Credit Card Offers HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card: Fast-Track to Star Alliance Gold Status

Fast track to Star Alliance Gold status with the HSBC Star Alliance credit card!​

Learn more and apply for this card:

HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card Guide

The HSBC Star Alliance credit card is the first of its kind, allowing Australian cardholders to earn Star Alliance Points and Gold status.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

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What are the main benefits of this card?

1. Signup bonus: Fast Track to Star Alliance Gold Status, when you spend $4,000 or more on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from account opening
2. Keep your Star Alliance Gold status each subsequent year that you spend at least $60,000 on your card
3. Earn 1 Star Alliance Point per $1 on eligible purchases, up to $3,000 per statement period and 0.5 Star Alliance Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases thereafter, uncapped
4. No annual fee in the first year and $450 p.a. thereafter

Why we like the HSBC Star Alliance credit card

Launched in 2022, the HSBC Star Alliance credit card is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. You'll earn Star Alliance Points which are transferable to a choice of seven Star Alliance member airlines at a time of your choosing. You can also earn Star Alliance Silver or Gold status just by spending on the card, with no flying required!

Once you qualify for the welcome offer and are fast tracked to Star Alliance Gold status with any of the seven participating carriers, you’ll soon be enjoying perks like airport priority lanes and lounge access when flying across the whole Star Alliance network. It is the largest airline alliance in the world with 25 member airlines, including Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, United and Turkish Airlines.

Please note that the welcome offer is not available to existing HSBC customers transferring from another HSBC credit card, or if you have previously held a HSBC Star Alliance credit card within the last 18 months. Refer to the full T&C’s for more information:

HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card Guide

The HSBC Star Alliance credit card is the first of its kind, allowing Australian cardholders to earn Star Alliance Points and Gold status.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

AFF members are welcome to discuss this card in this thread.

 

[levelnine]

So if I don't hold another credit card at the time of application, does that mean I can churn back in?

From T&Cs:

To be eligible for Fast Track to Star Alliance Gold Status, you must apply and be approved for a new HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first 90 days from account opening. ... Existing HSBC customers transferring from another HSBC credit card or customers who have held a HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card within the last 18 months are ineligible for this offer.

 

[LionKing]

I wonder for those who have a HSBC Star Alliance Card, how could you maintain Gold Status after year 1?
Paying joining fee + $4000 spend is easy, but I suppose every year after where you need to spend $60K is a bit too steep?
Is there any ideas on how to achieve that easily without doing too much reckless spending?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I wonder for those who have a HSBC Star Alliance Card, how could you maintain Gold Status after year 1?
Paying joining fee + $4000 spend is easy, but I suppose every year after where you need to spend $60K is a bit too steep?
Is there any ideas on how to achieve that easily without doing too much reckless spending?

Air Canada’s aeroplan gives you two years of gold. You have to pay the $450 fee for the second year, but don’t need to make the $60k spend.

 

[LionKing]

How about from Year 3? Still need to fork out 60K?
I am considering keeping *G for long term

 

[kpc]

I wonder for those who have a HSBC Star Alliance Card, how could you maintain Gold Status after year 1?
Paying joining fee + $4000 spend is easy, but I suppose every year after where you need to spend $60K is a bit too steep?
Is there any ideas on how to achieve that easily without doing too much reckless spending?

If you select Air Canada's Aeroplan for your Star Alliance Gold, you get the remainder of that calender year and the following calender year as Gold. I signed up in Feb this year, quickly spent the 4 K and am Star A Gold for this and next year provided I pay the annual fee of $450 next February...I can also access the Va lounges with 1 guest with Star A Gold via Aeroplan. Given I now have access to staff Va travel and can access the lounge on staff travel, I likely will pay the $450 next Feb.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

How about from Year 3? Still need to fork out 60K?
I am considering keeping *G for long term

Yes… or… actually fly and qualify? Will be a lot less tha $60k!

You might want to choose star gold for the airline you’ll be doing most flying on, using the CC status for the first year while you qualify through flying.

 

[levelnine]

Remember that Air Canada has just moved to a revenue-based FF program. Though not for flights on partners.

 

[kpc]

Remember that Air Canada has just moved to a revenue-based FF program. Though not for flights on partners.

Not an issue if you are just "using"their Gold Status. Even though I have Aeroplan for my Star G status, I can TF my HSBC points to any Star A partner

 

[levelnine]

Not an issue if you are just "using"their Gold Status. Even though I have Aeroplan for my Star G status, I can TF my HSBC points to any Star A partner

Definitely! I more meant for CityRail (or anyone else) not wanting to maintain *G through HSBC in later years, but instead to get it through AC.

 

[CorporateFlyerMEL]

I just pay 2 x personal car registration fees in Vic on the card, will that count to the $4000 spend? I note 'government fees' are excluded but was unsure if a car registration was a 'fee'

 

[blacksultan]

I just pay 2 x personal car registration fees in Vic on the card, will that count to the $4000 spend? I note 'government fees' are excluded but was unsure if a car registration was a 'fee'

It is classed as govt fee . You can work around it by using the likes of sniip or buying a gift card from Officeworks and using it to pay .

 

[k_sheep]

I just spent $60k ... ouch.

Will be cancelling before the next annual fee is due though.

 

[knagelli]

My card is about to hit the one year mark in Oct 2025. I have most of my spend on Amex Plat Card and currently at 30K spend.

I am about to cancel the card as I am not able to justify spending 450 for annual fee but not able to maintain my Star Alliance gold status.

Is there any other way to retain the status without having to spend 30K in the next three months. Thanks

 

[gapmatt]

Just wanted to give a shoutout to the HSBC customer service team. I forgot to put a large transaction through the card on the last business day before my card renewed, subsequently it was showing up as a pending transaction and didn't clear until after the renewal date which brought me back to Silver. I called up HSBC, explained, and they called me back a week later saying they were happy to approve my status to Gold. I've had the card since it was launched a couple years ago and I can put through 60k quite easily through my business (approx 200-250k a month mainly through my amex centurion card).

I've always chosen Singapore airlines because that's who I would normally fly with from Melbourne to Asia as I have a ton of points transferred to my Singapore account before the amex devaluation last year. The availability seem to have been okay, but I have never checked via Aeroplan as it seems you guys are saying Aeroplan show much better availability even when flying Singapore Airlines.

I have the option now to change to Aeroplan or stay with Singapore Air.

A couple of things I’m weighing:

• I have over 700k KrisFlyer points—does award availability change if I’m no longer Gold with Singapore? I’d want to use these points first before thinking about earning Aeroplan points.
• Almost all of my credit card spend is on AMEX due to the high points-to-dollar rate, and Aeroplan is not an AMEX transfer partner. Switching to Aeroplan seems like it would require me to move more spend to HSBC to be worthwhile.
• My main goal with keeping the HSBC card is maintaining Star Alliance Gold benefits when I travel with Singapore Airlines for the luggage/lounge benefits which is a few times a year.

Does it still make sense for me to stay with Singapore or should I switch to Aeroplan?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Aeroplan is useful if buying pints and using them to redeem. Aeroplan has pretty good availability on singapore airlines, but availability is even better for Krisflyer members, as you also have advantage awards to choose.

Hiwever, Aeroplan is better for star alliance in my experience. Plenty of times I’ve found flights on Aeroplan and the star alliance or ‘partner’ search on SQ has shown nothing,

So if you are earning and flying SQ, might as well be gold with them. Presumably you get faster access to call centres.

 

[gapmatt]

Aeroplan is useful if buying pints and using them to redeem. Aeroplan has pretty good availability on singapore airlines, but availability is even better for Krisflyer members, as you also have advantage awards to choose.

Hiwever, Aeroplan is better for star alliance in my experience. Plenty of times I’ve found flights on Aeroplan and the star alliance or ‘partner’ search on SQ has shown nothing,

So if you are earning and flying SQ, might as well be gold with them. Presumably you get faster access to call centres.

Thanks for answering that! I’m happy to pay for advantage award seats if it means I get an award booking. Singapore airline it is!

 

[blacksultan]

Just wanted to give a shoutout to the HSBC customer service team. I forgot to put a large transaction through the card on the last business day before my card renewed, subsequently it was showing up as a pending transaction and didn't clear until after the renewal date which brought me back to Silver. I called up HSBC, explained, and they called me back a week later saying they were happy to approve my status to Gold. I've had the card since it was launched a couple years ago and I can put through 60k quite easily through my business (approx 200-250k a month mainly through my amex centurion card).

I've always chosen Singapore airlines because that's who I would normally fly with from Melbourne to Asia as I have a ton of points transferred to my Singapore account before the amex devaluation last year. The availability seem to have been okay, but I have never checked via Aeroplan as it seems you guys are saying Aeroplan show much better availability even when flying Singapore Airlines.

I have the option now to change to Aeroplan or stay with Singapore Air.

A couple of things I’m weighing:

• I have over 700k KrisFlyer points—does award availability change if I’m no longer Gold with Singapore? I’d want to use these points first before thinking about earning Aeroplan points.
• Almost all of my credit card spend is on AMEX due to the high points-to-dollar rate, and Aeroplan is not an AMEX transfer partner. Switching to Aeroplan seems like it would require me to move more spend to HSBC to be worthwhile.

Aeroplan is a us Amex transfer partner . Consider getting a us Amex and transferring your points across

• My main goal with keeping the HSBC card is maintaining Star Alliance Gold benefits when I travel with Singapore Airlines for the luggage/lounge benefits which is a few times a year.

Does it still make sense for me to stay with Singapore or should I switch to Aeroplan?

 

[buggy00]

Aeroplan is useful if buying pints and using them to redeem. Aeroplan has pretty good availability on singapore airlines, but availability is even better for Krisflyer members, as you also have advantage awards to choose.

Hiwever, Aeroplan is better for star alliance in my experience. Plenty of times I’ve found flights on Aeroplan and the star alliance or ‘partner’ search on SQ has shown nothing,

So if you are earning and flying SQ, might as well be gold with them. Presumably you get faster access to call centres.

I actually had a question on this. How do aeroplan points compare to krisflyer miles on a cost basis + taxes? Because sometimes i've found better value through velocity points on many intra-asia legs than i would have on Krisflyer (where available).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I actually had a question on this. How do aeroplan points compare to krisflyer miles on a cost basis + taxes? Because sometimes i've found better value through velocity points on many intra-asia legs than i would have on Krisflyer (where available).

Krisflyer saver award Sydney to Asia zones 1-3 (including singapore) will set you back 68.5k one way. Aeroplan will get you as far as Hong Kong for 45k one way, or about AUD900 to buy the miles, plus actual taxes.

Europe is 130k vs 110k on aeroplan… but the latter has far more options to travel, and you can add a stopover for 5k.

Short haul flights are generally 7.5k in economy and 15k in business for aeroplan. Next level up is 20k for business.

 

[buggy00]

Krisflyer saver award Sydney to Asia zones 1-3 (including singapore) will set you back 68.5k one way. Aeroplan will get you as far as Hong Kong for 45k one way, or about AUD900 to buy the miles, plus actual taxes.

Europe is 130k vs 110k on aeroplan… but the latter has far more options to travel, and you can add a stopover for 5k.

Short haul flights are generally 7.5k in economy and 15k in business for aeroplan. Next level up is 20k for business.

Sounds like a good meta would be get or maintain Krisflyer Gold (incl Velocity Benefits) and transfer points to Aeroplan for bookings and potentially reference in your Krisflyer Gold Account for bookings made via Aeroplan?

Any potential pitfalls to this?