Best Marhaba Lounge Credit Cards with Free Access Philippines - Eligibility, fees and rewards

If you’re a frequent flyer and pass through airports with Marhaba¹ Lounge locations, you may be wondering about the best Marhaba Lounge credit cards to allow you to visit the lounges for free.

There are a few different credit cards accepted in Marhaba Lounge locations, including several popular cards issued by banks in the Philippines. However, the terms of entry, including the number of visits and how long you can stay, do vary pretty widely. We’ll also share more about the Wise card, a handy card to pack along to save while spending abroad.

What to expect at the Marhaba Lounge?

There are 8 Marhaba Lounge locations at popular airports in the Philippines, Middle East, Europe and Australia. The facilities do vary depending on the specific lounge you select, so you’ll want to review the specific lounge to be clear of the terms and conditions before you enter. However in all cases, the lounge promises a quiet and relaxing place to start a holiday or get some work done during your trip.

Some of the Marhaba Lounge facilities and benefits you may experience include:

• Free unlimited food including a selection from around the world
• Hot and cold beverages - some lounges also offer alcohol, but this depends on the location
• Business services and rooms
• Toilets with shower rooms
• Wi-Fi access and workspaces
• Reading materials, TVs power points and comfortable places to rest
• Prayer rooms
• Flight information screens to keep up with your departure time and gate
• Sleeping pods available in some locations

We’ll look at where you can find a lounge, plus a Marhaba Lounge access credit cards list for the Philippines, covering popular card options to consider, in this review.

Where can I find the Marhaba Airport Lounge?

In the Philippines you can find the following Marhaba Lounges:

Some network passes also state you can access a Marhaba Lounge in Terminal 3 of NAIA, but this usually comes with a warning about space constraints. You may not be able to access this lounge if there is no space available, and there is no buffet food. This lounge is not promoted directly by Marhaba, so if you’re interested in visiting it you may need to contact your lounge network pass issuer instead.

Aside from this, there are also Marhaba Lounges available in:

• Geneva and Zurich International Airports in Switzerland
• Melbourne Tullamarine Airport in Australia
• Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar
• Sharjah International Airport in UAE
• Dubai International Airport in Dubai

How long can I spend at the Marhaba Lounge?

The length of time you can spend in the Marhaba Lounge depends on the specific lounge you access and the terms of your card. Some lounges have a maximum 3 hour stay, while others allow you to stay for up to 6 hours. Usually, children under the age of 2 years are admitted free and so will not count as one of your access passes if you have a limited number of entry passes per year as part of the terms of your Marhaba Lounge credit card.

Best credit card with free Marhaba Lounge access in the Philippines

There’s not one single best credit card with free Marhaba Lounge access in the Philippines - which works for you depends on your income and personal circumstances, how often you fly and where you usually fly from. Here are a few popular options to consider based on eligibility, fees and lounge offer.

AUB Platinum Mastercard Credit Card²

The AUB Platinum Mastercard Credit Card offers unlimited access to the Marhaba Lounge in NAIA, as well as to select PAGSS International Lounges in Manila. This can be a very handy perk if you’re flying from NAIA often and want to visit the Marhaba Lounge before you fly. Plus if the Marhaba Lounge is full, or you fancy a change you’ll know you can also access alternative lounges before you fly.

You can also earn airmiles and bank rewards as you spend, and get access to Mastercard exclusive offers. To get this card you must have a minimum income of 100,000 PHP a month, and you must be between the ages of 21 and 65.

Security Bank World Credit Card⁴

The Security Bank World Credit Card lets you visit Marhaba Lounges in NAIA whenever you need to, as long as your card is valid and not at its maximum credit limit. You can also go to PAGSS lounges throughout the Philippines, with one local lounge visit per day, as long as you have a valid international flight ticket. Aside from this you can also visit other global lounges 6 times annually through your Mastercard Pass.

To be eligible you must be a Filipino citizen or a foreigner legally residing in the Philippines.

BDO Diamond Rewards Credit Card⁶

You can apply for a BDO Diamond Rewards Credit Card if you’re a Diamond class member with a minimum of 5 million PHP average daily balance in an eligible BDO checking or saving account. This class of BDO customer gets exclusive Diamond club deals and rewards, and can also get 4x annual lounge access passes. You can use your pass in the Marhaba Lounge in NAIA, or if you would prefer you can also cash in your pass in PAGSS lounges in the airport. Each pass is good for one person, so if you attend with a guest, that will use up 2 of your 4 annual lounge passes.

Eastwest Priority Visa Infinite Credit Card⁷

The Eastwest Priority Visa Infinite Credit Card is a premium card which is available to EastWest Priority Clients only. Cardholders can visit the Marhaba Lounge in NAIA twice a year, and also get access with their card to a very broad range of other global lounges which are part of the Priority Pass network. There are 4x annual visits as part of the card’s terms, and you can then pay for additional visits directly with Priority Pass if you want to.

UnionBank Miles+ Visa Signature Credit Card⁸

When you’re approved for the UnionBank Miles+ Visa Signature Credit Card you can also get a complimentary Dragon Pass which gives you 2x access to airport lounges including Marhaba Lounges in NAIA. If you want to visit lounges more than twice a year you can still do so by paying an additional fee through Dragon Pass.

UnionBank doesn’t disclose their full eligibility rules so you may want to get in touch to confirm whether or not you’re eligible for this card before you take the time to apply for it.

Travelling soon? Bring along a credit card for lounge access, and the Wise card to maximise your foreign currency transactions

The Wise card lets you spend in 40+ currencies at the mid-market rate including USD, SGD, GBP, and JPY so you know you'll be getting a great deal in over 150+ countries. Simply create a free Wise account, order a card and top-up PHP to get started.

A physical Wise card can be ordered for a low fee of 369.60 PHP. Having a physical Wise card allows you to make chip and pin payments, as well as 2 free ATM withdrawals to the value of 12,000 PHP each month, before low fees start.

While abroad, you can choose to spend directly in PHP and let auto-conversion do the trick, or convert to your desired currency with your Wise account. Either way, you’ll get the exchange rate you see on Google, with low, transparent fees from 0.57%.

Save while you spend, and make overseas spending seamless with a Wise card.

💳 Get your Wise card today

Wise Pilipinas is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. For any questions or concerns, check out our Help Centre, or log into your account to talk to us by phone, email or chat.

Sources:

1. Marhaba
2. AUB Platinum Mastercard
3. AUB credit card fees
4. Security Bank World Credit Card
5. Security Bank Credit Card fees
6. BDO Diamond Rewards
7. Eastwest Priority Visa Infinite
8. UnionBank Miles+ Visa Signature
9. UnionBank credit card fees