Despite the stigma against them, credit cards can actually be really beneficial, especially for those who love to travel. How? By earning credit card points that can be converted to airline miles that can be used to purchase flights — or even directly earning miles through the card. There are some co-branded credit cards, where a certain airline chooses a partner bank to offer a quicker way to earn miles. However, many credit cards that can earn airline miles have pretty steep income requirements, making it hard for most people to get approved for it. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the credit cards that have the lowest income requirements and can still earn you airline miles.

PNB-PAL Mabuhay Miles NOW Mastercard

Minimum income requirement: PHP 120,000 per year or PHP 10,000 per month

Annual fee: PHP 1,000 (waived for the first 3 years)

Foreign currency conversion fee: 2.5%

Airline mile spending requirement:

• 1 point = PHP 58 spend = 1 PAL Mabuhay Mile

Other benefits:

• Receive 1,000 Mabuhay Miles as welcome gift
• Enjoy exclusive 5% discount when booking international flights with PAL via their website philippineairlines.com

Find out more on PNB’s website.

HSBC Red Mastercard

Minimum income requirement: PHP 200,000 per year or PHP 16,667 per month

Annual fee: PHP 2,500 (waived for the first year)

Foreign currency conversion fee: 2.5% service fee + 1% Mastercard assessment fee

Airline mile spending requirement:

• 1 air mile = PHP 25 or 30 spend, depending on the transaction type, for a maximum spend of PHP 40,000 (under the Accelerated Rewards program)
• 1 point = PHP 20 spend (under the regular rewards program)
• 10,000 points = 1,000 Asia Miles or KrisFlyer Miles
• 15,000 points = 1,500 Mabuhay Miles

Other benefits:

• Find great exclusive deals and discounts on dining, travel, shopping, and more at over 27,000 establishments in 160 countries/regions & territories worldwide via HSBC’s home&Away program
• Get 3% rebate on your Caltex fuel spending throughout the year

Find out more on HSBC’s website.

RCBC AirAsia Credit Card

Minimum income requirement: PHP 250,000 per year or PHP 20,833 per month

Annual fee: PHP 3,600 (or PHP 300 per month)

Foreign currency conversion fee: 3.5%

Airline mile spending requirement:

• 1 airasia point = PHP 22 or 28 spend for every international or domestic retail spend respectively
• 2 airasia points = PHP 25 spend with AirAsia

Other benefits:

• Convert your purchase abroad to installment at 0% interest
  • Gain exclusive access to the quarterly airasia rewards Final Call and deals

Get a temporary increase of up to 100% of your credit limit when you travel abroad

Find out more on RCBC’s website.

EastWest JCB Gold

Minimum income requirement: PHP 300,000 per year or PHP 25,000 per month

Annual fee: PHP 2,500 (waived for the first year)

Foreign currency conversion fee: 2%

Airline mile spending requirement:

• 1 point = PHP 100 spend
• 2,500 points = 500 Asia Miles or PAL Mabuhay Miles

Other benefits:

• Gain complimentary access to JCB Airport Lounge in Japan and Hawaii for up to 6 times per year
• Gain complimentary access to other world-class airport lounges with the complimentary LoungeKey for up to 8 times per year
• Enjoy the amenities of JCB Plaza lounges in major shopping areas in Japan for free
• Enjoy special rates on JCB Global Wi-Fi router rental

Find out more on EastWest’s website.

If you prefer flying with Singapore Airlines and their partner airlines, you can also opt for the EastWest Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Platinum Mastercard, which offers a low foreign currency conversion fee of 1.70% and earns 1 to 3 KrisFlyer miles for every PHP 45 spend, depending on the type of transaction, on top of many other travel perks for globetrotters.

Citi PremierMiles

Minimum income requirement: PHP 360,000 per year or PHP 30,000 per month

Annual fee: PHP 5,000 (waived for the first year)

Foreign currency conversion fee: up to 3.525%

Airline mile spending requirement:

• 1 PremierMile = PHP 30 spend
• 1.6 PremierMiles = 1 mile
• PremierMiles have no expiration date, so you can use them at your convenience.

Other benefits:

• Get a free DragonPass membership with 2 complimentary visits per membership year that provides access to select lounges in local and international airports
• Be covered with a travel insurance of up to PHP 1 million
• Convert your PremierMiles to cash credits (5 PremierMiles = PHP 1) when you’re not traveling

Find out more on Citibank’s website.

UnionBank Cebu Pacific Gold Visa

Minimum income requirement: PHP 360,000 per year or PHP 30,000 per month

Annual fee: PHP 3,000

Foreign currency conversion fee: 3%

Airline mile spending requirement:

• 1 GoReward point = PHP 200 spend at any establishment
• 1 GoReward point = PHP 100 spend at Cebu Pacific

Other benefits:

• Gain exclusive access to Cebu Pacific seat sales
• Be covered with a travel insurance up to PHP 400,000

Find out more on PNB’s website.

Security Bank Gold Mastercard

Minimum income requirement: PHP 480,000 per year or PHP 40,000 per month

Annual fee: PHP 2,500 (waived for the first year)

Foreign currency conversion fee: 1.5% service fee + 1% Mastercard assessment fee

Airline mile spending requirement:

• 1 rewards point = PHP 20 spend
• 6,667 rewards points = 1,000 airasia points
• 11,250 rewards points = 1,000 PAL Asia Miles
• 11,667 rewards points = 1,000 PAL Mabuhay Miles

Other benefits:

• Gain access to Marhaba Lounge at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 for a fee.

Find out more on Security Bank’s website.

AUB Gold Mastercard

Minimum income requirement: PHP600,000 per year or PHP 50,000 per month

Annual fee: Waived for life

Foreign currency conversion fee: 1.5% service fee + 1% Mastercard assessment fee

Airline mile spending requirement:

• 1 AUB point = PHP 50 spend
• 8.5 AUB points = 1 PAL Mabuhay Miles
• 5 AUB points = 1 airasia point

Other benefits:

• No need to pay for annual fee for your principal card and all your supplementary cards
• Easily top up your Alipay account using your AUB credit card to use for shopping, dining, car hailing, hotel booking, and more during your travel

Find out more on AUB’s website.

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