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Best Travel Credit Cards in the Philippines – Updated Jan 2022

by Thrifty Hustler

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If you are fond of traveling or if you travel frequently because of your work, then I highly suggest that you get yourself a travel credit card. The best travel credit cards in the Philippines are highly marketed toward frequent flyers. They have awesome benefits that will help us travel more comfortably.

Most of these travel credit cards offer free travel insurance, enable users to earn miles or points convertible to miles that can be transferred to participating frequent flyer programs, give access to airport lounges (for free or for a fee), and more.

The best travel credit cards in the Philippines for me are the one that offers at least the three main benefits that I mentioned a while ago and more.

What are the best of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines?

The best travel credit card for you will depend on your travel needs and wants. As travelers, our frequent destinations vary. If you frequently travel only locally then the best travel credit cards for you may be the airline co-branded credit cards in partnership with the frequent flyer programs in the Philippines.

But for those who frequently fly to a variety of international destinations due to work or leisure, in my opinion, the best travel credit card for miles is undoubtedly Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa.

In the past, I consider Citi PremierMiles as the best credit card to earn miles, however, after they have updated their miles conversion ratio, I think Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa is the best travel credit card to earn miles as of the time being.

The best travel credit card for free lounge access for me is RCBC Bankard JCB Platinum if your frequent destination is local (Philippines), Japan, China, and Hawaii. With RCBC Bankard JCB Platinum, you get unlimited free access to the Skyview Airport Lounge and Club Manila Lounge for the Principal cardholder plus one travel companion. You’ll also have free & unlimited use of airport lounges in Japan, Hawaii, and China and up to two times per card in one year in Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, and Thailand. If you’re a businessman who frequently goes to Japan and China then this is the best card for you.

If both Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa and RCBC JCB Platinum cards do not suit your needs, check out the other credit cards listed below. Please note that I arranged these cards based on income requirements so you could easily sort out which travel credit cards you could qualify on.

Best Travel Credit Card Philippines

Note to Readers: Please be advised that the information written here is valid as of the time of writing but may have been updated by the time you see/read this post. Please refer to the linked Philippine bank’s web pages to get the updated details. If the links are not working by the time you see the article, please go to the bank’s homepage.

Here is my list of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines:

Income Requirement: P500,000 and below

Diners Club International

BDO Diners Club InternationalBDO is the only bank where you can get the Diners Club credit card and this is the most accessible travel credit card due to the low-income requirement (compare to the other cards available in the market). Here are some of the benefits of owning a Diners Club International:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn one (1) Travel Mile for every P50

Travel Insurance:

  • Free travel insurance up to P5M

Airport Lounge Access:

  • As Diners Club International Cardholder, you can avail of one (1) FREE Diners Club airport lounge access per year

Other Info:

Citi Premier Miles Credit Card

Citi PremierMilesCiti PremierMiles Card is definitely one of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines. I have had this card for almost a decade now and I find this card very useful. Here are some of the benefits of owning a Citi PremierMiles Card:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 PremierMile for as low as P30 (1.6 PremierMile = 1 mile (Effective December 20, 2020).
  • Never expiring miles

Travel Insurance:

  • There used to be travel insurance mentioned on the website but I don’t see it anymore. Please confirm with Citibank.

Airport Lounge Access:

  • VIP lounge access at select lounges here and abroad with a FREE DragonPass Membership with two complimentary visits per membership year

Other Info:

  • Redeem for flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and activities through Citi ThankYou Rewards
  • Income Requirement: At least P360,000 Gross Annual Income

Click here if you want to apply or if you want more information about Citi PremierMiles and other Citi credit cards

Related Post: Citi PremierMiles Credit Card Review

Cathay Pacific American Express® Credit Card

Cathay Pacific American ExpressIf you are a Cathay Pacific frequent flyer then this card may be the best option for you. It is very convenient as it allows you to earn instant Asia Miles™ on all your purchases and automatically transfers your earned Asia Miles to your Asia Miles account every month, with no administration fee. Here are the benefits of owning a Cathay Pacific American Express® Credit Card:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 Asia Mile for every P42 spent locally and overseas
  • Earn 2 Asia Miles for every P42 spent on Cathay Pacific flight bookings via Cathay Pacific’s website
  • As a Basic Cardmember, you’ll earn 1,500 Bonus Asia Miles with your very first purchase and upon membership anniversary when you spend at least P300,000 per annum.

Travel Insurance:

  • Travel insurance up to P10M

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Enjoy a first-year enrolment fee waiver for Green tier membership of Marco Polo Club
  • Use Asia Miles points to redeem an airport lounge access

Other Info:

If you’re a frequent flyer of Cebu Pacific then this card may be for you. Cebu Pacific is probably the leading budget airline in the Philippines when it comes to the number of local destinations it serves which makes this one of the best airline co-branded credit cards available in the Philippines.

Cebu Pacific Gold Credit Card Benefits at a Glance:

Cebu Pacific Gold Credit Card

If Cebu Pacific Air is your airline of choice or if you frequently use Cebu Pacific Air for your domestic flights then this card might be a good option for you.

 

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 Go Rewards Point for every P200 Spend
  • Earn 1 Go Rewards Point for every P100 Cebu Pacific Spend
  • Enjoy preferential earn rate from Cebu Pacific when you use your card to pay. Earn 1 Go Rewards point for every Php20 spent
  • Points are automatically credited to your Go Rewards account

Travel Insurance:

  • Not mentioned on the website

Lounge Access:

  • Not mentioned on the website

Other Benefits:

  • Early alerts to Cebu Pacific Seat Sales plus exclusive sales

Membership Fee:

  • P3000/Year for the Principal Card

Click here to learn more about Cebu Pacific Gold Credit Card

Income Requirement: P501,000 to P999,999

Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa

Metrobank Platinum VisaIf you want a card that lets you earn 1 mile for every P17 spent overseas and on airlines and hotels then this card is for you. Here are some of the benefits of owning a Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa:

 

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 Rewards Point for every P20 spend in all your transactions.
  • Earn 1 mile for every P17 spent overseas and on airlines & hotel accommodations

Travel Insurance:

  • Please confirm with Metrobank.

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Priority Pass Membership (Optional) – Pls confirm with Metrobank if access to airport lounges is free or with a fee

Other Info:

Metrobank Femme Signature Visa

Metrobank Femme Signature VisaThis is the card that is made especially for women. This card also has tons of benefits that women travelers can find very useful. Here are some of the benefits of owning a Metrobank Femme Signature Visa:

Miles Accrual:

  • Exchange points for miles – Asia Miles, PAL Mabuhay Miles, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Travel Insurance:

  • Travel insurance details may have been updated by Metrobank, please confirm with Metrobank.
  • FREE AXA Daily Hospital Insurance in case of hospital confinement. Terms and conditions do apply.

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Priority Pass Membership (Optional) – Pls confirm with Metrobank if access to airport lounges is free or with a fee

Other Info:

Income Requirement: P1M and Above

 Cebu Pacific Platinum Credit Card by Unionbank

Cebu Pacific Platinum Credit CardIf you use Cebu Pacific Air a lot then you might be more interested in this credit card. You will directly earn Go Rewards points when you use this card. Here are some of the benefits of owning a Cebu Pacific Platinum Card:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 Go Rewards Point for every P200 Spend
  • Earn 1 Go Rewards Point for every P100 Cebu Pacific Spend
  • Enjoy preferential earn rate from Cebu Pacific when you use your card to pay. Earn 1 Go Rewards point for every Php20 spent
  • Points are automatically credited to your Go Rewards account

Travel Insurance:

  • Travel insurance of up to P10MM

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Complimentary airport lounge access (Skyview Lounge at NAIA 3)

Other Info:

  • Early alerts to Cebu Pacific Seat Sales plus exclusive sales

Click here for more information about Cebu Pacific Platinum Credit Card by UnionBank

Security Bank World Mastercard

Security Bank World MastercardThis credit card from Security Bank has a lot of features that frequent travelers might find very useful. In the past few years, this bank has been aggressively revamping its service offering by improving and innovating its bank services. Here are some of the benefits of owning a Security Bank Work Mastercard Card:

Miles Accrual:

Travel Insurance:

  • Free Travel insurance

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Get unlimited access to the Sky View Lounge (NAIA T3). A travel companion is subject to USD 15 fee per person per visit.
  • Get 6 complimentary lounge access annually for cardholders and guests combined to any of the 1,000 lounges+ in over 500 airports worldwide. (Contact Security Bank for more details)

Other Info:

EastWest Platinum MasterCard

Eastwest Bank Platinum MastercardIf you have a nice paying job that will enable you to meet the salary requirement for this card then I suggest that you check this card out. Just like the EastWest Priority Banking Visa Infinite Credit Card, this card also comes with a Free Lifetime Membership for the principal and supplementary EastWest Platinum MasterCard credit cardholders. If that is not enough to convince you then here are the benefits of owning an EastWest Platinum MasterCard:

Miles Accrual:

Travel Insurance:

  • Free Comprehensive Travel Accident & Inconvenience Insurance of up to Php20 Million

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Free Priority Pass Membership (Usage fee applies)

Other Info:

Cathay Pacific American Express® Elite Credit Card

Cathay AMEX EliteThe minimum income requirement is higher but the perks are definitely better and it’s easier to earn more miles via this card. Here are the benefits of owning a Cathay Pacific American Express® Elite Credit Card:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 Asia Mile for every P38 spent locally.
  • Earn 2 Asia Miles for every P50 spent overseas.
  • Earn 2 Asia Miles for every P38 spent on Cathay Pacific flight bookings via Cathay Pacific’s website
  • As an Elite Cardmember, you’ll earn 3,000 Bonus Asia Miles with your very first purchase and upon membership anniversary when you spend at least P600,000 per annum.

Travel Insurance:

  • Travel Insurance Protection up to P15M

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Enjoy a first-year enrolment fee waiver for Green tier membership of Marco Polo Club
  • Use Asia Miles points to redeem an airport lounge access

Other Info:

American Express® Platinum Credit Card

BDO AMEX PlatinumBDO is the only bank in the Philippines that carries American Express cards. The salary requirement is quite steep but if you have an annual income of at least P1.8M then you might consider checking this card out. Here are the benefits of owning an American Express® Platinum Credit Card:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 Membership Rewards® point for every dollar spent. Points do not expire.
  • You can convert your MR points into Air miles from any of the 6 frequent flyer program partners.

Travel Insurance:

  • Travel insurance up to P20M
  • Purchases protection for 30 days from theft, loss, or damage

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Enjoy complimentary access along with your traveling companion to the following lounges below. Please note that benefits differ by the partner and are subject to change/availability. And also, participating Airport Lounges are subject to change at any time. Terms and conditions do apply, so always check BDO or American Express website for updates.
    • Club Manila Lounge, NAIA Terminal 1
    • Skyview Lounge, NAIA Terminal 3
    • Priority PassTM lounges.
    • The Centurion® lounges.
    • Delta SkyClub® lounges (Cardmember only).

Other Info:

Diners Club Premiere

BDO DIners Club PremierIf you need a travel credit card that has a high credit limit then you may want to check out this one. Here are some of the benefits of the Diners Club Premier card:

 

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn one (1) Mile for every P30 charged to your BDO Diners Club Premiere Credit Card.
  • For those enrolled in Dual Currency feature, earn two (2) Travel Miles for every $1 spend.
  • Double your miles on dining charges

Travel Insurance:

  • Free travel insurance up to P20M

Airport Lounge Access:

  • As Diners Club International Cardholder, you can avail of two (2) FREE airport lounge access per year

Other Info:

Metrobank World Mastercard

Metrobank World MastercardThis is one of the cards that have a high entry ceiling but gives the owner access to luxury. If you have a Gross Annual Income of at least P4M then you may want to check this card out. Here are some of the benefits of owning a Metrobank World Mastercard:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 point for every Php20
  • Earn double (2) rewards points for international transactions
  • Exchange points for miles – Asia Miles, PAL Mabuhay Miles, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Travel Insurance:

  • Travel insurance details may have been updated by Metrobank, please confirm with Metrobank.
  • Get automatic worldwide insurance for online item purchases with E-Commerce Protection.

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Airport lounge access via LoungeKey network (Usage fee applies)

Other Info:

Security Bank Platinum Mastercard

Security Bank PlatinumSecurity Bank has been steadily being recognized as one of the best banks in the Philippines. And they are also one of the banks that have a lot of options when it comes to their credit card offerings. To avail of this card, one must have a Gross Annual Income of at least P780K. Here are some of the benefits of owning a Security Bank Platinum Mastercard:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 Point for every P20 spent (Points can be redeemed for miles)

Travel Insurance:

  • Get coverage on accidents and more when you book your airline ticket with your Platinum Mastercard credit card.
  • Get up to 200 USD coverage with Mastercard E-Commerce Purchase Protection when you shop online with your Platinum  Mastercard.

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Get 2 complimentary lounge access annually (for cardholders and guest combined) in more than 1,000 lounges in 500 airports worldwide via LoungeKey™
  • Get unlimited access to the Marhaba Lounge in Termainal 1 and 3. A travel companion is subject to USD 20 fee per person per visit.

Other Info:

  • Dual-currency Billing
  • Enjoy exclusive, automatic cashback offers from participating overseas merchants when you travel, shop, and pay with your Platinum Mastercard credit card.
  • Annual fee waived for the first year

Click here for more information about Security Bank Platinum Mastercard

Security Bank World Mastercard

Security Bank World MastercardIf you have a Gross Annual Income of at least P3M then you might consider getting this card instead. Like in most credit cards, as the income requirement goes higher, the perks and privileges of the cardholders increase as well. Here are some of the benefits of owning a Security Bank Mastercard World:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 Point for every P20 spent (Points can be redeemed for miles)

Travel Insurance:

  • Get coverage on accidents and more when you book your airline ticket with your Platinum Mastercard credit card.

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Get 6 complimentary lounge access annually for cardholders and guests combined to any of the 1,000 lounges+ in over 500 airports worldwide via LoungeKey™
  • Get unlimited access to the Marhaba Lounge in Termainal 1 and 3. A travel companion is subject to USD 20 fee per person per visit.

Other Info:

  • Enjoy exclusive, automatic cashback offers from participating overseas merchants when you travel, shop, and pay with your World Mastercard credit card.
  • Annual fee waived for the first year

Click here for more information about Security Bank World Mastercard

Exclusive and by Invitation Only

EastWest Priority Banking Visa Infinite Credit Card

Eastwest Bank Visa InfiniteThis is probably one of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines. This is a feature-packed credit card that you must check out is the EastWest Priority Banking Visa Infinite Credit Card. One of the benefits is that the annual fee is waived perpetually. That alone is already an awesome reason to get this card. This card though is only available exclusively to Priority Banking Clients of EastWest Bank. Here are the other benefits of owning an EastWest Priority Banking Visa Infinite Credit Card:

Miles Accrual:

  • Each Php10 qualified spend corresponds to one (1) Infinite Rewards Point
  • Points can be exchange to Asia Miles, KrisFlyer miles, and Mabuhay Miles

Travel Insurance:

  • Free Comprehensive Travel Accident & Inconvenience Insurance of up to Php20 Million

Airport Lounge Access:

  • VIP Airport Lounge Access – Existing Priority Clients who meet the minimum required Total Relationship Balance can enjoy up to four (4) complimentary access per year.
  • Enjoy up to two (2) complimentary access per year to the Marhaba Lounge at NAIA Terminal 3 (Principal Cardholder).

Other Info:

Others – Contact Bank for Income Requirement

RCBC Bankard Classic Cards

RCBC Bankard ClassicThis card is probably one of the most accessible credit cards that have the travel advantages that we are looking for. This card is marketed towards young professionals. You have the option to choose either Mastercard, Visa, or JCB. Here are some of the benefits of owning an RCBC Bankard Classic Cards:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 Point for every Php36 on other spend or Php125 spend on supermarkets, drugstores, or gas stations
  • Flexible rewards program – You can exchange points to Airmiles which you could later convert to Asia Miles, PAL Mabuhay Miles, or GetGo Points (Note: As of the time of update – 01/27/2022, RCBC website still shows GetGo instead of the new Go Rewards).

Travel Insurance:

  • Free travel insurance (Travel Plus Lite)

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Access to Club Manila and  Skyview Lounges for a fee of US$12 – Can be waived (Charge at least US$200 abroad and request for a waiver – Contact RCBC for more information)

Other Info:

RCBC Bankard Gold Cards

RCBC Gold MastercardThe benefits of the Gold Cards are almost as similar as the Classics. Here are some of the benefits of owning an RCBC Bankard Gold Card:

 

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn flexible, non-expiring Rewards Points for all your purchases.
  • Flexible rewards program – You can exchange points to Airmiles which you could later convert to Asia Miles, PAL Mabuhay Miles, or GetGo Points (Note: As of the time of update – 01/27/2022, RCBC website still shows GetGo instead of the new Go Rewards).
  • Earn 1 Point for every Php36 on other spend or Php125 spend on supermarkets, drugstores, or gas stations

Travel Insurance:

  • Free travel insurance (Travel Plus Lite)

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Access to Club Manila and  Skyview Lounges for a fee of US$12 – Can be waived (Charge at least US$200 abroad and request for a waiver – Contact RCBC for more information)

Other Info:

RCBC Bankard Diamond Card Platinum Mastercard

RCBC Platinum MastercardAll the benefits of a travel credit card plus a chance to give back to the community. For every Php100 charged to your Diamond Card, P0.20 will be automatically donated to Gawad Kalinga. Here are some of the benefits of owning an RCBC Bankard Diamond Card Platinum Mastercard:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn flexible, non-expiring Rewards Points for all your purchases.
  • Flexible rewards program – You can exchange points to Airmiles which you could later convert to Asia Miles, PAL Mabuhay Miles, or GetGo Points (Note: As of the time of update – 01/27/2022, RCBC website still shows GetGo instead of the new Go Rewards).
  • Earn 1 Point for every Php36 on other spend or Php125 spend on supermarkets, drugstores, or gas stations

Travel Insurance:

  • Free travel insurance up to P1M

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Unlimited free access to the Skyview Airport Lounge and Club Manila Lounge for the Principal cardholder plus one travel companion

Other Info:

RCBC JCB  Bankard Platinum Credit Card

RCBC JCB PlatinumRCBC JCB Platinum Credit Card is one of the most well-rounded travel credit cards on this list. It offers a lot of features and benefits that most frequent traveler credit card users might find appealing.

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn flexible, non-expiring Rewards Points for all your purchases.
  • Flexible rewards program – You can exchange points to Airmiles which you could later convert to Asia Miles, PAL Mabuhay Miles, or GetGo Points (Note: As of the time of update – 01/27/2022, RCBC website still shows GetGo instead of the new Go Rewards).
  • Earn 1 Point for every Php36 on other spend or Php125 spend on supermarkets, drugstores, or gas stations
  • Earn 1 Point for every Php20 retail transactions in Japan

Travel Insurance:

  • Free Travel Insurance up to Php1,000,000 and Purchase Protection when you charge all your international travel-related needs to your card
  • FREE Purchase Protection

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Unlimited free access to the Skyview Airport Lounge and Club Manila Lounge for the Principal cardholder plus one travel companion
  • Free Platinum Airport Lounge Service – Get complimentary access to over 60 airport lounges. Enjoy free & unlimited use of airport lounges in Japan, Hawaii, and China and up to two times per card in one year in Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, and Thailand.

Other Info:

RCBC Bankard Black Card Platinum Mastercard

Black Card Platinum MastercardThis card comes in two variants – RCBC Bankard Black Platinum Mastercard PESO and RCBC Bankard Black Platinum Mastercard DOLLAR. This is one of the most highly prestigious cards of RCBC. Here are some of the benefits of RCBC Bankard Black Card Platinum Mastercard:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn flexible, non-expiring Rewards Points for all your purchases.
  • Flexible rewards program – You can exchange points to Airmiles which you could later convert to Asia Miles, PAL Mabuhay Miles, or GetGo Points (Note: As of the time of update – 01/27/2022, RCBC website still shows GetGo instead of the new Go Rewards).
  • Earn 1 Point for every Php36 on other spend or Php125 spend on supermarkets, drugstores, or gas stations

Travel Insurance:

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Unlimited free access to the Skyview Airport Lounge and Club Manila Lounge for the Principal cardholder plus one travel companion

Other Info:

RCBC Bankard Visa Platinum Card

RCBC Visa PlatinumThis is probably one of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines that you can get your hands on. It’s the only RCBC Bankard credit card that has the PREFERRED AIRMILES program that allows you to earn free flights faster.

Here are some of the benefits of RCBC Bankard Visa Platinum Mastercard Card:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn 1 PREFERRED AIRMILE for as low as Php25 for overseas spend or Php48 for local spend. 1 PREFERRED AIRMILE is equivalent to 1 point of your chosen mileage program – Asia Mile, Mabuhay Mile, GetGo Point, or BIG Point (Note: As of the time of update – 01/27/2022, RCBC website still shows GetGo instead of the new Go Rewards).

Travel Insurance:

  • Free Travel Insurance of up to Php5,000,000 and Purchase Protection when you charge all your international travel-related needs to your card

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Complimentary Priority Pass™ membership to access over 1,300+ airport VIP lounges worldwide (Usage fee may apply)
  • Unlimited free access to the Skyview Airport Lounge and The Club Manila Lounge for the Principal cardholder plus one travel companion

Other Info:

  • Visa Concierge Service for flight, hotel, restaurant reservations, trip planning, and more, available to you 24/7 anywhere in the world
  • Increased purchasing power with up to 100% temporary increase in credit limit during your travel period

Click here for more information about RCBC Bankard Visa Platinum Card

Related Post: RCBC Bankard Visa Platinum Review

RCBC Bankard Visa Infinite Card

RCBC Visa Infinite CardIf you want to have the Visa Infinite Card but could not get gain access to the Eastwest Visa Infinite Card then here’s your option. RCBC also has the Infinite Visa card and it’s not by invitation only. Here are some of the card’s benefits:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn flexible, non-expiring Rewards Points for all your purchases.
  • Flexible rewards program – You can exchange points to Airmiles which you could later convert to Asia Miles, PAL Mabuhay Miles, or GetGo Points (Note: As of the time of update – 01/27/2022, RCBC website still shows GetGo instead of the new Go Rewards).
  • Earn 1 Point for every Php36 on other spend or Php125 spend on supermarkets, drugstores, or gas stations

Travel Insurance:

  • Free Travel Insurance up to Php1,000,000 and Purchase Protection when you charge all your international travel-related needs to your RCBC Bankard
  • e-Commerce Purchase Protection of up to US$1,000 per claim per year for possible losses on online purchases which include non-delivery, wrong or incomplete delivery, or damaged purchases.

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Unlimited free access to the Skyview Airport Lounge and Club Manila Lounge for the Principal cardholder plus one travel companion
  • Complimentary Priority Pass™ membership

Other Info:

RCBC Bankard World Mastercard

RCBC World MastercardIf you want to have the World Mastercard but could not get gain access to the other banks’ World Mastercard credit card then here’s your option. RCBC also has the World Mastercard and it’s not by invitation only. Here are some of the card’s benefits:

Miles Accrual:

  • Earn flexible, non-expiring Rewards Points for all your purchases.
  • Flexible rewards program – You can exchange points to Airmiles which you could later convert to Asia Miles, PAL Mabuhay Miles, or GetGo Points (Note: As of the time of update – 01/27/2022, RCBC website still shows GetGo instead of the new Go Rewards).
  • Earn 1 Point for every Php36 on other spend or Php125 spend on supermarkets, drugstores, or gas stations

Travel Insurance:

  • Free Travel Insurance up to Php1,000,000 and Purchase Protection when you charge all your international travel-related needs to your card
  • Worldwide coverage of up to US$200 for your international and local purchases with Mastercard e-Commerce Purchase Protection

Airport Lounge Access:

  • Unlimited free access to the Skyview Airport Lounge and Club Manila Lounge for the Principal cardholder plus one travel companion
  • Complimentary Priority Pass™ membership (Usage fee may apply)

Other Info:

Bank of Commerce World Mastercard

Bank of Commerce World MastercardIf you’re a high net worth individual then you might prefer having the Bank of Commerce World Mastercard instead of the Platinum Mastercard as it offers a wide array of benefits that cater to discerning individuals.

Here is a summary of the benefits of owning a Bank of Commerce World Mastercard:

Miles Accrual:

Travel Insurance:

  • All Principal and Supplementary cardholders up to 70 years old are covered for up to Php 5 million in Travel Accident, Medical Expense, and Inconvenience Benefits every time you charge your entire fare for travel (airline tickets and other means of public transport) to your Bank of Commerce Platinum credit card when you travel abroad.
  • It provides protection up to a maximum of 15 days for international travel while taking a trip on a common carrier conveyance or scheduled flight, as a fare-paying passenger.

Airport Lounge Access: 

  • Membership with Loungekey with two (2) complimentary visits per cardholder. Succeeding visits shall be charged to the cardholder.

Other Benefits:

  • Dual-currency
  • Luxury Hotels and Resorts Privileges
  • World Mastercard® Rewards & Experiences
  • Mastercard® Concierge
  • Annual Membership Fee: P5,000
  • Income Requirement: Contact bank of Commerce

Click here to learn more about Bank of Commerce World Mastercard

How to know which card is right for you?

1. The first step in identifying which card is right for you is by knowing these two basic things:

  • Does your current annual gross income meet the requirement of your target credit card/s?
  • Are you financially ok with paying the corresponding annual fee of your target credit card/s?

2. Are the benefits of the card sufficient for your travel needs? All of the cards mentioned above offer access to airport lounges (for free and for a fee), travel insurance, and the capability to earn miles or points.

My personal priority in the past was earning miles that’s why I chose Citibank’s Citi PremierMiles credit card as I find it to be one of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines when it comes to earning miles.

You should determine among the list which one offers the most benefit in accordance with your need.

3.  Compare additional value-add services, once you have narrowed down your choices then check out their value-add services. For example, some travel credit cards have cashback options on top of their travel benefits.

Note:

This post is originally published on June 16, 2019, and updated on June 5, 2020.

This post has been updated again on June 20, 2021. One of the major updates is that I removed all BDO branded credit cards since they have updated their rewards point system to Peso reward Points last February 2021. And I didn’t see any options as of the time of the update to convert the Peso Points to Miles.

Lated update on January 27, 2022.

Best Travel Credit Cards in the Philippines Click To Tweet

Are you using one of the above-mentioned credit cards? What are the cards that you consider as the best travel cards in the Philippines? Feel free to share your tips and recommendations in the comment section below.

Best Travel CRedit Card in the Philippines

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Comments

  1. Abigail @ipickuppennies says

    Wow, these are completely different from the ones I’m used to here in the States. Which I guess makes sense, but it’s still surprising that I didn’t see any overlap at all.

    Travel cards really are great if you’re planning a trip or just take them regularly. I love the ones where you can apply points to erase credit card charges. I did this once so that I booked a hotel through Mr. Rebates (cash back site), then erased the charges once they hit the card. Doing it that way, I got $40 for my hotel stay… Which I didn’t pay a cent for!

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