Credit Card Offers 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.

 

[SOPOOR]

Aeroplan has semi-frequent points sales. Some are better than others, with the low end around an 80% bonus and the usual high-end being 100% (they had a 125% bonus a couple months ago, but we hadn’t seen one of those since the launch a few years ago).

Buying the points on sale will give you a price of (aud) 1.9 cents. So asia = $900 one way, ISA $1600 one way and Europe $2200 one way, plus minor taxes.

The 50k bonus points with the card were worth around $1000.

excellent, you are all over it with your knowledge

looks like ill cancel the card, keep the star alliance and aeroplan acc open and will wait for a aeroplan sale + transfer the star alliance points to kris

 

[MEL_Traveller]

excellent, you are all over it with your knowledge

looks like ill cancel the card, keep the star alliance and aeroplan acc open and will wait for a aeroplan sale + transfer the star alliance points to kris

Or transfer to aeroplan rather than kris. No expiry on points, and awards far cheaper on aeroplan than via KF (45k one way to asia vs 68.5k, for business one way, flying SQ.) Aeroplan doesn’t have access to sq F however, and you also get advantage awards via KF. But generally speaking availability is very good for sq via aeroplan.

 

[SOPOOR]

Or transfer to aeroplan rather than kris. No expiry on points, and awards far cheaper on aeroplan than via KF (45k one way to asia vs 68.5k, for business one way, flying SQ.) Aeroplan doesn’t have access to sq F however, and you also get advantage awards via KF. But generally speaking availability is very good for sq via aeroplan.

Awesome! Is there a sale for star to aeroplan transfers?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Awesome! Is there a sale for star to aeroplan transfers?

Per another thread here, there seems to be a bonus for converting Star alliance points to Krisflyer. Don’t know if this is a one off or ongoing.

Star alliance points usually convert 1->.8, there’s no money or sale involved in that. But i think to convert to sq you currently get 25% bonus?

Whether other star carriers have promotions later is anyone’s guess.

aeroplan’s sale is just like qantas’ top up points sale, or BA’s avios sale. You buy when they are offering significant bonuses or discounts.

 

[RooFlyer]

@SOPOOR don't forget that the aeroplan bonuses being quoted are to buy the maximum range of points. For instance (and I'm making up the figures) you spend US$2,000+ to buy 200,00+ points (plus the 100% bonus). If you only want to buy, say US$500 for 50,000+ points, the bonus might only be 75%. Again, made up figures but you usually need to spend quite a bit to get the 'headline' bonus'

 

[MEL_Traveller]

@SOPOOR don't forget that the aeroplan bonuses being quoted are to buy the maximum range of points. For instance (and I'm making up the figures) you spend US$2,000+ to buy 200,00+ points (plus the 100% bonus). If you only want to buy, say US$500 for 50,000+ points, the bonus might only be 75%. Again, made up figures but you usually need to spend quite a bit to get the 'headline' bonus'

Some of them are tiered, but often the tier can start at 50k to get the 100% bonus (enough to buy an asia return). Onemileatatime often quotes the max purchase, but it can be much much lower once you log in.

 

[SOPOOR]

@SOPOOR don't forget that the aeroplan bonuses being quoted are to buy the maximum range of points. For instance (and I'm making up the figures) you spend US$2,000+ to buy 200,00+ points (plus the 100% bonus). If you only want to buy, say US$500 for 50,000+ points, the bonus might only be 75%. Again, made up figures but you usually need to spend quite a bit to get the 'headline' bonus'

ive actually never bought miles before due to being poor value, but the times when qantas and velocity had them they were tiered as you say, so thats a very valid point

Per another thread here, there seems to be a bonus for converting Star alliance points to Krisflyer. Don’t know if this is a one off or ongoing.

Star alliance points usually convert 1->.8, there’s no money or sale involved in that. But i think to convert to sq you currently get 25% bonus?

Whether other star carriers have promotions later is anyone’s guess.

aeroplan’s sale is just like qantas’ top up points sale, or BA’s avios sale. You buy when they are offering significant bonuses or discounts.

actually, I meant is there ever a promo for Star Alliance to Aeroplan?
was Just trying to balance up the ratio/conversion for Aeroplan to Star, but you successfully converted me to leave it in aero plan due to your J BKK flight, which would be perfect!

 

[RooFlyer]

actually, I meant is there ever a promo for Star Alliance to Aeroplan?

That's what I'm after! There was one not long ago. I asked the question how often they come about a while ago and the reply was along the lines of 'can't predict'.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

ive actually never bought miles before due to being poor value, but the times when qantas and velocity had them they were tiered as you say, so thats a very valid point


actually, I meant is there ever a promo for Star Alliance to Aeroplan?
was Just trying to balance up the ratio/conversion for Aeroplan to Star, but you successfully converted me to leave it in aero plan due to your J BKK flight, which would be perfect!

Not sure what you mean by a promo for star alliance to aeroplan?

Points can’t be converted between star alliance FFPs.

The HSBC card comes with star alliance points, earned through CC spend. The conversion of those points to your *A carrier is .8. Except SQ is giving .8 plus 25% bonus.

That’s the first one i’ve seen.

Unlike QF or VA points, aeroplan points represent really good value when on sale… return to Europe ex AU, flying SQ for example, for just $4400 return (that’s on 100% bonuses, even less on the recent 125% bonus).

You can’t buy revenue for that price on a third tier carrier.

Happy to help out on the star to aeroplan if you explain what you mean by that.

 

[SOPOOR]

Not sure what you mean by a promo for star alliance to aeroplan?

Points can’t be converted between star alliance FFPs.

The HSBC card comes with star alliance points, earned through CC spend. The conversion of those points to your *A carrier is .8. Except SQ is giving .8 plus 25% bonus.

That’s the first one i’ve seen.

Unlike QF or VA points, aeroplan points represent really good value when on sale… return to Europe ex AU, flying SQ for example, for just $4400 return (that’s on 100% bonuses, even less on the recent 125% bonus).

You can’t buy revenue for that price on a third tier carrier.

Happy to help out on the star to aeroplan if you explain what you mean by that.

Oh i meant is it possible to transfer star alliance to aeroplan.

So it looks like at this point in time ill keep the aero miles and star miles as is and cancel the hsbc card

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oh i meant is it possible to transfer star alliance to aeroplan.

So it looks like at this point in time ill keep the aero miles and star miles as is and cancel the hsbc card

The HSBC card earns star alliance points. That’s a unique and separate log in, independent of any FFP.

Your monthly spend on the HSBC card is converted to star alliance points. So you spend $1000, you get 1000 star alliance points.

Those can be sent to any star alliance airline of your choosing… at a rate of 1 to 0.8. So 1000 star alliance points = 800 aeroplan points, or 800 united miles, or 800 krisflyer points (etc).

So yes you can transfer them from your star alliance account to an airline. But the only ‘promo’ we’ve seen so far is that SQ is currently offering a bonus 25%. So your 1000 star alliance points = 800 krisflyer + 25% bonus = 1000 KF points.

The downside is the hefty annual fee for hsbc. But given i want to use the gold status, my points esrning will offset the card fee someways anyway,

 

[SOPOOR]

The HSBC card earns star alliance points. That’s a unique and separate log in, independent of any FFP.

Your monthly spend on the HSBC card is converted to star alliance points. So you spend $1000, you get 1000 star alliance points.

Those can be sent to any star alliance airline of your choosing… at a rate of 1 to 0.8. So 1000 star alliance points = 800 aeroplan points, or 800 united miles, or 800 krisflyer points (etc).

So yes you can transfer them from your star alliance account to an airline. But the only ‘promo’ we’ve seen so far is that SQ is currently offering a bonus 25%. So your 1000 star alliance points = 800 krisflyer + 25% bonus = 1000 KF points.

The downside is the hefty annual fee for hsbc. But given i want to use the gold status, my points esrning will offset the card fee someways anyway,

Makes sense
Just got to decide whether to transfer the star to kris usinfthe 25% bonus or
To aeroplan at 0.8 at anytime.
I might transfer in a few months to keep it active since its last acitivty was about 11 months ago

Edit: or i could just buy a $10 gift card on the aero estore to keep it active

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Makes sense
Just got to decide whether to transfer the star to kris usinfthe 25% bonus or
To aeroplan at 0.8 at anytime.
I might transfer in a few months to keep it active since its last acitivty was about 11 months ago

Edit: or i could just buy a $10 gift card on the aero estore to keep it active

I’m not sure of the best way to keep oints active. You have 18 months. They’ll have another 100% sale bonus before then.

 

[SOPOOR]

I’m not sure of the best way to keep oints active. You have 18 months. They’ll have another 100% sale bonus before then.

Inactivity policy

Keeping your Aeroplan account active

www.aircanada.com

Seems very easy!

• Book a hotel room or a car rentalExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences..
• Shop online through the Aeroplan eStoreExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences., or in store at one of our retail partners.
• Use your points for a gift cardExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences. or events
• Donate pointsExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences. to a charity through Aeroplan.
• TransferExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences. your points to a friend or family member who is also an Aeroplan Member.
• Convert your points from another loyalty program into Aeroplan points.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Inactivity policy

Keeping your Aeroplan account active

www.aircanada.com

Seems very easy!

• Book a hotel room or a car rentalExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences..
• Shop online through the Aeroplan eStoreExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences., or in store at one of our retail partners.
• Use your points for a gift cardExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences. or events
• Donate pointsExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences. to a charity through Aeroplan.
• TransferExternal site which may not meet accessibility guidelines and/or language preferences. your points to a friend or family member who is also an Aeroplan Member.
• Convert your points from another loyalty program into Aeroplan points.

Yes, lots of options, but i haven’t investigated the most cost-effective way. As a regular buyer of points my account is kept active.

(On cost effectiveness, for example, the cheapest way to extend lifemiles validity is to book a fully refundable hotel using points, then cancel. That counts as activity and costs nothing. Not sure if there’s a similar hack with Aeroplan.)

 

[SOPOOR]

Yes, lots of options, but i haven’t investigated the most cost-effective way. As a regular buyer of points my account is kept active.

(On cost effectiveness, for example, the cheapest way to extend lifemiles validity is to book a fully refundable hotel using points, then cancel. That counts as activity and costs nothing. Not sure if there’s a similar hack with Aeroplan.)

charity seems to be 1000 pts minimum, thats $20 give or take, good to see its quite easy

 

[Mark3000]

After meeting the $60 000 annual spend, do you have to do anything to claim the Star Alliance gold or does it appear automatically ? I met the spend a few weeks ago and don't see any changes yet ? Thanks

 

[kamchatsky]

My annual fee is due end of October. Has anyone successfully negotiated an annual fee waiver?

 

[nthd_nthd]

After meeting the $60 000 annual spend, do you have to do anything to claim the Star Alliance gold or does it appear automatically ? I met the spend a few weeks ago and don't see any changes yet ? Thanks

Please let us know how you go with this. Thanks.

 

[I love to travel]

@MEL_Traveller thanks for your helpful advice re this card. Your gentle nudge about the fact that you get Asia one way in J even if you don't get anything else was great. Enjoyed the VA lounge yesterday, used the points towards Europe in J. Thanks again without your post would have not pulled the trigger.