A practical look at UnionBank’s Reserve Visa Infinite credit card

Premium credit cards can look very glamorous from the outside: black boxes, sleek metal cards, words like “Infinite” and “Reserve.” But once you get past the packaging, the real question is simple: is this card actually worth it for you?

In this guide, I’ll walk through UnionBank’s Reserve Visa Infinite credit card in plain language—what it offers, what it costs, and how to think about whether it fits your overall money and travel strategy.

What the UnionBank Reserve Visa Infinite is

The UnionBank Reserve is the bank’s premium credit card, positioned for higher-income or priority/wealth clients. It’s not a mass-market card you can just apply for online—it's typically by invitation only, and having a priority or wealth relationship with UnionBank makes it easier to get.

There are two versions (Visa and Mastercard), but I’ll focus on the Visa Infinite because that’s where the forex and acceptance benefits really stand out.

Annual fee and who this card is for

Annual fee: ₱12,000 per year.

That’s a lot if you’re used to free cards. But for a premium Visa Infinite / World Elite–type card, ₱12,000 is actually on the lower end compared with some other Philippine banks that charge around ₱50,000 or even pegged to US$1,000.

This card is really designed for:

• People who travel internationally several times a year
• Those who value airport lounge access and air miles
• Clients who already keep significant funds or investments with UnionBank (who may be able to negotiate or get the annual fee waived)

If you don’t travel much, or you hate the idea of paying any annual fee, this is probably not the right fit.

How the rewards and miles work

The rewards structure is where this card becomes interesting, especially for travel-focused spending.

Base earn rate

For most spending, you earn:

• 1 point for every ₱30 spent

That’s your baseline earn rate.

5x points on key categories

On certain categories, you earn 5x points:

• Dining
• Shopping
• Foreign currency (international) spend

Because of the 5x multiplier, your effective cost per mile can go as low as about ₱18 per 1 mile when you convert points to air miles on those boosted categories. For a Philippine card, that’s a very competitive rate—especially when combined with the low forex fee.

Airline partners

UnionBank partners with several frequent flyer programs, including:

• Mabuhay Miles (Philippine Airlines)
• Cathay Pacific
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Some cards are amazing for one airline but weak for others. What I like here is the flexibility. You might prefer Singapore Airlines for certain routes, but maybe your family uses PAL or Cathay more often. Being able to move points to different airlines gives you more options when planning trips.

If you’re new to points and miles in general and want to avoid overcomplicating it, you might like this guide on how to actually win with credit card points without going overboard.

Foreign transaction fee: why the 1% matters

Most Philippine credit cards charge somewhere around 1.7%–3.5% on foreign transactions (sometimes split between the card network and the bank). The UnionBank Reserve Visa Infinite charges about:

• 1% forex fee (Visa’s fee only; UnionBank doesn’t add a big extra layer on top)

That means if another bank charges 1.7%, you’re saving 0.7% on every foreign purchase just by using this card instead. That sounds small, but if you regularly spend six figures a year in foreign currency (flights, hotels, shopping, work expenses), that difference can easily reach several thousand pesos—and that alone can help offset the annual fee.

If you’re the type who travels frequently and pays in local currency abroad, a low-forex card plus strong miles earning is a powerful combo.

Airport lounge access and travel perks

This is where the card really feels “premium.”

Priority Pass access

The UnionBank Reserve Visa Infinite comes with:

• Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access for you
• 4 complimentary guest passes per year you can use for friends or family

Priority Pass has thousands of partner lounges worldwide. If you usually pay per visit (often ₱2,000–₱3,000 per person), you can quickly see how frequent lounge use can justify the ₱12,000 annual fee on its own.

Airport transfers and meet-and-greet

The card also offers:

• Complimentary one-way luxury airport transfers, up to 2x per year
• Meet-and-greet assistance (also up to 2x per year)

These are nice-to-have perks that make travel a bit smoother, especially for long-haul or late-night flights.

Hotel and golf benefits

Other lifestyle perks include:

• Complimentary 4th night free at hotels when booked via the concierge (up to 2x per year)
• Golf privileges up to 3x per year at selected courses

If you’re already the type who books multi-night hotel stays, that 4th night free—especially at higher-end properties—can be very valuable. Again, the key is: only valuable if you’d already be spending on those stays anyway.

Visa Infinite extras

Beyond UnionBank’s own perks, Visa Infinite as a platform often comes with:

• Special hotel offers and upgrades
• Dining deals in certain countries
• Occasional airline or status-match promos

These are not always front and center on the bank’s brochure, but they can add quiet value in the background if you remember to check Visa’s benefits page when you travel.

Visa vs Mastercard version

The Reserve card also exists as a Mastercard (World Elite). I personally lean toward the Visa Infinite version for two simple reasons:

• Forex rate: Visa’s foreign exchange fee is often slightly better than Mastercard’s, and in this case UnionBank’s setup makes the Visa version especially attractive at that 1% total.
• Global acceptance: Visa tends to be accepted very widely, and in some countries or merchants, Mastercard can be a bit more hit or miss.

If your main goal is maximizing value on international trips, the Visa Infinite version is usually the more practical choice.

How to activate and use the card smartly

Once you receive the card, activation is pretty straightforward through the UnionBank mobile app:

• Select the Reserve Visa Infinite in your app
• Enter the 16-digit card number, expiry date, and your birthdate
• Confirm with the one-time PIN (OTP) sent to you

After activation, make sure to:

• Sign the physical card for security
• Add it to Apple Pay or Google Pay if you use mobile wallets
• Set it as your default card for international spend to take advantage of the low forex and high miles earning

How this card fits into a bigger credit card strategy

One important point: no single card is perfect for everything. The UnionBank Reserve Visa Infinite shines for:

• International spending
• Dining and shopping (especially abroad)
• Travelers who value lounges and miles

For local, everyday spending, you might still want to pair it with other cards that have stronger earn rates on domestic categories like groceries, utilities, or local dining at ₱30–₱48 per mile or better. That way, you’re not forcing this card to do jobs it’s not optimized for.

If you want help thinking through a simple, low-effort setup, this article on the easiest high-value credit card plays right now might give you some ideas.

Is the ₱12,000 annual fee worth it?

The honest answer: it depends entirely on how you use it. Here’s a simple way to think about it.

When the card can absolutely be worth it

The Reserve Visa Infinite may be worth keeping if:

• You travel internationally at least a few times a year
• You regularly use airport lounges (and would otherwise pay per visit)
• You charge a lot of your foreign spending, dining, and shopping to the card
• You actually redeem your points for flights and get real value from your miles
• You’re a UnionBank wealth/priority client and can get the annual fee reduced or waived

Just the combination of lounge access, saved forex fees, and one or two good mileage redemptions per year can more than offset ₱12,000 for frequent travelers.

When the card is probably not for you

You might want to skip this card if:

• You rarely travel, or mostly travel domestically
• You don’t care about lounges or miles and prefer simple cashback
• You hate paying annual fees, no matter what the perks are
• Your spending is mostly local and modest, so you wouldn’t maximize the benefits

In that case, a no-annual-fee or low-fee card with straightforward rewards will likely serve you better without the pressure to “justify” a premium card.

Final thoughts: focus on fit, not flash

UnionBank’s Reserve Visa Infinite is a strong premium card: low 1% forex fee, as low as ₱18 per mile on boosted categories, unlimited Priority Pass access for the cardholder, and useful travel perks like hotel fourth-night-free and airport transfers.

But like any premium credit card, it only makes sense if it fits your actual life. If you travel often, love optimizing miles, and already spend a lot in foreign currency, this card can be a powerful tool in your wallet. If not, it’s totally okay to keep things simple and stick with lower-fee or no-fee cards that match your real spending patterns.

As with any card, the key is to use it intentionally: pay in full every month, avoid carrying a balance, and let the perks work for you—not the other way around.