Card Promotions HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card: Fast-Track to Star Alliance Gold Status

Fast track to Star Alliance Gold status with the HSBC Star Alliance credit card!​

Learn more and apply for this card:

HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card Guide

The HSBC Star Alliance credit card is the first of its kind, allowing Australian cardholders to earn Star Alliance Points and Gold status.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

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What are the main benefits of this card?

1. Signup bonus: Fast Track to Star Alliance Gold Status, when you spend $4,000 or more on eligible purchases in the first 90 days from account opening
2. Keep your Star Alliance Gold status each subsequent year that you spend at least $60,000 on your card
3. Earn 1 Star Alliance Point per $1 on eligible purchases, up to $3,000 per statement period and 0.5 Star Alliance Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases thereafter, uncapped
4. No annual fee in the first year and $450 p.a. thereafter

Why we like the HSBC Star Alliance credit card

Launched in 2022, the HSBC Star Alliance credit card is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. You'll earn Star Alliance Points which are transferable to a choice of seven Star Alliance member airlines at a time of your choosing. You can also earn Star Alliance Silver or Gold status just by spending on the card, with no flying required!

Once you qualify for the welcome offer and are fast tracked to Star Alliance Gold status with any of the seven participating carriers, you’ll soon be enjoying perks like airport priority lanes and lounge access when flying across the whole Star Alliance network. It is the largest airline alliance in the world with 25 member airlines, including Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, United and Turkish Airlines.

Please note that the welcome offer is not available to existing HSBC customers transferring from another HSBC credit card, or if you have previously held a HSBC Star Alliance credit card within the last 18 months. Refer to the full T&C’s for more information:

HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card Guide

The HSBC Star Alliance credit card is the first of its kind, allowing Australian cardholders to earn Star Alliance Points and Gold status.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

AFF members are welcome to discuss this card in this thread.

 

[Jacques Vert]

I am flying ANA on 26 Jan but I don't think I can reach the $4K spend or even if I did, realistically hope for Aeroplan to activate in that time frame.

Pre-pay health insurance, buy some WOW e-gift cards, stock up on wine, etc.? You should be able to manufacture $4,000 if you really try. You could even pre-pay your rates by using a payment service (YakPay, Sniip, etc.). Just don't use BPay or pay Govt agencies directly.

 

[leyy]

received my bonus 50,000 aeroplan points!

 

[Trin Trin]

I've done more than 4K spend more than a week ago - nothing pending and no govt spend, but still haven't received the SA gold eligibility email. Will I have to wait till my next statement?

 

[bernardblack]

received my bonus 50,000 aeroplan points!

I'm about to apply (so that hopefully when I hit the spend target I get nearly 2 years' status with Aeroplan).

Did you have to do anything special other than what I'm seeing in the T&C, as below?

1. Apply and be approved.
2. Spend $4k within 90 days.
3. When they reach out to request my status airline, nominate Aeroplan.
4. Wait for status (should be within a couple of weeks).
5. Wait for 50k bonus points.

 

[dairyfloss]

I've done more than 4K spend more than a week ago - nothing pending and no govt spend, but still haven't received the SA gold eligibility email. Will I have to wait till my next statement?

Yes - comes after the statement is issued

 

[doctorstrangelove]

I've done more than 4K spend more than a week ago - nothing pending and no govt spend, but still haven't received the SA gold eligibility email. Will I have to wait till my next statement?

I had to wait until my next statement until SA Gold granted i.e. it didn't trigger as soon as I passed the 4K spend.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I had to wait until my next statement until SA Gold granted i.e. it didn't trigger as soon as I passed the 4K spend.

of course, nothing ever simple is it?

My statement won’t come till something like 25 jan… meaning i prolly wont get star gold for my trip in med feb. Unless AC moves super quick after the 14 day period.

 

[N860CR]

of course, nothing ever simple is it?

My statement won’t come till something like 25 jan… meaning i prolly wont get star gold for my trip in med feb. Unless AC moves super quick after the 14 day period.

Should happen bang on 14 days

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Pleasant surprise this morning… email from Star Alliance confirming minimum spend achieved and now eligible for gold! woo hoo!

I was expecting it to have to wait for the next statement, so this was a nice saturday morning gift!

Bit confusing that it says to nominate your chosen airline for status on the home page, but there’s no button to ‘confirm’ if the right one is already there.

I went ahead and selected ‘change’ and to Air Canadia again, green ‘successful’ now appears.

 

[Channy]

How many days from credit card application, to spending the 4k did the gold apply?

 

[super5]

No one seems to be discussing how to make the annual fee plus required $60,000 spend worthwhile after the first year. Does this mean everyone is going to cancel the card when their gold status ends? Or will HSBC change the card soon, to make it more attractive?

 

[Cynicor]

I did. 60k would be fine at 0.8kf per $, but it’s only that for $36k and then 0.4. Prefer to spend elsewhere for more points

 

[super5]

I did. 60k would be fine at 0.8kf per $, but it’s only that for $36k and then 0.4. Prefer to spend elsewhere for more points

Yes there's a cap to screw the earn rate before you reach $60k, looks like HSBC designed this card to be ditched after the first year.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes there's a cap to screw the earn rate before you reach $60k, looks like HSBC designed this card to be ditched after the first year.

Well… it’s gonna depend how long Aeroplan grants me status. If it’s the rest of this year plus next year, then $450 for gold is semi worthwhile Combined with shorter wait times for the aeroplan call centre though, and the points earned via spend, it would be enough to get me to pay for one more year.

If status only for this year then won’t be renewing.

 

[Viridis]

Yep, cancelled mine too

 

[Shinjetter]

Anyone knows how HSBC Star Alliance Gold + Chase Aeroplan level up benefit works? Will I get upgrade to 75k? Or stuck with 50k? I have Chase Aeroplan at the moment but not sure how it will overlap each other

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So… just scraped in with my spend at the beginning of 2024. My digital card says ‘valid to Dec 31 2025’.

I presume that means the gold 50k elite?? If so… will be keeping the card next year, despite the annual fee! Seem like a bargain for star gold, priority to the aeroplan call centre, and a few points earned along the way.

 

[super5]

So… just scraped in with my spend at the beginning of 2024. My digital card says ‘valid to Dec 31 2025’.

I presume that means the gold 50k elite?? If so… will be keeping the card next year, despite the annual fee! Seem like a bargain for star gold, priority to the aeroplan call centre, and a few points earned along the way.

But the honeymoon bargain ends when your gold status ends, what will you do then? Will you spend $60,000 annually on the card to maintain the gold status?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But the honeymoon bargain ends when your gold status ends, what will you do then? Will you spend $60,000 annually on the card to maintain the gold status?

Lol, no!

TBH the only really benefit is *perhaps* senator lounges and SAS gold lounges rather than the regular business ones. But I’ll just have to hope air canada fixes its 90-minute call wait times by the end of 2025!

 

[Danger]

So… just scraped in with my spend at the beginning of 2024. My digital card says ‘valid to Dec 31 2025’.

I presume that means the gold 50k elite?? If so… will be keeping the card next year, despite the annual fee! Seem like a bargain for star gold, priority to the aeroplan call centre, and a few points earned along the way.

Elite 50K, yes, but we don't know (a) if the full two years of status is a result of how Aeroplan works rather than the card or (b) what happens in year two if you keep the card open but haven't met the $60K spend in year one.