HSBC Platinum Qantas Visacard "Benefits that will change"

[heycam]

The jetstar platinum MasterCard looks quite good, 50000 sign up bonus, $149 annual fee, and still 1pt/$. Can't see anywhere saying the earn rate is capped.

Only maximum I see in the small print is the 100,000 points per year. With the Qantas Credit Union Visa Platinum card on the other hand I can't see any yearly limit.

 

[VAG newbie]

Only maximum I see in the small print is the 100,000 points per year. With the Qantas Credit Union Visa Platinum card on the other hand I can't see any yearly limit.

But with no sign up bonus and $195 annual fee..... I guess it depends on how much you spend per year. If less than $100k then Jetstar might be better.

I assume neither of these earn ATO payment?

 

[deejo77]

So which card now? I haven't received the letter yet, rather I got an invitation to increase my credit limit. But knowing this is inevitable, I'm thinking of changing too.

The jetstar platinum MasterCard looks quite good, 50000 sign up bonus, $149 annual fee, and still 1pt/$. Can't see anywhere saying the earn rate is capped.

Look at the T&C - point 9

The Jetstar Dollars Program and Qantas Frequent Flyer Rewards are separate programs. Account holders must opt-in to Qantas Frequent Flyer Rewards to earn Qantas Points. Account holders who opt-in are not eligible to earn rewards under the Jetstar Dollars Program. Qantas Points are earned in accordance with and subject to the Jetstar MasterCard Rewards Program Terms and Conditions, available at jetstar.com/cards. Qantas Points can be earned up to a maximum of 100,000 points per year on the Jetstar Platinum MasterCard and 25,000 points per year on the Jetstar MasterCard. You will earn 1 Qantas Point for each $1 you spend on eligible purchases on the Jetstar Platinum MasterCard or 1 Qantas Point per $2 you spend on eligible purchases on the Jetstar MasterCard. Qantas Points are not earned on cash advances, balance transfers or other restricted transactions. You must be a member of the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program to earn and redeem Qantas Points. A joining fee may apply. Membership and Qantas Points are subject to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program terms and conditions. Further information on the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program including the terms and conditions of the program are available at qantas.com/frequentflyer or by calling 13 11 31.

 

[RichardMEL]

Another point of difference is QFCU offers 2 QFF/$1 spend on QF services. Now sure, so does the free Amex Discovery card, which I use for all my QF purchases, but it may be handy to move it all to one card that is uncapped on points (for now, anyway). The JQ card doesn't offer this. Is the 50k bonus and $50 less annual fee worth it? Probably if your spend is going to earn <100k points, but probably not otherwise.

Only one can determine the value of such options for themselves based on their own situation imho

 

[gogo419]

Does anyone still have the document HSBC sent? What was the date that the changes go into effect. Started a new statement period on 24 July and could put through a couple of big purchases tomorrow if the document said end of July? Otherwise will use a different card

Cheers gogo

 

[MelbMan]

My letter is sub headed " From 1 August 2015, there will be changes to some of your card benefits". So like you I'll be having one last hurrah on HSBC in Jul.

I was using this HSBC Card in tandem with a Jetstar MC for "certain" payments. I guess like some others I can stick with HSBC until close to the next annual fee & look for another card. But the reality is that they have limited my business with them to $2500 a month.

 

[RichardMEL]

Yes, the 1 Aug thing seems unclear to me.

Is it for all transactions post 1 Aug?
Is it for statement periods ending post 1Aug (this any period starting in July would be affected)
is it for statement periods starting post 1 Aug (which would be most fair imho)?

I agree that I will only use HSBC for those certain payments until my next annual fee is due and cancel. I am busy churning to other cards myself.

 

[MelbMan]

The way I'm reading post Aug 1 is up until and including Fri Jul 31 the current status quo points wise remains. The way I'd read it is that it's the date of the individual transactions nothing to do with statement dates.
So draw a line in the sand between Jul 31 and Aug 1 is what I'll be doing..

Good luck
John

 

[RichardMEL]

The way I'm reading post Aug 1 is up until and including Fri Jul 31 the current status quo points wise remains. The way I'd read it is that it's the date of the individual transactions nothing to do with statement dates.
So draw a line in the sand between Jul 31 and Aug 1 is what I'll be doing..

Good luck
John

yeah I'm sorry of figuring if I "earn" at 1 point/$1 over 2500 points by July 31 that will be fine, but transactions post 1 Aug will only earn at 0.5 when I'm over 2500 for this statement period. thus big ticket items this week! LOL

 

[VAG newbie]

I managed to get HSBC to waive the annual fee so will just keep it for another year.

 

[RichardMEL]

I managed to get HSBC to waive the annual fee so will just keep it for another year.

Damn. that's good. what argument did you use? Was this before or after the fee was levied?

 

[michaelk]

I got the letter also, some time in June and forgot all about the change and I was just paying my statement today for the period 4th August to 4 September.
Closing Balance $2,631.xx
Points Earned and Credited (both columns) 2,632.

So it seems HSBC haven't capped the earn rate.

I need to keep this card for a USA run at the end of October for insurance and the annual fee is due in December. I had last years waived, but with no 2 point per dollar overseas earn, I'm better of using a Bankwest Zero Platinum and not earning points, but not spending 3.5% bank interchange for the privilege, all with insurance and $0/pa fee.

 

[Buzzard]

I just rang HSBC and am now switching to the Fee Free for Life Velocity Platinum.
Still not a good card but as a backup it suits me fine. It is free after all and I can transfer to Kris which suits me better.

Just a matter of completing a simple form.

 

[RichardMEL]

Amusingly I received the "new" card (which I didn't really want) last week, but got a payment to make to a certain government department, so I thought fine I'll activate and use the new card for it. So activated online all seemed good, yet the new card details only produced errors when making the payment (yet my QFCU card worked fine) so... well that was a pity lol

 

[ChrisFlyer]

More 'enhancements' on the way from HSBC, just when you thought they couldn't get any worse!

No more points on government payments of any kind from May 1 2016 including ATO, rates, car rego, driver licences and assuming other things like ASIC payments and whatnot. Was pretty much the only reason to have this card as governments (with the exception of ATO) seem to be the places where AMEX is accepted least. Eg. in Brisbane, rates, water, rego, licences etc can all only be paid with Visa/MC...

 

[MelbMan]

More 'enhancements' on the way from HSBC, just when you thought they couldn't get any worse!

No more points on government payments of any kind including ATO, rates, car rego, driver licences and assuming other things like ASIC payments and whatnot. Was pretty much the only reason to have this card as governments (with the exception of ATO) seem to be the places where AMEX is accepted least. Eg. in Brisbane, rates, water, rego, licences etc can all only be paid with Visa/MC...
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I'm taking my HSBC Visacard to the closest branch this week to close it. The 2500 points a month limit was about the last straw! Drove all the way over to Camberwell before Easter to hand in a Citibank a Visa card in with a pretty decent credit limit. Last time I did this they offered it fee free until Apr 2016. This time I don't care if I have to pay a cancellation fee. I simply don't want a wallet full of cards I'm not using. Once upon a time would have charged about $100k a year to Citibank. If they don't want my business will simply go elsewhere..

You would not believe it once I got to Camberwell, the branch was in darkness with a note on the door "Branch closing Jan 29". Of course I phoned before I went but all I got was an engaged signal. They couldn't even bother to divert the calls..