Looking for a travel card with airport lounge benefits, travel insurance, and no foreign transaction fees?

For Canadians who travel regularly or want a credit card that performs well both at home and abroad, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is often considered one of the most complete options available. It combines travel focused benefits, strong insurance coverage, wide global acceptance, and the ability to earn Scene+ points, all while eliminating foreign transaction fees — a major advantage in the Canadian market.

This in depth guide is written specifically for a Canadian audience. It explains how the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card works, its main advantages, who it is best suited for, and how it compares to both the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card and a Santander card, from a realistic Canada based perspective.

What Is the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card?

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is a premium travel rewards credit card designed for Canadians who value convenience, comfort, and protection while traveling. It earns Scene+ points, the same rewards currency used across Scotiabank’s ecosystem, and it offers a set of benefits that go beyond basic rewards.

Unlike everyday spending focused cards, the Passport Visa Infinite is built around travel use cases: airport lounges, travel insurance, foreign spending, and global acceptance through the Visa network.

Because it is a Visa Infinite card, it also comes with higher eligibility requirements and a higher annual fee compared to entry level credit cards.

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How the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card Works

Earning Scene+ points

With the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card, you earn Scene+ points on every purchase. While the earning rates are not as aggressive as some grocery focused cards, they are designed to reward both travel and daily spending in a balanced way.

In general, cardholders earn:

• Elevated Scene+ points on travel purchases such as flights, hotels, and transit
• Bonus points on dining and entertainment
• Base points on all other purchases

This structure allows Canadians to earn points consistently, whether they are booking a trip, commuting to work, or dining out.

Redeeming Scene+ points

Scene+ points are flexible and easy to use, which is one of their biggest strengths in Canada. Points can be redeemed for:

• Flights and hotels
• Travel expenses charged to the card
• Groceries and everyday purchases
• Entertainment and lifestyle rewards

This flexibility is especially useful for Canadians who want the option to use points for travel or apply them toward everyday costs when travel plans are on hold.

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One of the Biggest Advantages for Canadians: No Foreign Transaction Fees

Many Canadian credit cards charge an additional fee — often around 2.5 percent — on purchases made in foreign currencies. Over the course of a trip, this can add up quickly.

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card does not charge foreign transaction fees. Purchases made outside Canada, or online in foreign currencies, are simply converted at the exchange rate.

For Canadians who travel internationally, shop from international retailers, or subscribe to foreign services, this feature alone can offset a significant portion of the card’s annual fee.

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Airport Lounge Access: A Premium Travel Benefit

One of the standout features of the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is complimentary airport lounge access.

Cardholders typically receive:

• A set number of free lounge visits each year through a global lounge program
• Access to lounges worldwide, regardless of airline or class of ticket

For Canadians who fly even a few times a year, lounge access can dramatically improve the travel experience by providing quieter spaces, food, drinks, Wi-Fi, and more comfortable seating during layovers.

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Travel Insurance and Protections

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card includes a comprehensive package of travel insurance benefits, which is a major reason many Canadians choose it as their primary travel card.

Common coverage includes:

• Emergency medical insurance
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Lost, delayed, or damaged baggage coverage
• Flight delay insurance
• Rental car collision damage insurance

For Canadians who travel with family or take longer trips, these protections can provide peace of mind and reduce the need to purchase additional insurance separately.

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Visa Infinite Acceptance and Convenience

Because this card runs on the Visa network, it benefits from near universal acceptance in Canada and abroad. This is an important consideration for Canadians who want one card that works almost everywhere, including:

• Small businesses
• Government services
• International merchants
• Hotels and transportation providers

This wide acceptance makes the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite particularly convenient as a single card solution.

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Annual Fee and Income Requirements

As a premium card, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite typically comes with:

• A higher annual fee than basic rewards cards
• Minimum personal or household income requirements

While the fee may seem high at first, many Canadians find that the combination of lounge access, insurance coverage, and foreign transaction savings can easily justify the cost if the card is used strategically.

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Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite vs Scotiabank Gold American Express Card

These two Scotiabank cards are often compared because they both earn Scene+ points and both waive foreign transaction fees. However, they are built for very different types of users.

Core focus of each card

• Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite: Travel first, premium benefits, global acceptance
• Scotiabank Gold American Express: Everyday spending, high rewards on groceries and dining

Where the Passport Visa Infinite is stronger

The Passport Visa Infinite stands out for:

• Complimentary airport lounge access
• Broader and more robust travel insurance
• Visa acceptance almost everywhere
• A single card solution for frequent travelers

This makes it a better fit for Canadians who travel multiple times per year or who want a premium travel experience.

Where the Gold Amex has the advantage

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card generally offers:

• Higher earning rates on groceries and dining
• Strong value for everyday spending
• Lower income requirements compared to Visa Infinite products

For Canadians who spend more time at home than traveling, the Gold Amex can generate points faster on daily expenses.

Which one should Canadians choose?

Choose the Passport Visa Infinite if:

• Travel benefits and insurance are a top priority
• You want lounge access and broad acceptance
• You prefer one primary card for both Canada and abroad

Choose the Gold American Express if:

• You spend heavily on groceries and restaurants
• You are comfortable carrying a second card for acceptance
• Your main goal is maximizing points on everyday purchases

Some Canadians even choose to pair both cards, using the Gold Amex for daily spending and the Passport Visa Infinite for travel.

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Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite vs Santander Cards: A Canadian Perspective

When comparing the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite to a Santander card, it is important to recognize that Santander does not have a major consumer travel credit card presence in Canada comparable to Scotiabank.

As a result, comparisons are usually theoretical or based on Santander cards issued in other countries.

Rewards ecosystem differences

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite earns Scene+ points, which are deeply integrated into the Canadian market. Canadians can easily redeem points for travel, groceries, and everyday expenses.

Santander cards in other markets often focus on:

• Simple cash back
• Market specific rewards
• Banking benefits tied to local economies

These structures may work well in their home countries but are not optimized for Canadian spending habits or redemption preferences.

Travel features and foreign use

For Canadians, features like no foreign transaction fees, Canadian travel insurance standards, and global acceptance are essential. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is built with these needs in mind.

Santander cards issued outside Canada may not align with Canadian travel patterns, insurance expectations, or regulatory protections.

Practicality for Canadian residents

For most Canadians, a Canadian issued card like the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is far more practical. It fits seamlessly into Canadian banking systems, credit reporting, and consumer protections.

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Who Should Consider the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card?

This card is especially well suited for Canadians who:

• Travel internationally or domestically several times per year
• Value airport lounge access and comfort
• Want strong travel insurance included with their card
• Spend money in foreign currencies regularly
• Prefer one card with wide acceptance and premium benefits

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Who Might Prefer a Different Card?

You may want to consider other options if:

• You rarely travel and would not use lounge access or travel insurance
• Your spending is mostly groceries and dining, where other cards earn more points
• You do not meet the income requirements for a Visa Infinite card

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Final Thoughts

For Canadians who prioritize travel, convenience, and peace of mind, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is one of the strongest premium credit cards available. Its combination of no foreign transaction fees, airport lounge access, comprehensive travel insurance, and broad Visa acceptance makes it a powerful tool for both frequent and occasional travelers.

When compared to the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, the decision comes down to lifestyle: travel focused benefits versus everyday spending rewards.

And when compared to Santander cards, the key takeaway for Canadians is relevance. The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is designed specifically for Canadian residents, Canadian travel patterns, and Canadian financial systems — which makes it a natural and practical choice for anyone living in Canada who wants a premium travel credit card.