HSBC Star Alliance credit card in Australia

Details from SQ website:
Fast track to Elite Gold Status by spending $4,000 in the first 90 days from card approval (you must spend at least $60,000 on eligible purchases in each 12-month period starting from account opening to retain Gold Status).


For a limited time, enjoy $0 annual fee in the first year ($450 thereafter).



Earning KrisFlyer miles:​

  • Earn 1 Star Alliance Point for every $1 spent on eligible purchases, up to $3000 per statement period and 0.5 Star Alliance points per $1 spent on eligible purchases thereafter.
  • Convert 1 Star Alliance Point to 0.8 KrisFlyer miles.


Crediting the miles earned into your Account

  • Nominate Singapore Airlines as your Status Airline upon credit card creation.
  • The Star Alliance Points earned will be converted and credited automatically into your KrisFlyer account every month.
  • Please login to check your KrisFlyer statements online, or contact HSBC for details.


Exclusive Privileges across the Star Alliance network

  • Airport lounge access at 1,000 lounges world-wide.
  • Priority Airport Check-in, Priority Baggage Handling and Priority Boarding
  • Extra Baggage Allowance on eligible flights.


Other Privileges

  • Enjoy Domestic and International Travel Insurances with Rental Vehicle Excess Insurance in Australia, Transit Accident Insurance, Extended Warranty Insurance, and Purchase Protection Insurance.
  • Cover for claims relating to Covid-19 may be available under selected international travel insurance benefits.
  • Enjoy 0% interest for 6 months on flight bookings made directly through participating Star Alliance Member Airlines website using your HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card.
Click to expand...

Surprised there is no sign up bonus. Doesn't make it very attractive compared to all the other cards on the market.
 
AviationNZ said:
Looks very interesting!!

www.executivetraveller.com

Review: HSBC Star Alliance credit card is your fast-track to Gold status

Most rewards cards only earn you points, but the new HSBC Star Alliance credit card can give you fast-track access to Star Alliance Gold status, which comes with a number of perks to improve your travel experience. Star Alliance Gold Status delivers access to over 1,000 airport lounges...
www.executivetraveller.com www.executivetraveller.com
Click to expand...

Was just about to post that too! :D

My initial thoughts:
- The key differentiator is the free Star Alliance Gold (on reaching a spend threshold), and the ability to deposit miles into any *A program
- Otherwise, the earn rate of effectively 0.8ppd up to $3000 and 0.4ppd beyond $3000 isn't that good for a credit card with $450 annual fee (more referring to the $3000 threshold, I understand that apart from Amex there's not really a 1ppd option for *A earn in AU with Visa/MC)
- You might be able to get VA lounge access by selecting the 'right' program to deposit into

Would be worth seeing if there are any other perks that haven't been mentioned in the article.
 
sjf said:
Was just reading about this!
Looks very interesting, it's the first card that I've seen in Australia that has a status incentive.

With Virgin Australia basically recognising KrisFlyer Gold as their own it's effectively Virgin Gold as well (https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/...tions/national/virgin-australia-alliance-faq/)

Very poor points earn and cap, but I'll likely apply when I good sign-up offer gets announced.
Click to expand...

Agreed - with the right sign up bonus, this could be quite attractive. Might be time to investigate some other Star Alliance programs more closely; it's only really been convenient to earn with SQ (and NZ, but they're rubbish) in Australia. Perhaps NH or BR.
 
Not sure if this distinction matters, but I believe you get Star Alliance Gold, not KrisFlyer Gold.
So wouldn’t the question be does Virgin recognise SA Gold?
 
Receiving gold after spending $4,000 isn’t too bad. $450 a little high but if you are planning an overseas trip then it might have some benefits.
 
Last edited:
It certainly looks interesting and it's good to see Australia getting some *A love. The two unanswered questions for me are:
  • What's the conversion rate for other airlines? I'm sure there'll be some interest here around Aeroplan and MileagePlus.
  • Are there foreign currency conversion fees?
I'm guessing we'll get those answers once HSBC puts up their info page.
I am a bit disappointed that they've partnered with HSBC though, I found their app, online banking and customer service to be very poor when I briefly had a card with them. I suppose it makes sense though, since *A will want to launch this card in multiple countries and HSBC is a reasonably global partner.
 
I saw word of this coming, but honestly, I didn't expect it would be Australia to get the co-brand pilot. This is of real interest to me. Quite a few things weigh into it:
  • Year 1 is a 'no-brainer' - $0 fee and $4K spend in 90 days for KF Gold / *A Gold
  • Earn rate is not great, but I'd value *A Gold over that concern (assuming you can make / retain on spend).
  • Tend to exceed my primary card's earning threshold, each month, and should have enough excess annually to cover the *G retention value
  • Existing HSBC Premier customer, and may be able to do something with the fee, from year 2
  • Approaching QF LTG in in the next 1-2 years, so will have a LT failsafe for any serious straying from OW
  • KF Gold unlocks VA benefits, providing options at home where QF aren't playing nice.
Hopefully the first of similar new products into the market... Marriott Bonvoy card, anyone?

Cheers,
Matt.
 
With United mileageplus at least the points have no expiry but it would be interesting to see what the transfer rate would be from *A points to United.

Sounds like we can only nominate one of the *A airlines for Gold, wonder what this means for the status of the airline itself. Krisflyer Elite Gold, Mileageplus Gold etc...?
 
Last edited:
This offer definitely appeals to me, I think I would try to use it to get Air Canada *Gold.

Interesting that after reading the article this morning, I saw the HSBC card on the SIA website. But I looked again a few minutues ago and it was gone.

Sounds like SIA let the cat out of the bag by publishing the details before it was launched and have backtracked.
 
Too bad unlike JAL Global Club, ANA Super Flyers Club doesn't have a way to qualify for foreign residents. Otherwise, this seems like a way to retain *G for life for a small annual fee.

I guess if you had a way to apply for Japanese Credit Cards this may work...
 
Great perks! Unfortunately, it seems ET has pinched the story from Mainly Miles without any credit :/ Given the SQ website has hidden the card again (not supposed to be publicly released yet), there's no coincidence.

mainlymiles.com

Star Alliance is launching its own credit card with HSBC in Australia

The all-new Star Alliance credit card looks set to launch in the Australian market, but could the concept extend to Singapore soon, with SIA already praising its benefits to Aussie members?
mainlymiles.com mainlymiles.com
 

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