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Captain's Brief · Sign-on travel / lounges · 10 min read · Oct 24, 2026

Captain's Brief: airport lounges and Philippine credit cards for seafarers and OFWs.

Free Airport Lounges for Seafarers and OFWs: Which Philippine Credit Cards Get You In

Kabaro, sign-on days often mean an early check-in, a long wait and a longer flight. A lounge gives you a seat, food, Wi-Fi and sometimes a shower. Here is how to get in without paying at the door, as of October 23, 2026.

First, the free one. Departing OFWs, seafarers included, can use the free OFW Lounge at NAIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 with an OEC or OFW e-card. Our earlier Captain's Brief covers the rules: https://maritimematch.ph/captains-brief/naia-ofw-lounge-rules-seafarers-2026

1. The four lounge programmes

Priority Pass (run by Collinson). The biggest global network. You can buy it yourself: on the official site, Standard costs US$99 a year plus US$35 per visit, Standard Plus costs US$329 a year with 10 free visits, and Prestige costs US$469 a year with every member visit free. Guests are US$35 each on all three. Most people in the Philippines get it free through a credit card instead.

DragonPass. A rival network. In the Philippines it mostly comes with UnionBank cards (see the table).

Mastercard Travel Pass. A Mastercard programme run on DragonPass. You register your card in the app or on the website, then show a QR code at the lounge. The Metrobank World Mastercard uses it.

LoungeKey. A card-linked programme. Some RCBC JCB and Metrobank promo passes use it.

Each programme has its own app. Register before you get to the airport.

2. Philippine cards with lounge access

Fees and income figures come from the bank pages, or from the taxcalculator.com.ph comparison that cites each bank's fee table. The date of each fee table is shown. "Income" is the minimum annual income listed; a dash means none was published.

CardProgramme / loungesFree visitsExtra or guest feeAnnual feeIncome
BDO Visa PlatinumPriority PassFree visits after at least P50,000 / US$1,000 spent on airline, hotel or cruisenot confirmedP4,500 (Sep 2026 table), waived at P600,000 yearly spendP924,000
BDO Visa SignaturePriority Pass2 per calendar yearnot confirmedP5,500 (Sep 2026)P1,980,000
BPI Platinum Rewards MastercardPriority PassUp to 4 a year, 1 for each single P30,000 spend at airlines, hotels or travel agenciesUS$32 per person per visit (reversed if you qualify)not confirmed on pagenot confirmed
BPI SignaturePAGSS NAIA T1Free at that loungenot statedP5,500 (Jul 2026), first year waived-
Metrobank Travel Signature VisaPAGSS and Plaza Premium in the PhilippinesUnlimited at NAIA T1, Davao, Puerto Princesa, Cebu T1 and T2, ClarkGuests pay the lounge feenot confirmednot confirmed
Metrobank World MastercardMastercard Travel Pass2 per calendar year (expire Dec 31)not statednot confirmednot confirmed
RCBC Airmiles Visa SignaturePriority PassUp to 4 (spend-based)not confirmednot confirmednot confirmed
RCBC Visa InfinitePriority Passmembership; visits not statednot statedP6,000, first year waived-
RCBC World MastercardPAGSS International LoungeUnlimitednot statedP6,000, first year waived-
Security Bank Platinum MastercardMastercard lounges (1,300+)2 a yearnot statedP4,000 (Aug 29, 2025)P780,000
Security Bank World MastercardMastercard Travel Pass6 a yearnot statedP5,000 (Aug 29, 2025)P3,000,000
UnionBank Platinum Mastercard (552097)DragonPass2 per membership yearnot statedP5,000 (Jul 2025)-
UnionBank Reserve Visa Infinite / World ElitePriority PassUnlimited for the primary cardnot statedP12,000 (Jul 2025), not waivable-
EastWest Platinum MastercardPriority Pass1 visit fee credited back per P100,000 travel and foreign spendUS$27 per person per visitNone for lifeP1,800,000
EastWest Priority Visa InfiniteLounge visits6 shared a year (needs Priority status and P2.5M balance)US$35 per personNone for life-
HSBC Premier Travel CardLounge network (1,800)10 a yearnot statedP12,500, waived with P5M balance-
HSBC Premier MastercardLounge network (1,300+)membership; visits not statednot statedP6,000, free for Premier clients-
AUB Platinum MastercardAUB's own list: marhaba and PAGSSFree; 1 guest per visit-not confirmednot confirmed

Notes:

  • UnionBank Gold, Platinum Visa, Go Rewards and Cebu Pacific Platinum cards list "free airport lounge access" without naming the programme. Check your card page.
  • AUB's page still lists the PAGSS lounge at NAIA T3, but that lounge stopped taking card access in May 2025 (see below).
  • Citi cards in the Philippines are now under UnionBank. Only the UnionBank cards above were checked.
  • Benefits change without much notice. The lounge staff have the final say. Read your bank's current advisory before you fly.

3. Which lounge takes what

AirportLoungeAcceptsWalk-in price
NAIA T1 (international)PAGSS Premium Lounge (East Concourse, near Gate 2)Priority Pass, DragonPass, LoungeKey, Mastercard Travel Pass, many PH bank cardsnot published
NAIA T1marhaba Lounge (near Gate 9)Priority Pass, DragonPass, LoungeKey, Travel Pass, many PH bank cardsnot published
NAIA T1A LoungePriority Pass, DragonPass, LoungeKey, Travel Passnot published
NAIA T1OFW LoungeFree with OEC or e-cardfree
NAIA T3 (international)PAGSS Premium Lounge, Level 4Partner-airline business class only. No cards or passes since May 2025P3,000 / US$50 for 3 hours
NAIA T3A LoungePriority Pass, DragonPass, LoungeKey, Travel Pass. Priority Pass listed it as closing permanently on Sep 1, 2026; check before goingnot published
NAIA T3First Meridian LoungeAirline business class or elite status only, no cards-
NAIA T3OFW Lounge (landside, before check-in)Free with OEC or e-cardfree
ClarkPlaza Premium LoungePriority Pass (open 07:00-12:00 only); Metrobank Travel Signaturenot published
Clarkmarhaba LoungePriority Pass (07:30-23:59)not published
Cebu (Mactan) T1 and T2Plaza Premium LoungePriority Pass, DragonPass, Metrobank Travel Signature. Under renovation until Dec 21, 2026, with interim lounges near Gates 14-15 (T2) and Gate 9 (T1)DragonPass pre-book US$55; Plaza Premium "from US$12"
DavaoPAGSS lounges near Gate 4DragonPass (Dom and Int lounges), Priority Pass (PAGSS Premium), Metrobank Travel Signatureabout US$19.95 per guest (booking site)
IloiloPAL Mabuhay LoungePAL business and elite; no Priority Pass or card lounge foundP900 paid entry for PAL economy and premium economy passengers

"New T3": we found no separate list of card-access lounges for the rebuilt NAIA terminal areas beyond the lounges above. Check the airport's notices.

4. Smart moves before you fly

  1. Check which programme your card uses, then register in that app before the trip.
  2. Count your free visits. Many cards give 2 to 4 a year, and some only after a travel spend.
  3. Bring your physical card, boarding pass and passport. Many PAGSS and marhaba visits swipe the card for P1 to check it is active (reversed later).
  4. Guests usually pay. Ask the fee before you bring a crewmate.
  5. Flying out of NAIA T3 on economy? The PAGSS lounge no longer takes cards. Use the OFW Lounge or the A Lounge (if still open).
  6. Most card lounges are past immigration, so they only work for international departures.
  7. Prices in USD or AED? Convert them first with the Maritime Match currency converter: https://maritimematch.ph/sea-tools/sea-calculator/currency

Checklist

  • OEC or OFW e-card ready for the free OFW Lounge
  • My card's lounge programme identified, and registered in its app
  • Free visits left this year checked
  • Guest fee known
  • Terminal and lounge hours checked (Clark Plaza Premium closes at noon)
  • Bank advisory re-read in the week of the flight

Bank and lounge terms as of October 23, 2026. Benefits change often. Confirm with your bank and the lounge before you fly. This is general information, not financial advice.

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Sources (read Oct 23, 2026 unless noted)

All Captain's Brief articles