HSBC Star Alliance credit card in Australia

[trippin_the_rift]

...

I do not believe this was done purely by HSBC - I suspect Star Alliance had a big part in the design of the scheme. They would not have done this if it were likely to be to the detriment of their members. They see this as a good opportunity, although only time will tell whether it works out for them.

....

I really cannot see how a Star Alliance card could be beneficial for existing Star Alliance airlines but be detrimental to VA were they to join.

There is also Visa and another Singaporean company involved in the card.

This new article sums up nicely the 'brand test' Star Alliance is having in oz, and I probably agree that it will ultimately not be great but that doesn't matter much because HSBC will own the customer, and it will be a customer they've managed to switch over from a competing bank/airline product.

Banks will embrace anything if the rewards cost is lower than QF and VA.
So if this product means that other points are cheaper than the incumbents.... it will be welcomed and pushed by the bank.

Star Alliance Has a New Credit Card and It's Probably Doomed

Why is it so complicated?

www.theairlineobserver.com

 

[blacksultan]

I was approved for the card today after receiving an email last night saying my application was declined !
This was after multiple requests for additional info from them .
Does anyone have any further clarity on whether it’s best to activate card early next year to maximize aeroplan gold status period ?

 

[nightelves]

I was approved for the card today after receiving an email last night saying my application was declined !
This was after multiple requests for additional info from them .
Does anyone have any further clarity on whether it’s best to activate card early next year to maximize aeroplan gold status period ?

From what it mentions and someone pointed out. It's valid for one year and the status is revoked if you cancel the card early.

Post automatically merged: Dec 7, 2022

I was approved for the card today after receiving an email last night saying my application was declined !
This was after multiple requests for additional info from them .
Does anyone have any further clarity on whether it’s best to activate card early next year to maximize aeroplan gold status period ?

From what it mentions and someone pointed out. It's valid for one year and the status is revoked if you cancel the card early.

 

[blacksultan]

From what it mentions and someone pointed out. It's valid for one year and the status is revoked if you cancel the card early.

Post automatically merged: Dec 7, 2022

From what it mentions and someone pointed out. It's valid for one year and the status is revoked if you cancel the card early.

One year from activation or meeting spend ?

 

[Mr H]

One year from activation or meeting spend ?

We do not know the answers. This is a new product and the terms and conditions are ambiguous. We won't know how they will translate into reality until the time comes.

 

[Danger]

Jung at the Haymarket branch told me the 12 months of status begins from when the card is approved. This effectively means you may only have as little as 12 months of actual status, though, in a situation where you take the full 90 days to spend the $4K and HSBC then takes a full month to update your status.

Reality may be different, however.

 

[knagelli]

I was approved for the card today after receiving an email last night saying my application was declined !
This was after multiple requests for additional info from them .
Does anyone have any further clarity on whether it’s best to activate card early next year to maximize aeroplan gold status period ?

Can I please ask how many was it before your card was approved and did they take long to send you the physical card.

I am travelling next week and thinking of routing all my overseas spend on this card.

ta

 

[blacksultan]

Can I please ask how many was it before your card was approved and did they take long to send you the physical card.

I am travelling next week and thinking of routing all my overseas spend on this card.

ta

Note : Forex fee on conversion .
Card did take a while to arrive . Approx 8 days at least .
But you can add to Apple Wallet from app on approval .

 

[nightelves]

My work colleague got issued Gold Krisflyer today. It took roughly 3 weeks and the expiry says 20th December 2023.

 

[Mr H]

My work colleague got issued Gold Krisflyer today. It took roughly 3 weeks and the expiry says 20th December 2023.

Is your work colleague planning to requalify or just treating this as a once-off? And was the choice of SQ in order to access VA lounges?

 

[nightelves]

Is your work colleague planning to requalify or just treating this as a once-off? And was the choice of SQ in order to access VA lounges?

Once off and he's flying with Singapore Airlines.

 

[robbo135]

Is there a "soft" landing from Star Alliance Gold after the first year (i.e. Silver) or do you get an instant downgrade to having no status?

 

[SYD]

Is there a "soft" landing from Star Alliance Gold after the first year (i.e. Silver) or do you get an instant downgrade to having no status?

Nup and no lower bar to requal (for the current partners).

 

[dairyfloss]

I'll just add this, regarding *A Silver status... for those planning to retain the card, but who fall short of the $60K spend. I've underlined the relevant part:

How do I become eligible for Star Alliance Status?​

There are two ways you can become eligible for Star Alliance Gold Status. You can fast track to Star Alliance Gold Status if are approved for a new HSBC Star Alliance credit card and you spend $4,000 or more on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. Once you receive Gold Status from your chosen Status airline, you will remain Gold until at least the first anniversary of your HSBC Star Alliance credit card opening date.

You may also earn Star Alliance Gold Status as an ongoing benefit of your HSBC Star Alliance credit card if you spend $60,000 or more on eligible purchases in each 12-month period starting from the card opening date and running from the card opening anniversary every year.

Earn Star Alliance Silver Status if you spend $30,000 or more on eligible purchases in each 12-month period starting from the card opening date and running from the card opening anniversary every year.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Danger]

My work colleague got issued Gold Krisflyer today. It took roughly 3 weeks and the expiry says 20th December 2023.

This differs from what I was told, which doesn't surprise me in the least. Without referring back to it, I think it may also contradict the T&Cs.

Jung at the Haymarket branch told me the 12 months of status begins from when the card is approved. This effectively means you may only have as little as 12 months of actual status, though, in a situation where you take the full 90 days to spend the $4K and HSBC then takes a full month to update your status.

Reality may be different, however.

After reading the post from nightelves, I phoned HSBC to ask about when the status begins. The Australian-based gentleman put me on hold to get the info. He first said that the 12 months begins from the date the $4000 is spent, but then corrected himself to be in line with what Jung at Haymarket told me.

 

[oz_mark]

This differs from what I was told, which doesn't surprise me in the least. Without referring back to it, I think it may also contradict the T&Cs.



After reading the post from nightelves, I phoned HSBC to ask about when the status begins. The Australian-based gentleman put me on hold to get the info. He first said that the 12 months begins from the date the $4000 is spent, but then corrected himself to be in line with what Jung at Haymarket told me.

HSBC are only going to tell you whats laid out in the documentation, and it varies by airline. FAQ | Star Alliance Rewards

 

[Mr H]

HSBC are only going to tell you whats laid out in the documentation, and it varies by airline. FAQ | Star Alliance Rewards

Agreed. And given that the friend of @nightelves has got more than the clearly stated minimum, I am not sure what @Danger is hoping to gain from these phone calls.

 

[Danger]

HSBC are only going to tell you whats laid out in the documentation, and it varies by airline. FAQ | Star Alliance Rewards

Where are you seeing the info stating the start date of the status varies by airline?

 

[Viridis]

I received this the other day from Star Alliance

Nice that it doesn't kick off until January

Congratulations on achieving an important milestone with Star Alliance Rewards. You are now eligible for Star Alliance Gold Status.

You can now choose the Status Airline with which you wish to receive your status according to the terms of Star Alliance Rewards. You can change the Status Airline in your Star Alliance Rewards Account until 04 Jan 2023. Subsequently, we will request the status from the Status Airline that is reflected in your account at that time.

We hope that you will enjoy your future travels onboard our member airlines and wish you a rewarding journey.

 

[attimo69]

I too got the card last month. I'm a sole trader with a good income. I almost didn't go through with the application process. they were so fussy. A year of bank statements with regular incoming income was not enough. (I haven't yet done 2021-2022 Tax return). I needed a letter from my accountant! He'd never seen anything like it.
Unfortunately I reached the $4000 pretty quickly, still in 2022, but the letter I received about qualifying for Gold says I need to select my status arline in early Jan. I'm choosing Air Canada, since the program is widely praised, has good and unusual non-alliance partners and has reasonable reward tickets and I'm already *AGold with SQ. (achieved through buying points last year in the generous offer which has now ceased) Air Canada seems to have the most generous status allocation being the rest of the calendar year AND the next... I'm hoping that the date will start from when the status is granted, not when the spend was attained (as per the fine print mentioned above somewhere), but I'll let you know.