With the new year comes a new roster of international music festivals to travel the world over for. Whether it’s Europe, Asia, or the United States, there are plenty of destinations for every music preference, from established ones like Glastonbury in the U.K., Burning Man in the US, and Fuji Rock in Japan to budding ones like Wonderfruit in Thailand and Houghton in the U.K.
The first step is knowing what kind of festival you’re down for. Seasoned goers know to stick to what they’ve enjoyed firsthand before, while also keeping an eye out for interesting new (but vetted!) places. For first-timers to not fall victim to disasters like the Fyre Festival (it’s not the first one), it may be best to seek out longstanding events, one that has been going on for years, if not decades, and that has continually been the talk of festival Reddit threads — for good reasons.
As early as now, schedules for each festival for 2025 have already been released. So to help you get the best experience possible, we’ve rounded up a few tips.
Easy Travels
For Filipino festival-goers, planning usually entails a year- or at least months-long preparation that includes securing festival and flight tickets as well as required travel documents for countries and territories where visas are required. It can be a lot. But nothing too major if you’re already traveling frequently.
If you’re coming from Manila, consider yourself lucky if there are direct flights. Otherwise, your journey to and from the festival might involve multiple transfers, long lines, and plenty of waiting at the gates.
You can skip all that hassle with your Security Bank World Mastercard, which grants you access to over 1,300 airport lounges in more than 500 airports worldwide. Principal cardholders enjoy unlimited access to local lounges such as A Lounge, Marhaba Lounge, and PAGSS Lounges.
Additionally, through Mastercard Travel Pass (MTP), you’re entitled to six complimentary visits to international airport lounges, which you can share with your travel companions. You’re eligible for a complimentary pass regardless of the airline you’re flying with, your travel class, or loyalty program. Simply present your MTP membership via the MTP app, along with your credit card, passport, and boarding pass at the lounge.
Money Matters
As with any trip abroad, it’s important to plan how you’ll manage your spending. A smart approach is to organize your payment options, such as credit and debit cards enabled for international use, based on your travel itinerary and purchase needs.
If you’re looking for convenience, the Security Bank World Mastercard is a great companion for international travel. It allows you to make secure overseas purchases while enjoying exclusive offers and rewards. You’ll earn triple rewards points on all your purchases worldwide, which you can easily track in real-time and redeem for miles, eGCs, merchandise, and more through BetterBanking Rewards.
Even better, the card gives you access to Mastercard Travel Rewards, a program that offers automatic cashback when you shop at select merchants across various countries. It’s a seamless way to save while exploring the world.
Consider Contingencies
Planning ahead should also include considerations for circumstances beyond your control: accidents, delays, canceled flights, mishaps, trips to the hospital, missing luggage, theft — things you don’t want to happen to you and that will likely dampen your festival-going experience.
Getting travel insurance to cover these potential losses is the smartest thing to do. And while most visas require sizable travel insurance to cover such in cases of emergency, it wouldn’t hurt to get a backup one.
When you book with your Security Bank World Mastercard, you get free travel insurance of up to P10 million. This way, you wouldn’t have to worry about maxing out your existing insurance policy should the need for it arise.
Music festivals are more than just packing your best ‘fits and taking the best FOMO-inducing photos for your feed. To make the most out of your time there, make sure you have the best companions — that is, your best pals, a few essentials, and Security Bank World Mastercard which has got all your needs covered from travel must-haves to overseas payment options.
To learn more about Security Bank World Mastercard, visit www.securitybank.com.
