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 $499 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.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I am likely closing before my annual fee date in December. Can't justify $499 for Virgin lounges. Won't risk extending past in the hope of a rebated fee. Will move onto St George or similar with a bonus offer. Just hoping Aeroplan status sticks and isn't cancelled straight away.

The main reason for me keeping gold into year 2, and paying the annual fee, was for instant access to the aeroplan call centre.

Pre-gold… 2 hour waits were the norm, if you could even get in the queue! Many times it would say ‘we’re busy, good bye’. With gold, through within 30 seconds.

Helpful if you’re a big user of aeroplan points.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I just want to clarify that I have this correct.

I got the card in Dec 2024. I haven't spent $45k so I will drop down to silver and pay the annual fee. If I spend $45k next year will I go up to gold again? Being overseas for six months meant I didn't have the spend and could hustle around and try and spend $10k in the next month but not sure it's worth it

I could also just cancel it

It’s 48k, but yes. Once you hit the spend threshold you’ll be invited to nominate your star gold carrier.

Presume you didnt get aeroplan? (which wouod give you to Dec 2026)

 

[VPS]

It’s 48k, but yes. Once you hit the spend threshold you’ll be invited to nominate your star gold carrier.

Presume you didnt get aeroplan? (which wouod give you to Dec 2026)

I did get Aeroplan so are you saying that gives me until Dec 2026 and if so do I need to spend $48k to maintain by Dec 2026

 

[Coops1]

I did get Aeroplan so are you saying that gives me until Dec 2026 and if so do I need to spend $48k to maintain by Dec 2026

If you got aeroplan gold status in Jan 2025 (or later), it will goto Dec 2026, but they also extend it gratis to 31 Jan 2027 . The biggest question is if we cancel card, and as per t&c, status is also cancelled.......or it glitches and we keep it without the card

My take is if we kept the card, the $48k spend could be done in the second year eg thru to Dec 2026, to keep status until Jan 2028

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I did get Aeroplan so are you saying that gives me until Dec 2026 and if so do I need to spend $48k to maintain by Dec 2026

Correct… it same as qantas… it gives you the rest of the year you qualify in AND they full year after.

So if you fist got gold in Jan 24…, it’s yours to 2026 without the spend requirement (but with the annual fee in year two)

If you somehow met the spend requirement and got gold in December 2024… then you miss out

 

[VPS]

Correct… it same as qantas… it gives you the rest of the year you qualify in AND they full year after.

So if you fist got gold in Jan 24…, it’s yours to 2026 without the spend requirement (but with the annual fee in year two)

If you somehow met the spend requirement and got gold in December 2024… then you miss out

I got gold in January 2025 so I can easily spend $48k this year to maintain.

Thanks

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I got gold in January 2025 so I can easily spend $48k this year to maintain.

Thanks

Jan 2025 takes you through to Dec 2026.

If you spend the 48k any time before Dec 2026 it will get extended.

 

[Coops1]

I got gold in January 2025 so I can easily spend $48k this year to maintain.

Thanks

The gotya with this card is that spend over $3000 per statement cycle only earns 0.5pts, thus 0.4 when converted.

So any spend over $36k gets the lower rate, and some(or a lot if in one period) of the spend under $36k is the lower rate as well.

 

[Doddler]

The gotya with this card is that spend over $3000 per statement cycle only earns 0.5pts, thus 0.4 when converted.

So any spend over $36k gets the lower rate, and some(or a lot if in one period) of the spend under $36k is the lower rate as well.

Yep - it's not $48k that qualifies for gold, it's 48k points. So the actual minimum spend required is $60k ($36k @ 1.0 + $24k @ 0.5). That's assuming optimal month to month spending. With monthly fluctuations, the required spend will be higher.

e2a: turns out I'm wrong (not the first, won't be the last time). So ignore what I said here.

 

[Coops1]

Yep - it's not $48k that qualifies for gold, it's 48k points. ........

Definitely is $48k in eligible spend, points dont impact

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yep - it's not $48k that qualifies for gold, it's 48k points. So the actual minimum spend required is $60k ($36k @ 1.0 + $24k @ 0.5). That's assuming optimal month to month spending. With monthly fluctuations, the required spend will be higher.

It’s $48k - dollars, not points - as Coops1 has pointed out.

 

[VPS]

No wonder I get confused

 

[MEL_Traveller]

No wonder I get confused

Gold requalification is easy, $48k spend.

Conversion is easy, 1 HSBC star alliance point = .8 in the program(s) you choose to convert to.

It’s only the earning that has a twist. You earn 1 HSBC point for ever dollar up to $3000 a month. Then only .5.

 

[Doddler]

Thank you - I stand corrected!