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​

---

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.

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

 

[Pele]

My card application was approved on 31 December 2025. Did I end up drawing the shortest straw of all? Or is it card activation date?

 

[Pvcmenace]

My card application was approved on 31 December 2025. Did I end up drawing the shortest straw of all? Or is it card activation date?

My date according to SQ is the date I was approved for the card (15/12/25). Even though it was 3 weeks till I received the card then the spend and got SG gold in Feb 26. My SQ gold end date is still December 26. So definite drawn a short straw.

 

[Oubline]

My card application was approved on 31 December 2025. Did I end up drawing the shortest straw of all? Or is it card activation date?

It says at the bottom of each statement what your anniversary date is.

 

[Pele]

31st December. Bugger.

 

[Kangol]

It says at the bottom of each statement what your anniversary date is.

Mine says this:
"Your qualification year to earn Star Alliance Silver / Gold Status (in the following year) started on 01/12/2025. You have one year to qualify (i.e. one business day before 01/12/2026). Please see your progress below"

I've already qualified for Gold. Does that mean I'll have Gold until 1/12/2027? SQ is my assigned airline.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I've already qualified for Gold. Does that mean I'll have Gold until 1/12/2027? SQ is my assigned airline.

My Gold Renewal with SQ is tied to an anniversary date of the card, not when I met the spend requirement.

 

[Kangol]

My Gold Renewal with SQ is tied to an anniversary date of the card, not when I met the spend requirement.

I realise that, the question is figuring out the exact date they calculate the yearly cycle.
Do you know where it says "anniversary date" on the statement?
I went back and found that my "opening balance" of $0.00 was on 3/12/2025 - on my first statement.
First statement period was 3 Dec 25 to 2 Jan 26.
At the bottom of the first statement it also says:
"Star Alliance Status
Your qualification year to earn Star Alliance Silver / Gold Status (in the following year) started on 01/12/2025. You have one year to qualify (i.e. one business day before 01/12/2026). Please see your progress below"

Which is the same text as in my most recent statement.
In my case the discrepancy is a couple of days, but thought I'd check.

 

[kpc]

Based on the info provided below by @Doddler , if I spend $38K by 17 Nov 2026, with an HSBC anniversary date of 3.2.27, my Star Alliance Gold with Aeroplan will last til 31.12.28....

Am I interpreting this correctly? And spending 38K (for this year instread of 48K) is the new threshold for getting to Star A Gold?

With the banning of credit card surcharges starting today, I have been prepaying mine and +1s utility bills a year in advance. Still have council rates etc to go.

Now only need 23K spend more to go to hit 38K by 17 Nov

 

[kamchatsky]

My statement came today. Still need another $13k of spending in 1.5 months to requalify AC Gold (currently I have AC Gold until Dec 27)

I prepaid my council rate for the whole year ($2.2k). I knew that I won't earn points on it as it is govt spending. However, it also did not count as elegible spending for attaining Gold either. So this was disappointing.

I am now trying to figure out how to spend another $13k in 1.5 months..... I have home and car insurances to pay, but some are not yet due....

With the banning of credit card surcharges starting today, I have been prepaying mine and +1s utility bills a year in advance. Still have council rates etc to go.

Now only need 23K spend more to go to hit 38K by 17 Nov

My council rate payment paid in advance for the year did not count as eligible spending for Gold in my statement today

 

[Beer_budget]

My council rate payment paid in advance for the year did not count as eligible spending for Gold in my statement today

I wonder if paying via e.g. Sniip would get around that? I can't spend $25k in the next six weeks (we just got back from a trip, and would have put a lot more of it on this card if we'd been given more notice).

Tempting as it is to put $20k of flexible Star Alliance flights on the card on 16 November, it's not going to work for me.

 

[kpc]

My statement came today. Still need another $13k of spending in 1.5 months to requalify AC Gold (currently I have AC Gold until Dec 27)

I prepaid my council rate for the whole year ($2.2k). I knew that I won't earn points on it as it is govt spending. However, it also did not count as elegible spending for attaining Gold either. So this was disappointing.

I am now trying to figure out how to spend another $13k in 1.5 months..... I have home and car insurances to pay, but some are not yet due....


My council rate payment paid in advance for the year did not count as eligible spending for Gold in my statement today

Oh that is disappointing that council rates didn't count....I just paid the remainder which was just over $1500.

Hope the water, electicity and gas bills count!

Just checked again:
"Star Alliance Points are earned in accordance with and are subject to HSBC Star Alliance Rewards Terms and Conditions. No points are earned on interest free and other promotions, Balance Transfers, business expenses, cash advances, fees and charges, any disputed transactions, BPAY® and any government fee or charge"

I guess council rates come under government charge?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I wonder if paying via e.g. Sniip would get around that? I can't spend $25k in the next six weeks (we just got back from a trip, and would have put a lot more of it on this card if we'd been given more notice).

Tempting as it is to put $20k of flexible Star Alliance flights on the card on 16 November, it's not going to work for me.

That’s what happened to me when i got the card… paid my rates and they didn’t count! So paid the other similar things with snip. They were eligible.

 

[kpc]

That’s what happened to me when i got the card… paid my rates and they didn’t count! So paid the other similar things with snip. They were eligible.

Do you know if water and electicity rates count?

 

[pauldab]

I found electricity and gas counts as spend but rego and rates didn't after opening the card so I moved them to Sniip for the subsequent months .
I've just got my latest statement and reached 44K so made it in time, plus I planned about $5k to spend next week in EUR as a final push if I didn't quite make it.