Best Travel Credit Cards in the Philippines for Frequent Fliers

For frequent fliers, there’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has dashed and dampened most travel plans. While things are still far from normal, health restrictions locally and abroad have slowly eased, allowing individuals to travel again for leisure and work.

When traveling and making travel plans, it's convenient to have a credit card at the ready. It simplifies your shopping experience and gives you a degree of protection from theft unlike with cash. Moreover, you get to earn air miles and other perks such as flight discounts, dining deals, cashbacks, shopping certificates, lounge access, and more, when you use a credit card. 

As you begin to make travel plans for 2023, here are some of the best travel credit cards you can get in the Philippines.

Metrobank Travel Platinum Card

If you want to earn air miles fast, you should look into Metrobank's Travel Platinum Card. This credit card allows you to earn one mile per every P17 you spend on airlines, hotels, and foreign currency transactions and one mile per P50 for other categories. It also gives you free airport lounge access and a free supplementary card, and other promos and rewards such as e-gift cards, and dining and shopping discounts. 

To be eligible for the Travel Platinum Card, you must be 18 to 70 years of age, have a minimum gross annual income of P700,000, and have been employed as a regular employee for at least six months or a principal cardholder with another bank for nine months. Read more about the Travel Platinum Card here.

UnionBank Cebu Pacific Gold Credit Card

If you want to earn rewards points that you can use to redeem free flights, UnionBank's Cebu Pacific Gold Credit Card is one you should consider. According to the bank, it's "the fastest way to fly for free with Cebu Pacific." This credit card allows you to earn one Go Rewards point for every P200 spent at establishments like gas stations, online purchases, drugstores, and supermarkets, among others, and one Go Rewards Point for every P100 spent in Cebu Pacific, with one Go Rewards point equivalent to P1. 

It also gives you exclusive access to Go Rewards and Cebu Pacific’s sale events. Other travel credit cards under UnionBank include the Cebu Pacific Platinum Credit Card and the Miles+ Platinum Visa Card. Go here to read more about UnionBank's credit cards.

Security Bank Platinum Mastercard

Want free travel insurance and access to airport lounges worldwide? It may be worth checking out Security Bank's Platinum Mastercard! This credit card allows you two complimentary access to hundreds of airport lounges the world over with its LoungeKey annually; just simply show your Platinum Mastercard and you're good to go. 

It also gives you accident coverage if you book flight tickets with it, as well as exclusive cashback offers from participating merchants abroad, US$200-worth coverage for online shopping, and unlimited access to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport's Marhaba Lounge at Terminals 1 and 3. To learn more about its other features and services, go here.

HSBC Platinum Visa Rebate Credit Card

HSBC's Platinum Visa Rebate Credit Card is the bank's shopping and travel rebate card, which allows you to enjoy a 5% rebate on shopping and travel transactions all year (online shopping counts but groceries aren’t included). The 5% rebate on essential travel spend covers airlines, overseas car rentals, overseas dining, and overseas lodging, such as hotels, motels, and resorts. 

You can also earn 1% rebate on insurance, which will be credited to your account every month and 0.50% rebate on other transactions. Other features include waived annual fee on your first year, free Purchase Protect insurance, 3% rebate on Caltex fuel year-round, among others. Go here to learn more about HSBC's Platinum Visa Rebate Credit Card.

Citi Premiermiles Visa Card

If you love traveling and are new to Citi credit cards, look into Citi's Premiermiles Visa Card. New Citi credit cardholders are given free never-expiring 30,000 miles, a welcome gift from the bank, if they meet the spend requirement of P40,000 within 60 days from card approval. You can earn one PremierMile for every P30 spent and redeem your PremierMiles to airline miles, with P1.6 PremierMiles equivalent to one air mile for your future travels.

Cardholders can also earn free flights and stays at hotels from 60 different airlines and 8,000 hotels worldwide. Moreover, they get VIP lounge access at selected loungers in the country and abroad with a free DragonPass Membership, which entitles you to two free visits per membership. Learn more about Citi's Premiermiles Visa Card here.