Do you want to know how to earn credit card points? Most rewards points come from daily spending, but there are ways to boost your potential to earn more.
The key is to use your credit card often to earn significant points. But your credit card spending should align with your spending habits and financial capacity so that you can pay them off in full and on time.
What are Credit Card Points?
Credit card points are a type of reward that banks offer their customers. Aside from points, credit cardholders can also earn airline miles and cashback.
With each type of credit card, you earn points at a set rate per peso you spend. Earning rates differ per bank and credit card. Some have a fixed points system, while others double or triple your points for specific bonus categories.
For example, travel credit cards offer more points when you make travel-related purchases such as airline tickets, tour packages, or hotel room bookings.
How Do Credit Card Points Work?
Use your credit card for various purchases and transactions to start earning points. It's as simple as that!
Wondering what to do with credit card points? Once you accumulate enough, you can redeem them for items like gift certificates, shopping credits, cashback, or annual fee waivers.
How to Earn Credit Card Points Fast in the Philippines
Want to know the best way to earn credit card points? Take note of the excellent credit card hacks below to learn how to earn more points on your credit card.
✔️ Get That Sign-Up Bonus
When you apply and get approved for a new credit card, you can get a sign-up bonus or a welcome gift, such as a significant amount of points, miles, cash, or physical gifts.
To receive the bonus or gift, meet your credit card issuer’s spend requirement within the first few months of activating the card.
✔️ Make Referrals
Some banks also give referral bonuses when their existing cardholders invite family or friends to apply for a credit card. You must send them the referral link to qualify for the referral bonus or points. The number of points you’ll get for a successful referral depends on your credit card issuer.
✔️ Check the Fine Print
Make sure you understand the terms and conditions of your credit card provider's rewards program.
For instance, you might be planning to accumulate a certain number of points to redeem a specific reward. Double-check to see if your points have an expiry date. Check which categories will enable you to earn points as well.
Otherwise, all your efforts to earn points might go down the drain.
✔️ Choose the Right Card for You
Most importantly, choose the credit card that suits your lifestyle.
If you plan to frequently use your card to pay for groceries, choose an option that will let you earn points for that. Meanwhile, frequent jetsetters should go for cards that accumulate points for overseas spending.
You can earn double, triple, or even 5x rewards points when you use your qualified credit card on specific spending categories.
Check out some of the best rewards credit cards below:
| Credit Card | Points Earn Rate |
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UnionBank Rewards Credit Card
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Metrobank Titanium Mastercard®
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HSBC Red Mastercard
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BPI Rewards Card
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BPI Platinum Rewards Card
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Find more details and credit card options below:
💳 How to Earn Credit Card Points in UnionBank
Earn points with purchases made using your UnionBank credit card. Depending on your UnionBank credit card, you can collect points for as low as ₱30 qualified spend.
Here are some of the best rewards credit cards from UnionBank:
- 1 non-expiring point for every ₱30 spend
- 3x non-expiring points for shopping and dining here and abroad
- 1 point for every ₱10 spend
- 500 points when you set up your profile
- 300 points for every referral
UnionBank Go Rewards Gold Visa
1 Go Rewards Point for every ₱200 spend
- 1 Go Rewards Point for every ₱200 spend
- 1 Go Rewards Point for every ₱100 spend in Cebu Pacific
UnionBank Miles+ Platinum Visa
- 1 point for every ₱25 spend
- 1.5 points for all travel-related spend
💳 How to Earn Credit Card Points in Metrobank
Metrobank offers different credit cards that let you earn rewards points on your purchases. Earn points faster when you use qualified Metrobank credit cards on specific categories.
Metrobank Titanium Mastercard®
- 1 point for every ₱20 spend
- 2x rewards points for dining, online, or department store purchases
Metrobank Platinum Mastercard®
- 1 point for every ₱20 spend
- Free 310,000 rewards points (for first-time Metrobank cardholders who apply until January 31, 2024 and meet a minimum spend of ₱70,000 within 60 days from the card approval date)
- 1 point for every ₱20 spend
- 2x points for every ₱20 international spend
- Free 300,000 rewards points (for first-time Metrobank cardholders who apply until January 31, 2024 and meet a minimum spend of ₱90,000 within 60 days from the card approval date)
Metrobank Rewards Plus Visa
- 1 point for every ₱20 spend
- 2x rewards points on gadget and electronics purchases, delivery services, and online spend
💳 How to Earn Credit Card Points in HSBC
Earn shopping points or air miles with every purchase you make with your HSBC credit card. Through the HSBC Accelerated Rewards program,[1] shop at any online or shopping merchant to earn bonus points faster.
If you have the following HSBC credit cards, here’s how to get rewards points:
- Up to 4x bonus points for every ₱20 dining, online, shopping, and overseas spend
- 1 rewards point for every ₱20 spend
HSBC Premier Mastercard
- 4 bonus points for every ₱20 spent on overseas purchases
- 3x bonus points on local shopping or dining
💳 How to Earn Credit Card Points in Security Bank
To earn points on your Security Bank credit card, use it to pay for groceries and other lifestyle purchases. Accumulate points with Security Bank’s rewards credit cards, such as the ones below:
- 1 point for every ₱20 spend
- Non-expiring points
Security Bank Platinum Mastercard
- 2 points for every ₱20 spend
- Points convertible to air miles and other exclusive rewards
Security Bank World Mastercard
- 3 points for every ₱20 spend
- Non-expiring points
Security Bank Classic Mastercard
- 1 point for every ₱20 spend
- Non-expiring points
💳 How to Earn Credit Card Points in BPI
Whenever you use your BPI credit card, you earn BPI Points, which you can use to redeem air miles, gift certificates, or shopping credits.
Here are some of the best rewards credit cards from BPI and the corresponding points you can earn per qualified spend:
- 1 BPI Point for every ₱50 spend
- Points convertible to exciting rewards and freebies
- 1 BPI Point for every ₱35 spend
- Exclusive deals all year round
- 1 BPI Point for every ₱35 spend
- Points redeemable for shopping credits, gift vouchers, air miles, and more
- 2 BPI Points for every ₱30 local spend
- 2 BPI Points for every ₱20 foreign online or overseas transactions
- 2 BPI Points for every ₱20 spend
- Points redeemable for miles, shopping credits, or gift certificates from premium merchants
💳 How to Earn Credit Card Points in RCBC
Want to know how to earn points with your RCBC credit card? Get an RCBC credit card suited to your needs and lifestyle. For instance, there’s an RCBC credit card that lets you earn double rewards points on two of your preferred categories.
Here are some RCBC credit cards and their corresponding credit card points earn rates:
RCBC Flex Visa
- 2x rewards points for every ₱50 spend on two preferred categories
- 1 rewards point for every ₱125 supermarket, drugstore, and fuel spend
- 1 rewards point for every ₱250 utility spend
- 1 rewards point for every other ₱50 spend
RCBC Gold Mastercard
- 1 rewards point for every ₱36 dining, shopping, and travel spend
- 1 rewards point for every ₱125 supermarket, drugstore, and fuel spend
- 1 rewards point for every ₱250 utility spend
RCBC AirAsia Credit Card
- 2 AirAsia BIG points for every ₱25 AirAsia spend
- 1 AirAsia BIG point for every ₱28 domestic retail spend
- 1 AirAsia BIG point for every ₱22 international retail spend
RCBC Visa Platinum
- Preferred Airmiles for as low as ₱25 overseas spend or ₱48 local spend
- 1 Preferred Airmile = 1 point with AirAsia Rewards, Asia Miles, or Mabuhay Miles
RCBC Visa Infinite
- 5 rewards points for every ₱30 spend online or overseas in-store
- 3 rewards points for every ₱30 local online spend
- 1 rewards point for every ₱250 utility spend
- 1 rewards point for every other ₱30 spend
Related reading:
- Credit Card Dos and Don’ts: What Should You Do and Not Do With Your Card?
- No Overspending and Late Payments: How to Manage Multiple Credit Cards
How to Earn Credit Card Points: FAQs
1. When do credit card points expire?
Fortunately, most credit card providers in the Philippines don't enforce expiration dates on their rewards programs. However, banks such as HSBC have a two- or three-year expiry on rewards points.
With non-expiring rewards, you can redeem points anytime as long as your credit card account is in good standing. Generally, this means the following:
- Not violating the credit card terms and conditions
- Paying credit card bills on time and in full, or at least the minimum amount due
- Maintaining an active and valid credit card account
- Staying below credit card limit
Related: Say Goodbye to Late Payments with These Credit Card Payment Methods
2. Can I lose my earned points?
Yes, the bank may forfeit your accumulated points, under any of the following circumstances:
- Inactive, delinquent, suspended, blocked, or canceled credit card account
- Defaulting on credit card payments (at least 90 days overdue)
- Breaking any rule in the credit card terms and conditions
- Exceeding credit card limit
- Fraud and abuse in earning rewards points
- Lost card
- Conversion to another credit card type
Keep your account in good standing so your hard-earned credit card rewards points won't go to waste.
Read more: Ask Moneymax: What is Credit Card Delinquency and How to Avoid It?
3. My credit card points are about to expire. What should I do?
Redeem your points immediately before they become invalid. Most banks now allow rewards redemption online. Go to your issuer's website, find its credit card rewards page, and complete the online form.
Final Thoughts
The process of how to earn credit card points fast will depend on your credit card’s earning structure and point value. So be strategic. Be smart with your everyday spending—don’t use up your credit card limit and don’t spend beyond your means.
Understand fully how your credit card’s rewards program works. The better you understand how to get rewards points on your credit card, the more you can maximize your credit card usage and expand your rewards-earning potential.
Overwhelmed by the many card choices out there? Compare options via Moneymax to find the best rewards credit card. Click the banner to get started!
Sources: [1] HSBC Accelerated Rewards
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