HSBC Star Alliance credit card in Australia

[pangwen]

It seems that ANA is missing from the list.

There's quite a few missing from the list. Considering just the ones flying their metal to Australia:
- ANA (as noted)
- Air India
- Asiana (although this could be explained due to the proposed merger)

Then you have Lufthansa group, SAS, Avianca...

 

[Zanzara]

Card has gone live. Application and info page BELOW.

Has to be the most naff looking credit card I have ever seen. Perks worth having though

HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card | Card application - HSBC AU

Apply for the HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card today to unlock a world of global travel benefits and enjoy additional privileges across the Star Alliance network.

www.hsbc.com.au

 

[Viridis]

Disappointing that yet another travel branded/focused credit card in this country slaps its users with a 3% foreign transaction fee

 

[exceladdict]

The 0.5 points above $3000 is disappointing given the further nerf of 0.8=1. But I need to read up on this as an option.
Also interested as to whether you need to pay the next years' annual fee, in addition to meeting the $60k spend, to keep the gold status.

Edit: T&C say so. You may only request status with one participating Frequent Flyer Program each time you qualify and may not switch Programs during the duration of that status. Any status granted under the HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card is withdrawn immediately if you close your HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card account

 

[burmans]

The 0.5 points above $3000 is disappointing given the further nerf of 0.8=1. But I need to read up on this as an option.
Also interested as to whether you need to pay the next years' annual fee, in addition to meeting the $60k spend, to keep the gold status.

Edit: T&C say so. You may only request status with one participating Frequent Flyer Program each time you qualify and may not switch Programs during the duration of that status. Any status granted under the HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card is withdrawn immediately if you close your HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card account

Isn't the real question when they would allocate the gold status and do you keep if you cancel the card. My experience is that even a month after new year and annual fee charge you can cancel saying I don't want to pay an annual fee and they will reverse the fee when cancelling (though haven't tried with HSBC).

 

[Mattg]

Isn't the real question when they would allocate the gold status and do you keep if you cancel the card. My experience is that even a month after new year and annual fee charge you can cancel saying I don't want to pay an annual fee and they will reverse the fee when cancelling (though haven't tried with HSBC).

The fine print/FAQs says that if you cancel the credit card, you immediately lose the status benefit.

 

[exceladdict]

Isn't the real question when they would allocate the gold status and do you keep if you cancel the card. My experience is that even a month after new year and annual fee charge you can cancel saying I don't want to pay an annual fee and they will reverse the fee when cancelling (though haven't tried with HSBC).

I agree, yes, how it works in practice will be interesting, but it's always more comforting when the T&Cs don't explicitly rule it out!

 

[bussyboy]

Nothing for existing HSBC cardholders: "you may be eligible for a product transfer to the HSBC Star Alliance credit card if you are an existing HSBC credit card holder. However, you will not gain the benefit of any introductory offers, including fast track to Star Alliance Gold Status..."

Given the uniqueness of the product would there be any possibility of a worthy upgrade offer?

 

[IainBinnie]

Does anyone know if you were able to re-qualify for gold through taking flights and then cancel the card would you still lose your status?

 

[BNE777]

Disappointing that yet another travel branded/focused credit card in this country slaps its users with a 3% foreign transaction fee

Absolutely this. It's completely counterintuitive to have a card designed for FF that then slaps 3% on foreign spending. About half my year up in the air for business travel and I wouldn't touch this, even though I am a solid HSBC customer for their global banking product.

 

[AviationNZ]

Does anyone know if you were able to re-qualify for gold through taking flights and then cancel the card would you still lose your status?

If you've qualified for status through flying, that would superseed anything related to this card.

 

[blacksultan]

Applications now open .
Also can choose program one wishes to transfer to with ease .

 

[AviationNZ]

Remember that you only need to choose an airline for the status piece (which can be changed annually), but the Star Rewards points can be transferred into any of the participating carriers FFP (as long as you're a member) whenever you want, i.e. they aren't swept across every month, so it's similar to Amex MR, St George Amplify, etc.

 

[Scarlett]

Disappointing that yet another travel branded/focused credit card in this country slaps its users with a 3% foreign transaction fee

Yep.
Would’ve thought I’d be their target market as an already *Gold and HSBC Premier member, but asked about foreign txns and was told this.

For all foreign spend I’ll remain a Coles Mastercard user.

 

[prozac]

...

For all foreign spend I’ll remain a Coles Mastercard user.

Why?

 

[SYD]

Why?

0% FOREX tax. Same as Latitude 28° MC (and several others).

Meanwhile, I just received an email from SQ inviting me to signup for the HSBC card.

 

[prozac]

0% FOREX tax. Same as Latitude 28° MC (and several others).

Meanwhile, I just received an email from SQ inviting me to signup for the HSBC card.

Has it changed?

International Transaction Fee

2.50% on all Retail Purchases and Cash Advances.

No Annual Fee Mastercard | Coles Credit Cards

Find out more about the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard. Pay no annual fee ever and earn rewards – Apply today.

www.coles.com.au

EDIT: Just did the card comparison. No Forex on the No Annual Fee and Low Rate cards ($58 annual fee).

Compare Credit Cards | Coles Credit Cards

Compare Coles Mastercards including Rewards, No Annual Fee and Low Rate card. Compare features, rates & fees, security & fraud protection, rewards and other features.

www.coles.com.au

 

[SYD]

Not sure if it’s been discussed already but presumably if you took out the card in say Dec and met the *G min spend, if you then took UA MP Gold in the New Year, that would be good to 2024? (caveat on the the need to maintain the card to maintain status?) Or will it work differently? Similar question for SQ - I’m not familiar with their membership/status years.

 

[SYD]

Has it changed?

International Transaction Fee

2.50% on all Retail Purchases and Cash Advances.

No Annual Fee Mastercard | Coles Credit Cards

Find out more about the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard. Pay no annual fee ever and earn rewards – Apply today.

www.coles.com.au

Must have. I don’t have one but it used to make the list of good international CC for OS travel. I’ll stick with 28°….

 

[prozac]

Must have. I don’t have one but it used to make the list of good international CC for OS travel. I’ll stick with 28°….

My mistake. Coles have 3 cards. The No Annual Fee card and Low Rate cards have no forex fees.

EDIT: I am wrong, the Rewards card has no forex fee but an annual fee.
Excuse my addled brain. I have concussion this week.