Scotiabank Passport® VISA® Infinite Card

The ScotiaGold Passport Infinite Visa is a very popular travel credit card in Canada. You can easily apply for it online or at any of Scotiabank's branches.

The application requirements are strict, so not everyone can get approved. You need to have a good-to-excellent credit score, so a credit check is necessary.

You also need to provide other personal information to help the bank and the credit reporting agency verify your identity and ensure you have the required annual income.

Who Is This Card For?

This card is designed for frequent travelers, particularly those traveling abroad. It has zero foreign transaction fees, which can easily translate to great savings when regularly purchasing at foreign merchants, both online and in brick-and-mortar stores.

Apart from an array of travel perks, it provides rewards points on everyday spending, both in and out of Canada. So, it's a card for anyone who meets the strict application requirements, but it's a smarter choice for those who regularly travel abroad.

That's because it has a hefty annual fee. If you travel outside of Canada regularly, you could make up for those fees through all the savings.

ScotiaGold Passport Infinite Visa Card Benefits

This card has a range of benefits, mostly aimed at travel. As we've mentioned multiple times, it doesn't impose fees for foreign currency transactions. Very few travel cards in Canada have that feature.

Other notable benefits include rewards and bonus points that you can earn by using the card, the Priority Pass for airport lounges, travel insurance, and much more. You can redeem those points for travel bookings, gift cards, merchandise, statement credit, prepaid cards, and more.

Its ease of use and convenience are also the benefits to consider. Besides Canada, you can use the card in over 200 countries worldwide at every merchant that accepts Visa cards. You can provide online payments for literally anything you want.

You also have an opportunity to get 1 supplementary card with no annual fees. You can get additional supplementary cards, but they come with an annual fee.

Are There Any Disadvantages?

The only bigger drawback to carrying this particular card is its high annual fee. They're higher than most similar cards have, so they may deter some consumers from applying.

But if you're a big spender and manage to collect bonuses through several purchases, you could offset those fees.

Another potential disadvantage is the rewards points and bonuses. The two bonuses are compelling, and you can earn points in several spending categories. However, you need to spend quite a lot of money to be eligible to receive the bonuses. And the points you can not be as great as you might expect.

Many other similar cards offer better rewards to cardholders, so be sure to compare them. Scotiabank offers many different rewards cards, so don't forget to check them out.

Should You Use This Card?

If you travel a lot outside of Canada, applying for this card might be a perfect idea. It would help you save a lot of money on your travels, and enable you to enjoy a wealth of travel perks that might otherwise cost you an arm and a leg.

But if you rarely travel, or do it only domestically, it might be better to choose a cheaper alternative. There are many other rewards cards (many offered by Scotiabank) with lower or no annual fees that might better suit your needs.

So, before making any final decisions, make sure you exhaust all your options. Compare various cards and their issuers, and dig deep into all the features and fees to pick the right financial product.