Rates: Earn up to 1.5 points per $1 spent on gas, groceries, EV charging, and Air Canada purchases.
Air Canada Perks: Free checked bags for you and up to 8 companions when flying Air Canada.
Preferred Pricing on Aeroplan Flights: Get access to better Aeroplan point redemption rates for Air Canada flights.

Cons

The card network is American Express, which might not be widely accepted in some countries, making it a bit harder to use the no foreign transaction fee benefit.
Having a lounge pass would have made this card even more perfect, but there is access to a discount code for lounge access pass purchases.

Cons

Income Requirements: Requires either a $60,000 personal income or a $100,000 household income to qualify.
Limited Redemption Value: The highest value for points is found when redeeming for Air Canada flights, limiting flexibility if you prefer other types of rewards.