Frequent Flyer Programs in the Philippines – Best of 2020

If you’re an avid traveler and a frequent flyer who usually travel around the Philippines and in other countries, consider signing up for the frequent flyer programs in the Philippines. This is one of the best ways to save money on your travel by accumulating miles or points that can later be redeemed into award tickets or other non-flight items.

Top Frequent Flyer Programs in the Philippines

• Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles
• Cebu Pacific Air GetGo
• AirAsia Big Loyalty Program 

All of these programs are from airlines with a strong presence in the Philippines and serve both local and international destinations. Please read on to learn more about the frequent flyer programs in the Philippines.

What are the advantages of signing up for a frequent flyer program in the Philippines?

Miles Redemption to Flight Tickets

This is the main reason why people sign up for frequent flyer miles program. Miles that you accumulate by purchasing flight tickets or products and services via the airline frequent flyer program partners can be redeemed for free flight tickets which could definitely save you a lot of money.

Miles Redemption to Non-flight Items

As of the time of writing, only Mabuhay Miles has this option. Mabuhay Miles members may redeem accumulated miles to RWM gift cards.

Discounts and Freebies

All of them have a lot of merchant partners where you can avail discounts and sometimes freebies when you buy and present your membership card (or your membership number).

Convenience

You can monitor your accumulated miles via their respective apps. All frequent flyer programs in the Philippines (Mabuhay Miles, GetGo, and Air Asia Big) have mobile apps.

Related Post: Top 10 Ways on How to Save Money on Airfares

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 check the frequent flyer program and the credit card’s website to check the updated information.

Top frequent flyer programs in the Philippines – In Details

Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles Frequent Flyer Program

Philippine Airlines is the country’s flag carrier and the local carrier that has an extensive network locally and around the world. If you frequently travel to the West such as Europe and North America then this is your best option since the other two airlines do not serve this route.

How to join Mabuhay Miles?

The easiest way I to enroll online. Click here if you wish to enroll online. You may also enroll online by filling up enrollment forms available at the Mabuhay Miles Service Center, Philippine Airlines Ticket Offices, Airport counters, Mabuhay Lounge, In-flight, Mabuhay Miles booths, Program Partners, and Travel Agents.

You will receive your membership card after your first valid activity and it will be delivered to your registered address in 4 to 6 weeks.

How to earn Mabuhay Miles?

You can earn Mabuhay Miles by purchasing flights with Philippines Airlines, PAL Express, and Code-share flights. You can also earn miles by availing products and services from program partners. 

Please always make sure to give your Mabuhay Miles membership number or present your membership card at the counter to ensure that your miles will be credited.

You can also transfer points/miles that you earn from your credit cards to Mabuhay Miles. Please check your credit card provided if they have this partnership with Mabuhay Miles.

Will my Mabuhay Miles expire?

The good news is Miles no longer expire as long as you do the following activities, within two (2) consecutive years, and two years thereafter.

• Earned flight Miles on PAL, Code-share, and/or other Airline Partners; and/or earned non-flight Miles thru Program Partners
• Redeemed Miles for Flight Awards or Service Class Upgrade Awards, and other non-flight redemptions
• Bought Miles
• Received Bonus Miles (except for enrollment acquisition campaigns)
• Transferred and/or received Miles
• Reinstated expired Miles

In short, as long a there are active transactions on your Mabuhay Miles account then it will stay active. Just to be sure, always check updates from Mabuhay Miles website in case their Terms and Conditions get an update.

How to redeem Mabuhay Miles award tickets?

Redeeming Mabuhay Miles is easy. You just have to complete and submit a travel award redemption form to any Philippine Airlines ticket office. You may first call Philippine Airlines Reservations to make your flight bookings, and claim your award tickets at your preferred ticket office or check if they have an option to send it electronically.

Please be aware though that there are corresponding fees when redeeming award tickets. Please see Mabuhay Miles website for the updated list of fees.

Main advantage of Mabuhay Miles

Mabuhay Miles has a four-tiered membership. Classic, Elite, Premier Elite, and Million Miler. East level has different sent of benefits and perks. And you guess it right! If you’re a Million Miler, you get fee waivers, more bonus miles, and more. This is the level that everyone wants to achieve.

So if you’re a frequent flyer with PAL, this is an amazing benefit to have.

Click here if you want to learn more about Philippines Airlines Mabuhay Miles Program

Mabuhay Miles Co-branded Credit Cards

PNB Mabuhay Miles Platinum Mastercard

PNB Mabuhay Miles Platinum Mastercard Benefits at a Glance:

Miles Accrual:

• Free 2,000 PAL Mabuhay Miles welcome gift when you activate your card (for new and first-time PNB PAL Mabuhay Miles principal cardholder)
• Earn 1 Point for every P60 Spend (1 Point = 1 Mile) Redemption is made in blocks of 2000 Points
• Additional Free10000 Mabuhay Miles upon reaching P100K worth of transactions at PAL (for first time PNB Mabuhay Miles Mastercard Cardholder)

Travel Insurance:

• Free Travel Insurance of up to 3M

Lounge Access:

• Not mentioned on its website as of the time of writing

Other Benefits:

• Free Purchase Protection Insurance of up to 250K (for first time PNB Mabuhay Miles Mastercard Cardholder)
• Exclusive 5% Discount on select PAL international flights when you book online via www.philippineairlines.com

Membership Fee:

• Free Annual Fee for 3 Years
• P3000/Year for the Principal Card or redeem 12,000 Rewards Points to pay for the Annual Fee

Click here to learn more about PNB Mabuhay Miles Platinum Mastercard

PNB Mabuhay Miles World Mastercard

Please do take note that the annual fee for the World Mastercard is significantly higher than the Platinum Mastercard. For the high worth individuals, this is one of the best airline co-branded credit cards available in the Philippines.

PNB Mabuhay Miles World Mastercard Benefits at a Glance:

Miles Accrual:

• Free 2,000 PAL Mabuhay Miles welcome gift when you activate your card (for new and first-time PNB PAL Mabuhay Miles principal cardholder)
• Low Point to Mile Ratio based on TRB Tiered System
• Additional Free10000 Mabuhay Miles upon reaching P100K worth of transactions at PAL (for first time PNB Mabuhay Miles Mastercard Cardholder)

Travel Insurance:

• Free Travel Insurance of up to 10M

Lounge Access:

• Not mentioned on its website as of the time of writing

Other Benefits:

• Priority Check-in at PAL Business Centers at Terminal 1, 2 & 3
• Free Purchase Protection Insurance of up to 250K (for first time PNB Mabuhay Miles Mastercard Cardholder)
• Exclusive 5% Discount on select PAL international flights when you book online via www.philippineairlines.com

Membership Fee:

• P6000/Year for the Principal Card

Click here to learn more about PNB Mabuhay Miles World Mastercard

Cebu Pacific Air’s GetGo Frequent Flyer Program

Cebu Pacific Air became famous in the Philippines because of its Piso Fare promotions. And they are also the main budget carrier in the Philippines that serves a lot of destinations. Aside from serving local destinations, they also fly to numerous international routes.

If you frequently fly with Cebu Pacific Air then you should definitely sign up with GetGo.

How to join GetGo?

Joining Cebu Pacific Air’s GetGo Frequent Flyer Program is easy. All you have to do is to enroll online. Click here if you wish to join Cebu Pacific Air’s GetGo Frequent Flyer Program.

How to earn GetGo Points?

Just like all frequent flyer programs, the main way to earn GetGo points is by purchasing Cebu Pacific Air flight tickets. You can also earn GetGo points by purchasing products and services from their merchant partners.

Please always make sure to give your GetGo membership number or present your membership card at the counter to ensure that your points will be credited.

You can also transfer points/miles that you earn from your credit cards to GetGo. Please check your credit card provided if they have this partnership with GetGo.

Will my GetGo Points expire?

GetGo points do not expire as long as you have transaction/s that enables you to earn GetGo points at least once every year. Please take note of this. Luckily, GetGo has a lot of merchant partners which makes it so easy to earn GetGo points.

How to redeem GetGo Points award tickets?

Redeeming GetGo points to an award ticket is easy. All you have to do is to log in to GetGo website or via the GetGo app. It’s like booking a ticket but instead of seeing prices, you’ll see the required miles.

Please note that there are corresponding taxes and other fees to be paid. 

Main Advantage of GetGo 

Cebu Pacific Air is the Philippines ’ leading budget airline which makes them popular to budget travelers. Once in a while, they will have a promotion wherein you could redeem flight tickets for very minimal points. Be sure to check your app from time to time or subscribe to their email updates so you’ll be informed as soon as they have a promotion.

Click here if you want to learn more about Cebu Pacific Air GetGo Program

Cebu Pacific Air GetGo Co-branded Credit Cards

Unionbank GetGo Platinum Visa

Please note that there’s also a Unionbank GetGo Gold Visa with a more basic set of benefits. If you want to know more about it then click here.

Unionbank GetGo Platinum Visa Benefits at a Glance:

Miles Accrual:

• Earn 1 GetGo Point for every P30 Spend

Travel Insurance:

• Complimentary Comprehensive Travel Insurance of up to 10M

Lounge Access:

• Enjoy complimentary airport lounge access to NAIA 3 SkyView Lounge

Other Benefits:

• Early alerts to Cebu Pacific Seat Sales plus exclusive sales
• Priority Check-In on Cebu Pacific Flights
• Free 5kg extra baggage allowance on Cebu Pacific Flights

Membership Fee:

• P5000/Year for the Principal Card

Click here to learn more about Unionbank GetGo Platinum Visa

AirAsia Big Loyalty Program

Air Asia is an international budget carrier that has a strong presence in the Philippines. Although it only serves a limited number of local destinations, Air Asia has a wide network of routes across Asia which makes them one of the leading budget airlines in the Southeast Asian region.

Air Asia is also one of the favorite airlines of local Filipinos who love to travel to neighboring countries because of their competitive airfares which rivals Cebu Pacific Air. If you frequently fly Air Asia, then you definitely should sign up for their loyalty program.

How to join AirAsia Big?

Joining AirAsia Big Loyalty Program is easy. All you have to do is to enroll online. Click here if you wish to join Air Asia Big Loyalty Program.

How to earn AirAsia Big Points?

You can earn Air Asia Big Points when you fly with AirAsia and if you purchase products or services from their merchant partners. 

Please always make sure to give your AirAsia Big membership number at the counter or on the partner website to ensure that your points will be credited.

You can also transfer points/miles that you earn from your credit cards to Big Points. Please check your credit card provided if they have this partnership with AirAsia Big.

Will my Big Points expire?

Yes. Unfortunately, it will expire. Big points earned before June 1, 2019 will be valid for 36 months while Big points earned after that date will be valid for 24 months. So be sure to monitor your points expiration date via the AirAsia Big website or via their app.

How to redeem AirAsia Big Points?

Redeeming award tickets is just like booking a regular flight. You can do this via the website or via the AirAsia Big app. 

Please note that there are corresponding taxes and other fees to be paid.

If you don’t wish to redeem your Big points to an award ticket, you may opt for other redemption items instead. You can see the available redemption items on their website.

Main Advantage of AirAsia Big/ AirAsia Freedom Flyer Program

Just like Philippine Airlines, Air Asia has four-tiered membership levels – Red, Gold, Platinum, and Black. Each level has a corresponding set of benefits and privileges. And the higher your level is, the more Big points you could earn.

Click here if you want to learn more about AirAsia Big Loyalty Program

AirAsia Co-branded Credit Card

AirAsia Credit Card powered by RCBC

If you frequently travel to the destinations served by AirAsia, then you may want to consider availing the AirAsia Card.

AirAsia Credit Card Benefits at a Glance:

Miles Accrual:

• Welcome gift of up to 8,000 AirAsia BIG Points (new to bank customers) when you spend at least Php20,000 within the first sixty (60) days from card issuance
• 2 Big Points for every P25 AirAsia Spend
• 1 Big Point for every P28 Non-AirAsia Domestic Spend
• Earn 1 Point for every P22 Non-AirAsia Overseas Spend

Travel Insurance:

• Not mentioned on its website as of the time of writing

Lounge Access:

• Access the Club Manila and Skyview Lounges for a fee of US$12. The fee is reversible if you charge at least US$200 abroad (single or accumulated spend) to reverse each $12 lounge fee then call 888-1888 to request for the reversal.
• Children five (5) years old and below are allowed to enter at Club Manila Lounge for FREE and two (2) years old and below are allowed to enter for FREE at Skyview Lounge.

Other Benefits:

• Instant upgrade to AirAsia BIG Platinum Membership Status for the first year of card issuance which means you are entitled to priority check-in, boarding and Xpress Baggage

Membership Fee:

• P200/Month for the Principal Card Holder and P100/Month for the Supplementary Card
• No annual fee for the first year

Click here to learn more about AirAsia Credit Card powered by RCBC

How to Earn Miles or Points Faster?

Take Advantage of Bonus Points 

As of the time of writing, only AirAsia has a bonus point for their credit card wherein you could earn 8,000 points if you’re new to RCBC. But if you’re an existing RCBC cardholder then you could earn 4,000 points. Please note that terms and conditions do apply.

Plan Your Purchases

Since all of the frequent flyer programs have merchant partners, you can plan your regular purchases with their partners in order to earn miles or points faster. For example, GetGo is partnered with Robinsons Supermarket. You could earn one point for every P200 spend at Robinsons Supermarket. So why not do your groceries at Robinsons?

Avail of their Co-branded Credit Cards

If you don’t have a credit card yet, then consider availing your preferred airline’s co-branded credit card. This will help you earn miles or points faster since it’s one of the main benefits of the card.

Watch Out for Promotions

From time to time, there are promotions where you could earn additional miles/points such as downloading their app or their merchant partner’s app. 

Or only redeem miles when there’s a promotion. During their promotional period, you can redeem an award ticket for a very small amount of miles/points. Plan your travels based on this promotion so you could save miles. Saving miles on an award ticket is as good as earning miles. 

Which is the Best Frequent Flyer Program in the Philippines?

This will all depend on your preferred airline. If your preferred airline is Philippine Airlines, then you should definitely sign up for Mabuhay Miles. For me who always travels on a budget, I prefer GetGo and AirAsia Big since I always fly with Cebu Pacific Air and Air Asia.

And since signing up for a membership is free, I suggest that you become a member of all of these programs.

I hope you’ve learned a lot from this post. Before you sign up with any frequent flyer program or with their co-branded credit cards, be sure to read and understand their terms and conditions first. This is to ensure that you understand the program rules well. 

If you have any questions about any of the frequent flyer programs in the Philippines, please do not hesitate to contact their respective customer service centers to ensure that you get the updated information that you need.