#FlyForFreeFaster with GetGo Unionbank Credit and Debit Cards

Last May, GetGo, Cebu Pacific‘s lifestyle rewards program, officially launched the GetGo Unionbank Credit and Debit cards that would earn points GetGo points faster (and therefore fly for free faster).

At the launch, we had the chance to use the GetGo Unionbank Debit Card (which comes in a very cute aquamarine color) at R.O.X. If you’re not a big fan of credit cards (or can’t apply for one yet), this is a good alternative. Think of it as a prepaid card: just load it up, and use the amount you loaded to shop in physical stores or even online. You can also use it as an ATM card to withdraw cash, when you need it. For every Php 88 you spend, you get 1 GetGo point.

For faster point accumulation though, you can earn faster with the Gold and Platinum GetGo Unionbank VISA Credit Cards — you get 1 GetGo point per Php 30 spent. What’s more, all points accumulated within your billing cycle automatically gets transferred and converted to GetGo points at the end of the cycle. No more hassle of calling the bank to convert points, or worry about them expiring.

What’s even better is that if you use your credit or debit card to pay for your Cebu Pacific flight, you earn GetGo points from that purchase, not just the points from the ticket itself.

For example, if you booked a round-trip flight to Bangkok, you earn GetGo points not just from the base fare and add-ons, but also from the total amount (including taxes).

Using this mock booking, you earn 1,809 GetGo Points (3,899 + 3,899 + 1,250 divided by 5). If you use the GetGo debit card to book this flight, you get an additional 124 GetGo points (10,934.06/88), or 364 GetGo points if you used your GetGo credit card.

As with the rest of the bloggers and writers who attended the launch, I was given both the debit and credit cards. I have only used the debit card twice: first at ROX, and then at lunch the following day. I continue to use it only to access Unionbank’s online banking facility so I can pay for the credit card.

The GetGo Unionbank VISA Credit Card is widely accepted worldwide, and since it’s PayWave ready, it’s so easy to use. If you’re shopping at a merchant that has the PayWave NFC reader, paying for your goods is just a matter of tapping your card on the console. No more signatures, no PIN needed. If you’re worried about the security of your card, Unionbank sends out an alert email every time the card is used, so if you received an alert for a transaction you did not make, you can contact the bank immediately (without having to wait for your account statement at the end of the billing cycle).

I am in Melbourne right now, and will be here for the next couple of months. Obviously, I wouldn’t be able to fly with Cebu Pacific and earn GetGo points from flights, so it’s great that I can still earn while I’m here. Since I arrived last July, I never had the need to exchange money or withdraw from the ATM, since credit card payments are widely accepted. Since I arrived, I have already managed to earn more than 1,000 GetGo points!

If you’re worried about ballooning debt, here’s what you do: don’t spend more than what you can afford and always pay the balance in full.

GetGo Unionbank Platinum card holders also get additional perks: they get early alerts for all Cebu Pacific seat sales and exclusive sales priority check-in for Cebu Pacific flights, free 5kg extra baggage allowance on Cebu Pacific flights (provided you buy baggage allowance), and complimentary access to the MIASCOR Sky View lounge in Terminal 3.

To apply for either the GetGo Unionbank debit or credit card, visit their website at getgo.unionbankph.com/how-to-apply.