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.

 

[AviationNZ]

Looks very interesting!!

The HSBC Star Alliance credit card

Earn Complimentary KrisFlyer *G status after spending $4,000 (in the first year) and 60K to retain.

 

[aaa99]

Seems like SQ and HSBC have partnered to launch a Star alliance credit card with ability to earn gold status by meeting minimum spend.

Some info on SQ website, although, cant seem to find a way to apply for it yet.

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

 

[bam71]

So, one AUD to .8 Krislflyer, as opposed to one AUD to 1 Krisflyer with Amex….. still an interesting proposition.

 

[levelnine]

Details from SQ website:

Fast track to Elite Gold Status by spending $4,000 in the first 90 days from card approval (you must spend at least $60,000 on eligible purchases in each 12-month period starting from account opening to retain Gold Status).


For a limited time, enjoy $0 annual fee in the first year ($450 thereafter).

Earning KrisFlyer miles:​

• Earn 1 Star Alliance Point for every $1 spent on eligible purchases, up to $3000 per statement period and 0.5 Star Alliance points per $1 spent on eligible purchases thereafter.
• Convert 1 Star Alliance Point to 0.8 KrisFlyer miles.

Crediting the miles earned into your Account

• Nominate Singapore Airlines as your Status Airline upon credit card creation.
• The Star Alliance Points earned will be converted and credited automatically into your KrisFlyer account every month.
• Please login to check your KrisFlyer statements online, or contact HSBC for details.

Exclusive Privileges across the Star Alliance network

• Airport lounge access at 1,000 lounges world-wide.
• Priority Airport Check-in, Priority Baggage Handling and Priority Boarding
• Extra Baggage Allowance on eligible flights.

Other Privileges

• Enjoy Domestic and International Travel Insurances with Rental Vehicle Excess Insurance in Australia, Transit Accident Insurance, Extended Warranty Insurance, and Purchase Protection Insurance.
• Cover for claims relating to Covid-19 may be available under selected international travel insurance benefits.
• Enjoy 0% interest for 6 months on flight bookings made directly through participating Star Alliance Member Airlines website using your HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card.

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.

 

[pangwen]

Looks very interesting!!

Review: HSBC Star Alliance credit card is your fast-track to Gold status

Most rewards cards only earn you points, but the new HSBC Star Alliance credit card can give you fast-track access to Star Alliance Gold status, which comes with a number of perks to improve your travel experience. Star Alliance Gold Status delivers access to over 1,000 airport lounges...

www.executivetraveller.com

Was just about to post that too!

My initial thoughts:
- The key differentiator is the free Star Alliance Gold (on reaching a spend threshold), and the ability to deposit miles into any *A program
- Otherwise, the earn rate of effectively 0.8ppd up to $3000 and 0.4ppd beyond $3000 isn't that good for a credit card with $450 annual fee (more referring to the $3000 threshold, I understand that apart from Amex there's not really a 1ppd option for *A earn in AU with Visa/MC)
- You might be able to get VA lounge access by selecting the 'right' program to deposit into

Would be worth seeing if there are any other perks that haven't been mentioned in the article.

 

[sjf]

Was just reading about this!
Looks very interesting, it's the first card that I've seen in Australia that has a status incentive.

With Virgin Australia basically recognising KrisFlyer Gold as their own it's effectively Virgin Gold as well (https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/...tions/national/virgin-australia-alliance-faq/)

Very poor points earn and cap, but I'll likely apply when I good sign-up offer gets announced.

 

[pangwen]

Was just reading about this!
Looks very interesting, it's the first card that I've seen in Australia that has a status incentive.

With Virgin Australia basically recognising KrisFlyer Gold as their own it's effectively Virgin Gold as well (https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/...tions/national/virgin-australia-alliance-faq/)

Very poor points earn and cap, but I'll likely apply when I good sign-up offer gets announced.

Agreed - with the right sign up bonus, this could be quite attractive. Might be time to investigate some other Star Alliance programs more closely; it's only really been convenient to earn with SQ (and NZ, but they're rubbish) in Australia. Perhaps NH or BR.

 

[Rich]

With Virgin Australia basically recognising KrisFlyer Gold as their own it's effectively Virgin Gold as well

If this card was "too" popular in Australia (I don't think it will be) I could see Virgin tweaking its rules.

 

[Scr77]

The points transfer every month, so you can’t control expiry dates. Better if you could warehouse them.

 

[boilerroom]

Not sure if this distinction matters, but I believe you get Star Alliance Gold, not KrisFlyer Gold.
So wouldn’t the question be does Virgin recognise SA Gold?

 

[boilerroom]

Sorry, I got that wrong. It’s KrisFlyer Gold Status you get.

 

[Bundy Bear]

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.

 

[SeaWolf]

It certainly looks interesting and it's good to see Australia getting some *A love. The two unanswered questions for me are:

• What's the conversion rate for other airlines? I'm sure there'll be some interest here around Aeroplan and MileagePlus.
• Are there foreign currency conversion fees?

I'm guessing we'll get those answers once HSBC puts up their info page.
I am a bit disappointed that they've partnered with HSBC though, I found their app, online banking and customer service to be very poor when I briefly had a card with them. I suppose it makes sense though, since *A will want to launch this card in multiple countries and HSBC is a reasonably global partner.

 

[dairyfloss]

I saw word of this coming, but honestly, I didn't expect it would be Australia to get the co-brand pilot. This is of real interest to me. Quite a few things weigh into it:

• Year 1 is a 'no-brainer' - $0 fee and $4K spend in 90 days for KF Gold / *A Gold
• Earn rate is not great, but I'd value *A Gold over that concern (assuming you can make / retain on spend).
• Tend to exceed my primary card's earning threshold, each month, and should have enough excess annually to cover the *G retention value
• Existing HSBC Premier customer, and may be able to do something with the fee, from year 2
• Approaching QF LTG in in the next 1-2 years, so will have a LT failsafe for any serious straying from OW
• KF Gold unlocks VA benefits, providing options at home where QF aren't playing nice.

Hopefully the first of similar new products into the market... Marriott Bonvoy card, anyone?

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[http_x92]

With United mileageplus at least the points have no expiry but it would be interesting to see what the transfer rate would be from *A points to United.

Sounds like we can only nominate one of the *A airlines for Gold, wonder what this means for the status of the airline itself. Krisflyer Elite Gold, Mileageplus Gold etc...?

 

[cambriamarsh]

Be great if offers like this were available in NZ!

 

[Revenge]

This offer definitely appeals to me, I think I would try to use it to get Air Canada *Gold.

Interesting that after reading the article this morning, I saw the HSBC card on the SIA website. But I looked again a few minutues ago and it was gone.

Sounds like SIA let the cat out of the bag by publishing the details before it was launched and have backtracked.

 

[encryptededdy]

Too bad unlike JAL Global Club, ANA Super Flyers Club doesn't have a way to qualify for foreign residents. Otherwise, this seems like a way to retain *G for life for a small annual fee.

I guess if you had a way to apply for Japanese Credit Cards this may work...

 

[theoracle30]

Great perks! Unfortunately, it seems ET has pinched the story from Mainly Miles without any credit :/ Given the SQ website has hidden the card again (not supposed to be publicly released yet), there's no coincidence.

Star Alliance is launching its own credit card with HSBC in Australia

The all-new Star Alliance credit card looks set to launch in the Australian market, but could the concept extend to Singapore soon, with SIA already praising its benefits to Aussie members?

mainlymiles.com