Last edit by: TravelinSperry
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) 1:25:1
Iberia (Avios) 1:25:1
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) 1:25:1
Emirates 1:1
HOTELS
Accor 2:1
Wyndham 1.25:1
ONE WORLD
British Airways (Avios) 1:25:1
Iberia (Avios) 1:25:1
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) 1:25:1
Emirates 1:1
HOTELS
Accor 2:1
Wyndham 1.25:1
HSBC Premier World MasterCard
#616
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
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.
#617
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
#618
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,936
You're not missing anything. Are the cards alright? Yeah. Are they better than AMEX/Chase offerings? Not really. I wouldn't go out of my way to get this card (opening an account just for this). AMEX Platinum is good for perks and Chase Sapprhire Reserve is good for easy (but not the most generous) points earning.
#619
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: AS; Hyatt Globalist; Hilton Gold; NEXUS
Posts: 976
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?
It all depends on your needs. I product changed a free Hilton AMEX to the Aspire. I did it for a few reasons - it's easy for us to use the free weekend night and resort credit, I like getting diamond status included, and I avoided a hard pull by doing an upgrade. I also got a pretty decent 150,000 point upgrade bonus. It pays out poorly in terms of points for everyday spend, but for ancillary benefits, it's not a bad card... and anyway we put most of our spend on a legacy Priceline Visa which gets 3.3% back when redeemed certain ways.
I considered the HSBC card. I was a client of HSBC's back in the early 2000s when they rebranded the Marine Midland banks in upstate New York. I didn't like the lack of PP on this card (we're lucky in that most airports we care about have PP lounges) and I didn't like the relationship requirements to lower the fee, either. HSBC was fine back then but they were a pretty vanilla bank and have since re-oriented their US market focus towards customers that value their presence in Asia. If you value that, it might be a good fit. As for me, I'm happy with Alliant CU as our main checking account and our menagerie of online savings accounts.
As for CSR and AMEX Plat, they really weren't considerations in my case. I didn't want to pay an AU fee for my wife, and I was looking for a card mainly with solid benefits at the expense of good earn/burn rates. Since we can use the Aspire benefits and make the AF net-negative, that made the card more appealing to us.
#620
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,936
I am a fellow CNB refugee.
It all depends on your needs. I product changed a free Hilton AMEX to the Aspire. I did it for a few reasons - it's easy for us to use the free weekend night and resort credit, I like getting diamond status included, and I avoided a hard pull by doing an upgrade. I also got a pretty decent 150,000 point upgrade bonus. It pays out poorly in terms of points for everyday spend, but for ancillary benefits, it's not a bad card... and anyway we put most of our spend on a legacy Priceline Visa which gets 3.3% back when redeemed certain ways.
I considered the HSBC card. I was a client of HSBC's back in the early 2000s when they rebranded the Marine Midland banks in upstate New York. I didn't like the lack of PP on this card (we're lucky in that most airports we care about have PP lounges) and I didn't like the relationship requirements to lower the fee, either. HSBC was fine back then but they were a pretty vanilla bank and have since re-oriented their US market focus towards customers that value their presence in Asia. If you value that, it might be a good fit. As for me, I'm happy with Alliant CU as our main checking account and our menagerie of online savings accounts.
As for CSR and AMEX Plat, they really weren't considerations in my case. I didn't want to pay an AU fee for my wife, and I was looking for a card mainly with solid benefits at the expense of good earn/burn rates. Since we can use the Aspire benefits and make the AF net-negative, that made the card more appealing to us.
It all depends on your needs. I product changed a free Hilton AMEX to the Aspire. I did it for a few reasons - it's easy for us to use the free weekend night and resort credit, I like getting diamond status included, and I avoided a hard pull by doing an upgrade. I also got a pretty decent 150,000 point upgrade bonus. It pays out poorly in terms of points for everyday spend, but for ancillary benefits, it's not a bad card... and anyway we put most of our spend on a legacy Priceline Visa which gets 3.3% back when redeemed certain ways.
I considered the HSBC card. I was a client of HSBC's back in the early 2000s when they rebranded the Marine Midland banks in upstate New York. I didn't like the lack of PP on this card (we're lucky in that most airports we care about have PP lounges) and I didn't like the relationship requirements to lower the fee, either. HSBC was fine back then but they were a pretty vanilla bank and have since re-oriented their US market focus towards customers that value their presence in Asia. If you value that, it might be a good fit. As for me, I'm happy with Alliant CU as our main checking account and our menagerie of online savings accounts.
As for CSR and AMEX Plat, they really weren't considerations in my case. I didn't want to pay an AU fee for my wife, and I was looking for a card mainly with solid benefits at the expense of good earn/burn rates. Since we can use the Aspire benefits and make the AF net-negative, that made the card more appealing to us.
I have a boatload of CNB points that I'd like to use before the card renews in November. My intent was to book a large trip for next summer, but we shall see if/how travel resumes. I can downgrade the card if I need to hang on to the points for a bit longer, but for a net of $50, I may be forced to keep the card for another year. I have far too many points to redeem for Amazon cards. I just hate what they did to their Priority Pass program in terms of not permitting any complimentary guests.
It's interesting that you mentioned Marine Midland bank, as we lived in upstate NY for a few years when I was a child. I remember that bank, although I'm not certain if my parents had an account there.
Last edited by TTT103; May 9, 2020 at 6:57 am
#622
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Banks like HSBC are not trying to compete with the credit card factories. These cards exist to give their deposit /loan clients a "good enough" product and reduce the risk that those clients will move their banking relationship to Chase or Citi.
#623
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
#625
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: SFO/LAX/SAN/LAS/DFW/JFK/LGA/EWR/MIA
Posts: 1,073
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.
one thing that shocked me were the massive differences between the US, CA, UK versions of this card. especially the annual fee. its crazy. i had to double check i was looking at the same product. design also looks slightly different.
https://www.us.hsbc.com/credit-cards/products/premier-elite
https://www.hsbc.ca/credit-cards/pro...er-world-elite
https://www.hsbc.co.uk/credit-cards/...er-world-elite
does anyone know if someone could get this card for each country via opening HSBC bank accounts in their respective country (international services)? im sure someone must have tried this.
Last edited by GundamWing01; Jun 14, 2020 at 3:14 am
#626
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,016
#627
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Starting on June 29, 2020 the Annual Percentage Yield (APY)1 on your Premier Savings account(s) will be as follows:
- If you maintain balances $250,000 or greater, the APY will be 0.70%.
- If you maintain balances $100,000 or greater but less than $250,000, the APY will be 0.70%.
- If you maintain balances $25,000 or greater but less than $100,000, the APY will be 0.65%.
- If you maintain balances less than $25,000, the APY will be 0.56%.
#629
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
Is there an advantage to a Premier Savings over HSBC Direct? I have HSBC Direct and the rates aren't as good as they use to be they are somewhat competitive with other banks.
Unrelated, the 3x on groceries has been extended through the end of August.
Unrelated, the 3x on groceries has been extended through the end of August.
#630
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Premier sometimes has Promotional rates for "new" money. For example, there was an offer in May at 1.5% guaranteed for 90 days, after which the rate will no doubt be reduced. While "new" money is required to open the account, additional funds can be moved from other HSBC accounts, including HSBC Direct.