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.

 

[blacksultan]

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.

Has anyone here had their second year of aeroplan gold cancelled on.cancellation of the hsbc card in year 2 ?

 

[Shinjetter]

Has anyone here had their second year of aeroplan gold cancelled on.cancellation of the hsbc card in year 2 ?

When I cancelled my HSBC, it lasts for a week or 2. Aeroplan downgraded my status to 0k.

 

[BJReplay]

received my bonus 50,000 aeroplan points!

When did you meet the threshold / first hit gold?

How long was the wait between hitting gold and getting status with Aeroplan and you getting your bonus points?

Had you credited any points to Aeroplan, or did you go from 0 to 50,000?

 

[Danger]

As I mentioned earlier int his thread, I met the minimum spend in January 2023 and went with Aeroplan 50K. The physical card sent to me shows a 12/23 expiry but online always showed a 12/24 expiry. Today, both the app and online are showing a 12/25 expiry. I didn't come close to meeting the ridiculous $60K spend last year and my annual fee isn't due for about 10 days.

When I cancelled my HSBC, it lasts for a week or 2. Aeroplan downgraded my status to 0k.

Well that's very interesting.

 

[SOPOOR]

I have both this card and the qantas platinum visa card

For the last 2 months both cards are showing as 0 points earned.

Ive raised it about 4 weeks ago with the bank, and they said they will give me an update two days or so.

And lo and behold every 2 or 3 days they call me, do the id check to say ," we have no updates

Kind of funny, im on call number 7 or 8

Not sure what the problem

 

[mikedesign]

I have both this card and the qantas platinum visa card

For the last 2 months both cards are showing as 0 points earned.

Ive raised it about 4 weeks ago with the bank, and they said they will give me an update two days or so.

And lo and behold every 2 or 3 days they call me, do the id check to say ," we have no updates

Kind of funny, im on call number 7 or 8

Not sure what the problem

I’ve had the same problem. Only had the card since October, it only worked in the first month and has been showing as 0 since.

 

[Ausbt]

Oooft I'm having some fun with SA and HSBC. I can see an SA ID on my HSBC statement. I don't recall enrolling directly. I tried to reset my password and failed, so got in touch with SA. I must say they have been quite helpful and quick to respond to multiple emails. Anyway, they told me this:

"we noticed that you reached the eligible spend for the welcome offer on January 23, but we were unable to send you a notification because you had not yet activated your account" (Makes sense as I never received an email of course and know nothing yet. HSBC haven't been helpful either),
and
"Please be informed that the name in your Star Alliance Rewards account must match the name on your preferred frequent flyer program, otherwise, the upgrade request and points transfer may fail."

So, SA only use First Name field and Last Name. I took a look at Aeroplan, they have First Name, Middle Name (optional), Last Name.

SA want to know if I want to set First Name to my first middle or simply my first. Geeze, I've got no idea really. Anyway, sent them a screen shot of the Aeroplan proposed set-up and asked them.

EDIT: SA responded and advised me to set Aeroplan's First Name field to both my first and middle names. Interesting.

 

[SOPOOR]

I’ve had the same problem. Only had the card since October, it only worked in the first month and has been showing as 0 since.

About 4 months ago when my qantas plat visa card, they sent the new annual fee/points structure
They stuffed up the points and counted me on the new plan, and the next month they clawed it back. I thought it might have happened again this month but It doesn't appear so

 

[I love to travel]

Reading through quite a few posts - this card seems more hassle than it is worth if you don't intend to regularly fly internationally to take advantage of Star Alliance Gold benefits. Anyone really disagree with me? Have 1 credit card to apply for in Feb so want to make it worth my while.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Reading through quite a few posts - this card seems more hassle than it is worth if you don't intend to regularly fly internationally to take advantage of Star Alliance Gold benefits. Anyone really disagree with me? Have 1 credit card to apply for in Feb so want to make it worth my while.

The benefit is the 50k aeroplan points, which are worth $1000 if you had to purchase them (assuming 100% bonus).

That 50k is enough for a one way business class australia to south asia.

No annual fee makes it a ‘+$1000’ proposition!

 

[super5]

Reading through quite a few posts - this card seems more hassle than it is worth if you don't intend to regularly fly internationally to take advantage of Star Alliance Gold benefits. Anyone really disagree with me? Have 1 credit card to apply for in Feb so want to make it worth my while.

This card does not make sense to keep long term, with the $60,000 minimum spend requirement. Most people overlook the long term credit card costs.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This card does not make sense to keep long term, with the $60,000 minimum spend requirement. Most people overlook the long term credit card costs.

Absolutely! The first year, possibly two if you get two years of gold via aeroplan, is worth it. After that time to close the card maybe.

 

[nthd_nthd]

This card does not make sense to keep long term, with the $60,000 minimum spend requirement. Most people overlook the long term credit card costs.

I had the impression once I read about T&C on this card, the $60K min requirement is to waive the 2nd year Annual fee. However, reading this forum, now I am confused that I may be missing some info. But my intention is to save this for Feb 2024 to get qualified and have Gold until Feb 2026, but then cancelling it around Feb 2025.

But definitely dont want to put 60K on this one card just to keep Gold for 2nd year and plus still paying $450 AF.

 

[nthd_nthd]

And also, is there a different link to apply for this card to receive 50K Aeroplane point Or does everyone use just the HSBC link? Thanks.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I had the impression once I read about T&C on this card, the $60K min requirement is to waive the 2nd year Annual fee. However, reading this forum, now I am confused that I may be missing some info. But my intention is to save this for Feb 2024 to get qualified and have Gold until Feb 2026, but then cancelling it around Feb 2025.

But definitely dont want to put 60K on this one card just to keep Gold for 2nd year and plus still paying $450 AF.

Depending if you’ve had status either aeroplan, or not, in the past, membership runs for the remainder of this year, and the next. So it would be the rest of 2024, and then all of 2025. I think if you’ve had status before it works March to March. At least I think that’s how it works!

The 60k spend is to keep gold after the first year, in programs where your gold is only given for the first year. Aeroplan is different in that it gives you up to two years. Again, my understanding!

So you’d only need to pay the $450 to keep gold the second year. And spend 60k after that.

But this is all speculation, it’s possible that even though aeroplan is showing status for two years, they might ‘zero it’ after the first!

Same application, just make sure aeroplan is selected as the preferred airline to get the 50k points.

 

[N860CR]

Tried to see if I could get a certificate of cover for the travel insurance on this product. Tried the live chat. Was told i should contact Star Alliance and ask them directly. When queried as to how an airline alliance could assist with travel insurance, they said the insurance is provided by Star Alliance . Further queries got me a phone number and they said I should call that number (which was for Allianz). Asked if that’s what they meant, and was told “yes, Star Allianz”. Great fun!

 

[robbo135]

For those who received their bonus Aeroplan 50,000 points, how long after qualifying did they post? I qualified for star gold on 25th Nov with Aeroplan but yet to receive anything.

Thanks

 

[BJReplay]

I qualified for star gold on 25th Nov with Aeroplan but yet to receive anything.

Similar timing for me. Still waiting...

I'm showing 50k status in Aeroplan, but no points...

 

[doctorstrangelove]

Similar timing for me. Still waiting...

I'm showing 50k status in Aeroplan, but no points...

That's not reassuring... I qualified 11th December with Aeroplan so it's almost been exactly 7 weeks. They do say it can take 6-8 weeks so I'm giving them one more week before chasing this up, but it will be most disappointing if I have to. 8 weeks is a generous amount of time to allow for points to post, so their failure to do so speaks to a certain level of incompetence on Aeroplan's part.

 

[BJReplay]

speaks to a certain level of incompetence on Aeroplan's part

If you read up on accounts being locked, you'll not be surprised.

Mrs BJReplay was locked. It took around 8 hours of hold time over about three calls to get her unlocked, and that was an ordeal, only with an (empty, as it turns out) threat that we'd fly united instead if we couldn't access her account, to get it escalated.

They locked her account because there was another Mrs BJReplay with the same first name and surname who had lived in Canada at some point in time (IKR, it's an unusual name, but not that unusual).

They lock accounts when they suspect fraud, and simply having the same first and last name, but a different address is enough when you set up a new account.

Their wait time to unlock accounts is...

Up to six months.

3 hours on hold - if you don't get bumped because they're too busy to accept any calls at all.

They're trying to get customers to switch to them with welcome incentives, but are not set up to handle them.