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.

 

[blacksultan]

Does this mean that the aero plan option is likely to be the longest lasting if one qualifies for gold early next year through the card ?
I am already krisflyer gold .

Post automatically merged: Nov 18, 2022

Yes, but note that to enjoy the full lifespan of that gold status, you would have to keep the card open for the duration and pay at least one $450 annual fee.

Is this mentioned in the t’s and c ‘s ?

 

[Mr H]

Does this mean that the aero plan option is likely to be the longest lasting if one qualifies for gold early next year through the card ?
I am already krisflyer gold .

Post automatically merged: Nov 18, 2022

Is this mentioned in the t’s and c ‘s ?

It is unclear whether the start date would be taken as the date you reach the minimum spend or whether it would be the date the card was activated. If I were trying this (which I won't be), I would apply for the card in January and make the minimum spend as quickly as possible.

 

[SYD]

And choose your airline carefully!

How long will my Star Alliance Silver or Star Alliance Gold status be valid with my selected Status Airline?

Air Canada	Your Aeroplan Elite status will be valid for the remainder of the current calendar year and next calendar year.
EVA Air	Your Star Alliance Silver or Gold status will be valid for 12 months, unless you earn another status through your HSBC Star Alliance credit card or a higher status through direct flight activity with EVA Air (whereby the status and validity you currently have will end, with a new status and validity will be calculated).
Air New Zealand	Airpoints Nominated Silver or Airpoints Nominated Gold requests are normally valid for 12 months with Air New Zealand. There are some situations where a status may end early. For example, if you upgrade to a higher status, or close your HSBC Star Alliance credit card.
Singapore Airlines	Your status will be valid until the end of the current 12-month cycle since the start of your HSBC Star Alliance credit card account opening anniversary date (i.e. a day before the next credit card account opening anniversary date), unless the KrisFlyer Elite Gold status is earned from the welcome offer, the KrisFlyer status will be valid until a day before the next credit card account opening anniversary date.
South African Airways	Your Voyager status will be valid for a minimum of 12 months from the date of receipt of your request from Star Alliance.
Thai Airways	Your Royal Orchid Plus status will be valid for 12 months.
United Airlines	Your status will be valid for a minimum of 12 months from the date United Airlines receives the status upgrade request from Star Alliance.

That’s what I was alluding to in an earlier post. I missed Aeroplan being that specific. But I suspect UA will operate the same (if you keep the card open).

 

[yojohnny]

The email I received states you get an extra baggage allowance with the gold status (as you'd expect). The fine print states however... Available on itineraries involving a connection between two or more Star Alliance member airlines. Not all member airlines offer this benefit on own flights not involving such connections. Check with your relevant member airline at time of booking.

So if you just have a flight with stopover that is entirely one airline (for example, both legs are Singapore Airlines), you won't get this extra baggage allowance. Surely this isn't normal for gold status?

Am I missing something?

 

[oz_mark]

The email I received states you get an extra baggage allowance with the gold status (as you'd expect). The fine print states however... Available on itineraries involving a connection between two or more Star Alliance member airlines. Not all member airlines offer this benefit on own flights not involving such connections. Check with your relevant member airline at time of booking.

So if you just have a flight with stopover that is entirely one airline (for example, both legs are Singapore Airlines), you won't get this extra baggage allowance. Surely this isn't normal for gold status?

Am I missing something?

There are particular fares on particular airlines that exclude extra baggage, if you are only travelling on those airlines/fares. These include:

"Light" fares offered by Lufthansa, Austrian & SWISS,
"Check&Go" fares offered by Brussels Airlines
“Go light” fares offered by SAS
“Seat” fares offered by Air New Zealand,

I don't think there is such an example on Singapore Airlines.

 

[yojohnny]

There are particular fares on particular airlines that exclude extra baggage, if you are only travelling on those airlines/fares. These include:

"Light" fares offered by Lufthansa, Austrian & SWISS,
"Check&Go" fares offered by Brussels Airlines
“Go light” fares offered by SAS
“Seat” fares offered by Air New Zealand,

I don't think there is such an example on Singapore Airlines.

OK great. So it sounds like I might be ok with Singapore then. Thanks!

 

[Familyman1]

I was approved for this card yesterday, and today I was given my Star Alliance Rewards ID number and was invited to complete my registration. This process involved choosing which airline I want Gold Status, but I did not have to choose which airline I want my points transferred to each month. It appears that Star Alliance points can build up and I can transfer them to an airline whenever I want to. Since I will probably transfer to KrisFlyer Miles (which expire), I'm happy the points can build up in my Star Alliance account before I need to transfer. I thought I should point this out because I read somewhere that Star Alliance points will be automatically transferred each month (which doesn't appear to be the case - unless I've missed something).

 

[SYD]

I was approved for this card yesterday, and today I was given my Star Alliance Rewards ID number and was invited to complete my registration. This process involved choosing which airline I want Gold Status, but I did not have to choose which airline I want my points transferred to each month. It appears that Star Alliance points can build up and I can transfer them to an airline whenever I want to. Since I will probably transfer to KrisFlyer Miles (which expire), I'm happy the points can build up in my Star Alliance account before I need to transfer. I thought I should point this out because I read somewhere that Star Alliance points will be automatically transferred each month (which doesn't appear to be the case - unless I've missed something).

Yeah, it was misreported in several places about auto transfer of points.

Being able to hold them back and sending them over as required to any of the linked FF programs is especially useful for KF - as you point out.

 

[oz_mark]

I was approved for this card yesterday, and today I was given my Star Alliance Rewards ID number and was invited to complete my registration. This process involved choosing which airline I want Gold Status, but I did not have to choose which airline I want my points transferred to each month. It appears that Star Alliance points can build up and I can transfer them to an airline whenever I want to. Since I will probably transfer to KrisFlyer Miles (which expire), I'm happy the points can build up in my Star Alliance account before I need to transfer. I thought I should point this out because I read somewhere that Star Alliance points will be automatically transferred each month (which doesn't appear to be the case - unless I've missed something).

Several blogs stated that there would be an automatic transfer. Not sure where they got that information from, but the official websites (Star, HSBC ect) don't seem to mention it.

 

[Mattg]

Several blogs stated that there would be an automatic transfer.

Several blogs published information before they were able to confirm or fact-check it

 

[blacksultan]

I was approved for this card yesterday, and today I was given my Star Alliance Rewards ID number and was invited to complete my registration. This process involved choosing which airline I want Gold Status, but I did not have to choose which airline I want my points transferred to each month. It appears that Star Alliance points can build up and I can transfer them to an airline whenever I want to. Since I will probably transfer to KrisFlyer Miles (which expire), I'm happy the points can build up in my Star Alliance account before I need to transfer. I thought I should point this out because I read somewhere that Star Alliance points will be automatically transferred each month (which doesn't appear to be the case - unless I've missed something).

Congrats ! How much time do you have to activate and nominate your airline?
I ask as it has been discussed here that it might be beneficial in some cases to start the clock early next year .

 

[ken86c]

Anyone with a HSBC credit card know if HSBC pays points on government charges like land tax and council rates?

 

[Scr77]

Anyone with a HSBC credit card know if HSBC pays points on government charges like land tax and council rates?

Good question, I like your thinking!

 

[blacksultan]

Anyone with a HSBC credit card know if HSBC pays points on government charges like land tax and council rates?

Even if it doesn’t . Try paying on zip pay first and then pay zip pay with hsbc card .

 

[blacksultan]

I have been co

I was approved for this card yesterday, and today I was given my Star Alliance Rewards ID number and was invited to complete my registration. This process involved choosing which airline I want Gold Status, but I did not have to choose which airline I want my points transferred to each month. It appears that Star Alliance points can build up and I can transfer them to an airline whenever I want to. Since I will probably transfer to KrisFlyer Miles (which expire), I'm happy the points can build up in my Star Alliance account before I need to transfer. I thought I should point this out because I read somewhere that Star Alliance points will be automatically transferred each month (which doesn't appear to be the case - unless I've missed something)have b

Have been conditionally approved today . How long did it take for your between conditional and final approval ?

 

[Familyman1]

I have been co

Have been conditionally approved today . How long did it take for your between conditional and final approval ?

It took one day. I had to upload my bank details (where my pay is deposited) to prove my income and it was approved without any phone calls from HSBC.

Post automatically merged: Nov 20, 2022

Anyone with a HSBC credit card know if HSBC pays points on government charges like land tax and council rates?

No it doesn't.

 

[Familyman1]

Congrats ! How much time do you have to activate and nominate your airline?
I ask as it has been discussed here that it might be beneficial in some cases to start the clock early next year .

It didn't mention a time limit. In practice, they don't really need this info until you have spent $4,000 so maybe it is not required up-front.

 

[Dr4manyspecies]

Details from SQ website:

https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/ppsclub-krisflyer/earn-miles/earn-on-the-ground/co-brand-cards/

Surprised there is no sign up bonus. Doesn't make it very attractive compared to all the other cards on the market.

In a sense, @levelnine , the Gold status is the sign up bonus.

 

[Dr4manyspecies]

Receiving gold after spending $4,000 isn’t too bad. $450 a little high but if you are planning an overseas trip then it might have some benefits.

And the last time I used them, their lounges are really good.

 

[Mr H]

Congrats ! How much time do you have to activate and nominate your airline?
I ask as it has been discussed here that it might be beneficial in some cases to start the clock early next year .

Reading the trends and conditions, the duration of the *G status is deemed to have started when the card was activated, not when the airline is nominated. Some airlines might deem it to start when you hit the minimum spend and nominate the airline (which has to be within two weeks of triggering the minimum spend). Since it is ambiguous and if AC is the preferred airline, I would wait until January before applying for the card. Better safe than sorry.

Post automatically merged: Nov 20, 2022

And the last time I used them, their lounges are really good.

It varies. AI Lounges are not great and I think some of the European airlines have pretty basic lounges.