Clay Jarvis
Beth Buczynski Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.
Best for Canadians who like their cash-back rewards with a dash of premium travel perks.
This card is a great choice for folks who want to turn everyday spending into elevated travel adventures, premium hotel perks and exclusive experiences.
Learn more about how we evaluate cards.
Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* Card
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Annual Fee$120Open a new Scotia Momentum® Visa Infinite* credit card account by June 30, 2023 to qualify.Waived first year
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Interest Rates20.99% / 22.99%20.99% on purchases, 22.99% on cash advances.
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Rewards Rate1%-10%10% intro offer (Ends June 30, 2023), Earn 4% for every $1 you spend on grocery store purchases, recurring bill payments, and subscription purchases. Earn 2% for every $1 you spend on gas purchases and daily transit purchases. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases with no cash back limit.
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Intro OfferUp to $200Earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first three months (up to $2,000 in total purchases). Must open a new account by June 30, 2023.
- SPECIAL OFFER: Earn 10% cash back on all purchases for the first 3 months (up to $2,000 in total purchases). No annual fee in the first year, including on supplementary cards. Offer ends June 30, 2023.
- Earn 4% for every $1 you spend on grocery store purchases, recurring bill payments, and subscription purchases.
- Earn 2% for every $1 you spend on gas purchases and daily transit purchases.
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases with no cash back limit.
- Redeem cash back as a statement credit in November.
- Visa Infinite benefits, including Visa Infinite* Concierge, Visa Infinite* Luxury Hotel Collection, Visa Infinite* Dining Series, and entertainment and lifestyle offers.
- Save up to 25% off base rates at participating AVIS locations and at participating Budget locations in Canada and the U.S.
- Access to Scotia SelectPay™.
- To be eligible, $60,000 (individual) or $100,000 (household) annual income is required, or $250,000 minimum assets under management. Also, you must have a Canadian credit file and be a Canadian resident that is the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.
- Terms and Conditions Apply. Click ‘Apply Now’ for complete details.
Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card pros and cons
Pros
- Great cash-back earning potential on grocery store purchases, subscriptions and recurring bill payments.
- Access to Visa Infinite’s premium travel perks, like room upgrades and late checkout.
- Ability to waive the annual fee every year if you use other Scotiabank banking services.
Cons:
- The accelerated earn rate won’t mean much to you if you don’t buy a lot of groceries or if you often buy your food somewhere that Visa doesn’t classify as a grocery store or supermarket.
- Limited options for cash-back redemption.
Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card full review
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card is a cash-back credit card that offers a few perks usually associated with travel rewards cards. Cardholders earn cash back on every purchase, while the Visa Infinite program provides access to exclusive hotel, dining and wine experiences.
Your cash back rewards can be deposited into an eligible Scotiabank Canadian dollar personal chequing or savings account, or redeemed as a statement credit.
Is the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card worth it?
It shouldn’t be difficult to get your money’s worth out of the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card. For an annual fee of $120 (which may be waived for the first year), you get 4% cash back on grocery store purchases and recurring bill payments, 2% cash back on gas and transit purchases, and complimentary room upgrades, Wi-Fi and breakfast at 900 hotels worldwide.
For example, you’d need to spend $3,000 on groceries to earn $120 cash back, enough to offset the annual fee. That breaks down to $250 a month — and doesn’t count spending in other categories.
Point value breakdown
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite’s ongoing rate is 1% on non-bonus categories. One percent cash back is equal to $0.01.
So, for each dollar you spend that’s eligible for cash back with the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card, you’ll earn $0.01.
Benefits of the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card
The cash back component of the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card is quite attractive. Receiving 4% cash back on grocery store purchases, eligible subscriptions and recurring bill payments could really add up; so could the 2% cash back offered on transit purchases, including gas, buses, taxis and rideshare services like Uber. You’ll earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The travel benefits offered by the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card should get the attention of globetrotters with a taste for the finer things:
- Visa Infinite provides automatic room upgrades (when available), complimentary breakfast and WiFi, and late checkout privileges at over 900 Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection hotels worldwide.
- Cardholders receive access to exclusive culinary events through Visa Infinite Dining Series.
- Wine lovers can enjoy the complimentary tastings and discounted deliveries from select wineries in Ontario and British Columbia, or enjoy the in-person benefits at wineries in California’s Sonoma Valley, provided by Visa Infinite Wine Country.
- Complimentary concierge services can help you arrange your next vacation, party or special gift purchase.
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card also offers a comprehensive suite of insurance. Some coverage, like mobile device, trip cancellation and travel accident protection, requires you to charge at least 75% of the original purchase price to your card, but the emergency medical insurance is automatically included for eligible cardholders under the age of 65.
Drawbacks of the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card
Even though the travel perks offered by the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card do qualify as “premium,” they are relatively limited. Travellers used to more flight-related benefits, like free checked bags, priority boarding services and airport lounge access may want to look at other travel rewards credit cards.
The card’s minimum income requirement — $60,000 for individuals, $100,000 for households — may disqualify some applicants. Fortunately, there are other rewards credit cards to choose from.
While it’s unlikely to be a dealbreaker for some applicants, the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card charges an interest rate of 20.99% on purchases.
Is Scotiabank reliable and secure?
Scotiabank was founded in 1832 and is considered one of Canada Big Six Banks. Like many banks and credit unions, Scotiabank carries Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) insurance, which protects customer deposits of up to $100,000 if the bank goes under.
Scotiabank credit card transactions are also protected from losses that result from unauthorized transactions through the Visa Zero Liability Policy. The Policy exempts cardholders from paying for unauthorized purchases, while unique codes and extra steps to confirm cardholders’ addresses and identities help prevent fraudulent card use.
» MORE: Read our full Scotiabank review
Scotiabank customer satisfaction ratings
Scotiabank ranks 10th (and below industry average) in customer satisfaction with credit card issuers, according to J.D. Power’s 2022 Canada Credit Card Satisfaction Study, a survey of 6,478 cardholders in Canada [1]. Card issuers were rated on their benefits and services, communication, card terms, customer support and rewards. The credit card issuers with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the survey were Tangerine Bank, American Express and Canadian Tire.
Scotiabank had a Trustpilot rating of 1.2 out of 5 stars based on more than 690 reviews, as of this writing.
Scotiabank had 1.13 out of 5 stars according to fewer than 90 customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau website, as of this writing. Scotiabank is not rated or accredited by the BBB itself.
Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card details and eligibility
Who qualifies for the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card?
To qualify for the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card, you must:
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
- Be the age of majority in the province or territory where you live.
- Not have declared bankruptcy in the past seven years.
- Meet one of the minimum income requirements — $60,000 in individual income, $100,000 in household income, or $250,000 in assets under management.
Approximate credit score needed for approval
Canadian credit card issuers rarely disclose required credit scores, which makes it hard to know your chances of approval when comparing credit cards. It also means any score suggestion we make would be our best guess — which may not be accurate and could result in card application rejections. We don’t want that.
Suggesting that you’d need a “good” or “excellent” score would also be confusing, because the meaning of those terms can vary depending on the rating system card issuers use.
Instead, we’ll tell you what we do know: higher scores have better chances of approval — that’s true no matter what type of credit you’re applying for.
Want to learn more? Visit our “What Credit Score is Needed for a Credit Card?” page.
» MORE: How to Check Your Credit Score
Income requirements
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card’s minimum income requirement is $60,000 for individuals and $100,000 for households, or a minimum of $250,000 in assets under management.
Who should get the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card?
With a 4% earn rate on groceries and 2% on gas and transit costs, the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card will be most valuable for frequent users who want a cash-back credit card that offers more bang for their buck. It may also please Canadians who like to elevate their travelling adventures with premium hotel perks and exclusive experiences.
How to know if the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card is right for you
Even though the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card offers some pretty sweet travel perks, you don’t need to be a frequent traveller to make use of it. The card’s generous cash-back earning potential on everyday purchases like groceries and gas should translate into opportunities to maximize its value.
Value of the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card’s intro offer
You could earn over $300 by taking advantage of Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card’s introductory offers in the first year:
- 10% cash back on all purchases in the first three months (to a maximum of $2,000 in total purchases): $200.
- Savings from the annual fee rebate on the primary card in the first year: $120.
Additional cards, such as for a partner, are also free for the first year — a $50 savings.
To qualify for this introductory offer, you must apply for the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite card by June 30, 2023. People who have held another Scotiabank credit card in the past two years aren’t eligible.
How to apply for the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card
If you meet the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card’s eligibility requirements, the application process is fairly simple:
- Click on the Apply now button on the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite card page.
- Agree to Scotiabank’s Privacy Agreement and give the bank permission to access your credit bureau report.
- Read, understand and accept the card’s rates and fees.
- Enter your personal details, like name, birthday and address. Entering your Social Insurance Number at this stage is optional.
- Enter your employment information, annual income and monthly housing expenses.
You’ll spend a few minutes customizing your account and rereading your card’s terms and conditions. Then, it’s just a matter of submitting your application and waiting for a response.
How to maximize the benefit of the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card
The Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card will be most beneficial if you take advantage of its high cash-back earn rates by using it to make your grocery, gas, transit and recurring bill payments, including subscriptions.
In the first three months of owning the card, you can earn 10% cash back on all purchases, to a maximum spend of $2,000, so be sure to put it to use in those first 90 days. Just don’t overdo it and saddle yourself with a credit card balance that you might not be able to pay off right away. You don’t want your interest charges to wipe out your cash-back savings.
Use the card to make hotel reservations at eligible Visa Infinite Hotel Collection properties and you can also save money by scoring free Wi-Fi and breakfast and, if they’re available, automatic room upgrades.
Alternatives to the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card
Reasons you might want a different card
- You’re looking for even higher cash-back earn rates.
- You prefer travel benefits that target flying rather than hotel stays and experiences.
Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card vs BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard
| Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card | BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard |
|
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $120 | $120 |
| Ongoing earn rates | 4% on groceries, subscriptions and recurring bill payments. 2% on gas and transit purchases. 1% on all other purchases. | 5% on groceries. 4% on transit. 3% on gas and electric vehicle charging. 2% on recurring bill payments. 1% on all other purchases. |
| Travel perks | Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection upgrades and freebies, Visa Infinite Dining Series, Visa Infinite Wine Country program. | Mastercard Travel Rewards, Mastercard Airport Experiences provided by LoungeKey, Boingo Public Wi-Fi. |
Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card Facts
| Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card | |
|---|---|
| Card Type | Cash Back Credit Card |
| Interest Rates | |
| Regular/purchase APR | 20.99% |
| Cash advance APR | 22.99% |
| Penalty on missed payments | The credit card account is locked after one missed minimum payment and can only be reactivated after the payment of full balance is paid off. |
| Fees | |
| Annual fee | $120. |
| Balance transfer | $5 for each balance transfer. |
| Cash advance | $5 to $7.50 per transaction, depending on where the transaction takes place. |
| Foreign transaction | 2.5% of the transaction amount. |
| Reward Earn Rates | |
| Signup Bonus or Welcome Offer | In the first three months of card use, the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card offers 10% cash back on all purchases, up to a maximum spend of $2,000. |
| Rewards and benefits | After the introductory period ends, the earn rates are: 4% cash back on eligible grocery store purchases, subscriptions and recurring bill payments. After you reach an annual spending limit of $25,000, the earn rate for these categories will be 1%. 2% cash back on gas and daily transit purchases, such as buses, taxis, trains and rideshare services. After you reach an annual spending limit of $25,000, the earn rate for these categories will be 1%. 1% cash back on all other purchases. |
| Other perks | |
| Comprehensive travel insurance coverage. Visa Infinite Concierge service. Hotel benefits, like automatic room upgrades, late checkout and free breakfast through the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection. Access to exclusive food and drink experiences through the Visa Infinite Dining and Wine Country programs. |
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| Insurance coverage | |
| Extended warranty | Up to one additional year. |
| Purchase protection | 90 days. |
| Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance | Trip cancellation: Up to $1,500 per insured person with a maximum of $10,000 per trip. Trip interruption: Up to $2,000 per insured person with a maximum of $10,000 per trip. |
| Flight Delay Insurance | Up to $500 per insured person per trip. |
| Travel Emergency Medical Insurance | Up to $1,000,000 for medical emergencies. Conditions and exclusions apply. |
| Delayed and Lost Baggage Insurance | Up to $500 per person to cover the cost of replacing eligible essential items. |
| Mobile Device Protection | Up to $1,000 of mobile device protection in case of loss, theft, accidental damage or mechanical issues. |
| Rental Car Theft & Damage | For up to 48 days. |
Rating methodology
NerdWallet Canada rates credit cards according to overall consumer value and their suitability for specific kinds of consumers. Factors in our evaluation include annual and other fees, rewards rates, the earning structure (for example, flat-rate rewards versus bonus categories), redemption options, bonus offers for new cardholders, introductory and ongoing APRs, and other noteworthy features such as airline or hotel perks or the ability to transfer points.
Frequently asked questions about the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite card
Visa Infinite typically offers travel benefits that standard Visa credit cards do not, including automatic room upgrades at over 900 hotels around the world, access to exclusive dining and wine-tasting events and complimentary concierge services.
To be approved for a card like the Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite you’ll need a personal income of at least $60,000 or a combined household income of $100,000. The exact credit score you’ll need isn’t publicly available, but a 660 or better increases your chance of approval for cards that offer premium rewards.
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