Feb 14, 2020, 2:22 pm
Last edit by: mia
HSBC (USA) Premier has eleven airline transfer partners, and two hotel chain partners. Cards issued in other countries may have different partners and transfer ratios
ONE WORLD
British Airways (Avios) 1:1
Iberia (Avios) 1:1
Qantas 1:1
Qatar Airways (Avios) 1.25:1
SKYTEAM
Flying Blue 1.25:1
STAR
Avianca 1.25:1
Eva Air 1.25:1
TAP Portugal 1:1
Turkish 1.25:1
INDEPENDENT
Aer Lingus (Avios) 1:1
Emirates 1:1
HOTELS
Accor 2:1
Wyndham 1.25:1
ONE WORLD
British Airways (Avios) 1:1
Iberia (Avios) 1:1
Qantas 1:1
Qatar Airways (Avios) 1.25:1
SKYTEAM
Flying Blue 1.25:1
STAR
Avianca 1.25:1
Eva Air 1.25:1
TAP Portugal 1:1
Turkish 1.25:1
INDEPENDENT
Aer Lingus (Avios) 1:1
Emirates 1:1
HOTELS
Accor 2:1
Wyndham 1.25:1
HSBC Premier World MasterCard
Apr 22, 2020 | 12:32 pm
#602
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,542
Google Flights: $479 for Alaska 468 departing at 3:30 PM
Rewards Portal: 31,873 points for the same flight. This would 1.5cpp
Spot checked a few other flights and they were around the same. One AA flight was getting 1.59cpp.
In terms of what is the travel portal like Id say its as good as any other HSBC web interface. Which is to say, not great. Chase and AMEX do have better UIs.
Caveat is I have the World Elite card ($395 AF version). I'm not sure if that is different redemption wise.
Apr 24, 2020 | 8:08 am
#603
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 95
The HSBC chat agent sounded confused so thought I might ask here.
If I keep a small amount (say $500) in a Premier Checking and $75k in a Direct Savings will I qualify as Premier without direct deposits?
If I keep a small amount (say $500) in a Premier Checking and $75k in a Direct Savings will I qualify as Premier without direct deposits?
Last edited by Dream of Flying; Apr 24, 2020 at 8:22 am
Apr 24, 2020 | 9:25 am
#604
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,542
The HSBC Premier checking account is available to consumers (including any consumer who is a Qualifying Principal as defined below) who have a U.S. personal and qualifying commercial related combined deposit balance in U.S. Dollar accounts and investment balance of at least $75,000
Apr 24, 2020 | 9:42 am
#605
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Eco Travel, Signatures
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA, IHG & Marriott Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 51,882
HSBC Direct accounts are accessed through the same Username as other HSBC accounts. I do not know if the balance counts for Premier fee waiver purposes. Why not continue to have the direct deposit made to the Premier account, and periodically transfer funds to the Direct saving account?
Apr 30, 2020 | 6:34 pm
#607
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Eco Travel, Signatures
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA, IHG & Marriott Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 51,882
Email received: The Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on your HSBC Direct Savings account will be 1.60%1 starting May 04, 2020.
Apr 30, 2020 | 8:31 pm
#608
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,542
I also got that. However, it seems HSBC Direct Savings is generally one of the highest earning accounts. I guess Ill be sticking with it even though its getting me less.
May 1, 2020 | 7:58 am
#609
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 95
Just received Premier Checking sub ($750). I have been doing monthly $5000 DD (real one, from employer) to HSBC but not convinced that I want to continue long term. (Besides, I was pleasantly surprised to find out employer DD is very “nimble” and should bode well for future checking account subs 
).
So now debating if I should move $75K to be parked at HSBC Direct Savings to keep Premier status. HSBC MasterCards are not as good as BoA cards, at least not for my expenses. SUBs are ok, but will take up 5/24 slots. No Biz cards as far as I can tell. The decrease in APY isn’t surprising but still nudging me to the other direction a little more.
Hgrrr
).So now debating if I should move $75K to be parked at HSBC Direct Savings to keep Premier status. HSBC MasterCards are not as good as BoA cards, at least not for my expenses. SUBs are ok, but will take up 5/24 slots. No Biz cards as far as I can tell. The decrease in APY isn’t surprising but still nudging me to the other direction a little more.
Hgrrr
May 2, 2020 | 2:27 pm
#610
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,542
Just received Premier Checking sub ($750). I have been doing monthly $5000 DD (real one, from employer) to HSBC but not convinced that I want to continue long term. (Besides, I was pleasantly surprised to find out employer DD is very nimble and should bode well for future checking account subs ).
So now debating if I should move $75K to be parked at HSBC Direct Savings to keep Premier status. HSBC MasterCards are not as good as BoA cards, at least not for my expenses. SUBs are ok, but will take up 5/24 slots. No Biz cards as far as I can tell. The decrease in APY isnt surprising but still nudging me to the other direction a little more.
Hgrrr
).So now debating if I should move $75K to be parked at HSBC Direct Savings to keep Premier status. HSBC MasterCards are not as good as BoA cards, at least not for my expenses. SUBs are ok, but will take up 5/24 slots. No Biz cards as far as I can tell. The decrease in APY isnt surprising but still nudging me to the other direction a little more.
Hgrrr
The one thing I think theyre missing is no ATMs fees international. However, this is a decent trade off since there are HSBC ATMs in many countries anyway.
May 2, 2020 | 2:28 pm
#611
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,542
One of the reasons I signed up for the HSBC credit card was Boingo (I was sad to see AMEX lose this). It seems to work well in Asia with random hotel WiFi. However, I just used my Boingo login on an AA viasat flight. Thats pretty awesome.
May 6, 2020 | 12:41 pm
#612
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,542
Looks like the HSBC World Elite MasterCard is adding 3x at grocery stores through June 30th. I wonder is CVS/Walgreens would count.
Earn 3X Points on grocery purchases1 - including grocery stores, convenience stores, and wholesale clubs. As we adapt to these unprecedented times, HSBC is enhancing the value of your card to meet your needs. These special offers are available to you now through June 30, 2020.
May 7, 2020 | 5:54 am
#613
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,229
I'm curious what people see as being attractive in the HSBC World Elite MC for $395 a year? I'm looking for a replacement for my City National Bank Crystal Infinite card, and will likely go with the Chase Sapphire Reserve once travel resumes. Similarly, the HSBC Premier MC has a few OK perks for no fee with an HSBC funded account, but again, not sure if it's worth moving money for. Just wondering if I'm missing something?
May 7, 2020 | 12:21 pm
#614
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,542
I'm curious what people see as being attractive in the HSBC World Elite MC for $395 a year? I'm looking for a replacement for my City National Bank Crystal Infinite card, and will likely go with the Chase Sapphire Reserve once travel resumes. Similarly, the HSBC Premier MC has a few OK perks for no fee with an HSBC funded account, but again, not sure if it's worth moving money for. Just wondering if I'm missing something?
What I like about my HSBC World Elite card
- Boingo benefit (this was removed from AMEX Platinum). This works well in Asia and at a few airports in the US.
- The $100 Uber/Lyft credit and $100 travel credit are straight forward to use. This doesn't require jumping through hoops like with AMEX.
- Not many points transfer partners but they have the ones I use most anyway (SQ and BA).
- Other MasterCard benefits (not unique to HSBC) is the Postmates $5 off $25, $5 Fandago credit when you buy 2 tickets, $10 Lyft credit when you take 5 rides in a month.
- 1.5cpp through their travel portal (see IT comment below)
- I haven't tested this yet but I believe these cards are Chip and Pin (I set up a pin via their phone system). This would in theory let you use things like vending machines for train tickets in Europe.
- HSBC IT is pretty bad. Looks like they haven't updated anything from the early 2000s. This includes their benefit administrator who runs the credit card rewards and travel portal.
May 7, 2020 | 12:54 pm
#615
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Delta Platinum, United Platinum
Posts: 37
Gotta say HSBC has the worst credit card system in the world. They offer different credit cards, but each of those credit cards have different redemption rates so watch up. Meaning it may look great on face value, but the points earned based on the card you have, will be adjusted when you go and transfer to airline partners. Terrible scam, and that's from someone who has mortgages in both US and Canada from them.