Credit Cards - Which Gives The Best Deal?

**jut703** · January 19th, 2020 01:37 AM

With the multitude of credit cards from different banks, which gives the biggest rewards/rebates? I'm not a fan of having many cards so looking to stick with the best value card.

I determine value by computing how much it costs to earn a point and how much points it takes to earn a peso rebate.

To start, sharing what I've tried:

1. Citi PremiereMiles

• 30 pesos per mile
• 1 mile equivalent to P0.47 when buying tickets
• Net rebate (if airline miles): 1.56%
• 3,000 miles for P1,000 rebate
• Net rebate (if peso): 1.1%
• P5,000 annual fee (not waivable)
• Breakeven point (i.e. miles = annual fee): P450,000/yr
• 2 free Dragonpass Lounge access per year

This is a pretty famous card because of the low peso-to-mile conversion (most other cards are 40-50 pesos per mile). However, I've tried converting my miles to tickets and the equivalent of each mile is only 47 centavos, so you end up using a lot of miles for a ticket. That said, the 1.67% discount is still pretty huge so this is worth it if you fly a lot. Even the 1.1% cash rebate is big compared to other cards. The downside is that the P5,000 annual fee cannot be waived (at least in my experience) so you have to spend 450k (equivalent to 15k miles) to generate P5,000 worth of rebates to offset the annual fee.

Overall, a good option if you spend over 450k a year and fly a lot. Will be cancelling mine this year unless they waive my annual fee - there are other cards with waived annual fees that net out higher rewards for me.

2. BPI Visa Signature

• 20 pesos per point
• 5,000 points for P1,000 rebate
• Net peso rebate: 1.0%
• 2,500 points for 1,000 Mabuhay Miles (P50 per mile)
• Waivable annual fee
• Free access to NAIA3 Pacific Club Lounge

Launched only in 2018, this is BPI's newest card that offers cheaper points (P20 per point vs BPI's usual 35 per point) plus much lower redemption requirements (5,000 points for P1,000 rebate vs 10,000 points on other BPI cards). The best part is that annual fees can still be waived as long as you purchase regularly using the card. While the rebate of Citi PremiereMiles is still higher (1.56% vs 1.0%), the waived annual fee means that you end up with a higher net rebate with this card unless you spend north of 1M/yr.

This is now my go-to card because of its relatively high rebate and waived annual fees.

3. BPI Gold Mastercard

• 35 pesos per point
• 10,000 points for P1,000 rebate
• Net peso rebate: 0.285%
• 5,000 points for 1,000 Mabuhay Miles (P175 per mile)
• Waivable annual fee

The card's main benefit is the waived annual fee, but offers nothing much else. This card comes free from BPI if you're a Preferred Client and it used to be my only card, but you're better off with other options including BPI's own Visa Signature card.

I've also read about cashback cards (i.e HSBC) but the 5% rebate applies only to dining transactions, 3% only for Caltex, and only a 0.5% rebate elsewhere.

Anyone else know of better deals than those mentioned above?

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**ray_noel** · January 19th, 2020 01:49 AM

Thanks for the share juts. I just replaced my citi rewards with citi premiere miles....
For bpi is it only free for naia? No international like citi premiere miles...

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**jut703** · January 19th, 2020 01:52 AM

Originally Posted by ray_noel

Thanks for the share juts. I just replaced my citi rewards with citi premiere miles....
For bpi is it only free for naia? No international like citi premiere miles...

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None eh, but it gets 50% discount for Dragonpass so that's effectively around 750 pesos per entry ($219 annual fee for 8 passes x 50%).

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**jut703** · January 19th, 2020 03:13 AM

Also checked the top cards from different banks and their equivalent peso rebates:

HSBC Platinum Visa: 1% (4% if food)

BDO Titanium Mastercard: 0.4%

BDO Cathay Pacific Amex: 1.76% for flights only

Security Bank Platinum Mastercard: 0.5%

Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa: 0.22%

The HSBC Platinum looks competitive with the BPI Visa Signature, though not sure if they waive annual fees. The Amex Cathay also offers good value if you travel via Cathay alot, again assuming waived fees.

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**ray_noel** · January 19th, 2020 03:21 AM

Originally Posted by jut703

None eh, but it gets 50% discount for Dragonpass so that's effectively around 750 pesos per entry ($219 annual fee for 8 passes x 50%).

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Ahhh so For citi premiere miles, if you consumed the 2 complimentary lounge per year, you are only paying them 2000php for their annual fee... since 1500 (3000/year) yung lounge...

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**jut703** · January 19th, 2020 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by ray_noel

Ahhh so For citi premiere miles, if you consumed the 2 complimentary lounge per year, you are only paying them 2000php for their annual fee... since 1500 (3000/year) yung lounge...

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Yeah best to use the free lounge access if you're abroad para sulit.

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**vinrem** · January 19th, 2020 05:53 AM

Sir Jut, how did you get a visa signature card, did they offer it to you are you applied for it?

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**doo** · January 19th, 2020 10:52 AM

^^ Maybe I can chime in for Jut, I got my signature card when I became a preferred client, received a call from a BPI relationship manager and after a week they mailed the signature card.

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**L1quid** · January 19th, 2020 11:04 AM

Ito mukang ok - UnionBank Platinum Mastercard, 1.5% cashback on all purchases tas walang cap daw. +Lounge access sa T1 & T3.

**leonleon** · January 19th, 2020 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by jut703

I've also read about cashback cards (i.e HSBC) but the 5% rebate applies only to dining transactions, 3% only for Caltex, and only a 0.5% rebate elsewhere.

Anyone else know of better deals than those mentioned above?

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Add ko lang, yung HSBC cashback, may cap yan at 1,200 per month.

Tapos yung annual fee, kelangan i-hassle mo sarili mo na tumawag para i-waive nila.

Hindi automatic waived annual fee.

Dami pang cheche bureche sa pag-waive.

I also have BDO Platinum mastercard.

They waive the annual fee automatically if you spend at least 600k in a year.

50 pesos spend = 1 point sa BDO Rewards.

Tapos almost year round yung promo nila na GC's for every 3k spend.

Meron din access to airport lounges, though I have not tried this myself.

And of course, pag dating sa SM dept store spend, dami promos ang BDO (cashback, 0% installment, etc.).