Choosing the right Scene+ credit card for your spending pattern can meaningfully accelerate your point accumulation. The Scotiabank Gold American Express earns at dramatically different rates across categories — making it the clear primary card for most Canadians — while the Passport Visa Infinite excels for international spending. Here is how the two main Scene+ cards compare across every major spending category.
Grocery Spending
Best Scene+ card: Scotiabank Gold American Express
Earn rate: 6x Scene+ points at eligible Scene+ grocery partners (Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, Foodland, Farm Boy)
The Gold Amex delivers Canada’s highest grocery earn rate — but only at Sobeys-banner stores. If you primarily shop at Loblaws, Metro, or non-Empire grocery chains, the Gold Amex earns just 1x at those locations, which is competitive with no other Scene+ card.
Important caveat for Loblaws shoppers: Consider the PC Optimum programme (PC Financial Mastercard or World Elite Mastercard) instead if Loblaws is your main grocery store. PC Optimum points earn at 10–30 points per dollar at Loblaws and PC-banner stores, and those points deliver strong grocery redemption value.
Annual earn example (at $1,000/month at Sobeys):
- Gold Amex: 72,000 points/year = $720 value
- Scene+ Visa: 12,000 points/year = $120 value
For full details, see Scene+ Grocery Earning Guide: 6x at Sobeys Explained.
Dining and Food Delivery
Best Scene+ card: Scotiabank Gold American Express
Earn rate: 5x Scene+ points at restaurants, food delivery (Uber Eats, DoorDash, SkipTheDishes), coffee shops, and bars
At 5x on dining, the Gold Amex earns the highest Scene+ rate on restaurant spending of any Scotiabank card. Combined with the 6x grocery rate, the Gold Amex effectively covers your food budget — both at the store and at the restaurant — at outstanding earn rates.
Annual earn example (at $400/month on dining):
- Gold Amex: 24,000 points/year = $240 value
- Passport Visa Infinite: 14,400 points/year (3x) = $144 value
Entertainment and Streaming
Best Scene+ card: Scotiabank Gold American Express
Earn rate: 5x Scene+ points on entertainment purchases, including movie tickets (Cineplex), streaming services (Netflix, Crave, Spotify), sports events, and concerts
Entertainment is one of the Gold Amex’s strongest categories and directly complements the Cineplex Scene+ partner earn. Paying for Cineplex tickets with the Gold Amex earns 5x credit card points — then scan your Scene+ card to earn partner points on the same transaction.
International / Foreign Currency Spending
Best Scene+ card: Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite (or Gold Amex)
No foreign transaction fee: Both cards waive the 2.5% foreign transaction fee.
Both the Gold Amex and Passport Visa Infinite eliminate FX fees — a significant benefit that Aeroplan’s flagship cards (TD and CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite) do not offer.
If you spend $3,000 on an international trip:
- With TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite: ~$75 in foreign transaction fees
- With Scotiabank Gold Amex or Passport Visa Infinite: $0
The Passport also earns 3x on dining while abroad — useful when travelling in countries where restaurant spending is high.
Gas and Transit
Best Scene+ card: Scotiabank Gold American Express
Earn rate: 3x Scene+ points at gas stations and on eligible transit purchases (including Presto, transit passes, ride-sharing in some cases)
Note: For pure gas spending, the Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite earns 4% cash back on gas — but it earns cash back, not Scene+ points. If accumulating Scene+ points is your goal, the Gold Amex at 3x is the best option.
All Other Spending
Best Scene+ card: Scotiabank Platinum American Express
Earn rate: 2x Scene+ points on every purchase, everywhere
If simplicity matters more than category optimisation, the Scotiabank Platinum Amex earns 2x on everything with no foreign transaction fee. The $399 annual fee is steep, but for high-spend cardholders, the flat 2x rate across all categories can outperform a multi-card category strategy.
Summary: Best Scene+ Card by Category
| Category | Best Card | Earn Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery (Sobeys banners) | Scotiabank Gold Amex | 6x |
| Dining & food delivery | Scotiabank Gold Amex | 5x |
| Entertainment & streaming | Scotiabank Gold Amex | 5x |
| Gas & transit | Scotiabank Gold Amex | 3x |
| International spending | Gold Amex or Passport Visa Infinite | Both no FX fee |
| Airport lounges | Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite | 6 free visits |
| All other purchases | Scotiabank Platinum Amex | 2x |
| No annual fee | Scotiabank Scene+ Visa | 1x |
The Optimal Two-Card Setup
For most Canadian Scene+ earners, the best combination is:
- Scotiabank Gold American Express ($120/yr) — Primary card for all grocery, dining, entertainment, and gas spending
- Scotiabank Scene+ Visa ($0/yr) — Backup card for merchants that don’t accept Amex
This setup costs $120/year in fees and captures the highest Scene+ earn rates across all major categories while maintaining Visa fallback coverage.
Related Scene+ Articles
- Scene+ Grocery Earning Guide: 6x at Sobeys Explained
- Scotiabank Gold Amex vs. Passport Visa Infinite 2026
- What Are Scene+ Points Worth in Canada 2026?
- How Scene+ Works: Complete Canada Guide 2026
- Best Scene+ Credit Cards in Canada 2026
Earn rates are subject to change. Verify current card terms at scotiabank.com before applying.