Although entry to some big destinations in the world remain restricted, 25 countries have already opened their doors to tourists[1] and are gradually removing COVID-related restrictions. In the Philippines, some tourist spots are also reopening, including the smallest province in the country―Batanes.[2]
As tourism slowly reopens, you may also be thinking of traveling with your loved ones soon. So while you’re at it, it’s better if you start planning how you can save money using the best travel credit cards in the Philippines.
Learn about the best credit cards for travel that you can use and how it 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. This type of credit card is ideal for individuals who often travel for work or for leisure and can afford to spend the card’s minimum requirement for racking up air miles and rewards points.
Having the best travel credit card also allows you to enjoy perks such as airport lounge access, hotel and fuel discounts, and exclusive shopping and dining deals from merchants worldwide. Many travel cards in the Philippines also offer free travel and accident insurance coverage.
What Features Should I Look for When Getting a Credit Card for Travel?
There are plenty of credit cards in the Philippines that offer lots of travel perks. But the best travel credit cards have these benefits in common:
- Low spend per mile 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 if you won’t actually need them, these benefits do provide peace of mind while traveling.
- Dual currency billing and low/zero foreign currency transaction fee – These features help you save money on your overseas travels.
- Airport lounge access – While this may seem just a nice-to-have feature, it’s good to have a credit card for travel that enables you to stay comfortable while waiting for your flight.
To help you choose the perfect travel credit card, we’ve narrowed your choices to 13 of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines that meet all or some of the criteria above.
13 Best Travel Credit Cards in the Philippines
Citi PremierMiles Card
✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning air miles
The Citi PremierMiles Visa is one of the best credit cards for travelers who like to collect air miles fast. Air miles can be used to redeem free flights from over 60 airlines and book rooms from over 5,000 hotels worldwide. If you’re not traveling yet, you can use the never-expiring miles to pay off your annual fees or to redeem gifts at select stores.
📌 Citibank PremierMiles Card Travel Benefits
- 1 PremierMile per ₱30 spend
- 1.6 PremierMile = 1 mile. Use your miles to redeem cash credits that you can use to offset your next purchase.
- Never-expiring miles! Use anytime you want.
- Convert your PremierMiles to air miles or hotel points, hotel points, or travel cash rebates. Your 1,500 PremiereMiles can be converted to ₱500
- Enjoy VIP lounge access in the Philippines and abroad
- Free travel insurance coverage up to ₱1 million
📌 Other Features and Benefits
- 30-day purchase protection coverage
- Option to convert a large purchase into smaller, more manageable monthly payments.
- A welcome gift of non-expiring 30,000 miles
💸 Fees and Charges
- Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱30,000
- Annual fee: ₱5,000 (free for the first year)
- Interest rate: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: Up to 3.525%
Note: This product is sold by Union Bank of the Philippines, using certain trademarks temporarily under license from Citigroup Inc. and related group entities.
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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
- Enjoy a 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: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 3.50%
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Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa
✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning miles and overseas spending
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 in all transactions
- 24/7 customer service on credit card-related needs
- Waived annual fees for first supplementary card
💸 Fees and Charges
- Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱58,333
- Annual fee: ₱5,000 (free for the first year)
- Interest rate: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 2.50%
Read more: Metrobank Credit Card Application: A Beginner’s Guide
RCBC AirAsia Credit Card
✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning AirAsia BIG Points and 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 BIG Points for a free flight or save for future use. It’s also easy to collect BIG 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.
📌 AirAsia Credit Card Travel Benefits
- Welcome gift of 8,000 AirAsia BIG Points
- Earn BIG Point for every ₱22 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: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 2.25% to 3.50%
UnionBank Cebu Pacific Gold
✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning Go Rewards Points and exclusive access to Cebu Pacific sale events
Do you frequently fly with Cebu Pacific? The best way to earn miles and exclusive perks with the low-cost airline is to use a UnionBank Cebu Pacific Gold credit card. This is one of the best travel credit cards for frequent Cebu Pacific flyers.
📌 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: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 3% will be added to the cost of processing transactions in foreign currencies.
Read more: Your Simple 5-Step Guide to UnionBank Credit Card Application
PNB-PAL Mabuhay Miles World Mastercard
✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning PAL Mabuhay Miles and exclusive PAL privileges; dual currency billing
For loyal PAL clients, 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[3]
- 1 Mabuhay Mile per ₱30 spend
- 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: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 2.50%
BPI Signature Visa
✈️ Best travel credit card for: Low foreign transaction fee 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 Signature Visa Travel Benefits
- Low forex conversion rate of just 1.85%
- Up to ₱20 million in travel insurance coverage
- Complimentary 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 rewards points 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: ₱80,000
- Annual fee: ₱5,500 (free for the first year)
- Interest rate: 1.82%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 0.85% of the converted amount plus an assessment fee of 1%
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 $200 coverage with Mastercard E-Commerce Purchase Protection when you shop online
- Comes with free travel insurance
📌 Other Features and Benefits
- 1 rewards points 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: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 1% Mastercard assessment fee + 1.5% service fee
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, with 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: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 0.80% of the converted amount plus 1% assessment fee
Read more: Get Your Maybank Credit Card Application Started with This Handy Guide
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: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 2%
Petron-BPI Mastercard
✈️ Best travel credit card for: Local travels and fuel rebates
With constantly increasing fuel prices, motorists and vehicle owners 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 stations nationwide.
With constantly increasing fuel prices, motorists and vehicle owners 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 stations nationwide.
📌Petron-BPI Mastercard Travel Benefits
- 3% rebate at participating Petron stations in the country
- ₱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: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 0.85% of the converted amount plus 1% assessment fee
EastWest Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Platinum Mastercard
✈️ Best travel credit card for: Earning miles and travel more often
One of the best travel credit cards in the Philippines lets you earn miles faster so you can travel more. The EastWest Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Platinum Mastercard lets you accumulate miles and points for every spend category, even with bill payments and cash advance.
📌EastWest Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Platinum Mastercard Travel Benefits
- 3 KrisFlyer miles for every ₱45 spend at Singapore Airlines, Scoot, & KrisShop or international/cross-border, travel agency, hotel, online, airline spend, and international cash advance
- Welcome gift of 3,000 KrisFlyer miles for ₱100,000 retail spend within three months from activating the card
- 5,000 KrisFlyer miles for every ₱100,000 accumulated spend within 12 months from the card approval date
📌 Other Features and Benefits
- Two complimentary access to 1,300 airport lounges shared with your accompanying guest per year
- Free comprehensive travel insurance of up to ₱20 million
💸 Fees and Charges
- Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱100,000
- Annual fee: ₱4,000
- Interest rate: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 1.70%
Related: Getting an EastWest Credit Card? Here’s Everything You Need to Know
Citi Prestige Card
✈️ Best travel credit card for: Racking up points when spending overseas
The Citi Prestige credit card is your gateway to accumulating points faster when you spend during your travel abroad. Your passport to amazing travel experiences, the Citi Prestige lets you unlock unique travel benefits.
📌Citi Prestige Travel Benefits
- Unlimited chance to earn ThankYou points
- 1 ThankYou Point with every ₱30 spend
- 5x points when you spend on online shopping, dining, and foreign currency
📌 Other Features and Benefits
- 0.50% Bonus Points every card anniversary
- ThankYou Points can be transferred to travel loyalty programs (3 ThankYou Points = 1 mile/hotel point
💸 Fees and Charges
- Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱83,333
- Annual fee: ₱12,000
- Interest rate: 2%
- Foreign currency transaction fee: 3.525%
Note: This product is sold by Union Bank of the Philippines, using certain trademarks temporarily under license from Citigroup Inc. and related group entities.
What is the Best Credit Card for Travel? Trimming Down Your Options
If you're having a hard time choosing the best credit card for travelers, we have sorted out the cards according to their features. Check them out below.
Travel Credit Cards with Airport Lounge Access
These credit cards offer free airport lounge access to the principal cardholder plus on travel companion:
- Citi PremierMiles Card
- Select RCBC Bankard 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
- UnionBank Miles+ Platinum Visa
- Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa
- BPI Signature Visa
- Security Bank Platinum Mastercard
No Annual Fee Travel Credit Cards in the Philippines
Lucky you because these credit cards for travel offer no annual fee on the first year. Consider this if you want to save money on credit card fees.
- Citi PremierMiles Card
- HSBC Platinum Visa Rebate
- Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa
- BPI Signature Visa
- Security Bank Platinum Mastercard
- Maybank Platinum Visa
- UnionBank Miles+ Platinum Visa
- Petron-BPI Mastercard
Credit Cards with 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.
- Citi PremierMiles Card
- HSBC Platinum Visa
- Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa
- PNB-PAL Mabuhay Miles World Mastercard
- BPI Signature Visa
- Security Bank Platinum Mastercard
- UnionBank Miles+ Platinum Visa
- EastWest Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Platinum 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, do a credit cards comparison, choose the right one for you, and apply for a credit card right here at Moneymax. It's quick, easy, and free!
Sources:
- [1] Europe Travel: 25 Countries Open But Bigger Destinations Still Restricted (Forbes, 2022)
- [2] Batanes Starts ‘Trial Period’ For Tourism Reopening (Inquirer, 2022)
- [3] PNB-PAL Mabuhay Miles World Mastercard
- [4] HSBC home&Away Offers
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