HSBC Star Alliance credit card in Australia

[sickman112]

As above, I didn't transfer any points from star alliance rewards to Aeroplan

 

[Ausbt]

Applied & approved Dec; $4K spend by early Jan; opened SA & Aeroplan accounts last Monday and confirmation of SA Gold status and Aeroplan 50K status today. No actual 50K points arrived yet though. Very good timing for me as my VA SG drops to PS (gasp!) end of this month.

 

[blacksultan]

Yes. I haven't transferred any points (didn't want to until I was certain that the bonus points were going to land, and that Aeroplan was going to get Family Pooling working, as I have poor-man's Family Pooling working for Singpore: transfer to Virgin and back to Singapore - at a discount both ways, but can still combine points when needed for an itinerary) and the bonus points landed pretty much eight weeks to the day after the gold status was awarded by Aeroplan.

I expect that Family Pooling will be re-enabled in the next few weeks if you believe the chatter on forums like reddit, at which point I'll probably start a Family and start transferring points.

Looks like family pooling has started.

 

[BJReplay]

Applied & approved Dec; $4K spend by early Jan; opened SA & Aeroplan accounts last Monday and confirmation of SA Gold status and Aeroplan 50K status today. No actual 50K points arrived yet though. Very good timing for me as my VA SG drops to PS (gasp!) end of this month.

Great timing - Aeroplan Gold to end 25.

 

[BJReplay]

Looks like family pooling has started.

I still see this when I go to Family Sharing.

If I try to invite someone (Mrs BJReplay), I get this

 

[blacksultan]

Has anyone with less ( even slightly less ) then minimum limit if $75 k been approved for this card ?

 

[Ausbt]

Aeroplan Gold to end 25.

Yep should have clarified that - SA Gold all the way through to Dec 2025 - well provided I stump up the annual fee next year I guess. I’ll be doing my best to make it work for me!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yep should have clarified that - SA Gold all the way through to Dec 2025 - well provided I stump up the annual fee next year I guess. I’ll be doing my best to make it work for me!

If it works out that the $450 fee = AC gold…. it’s well and truly worth it for call centre wait times. Just 15 minutes compared to one hour+ for non status… if you can even get into the queue system to start with!

 

[kamchatsky]

So now I received the 50K bonus points + 10K point spend = 60K AC points. Is AC Aeroplan worth collecting points for so I keep the card for the next 8 months before the annual fee is due? I am trying to work out whether to cut the card or not. I am not planning to use the *G benefits anytime soon.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So now I received the 50K bonus points + 10K point spend = 60K AC points. Is AC Aeroplan worth collecting points for so I keep the card for the next 8 months before the annual fee is due? I am trying to work out whether to cut the card or not. I am not planning to use the *G benefits anytime soon.

AC is probably one of the best FF programs out there. Cheap miles, generous routing allowances, no fuel surcharges, cheap stopovers, and consistent availability.

 

[blacksultan]

AC is probably one of the best FF programs out there. Cheap miles, generous routing allowances, no fuel surcharges, cheap stopovers, and consistent availability.

Don’t mKe it too popular

 

[drcam]

OK a couple of questions before I apply:
(1) If I get approved this month and make the minimum qualify spend, do I get Gold Status with Canadian until end of 24 or 25? If the latter is that contingent on me stumping up the fee next year?
(2) Do I need to apply to a particular website to get the AC bonus miles?
(3) If I have AC Gold Status, can I use the SQ business lounge in SYD for a SYD-BKK economy flight on Thai Airways?

 

[BJReplay]

OK a couple of questions before I apply:
(1) If I get approved this month and make the minimum qualify spend, do I get Gold Status with Canadian until end of 24 or 25? If the latter is that contingent on me stumping up the fee next year?
(2) Do I need to apply to a particular website to get the AC bonus miles?
(3) If I have AC Gold Status, can I use the SQ business lounge in SYD for a SYD-BKK economy flight on Thai Airways?

1-a: 25 1-b: Uncertain at this stage.
2: Probably not, but doesn't hurt to start your process from the AC website. There's a big banner to click on.
3: I'll leave that for Star Alliance Rules Experts to confirm, but I'm guessing that if Thai is Star Alliance, then yes, subject to capacity & opening hours.

 

[kamchatsky]

AC is probably one of the best FF programs out there. Cheap miles, generous routing allowances, no fuel surcharges, cheap stopovers, and consistent availability.

Is there a page in AFF explaining why AC is so good? I need to do a little more research. For me, it was getting the points first then figure out how to use it later.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is there a page in AFF explaining why AC is so good? I need to do a little more research. For me, it was getting the points first then figure out how to use it later.

I think AFF editor mattg wrote a long article about it

OK a couple of questions before I apply:
(1) If I get approved this month and make the minimum qualify spend, do I get Gold Status with Canadian until end of 24 or 25? If the latter is that contingent on me stumping up the fee next year?
(2) Do I need to apply to a particular website to get the AC bonus miles?
(3) If I have AC Gold Status, can I use the SQ business lounge in SYD for a SYD-BKK economy flight on Thai Airways?

(3) yes… works same way as the oneworld alliance.

 

[Danger]

OK a couple of questions before I apply:
(1) If I get approved this month and make the minimum qualify spend, do I get Gold Status with Canadian until end of 24 or 25? If the latter is that contingent on me stumping up the fee next year?
...

1-a: 25 1-b: Uncertain at this stage.
...

As I've noted upthread, I didn't come anywhere close to spending the ridiculous $60K in my first year to secure Aeroplan Gold in year two. However, in January this year (which was 12 months after applying), the expiry of my Gold status on the Aeroplan website changed from 12/24 (which is what was after I met the minimum spend 12 months ago) to 12/25. The app shows the same and I recently received a new physical card also showing 12/25. This all happened before the second year annual fee was levied. My credit card is still active, but I will be cancelling it when a disputed transaction is closed.

Separately, the rewards website says, "You may manage your Status Airline in the settings of your Star Alliance Rewards Account at any time". I can't see where to do that, though.

 

[scibo10]

Just escalated to HSBC, was told it could take up to 30 days for the confirmation email to arrive (didn't realise email's slow mail...)! So playing the waiting game for a few more days...

In the mean time, I'm on the SA Rewards site registering a new account.

Hi @supa007 Did you end up getting the minimum spend confirmation email in the end? I qualified 4 days ago and am still waiting.

 

[supa007]

Yes, after a couple of calls to HSBC. Apparently there was a name mis-match that caused the problem. Mine was the omission of middle name on one of them. Needed to supply passport page pic.

 

[nightelves]

Anyone got the 50k points from this? Been waiting since December 21st.

 

[sickman112]

Anyone got the 50k points from this? Been waiting since December 21st.

Mine took 3 months to arrive so I wouldn't worry too much yet