Credit Cards - Which Gives The Best Deal?

[jut703]

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]

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]

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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[ray_noel]

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]

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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[Lew_Alcindor]

I only have BDO Visa credit card (colored gold) na hindi ko naman inaplayan hahaha. Pinadala lang bigla kasi sa kanina kami nag auto loan. Ginamit ko na lang and no problem naman for almost 9 years na ata. I usually request for waiving of the annual fee na lagi naman approve. BDO also sent me an AMEX card na ni-deadma ko na lang kasi basic lang naman needs ko for credit cards (i.e. ndi ako lumalabas ng bansa).

I am a supppemntal card holder of citibank also. Pag gusto ko si misis magbayad, yung gingamit ko hehehe

[shadow]

I only have BDO Visa credit card (colored gold) na hindi ko naman inaplayan hahaha. Pinadala lang bigla kasi sa kanina kami nag auto loan. Ginamit ko na lang and no problem naman for almost 9 years na ata. I usually request for waiving of the annual fee na lagi naman approve. BDO also sent me an AMEX card na ni-deadma ko na lang kasi basic lang naman needs ko for credit cards (i.e. ndi ako lumalabas ng bansa).

I am a supppemntal card holder of citibank also. Pag gusto ko si misis magbayad, yung gingamit ko hehehe

Hinde ka ba free annual fee lifetime?

If 9 years na, dapat "founding member" ka meron nakasulat sa baba ng name.


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[Lew_Alcindor]

Hinde ka ba free annual fee lifetime?

If 9 years na, dapat "founding member" ka meron nakasulat sa baba ng name.


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Hinde eh.

Ipagtanong ko yang founding na yan pag may time.

[jut703]

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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[vinrem]

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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