Best Travel Credit Cards with Airport Lounge Access, Miles, and More

Thinking of traveling with your loved ones soon? While you’re at it, start planning how you can save money using the best travel credit cards in the Philippines. Learn about the best credit cards for travel and how they can benefit your upcoming local or international trip. 

Why Get a Travel Credit Card?

A travel credit card is worth it if you’re a frequent traveler. It's ideal for individuals who often travel for work or leisure and can afford to spend the card’s minimum requirement for air miles and rewards points.

Many travel cards in the Philippines allow you to enjoy perks such as free airport lounge access, hotel and fuel discounts, and exclusive shopping and dining deals from merchants worldwide. The best travel credit cards also offer free travel and accident insurance coverage.

How to Choose a Credit Card for Travel: Features to Look for

If you travel a lot, you need to maximize your spending. Go for credit cards that offer these benefits:

🔎 Low Spend-per-Mile Requirement

By using your credit card to make travel-related transactions such as purchasing flight tickets or booking accommodations, you can earn points. You can thereafter convert these points to airline miles, which you can use to fund your next flight or hotel stay.

Check your credit card's points program to know the spend-to-points and the points-to-miles requirement. A great travel credit card should make it quick for a cardholder to accumulate air miles.

🔎 Travel Insurance and Travel Assistance

Although it’s better to not actually need them, these benefits do provide peace of mind. With travel insurance, you get financial protection in case of medical emergencies; plus reimbursement for expenses incurred in case your trip gets delayed or canceled, or your baggage gets lost, delayed, or damaged.

Travel assistance, on the other hand, provides support during emergencies. 

🔎 Low Foreign Transaction Fee and/or Dual Currency Billing

When you use your credit card abroad, you're charged a foreign currency transaction fee and currency conversion fee. Check if your credit card offers low currency transaction fees and dual currency billing so you can save money on your overseas travels.

🔎 Free Airport Lounge Access

This may seem like a nice-to-have feature, but if you're a frequent flyer, it's a must-have. Unfortunately, delayed flights are inevitable. You might as well get comfortable while waiting for your flight. 

To help you choose the perfect travel credit card, we’ve narrowed down your choices to 15 of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines that meet all or some of the criteria above.

15 Best Travel Credit Cards in the Philippines

Here's a glance at some of the best credit cards for travel:

Credit Card	Travel Benefits
Metrobank Platinum Mastercard®	1 rewards point for every ₱20 spend, redeemable for air miles Up to 50% off on premium dining offers
Metrobank World Mastercard®	2x rewards points for international purchases Exclusive access to airport deals
HSBC Platinum Visa Rebate	5% rebate on travel and shopping transactions Free travel accident and travel inconvenience coverage Exclusive deals at more than 27,000 shopping, travel, dining, and health and beauty merchants in 160 countries worldwide
Security Bank Platinum Mastercard	Dual currency billing Two complimentary lounge access annually in more than 1,000 lounges in 500 airports worldwide Unlimited access to the Sky View Lounge (NAIA T3) Up to US$200 coverage with Mastercard E-Commerce Purchase Protection  Free travel insurance
Security Bank World Mastercard	Free travel insurance coverage up to ₱10 million Membership to more than 1,000 lounges in over 500 airports worldwide Dining, spa, and retail offers from select exclusive airport merchants
BPI Platinum Rewards Mastercard	2 BPI Points for every spend on foreign transactions abroad or online worth ₱20 Low forex conversion rate of just 1.85% Up to ₱10 million in travel insurance coverage 0% interest on airline installment all year round Free airport lounge access with spend requirement
BPI Visa Signature	Forex conversion rate of just 1.85% Points-to-miles conversion of ₱50 = 1 mile Up to ₱20 million in travel insurance coverage Free access to the Pacific Club Lounge at NAIA 3 Preferential exchange rates on foreign currencies 24/7 worldwide concierge by Visa

Learn about these cards and more below.

UnionBank Rewards Card

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning rewards from travel and shopping spend

With the UnionBank Rewards Card, you can get 3x points when you shop and dine here and abroad, plus 1 non-expiring point for every ₱30 spend. 

📌 UnionBank Rewards Card Travel Benefit

3x non-expiring rewards points when you shop and dine here and abroad

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• 1 non-expiring rewards point for every ₱30 spend
• Diverse rewards catalog: cash credits, merchandise, gadgets, points transfers 

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱15,000
• Annual fee: ₱2,500 (no annual fee forever if you apply and get approved until August 31, 2023, and then meet the spend requirement)
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: 3.525%

Read more: Don’t Miss These 16 UnionBank Credit Card Promos This 2023

Metrobank Platinum Mastercard^®

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Dining at premium restaurants around the world

With the Metrobank Platinum Mastercard^®, earn one point for every ₱20 spend. Use the points to redeem air miles and other rewards. If you're into gastronomic adventures, you can also enjoy up to 50% off on premium dining offers. 

📌 Metrobank Platinum Mastercard^® Travel Benefits

• 1 rewards point for every ₱20 spend, redeemable for air miles
• Up to 50% off on premium dining offers

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• Free 310,000 rewards points for carded first-time Metrobank cardholders when you apply until October 31, 2023 and meet the minimum spend of ₱70,000 within 60 calendar days from date of approval
• eCommerce purchase protection up to US$200

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱58,333
• Annual fee: ₱5,000 (waived for carded first-time Metrobank cardholders when you apply until October 31, 2023 and meet an annual spend of ₱400,000)
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: Mastercard assessment fee plus 2.5% processing fee

Read more: Enjoy the Finer Things in Life: Top 15 Metrobank Credit Card Promos

Metrobank World Mastercard^®

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Enjoying premium perks while traveling 

If you love traveling luxuriously, consider the Metrobank World Mastercard^®. Get 2x rewards points for international purchases and enjoy exclusive access to airport deals.

📌 Metrobank World Mastercard^® Travel Benefits

• 2x rewards points for international purchases
• Exclusive access to airport deals

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• Free 300,000 rewards points for carded first-time Metrobank cardholders when you apply until October 31, 2023 and meet the minimum spend of ₱90,000 within 60 calendar days from date of approval
• 1 rewards point for every ₱20 spend
• Up to 50% off on luxury dining deals

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱333,333
• Annual fee: ₱6,000 (waived for carded first-time Metrobank cardholders when you apply until October 31, 2023 and meet an annual spend of ₱600,000)
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: Mastercard assessment fee plus 2.5% processing fee

HSBC Platinum Visa Rebate

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning rebates from travel and shopping spend

The HSBC Platinum Visa Rebate Credit Card makes travel more rewarding for cardholders with its array of exclusive perks worldwide, as well as its high rebate rate for travel spend and other travel perks.

📌 HSBC Platinum Visa Rebate Travel Benefits

• 5% rebate on travel and shopping (including online) transactions
• Free travel accident and travel inconvenience coverage
• Exclusive deals at more than 27,000 shopping, travel, dining, and health and beauty merchants in 160 countries worldwide

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• 1% rebate on insurance and 0.50% on all other spend
• 6% rebate on your first Caltex purchase and a 3% Caltex fuel rebate year-round
• Contactless credit card—no swiping necessary when paying for transactions

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱41,666.67
• Annual fee: ₱5,000 (free for the first year)
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: 3.50%

Read more: Lavish Lifestyle for Less: Best HSBC Credit Card Promos This 2023

Security Bank Platinum Mastercard

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Saving money and enjoying perks on overseas travels

The biggest appeal of this Security Bank travel credit card is the dual currency billing feature as well as its airport lounge benefits. Indeed, the Security Bank Platinum Mastercard is one of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines for those who want a more relaxed travel overseas.

📌 Security Bank Platinum Mastercard Travel Benefits

• Dual currency billing—pay for international transactions in US dollars
• Two complimentary lounge access annually (for cardholders and guests combined) in more than 1,000 lounges in 500 airports worldwide
• Unlimited access to the Sky View Lounge (NAIA T3)
• Up to US$200 coverage with Mastercard E-Commerce Purchase Protection when you shop online
• Free travel insurance

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• 1 rewards point for every ₱20 spend
• Access to the latest offers by booking and reserving via Mastercard’s concierge services

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱65,000
• Annual fee: ₱4,000 (free for the first year)
• Interest rate: 3%

Security Bank World Mastercard

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Traveling and shopping safely and conveniently

Enjoy peace of mind with the Security Bank World Mastercard, which comes with free travel insurance and e-commerce purchase protection. You can also relax while traveling since this card offers membership to more than 1,000 lounges in over 500 airports worldwide and exclusive dining, spa, and retail offers from select airport merchants.

📌 Security Bank World Mastercard Travel Benefits

• Free travel insurance coverage up to ₱10 million
• Membership to more than 1,000 lounges in over 500 airports worldwide
• Dining, spa, and retail offers from select exclusive airport merchants

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• No annual fees forever for your first supplementary card
• Discounts and sales at local partner stores

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱250,000
• Annual fee: ₱5,000 (waived during the first year)
• Interest rate: 3%

Read more: Secure These Deals: Top Security Bank Credit Card Promos to Enjoy

BPI Platinum Rewards Mastercard

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Looking for an affordable way to fly

Do you travel abroad at least once or twice a year? Get the best of both worlds—premium perks and affordability—when you book your trips with a BPI Platinum Rewards Mastercard.

It offers loads of exclusive travel deals on top of a fast rewards earn rate. That means you can easily accumulate airline miles for free flights. 

📌 BPI Platinum Rewards Travel Benefits

• 2 BPI Points for every spend on foreign transactions abroad or online worth ₱20
• Low forex conversion rate of just 1.85%
• Up to ₱10 million in travel insurance coverage
• 0% interest on airline installment all year round
• Free airport lounge access with spend requirement 

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• 2 BPI Points for every local spend worth ₱30
• Up to 180 days of purchase protection insurance

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱83,333.33
• Annual fee: ₱4,000 (free for the first year)
• Interest rate: 3%

BPI Visa Signature

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Availing of low foreign transaction fees and special foreign exchange rates

The BPI Visa Signature is one of BPI’s best travel credit cards to date. On top of a range of travel perks, cardholders can save money on their overseas travels with the low foreign currency transaction fee and special rates for exchanging foreign currencies.

📌 BPI Visa Signature Travel Benefits

• Low forex conversion rate of just 1.85%
• Lowest points-to-miles conversion of ₱50 = 1 mile
• Up to ₱20 million in travel insurance coverage
• Free access to the Pacific Club Lounge at NAIA 3
• Preferential exchange rates on foreign currencies
• 24/7 worldwide concierge by Visa

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• 1 BPI Point for every ₱20 spend
• 50% discount on dining, hotels, resorts, fitness studios, and wellness centers all year round

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱100,000
• Annual fee: ₱5,500 (free for the first year)
• Interest rate: 3%

Petron-BPI Mastercard

🚗 Best travel credit card for: Going on road trips 

With constantly increasing fuel prices, road warriors can also apply for the Petron-BPI Mastercard. You can enjoy a 3% rebate for every time you gas up at any participating Petron gasoline station nationwide. 

📌Petron-BPI Mastercard Travel Benefits

• 3% rebate at participating Petron stations in the Philippines
• ₱200 fuel voucher as a welcome gift
• Convert your credit limit to cash

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• Multiple installment payment options
• Buy Now, Pay Later program
• Additional Bonus Madness limit for installment

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱15,000
• Annual fee: ₱1,550 (free for the first year)
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: 1.85% 

Read more: Tap It, Save Big: Top BPI Credit Card Promos for 2023

UnionBank Miles+ Platinum Visa

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning miles and redeeming points easily

With a fully-loaded travel program, UnionBank Miles + Platinum Visa holders can earn points for every travel expense. You can also opt to redeem your miles points to waive credit card fees or pay for your next trip. 

📌 UnionBank Miles+ Platinum Visa Travel Benefits

• 1 point for every ₱25 spend
• 1.5 points for every ₱25 travel-related expense
• Unlimited pre-departure access to NAIA Terminal 1 - Club Manila Lounge and NAIA Terminal 3 - Pacific Lounge. 
• 20% discount on a lounge pass for your companions 
• Free travel insurance for up to ₱10 million

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• Credit life insurance coverage of up to ₱400,000 of your outstanding balance
• Worldwide acceptance

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱50,000
• Annual fee: ₱3,000 (free for the first year)
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: 2%

UnionBank Cebu Pacific Gold 

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning Go Rewards Points and enjoying exclusive access to Cebu Pacific sale events  

This is one of the best travel credit cards for frequent Cebu Pacific flyers. Use this card to earn miles and exclusive perks with this low-cost airline. 

📌 UnionBank Cebu Pacific Gold Travel Benefits

• 1 Go Rewards Point per ₱200 spend
• 1 Go Rewards point for every ₱100 spent at Cebu Pacific
• Automatic transfer of points to your Go Rewards number 
• Exclusive access to Cebu Pacific seat sales

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• 1 Go Rewards Point = ₱1
• 24/7 banking

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱30,000
• Annual fee: ₱3,000
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: 3% will be added to the cost of processing transactions in foreign currencies

Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning miles and spending overseas 

Frequent international travelers can rack up air miles quickly using the Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa with its low spend-per-mile conversion.

📌 Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa Travel Benefits

• 1 mile per ₱17 spent overseas and on airlines and hotels
• Up to ₱5 million travel accident insurance coverage
• Access to more than 950 airport lounges worldwide
• 24-hour VIP concierge service

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• Contactless credit card
• 1 rewards point per ₱20 spent on all transactions
• 24/7 customer service on credit card-related needs
• Waived annual fees for the first supplementary card

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱58,333
• Annual fee: ₱5,000 (free for the first year)
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: 2.50%

RCBC AirAsia Credit Card

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning AirAsia Points and enjoying exclusive AirAsia privileges

A co-branded credit card between RCBC and AirAsia, the AirAsia Credit Card offers generous perks for loyal customers of the budget airline. Upon spending ₱20,000 within 60 days of card issuance, new cardholders can redeem 8,000 Points for a free flight or save for future use. It’s also easy to collect Points with the card’s low spend requirement for earning miles.

This is one of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines as cardholders get VIP treatment for their AirAsia flights. They get to be first to check in, board the plane, and pick up their baggage ahead of other customers.

📌 RCBC AirAsia Credit Card Travel Benefits

• Welcome gift of 8,000 AirAsia Points upon spending ₱20,000 within 60 days of issuance
• Earn 1 point for every ₱22 international spend
• Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage on AirAsia flights
• Use AirAsia BIG Points to redeem free flights or vouchers from Lazada, SM Gift Pass, Grab, and many more

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• Convert your straight purchases to installments for up to 36 months
• 0% installment on purchases made abroad

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱20,833
• Annual fee: ₱3,600 or ₱300 monthly
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: 2.25% to 3.50%

PNB-PAL Mabuhay Miles World Mastercard

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning PAL Mabuhay Miles and enjoying exclusive PAL privileges

This PNB card is one of the best travel credit cards for collecting Mabuhay Miles and enjoying exclusive perks when flying with PAL. It also has an option for dual currency billing that bills overseas purchases in US Dollars and local purchases in Philippine Peso, which means cost savings when you use your credit card abroad.

📌 PNB-PAL Mabuhay Miles World Travel Benefits

• Welcome gift of free 2,000 PAL Mabuhay Miles upon card activation
• Additional free 10,000 Mabuhay Miles when you make ₱100,000 worth of PAL transactions within 1 year from the date of card issuance^[1]
• 1 point = 1 mile
• Priority check-in at PAL Business Class counters in NAIA Terminals
• 5% discount on select PAL international flights booked via the PAL website
• Dual currency billing option

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• Up to ₱250,000 free purchase protection insurance
• Free travel insurance coverage of up to ₱10 million
• Domestic concierge service on dining, entertainment, travel reservations, and other concerns

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱200,000
• Annual fee: ₱6,000
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: 2.50%

Maybank Platinum Visa

✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning miles and shopping overseas

If you’re the kind of traveler who loves shopping abroad, then Maybank Platinum Visa might be the best travel credit card in the Philippines for you. It’s easy to collect miles with this travel card, thanks to its ₱50 spend = 1 mile conversion.

📌 Maybank Platinum Visa Travel Benefits

• 1% cash back on all overseas purchases
• Low foreign currency transaction fee at 1.80%
• Accepted worldwide in over 20 million locations
• Access to exclusive golf clubs in 23 countries
• SMS for each approved transaction anywhere in the world

📌 Other Features and Benefits

• Earn one TreatsPoint for every ₱25 spend
• Redeem your rewards for cash credit and miles

💸 Fees and Charges

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱50,000
• Annual fee: ₱3,500 (free for the first year)
• Interest rate: 3%
• Foreign currency transaction fee: 1.80%

What is the Best Credit Card for Travel in the Philippines?

Having a hard time choosing the best credit card for travelers? We sorted out the cards according to their features. Check them out below:

👉 Travel Credit Cards with Free Airport Lounge Access

These credit cards offer complimentary airport lounge access to the principal cardholder plus their travel companion:

• Security Bank Platinum Mastercard
• Security Bank World Mastercard
• BPI Visa Signature
• BPI Platinum Rewards Mastercard (with spend requirement)
• UnionBank Miles+ Platinum Visa
• Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa
• Select RCBC credit cards
  • Free local lounge access: Black Card Platinum Mastercard, Diamond Card Platinum Mastercard, ZALORA Credit Card, JCB Platinum, and Unionpay Diamond
  • Free local lounge access and Priority Pass membership: World Mastercard, Visa Infinite, and Visa Platinum

👉 No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards in the Philippines

Lucky you because these credit cards for travel offer no annual fee for the first year or for life.

Consider these cards if you want to save money on fees:

• UnionBank Rewards Card
• HSBC Platinum Visa Rebate
• Metrobank Platinum Mastercard®
• Metrobank World Mastercard®
• Security Bank Platinum Mastercard
• Security Bank World Mastercard
• BPI Visa Signature
• Petron-BPI Mastercard
• UnionBank Miles+ Platinum Visa
• Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa
• Maybank Platinum Visa

👉 Credit Cards with Free Travel Insurance

These credit cards come with free travel insurance. To avail of this coverage, make sure you purchase the airline ticket using the travel credit card.

• HSBC Platinum Visa Rebate
• Security Bank Platinum Mastercard
• Security Bank World Mastercard
• BPI Visa Signature
• BPI Platinum Rewards Mastercard
• UnionBank Miles+ Platinum Visa
• Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa
• PNB-PAL Mabuhay Miles World Mastercard

Final Thoughts

These are some of your options for the best travel credit card in the Philippines. If you still can't decide which one fits your needs, you can compare credit cards, choose the right one, and apply for a credit card right here via Moneymax. It's quick, easy, and free!

Source: ^[1] PNB-PAL Mabuhay Miles World Mastercard

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