RCBC Bankard AirAsia Credit Card Review (2019) – Traveller’s Must-Have

RCBC Bankard AirAsia credit card review

Daydreaming about your next getaway? If you get approved for the RCBC Bankard AirAsia credit card, you can use the bonus 8,000 BIG Points to book your next destination.

This credit card can be your ticket to free flights. It serves as both rewards and air miles card.

You earn 1 BIG Point for as low as P22 spend. It can give you access to priority check-in and boarding, as well as Xpress baggage whenever you travel.

As a cardholder, you automatically qualify as a BIG Loyalty Platinum member. You gain access to the BIG sale and take part in the Final Call Sale, which can save you up to 90% on AirAsia flights.

Let’s take a look at the perks you can get from this AirAsia credit card.

RCBC Bankard AirAsia Credit Card Terms and Conditions

Annual Fee
  • Waived annual fee for the first year
  • P2,400 for the principal cardholder 
  • P1,200 for a supplementary cardholder
Minimum Annual Income
  • P180,000
Monthly Interest Rate 
  • 3.5%
Cash Advance Fee
  • 3% of the cash amount availed of or P500/US$10, whichever is higher
Late Payment Fee
  • P400
Overlimit Fee
  • P500 per occurrence
Card Replacement Fee
  • P300
Card Network
  • Visa

How does RCBC Bankard AirAsia credit card work?

The RCBC Bankard AirAsia credit card is a traveller’s delight. Whether you’re a business traveller, a digital nomad or a pleasure seeker who wants to save on flights (and earn free flights from your rewards points), the key features of this card are worth exploring.

You earn 1 BIG Point for as low as P22 spend, making it quite useful for your daily purchases. You can earn BIG Points regardless of the spending categories.

  • 2x BIG Points for every P25 on AirAsia flights and transactions
  • 1 BIG Point for every P22 spend on international transactions
  • 1 BIG Point for every P28 spend on local transactions

New cardholders will receive a welcome gift of up to 8,000 Bonus BIG Points, which you can use to book flights. Enjoy this promo if you spend at least P20,000 within sixty days from card issuance.

You can redeem those BIG Points anytime for free flights or save them for other trips.

For existing RCBC Bankard credit cardholders, you get 4,000 Bonus BIG Points.

Aside from earning BIG Points, you can access the Priority Lane when checking-in and boarding and avail of Xpress baggage. Simply book using your credit card and your BIG loyalty membership ID.

Free onboard Wi-Fi for your first flight is still subject to availability.

This card also provides you with an instant upgrade to BIG Platinum Membership status, which means you earn BIG Points faster, with up to 7x BIG Points per P13 spend on flights.

However, you need to maintain this status to qualify for the second year as a Platinum member. You need AirAsia purchases of over P5,000, or P200,000 accumulated spend on other categories or non-AirAsia transactions.

How can you redeem your BIG Points with RCBC Bankard AirAsia credit card?

Free flights and priority lanes when travelling? What more can you ask for from this card?

As stated earlier, new credit cardholders are given 8,000 AirAsia BIG Points for accumulated retail purchases within sixty days from card issuance.

Existing RCBC Bankard credit cardholders get 4,000 AirAsia points.

To redeem the welcome gift, you must register at https://www.rcbcbankard.com/airasia-form/ and meet the required retail spend. Once validated, the Points will be transferred to the cardholder’s AirAsia BIG account.

The welcome gift can’t be converted into cash, cash rebate, or voucher.

Online Redemption Cut-Off Date Crediting of Welcome BIG Points
1st-15th of the month 15th day of the month 30th day of the month
16th-31st of the month 31st of the month 15th day of the next month

It’s not just a card for your travel needs but also for your daily purchases, allowing you to earn more BIG Points for free flights in the future.

If you’re the type of person who’s willing to do the math on how many points you’ll earn per month, this card is for you.

It doesn’t state in the terms and conditions that there’s a monthly cap for BIG Points that will be earned. But your BIG Points will reflect in your monthly billing statement.
You can also check the accumulated AirAsia BIG Points via airasiabig.com or the AirAsia BIG mobile app.

Other Options to RCBC Bankard AirAsia Credit Card

The most suitable option to the AirAsia credit card is the UnionBank GetGo credit card that allows you to earn GetGo points for free Cebu Pacific flights.

Other air miles credit cards that are worthy of checking are the Citi PremierMiles and the Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa.

UnionBank GetGo Gold Credit Card (P30 = 1 GetGo Point)

You earn 1 GetGo point for every P30 you spend using UnionBank GetGo Gold Visa. The points are automatically credited to your GetGo account every month, and you have access to seat sales with Cebu Pacific and GetGo.

Citi PremierMiles Credit Card (P30 = 1 Premier Mile)

You earn 1 PremierMile for every P30 spend when you use the Citi PremierMiles credit card. These are non-expiring points, and you can use PremierMile points for air miles or hotel bookings with over 60 airlines and 8,000 hotels.

Other perks of this card include VIP access at selected lounges here and abroad. You have up to P1 million insurance coverage when you use the card to book flights.

There’s also free 30-day purchase protection from accidental loss within the 30 days of your purchase.

Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa (P17 = 1 air mile)

You earn 1 mile for every P17 you spend on overseas transactions, airlines, and hotels. So far, this is the lowest rate among the cards mentioned above for earning air miles.

Aside from the air miles, you also earn 1 reward point for every P20 you spend on any spending category.

You also have access to unlimited lounges worldwide, plus free travel insurance with up to P5 million coverage when you use your card to book your flights.

Metrobank offers the lowest earn rate for 1 air mile, with a host of exclusive travel offers. But the caveat is that it has a high annual income requirement of P800,000 and an annual fee of P5,000.

What do you think of the AirAsia credit card? Are you still interested to apply to qualify for the free welcome gift of 8,000 Points? Or would you like to explore other air miles credit card that you can use anywhere and with any airline?