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HSBC to add hotel points transfers to its UK loyalty credit cards

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HSBC sent out a slightly cryptic email yesterday to holders of its Rewards Credit Card, Premier Credit Card and Premier World Elite Credit Card.

The gist of the email was to explain that a new online loyalty portal will be set up in July which will become the place to go for cardholders to order rewards.

What’s interesting is this line:

HSBC to offer hotel points

“We’re updating the Rules to take account of these changes to the Programme. There are some new terms relating to vouchers and, if you hold a Premier Credit Card or Premier World Elite™ Mastercard®, we’re also updating the terms that apply when you redeem Reward Points for airline miles or hotel points.”

Later it says:

“You can request to transfer points to an airline frequent flyer or hotel programme via the Loyalty Portal. You’ll be able to check the available options and their points value there.”

At present, HSBC Premier current account holders who take out a Premier credit card can transfer the points earned to:

  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Asia Miles
  • Etihad Guest

There are no hotel partners. Clearly there will be soon …. but there is no indication of who they may be.

(EDIT: The comments below suggest IHG and Marriott, based on what HSBC offers in Hong Kong. Hilton is not involved, I know that much. As both IHG and Marriott are now pseudo-revenue based redemptions this may make it underwhelming given that HSBC lets you also turns points into real cash via gift vouchers.)

As the HSBC credit cards are from Mastercard – and there are currently no Mastercard or Visa credit cards open to new applicants that earn hotel points – this could be interesting.

You can find out more about the benefits of the HSBC Premier World Elite credit card in this article. We look at the benefits of the free HSBC Premier credit card here.

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Comments (43)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Neil says:
    27 May27 May 05:58

    Vueling flies direct from Birmingham to Barcelona and Paris which is missing off your list

    • tony says:
      27 May27 May 07:31

      And similarly Newcastle to Barcelona & Paris

      • tony says:
        27 May27 May 07:36

        Actually just Paris, from where they sell a connecting service to BCN, but I also see Glasgow-Paris. Not sure what else….

  • DJ says:
    27 May27 May 06:45

    Re HSBC .. I really hope this includes IHG ….

    • Ian M says:
      27 May27 May 07:51

      That would be very good if the points were to count towards status

      • Harry T says:
        27 May27 May 07:57

        Agree with Ian but Bonvoy points would be better!

        • peteryu says:
          27 May27 May 08:18

          From the Hong Kong version of the HSBC credit card both IHG and Bonvoy are included

          • Rob says:
            27 May27 May 08:54

            Thanks. Hilton is not involved, I believe, so this makes sense.

            However, as IHG and, from 2023, Bonvoy are effectively revenue based redemptions it may be a wash out. No point getting hotel points worth under 1p with no upside possibility vs 1p cash.

        • polly says:
          27 May27 May 08:22

          Exactly what am hoping for…

        • meta says:
          27 May27 May 09:35

          Hyatt would be even better.

      • Rui N. says:
        27 May27 May 08:27

        Of course it won’t. The new IHG One programme is very clear that CC points do not count toward status. Creation points have been grandfathered, but certainly they won’t allow new CCs to now start counting toward status.

        • Ian M says:
          27 May27 May 08:36

          Sometimes a loyalty program’s terms can be very clear, but the reality in real world can be rather different 🙂

          • Rui N. says:
            27 May27 May 09:09

            They’ve been removing the ability to earn status points in a lot of places over the last few years (Virgin points, e.g.), they’ve now made it official that CC points do not count and removed in a lot more places because of that, and you think they’ll backtrack on this? Dream on.

    • DJ says:
      27 May27 May 09:54

      I don’t personally care about the eligibility for status progression.

      I am hoping that it would be something like 1 HSBC Point = 1 IHG Point, that would encourage me to renew my World Elite card.

      • Harry T says:
        27 May27 May 10:08

        You’d be far better off sending HSBC points to air miles if it’s 1:1 with IHG, surely?

        • Rob says:
          27 May27 May 10:20

          Even if it’s 1:2 to IHG then Avios at 1:1 would still be better, yes – especially with the semi-regular 25% conversion bonuses.

          Bonvoy at 1:2 would be nearer parity with the value of Avios.

          Remember too that you could cash out HSBC points for, well, cash and then buy IHG or Marriott points with the money when a big bonus is running.

          IHG at 1:2 is a total bust though. 1:3 or 1:2.5 vs Avios would be fairer.

          • DJ says:
            27 May27 May 11:01

            I thought at the moment 2 HSBC Points = 1 Avios?

            So 1 HSBC Point = 1 IHG Rewards point is not far off ..

          • Rob says:
            27 May27 May 11:04

            Yes, it does. For simplicity I was talking 1:1 in terms of comparison to the Avios rate.

            Realisticaly we’d need 0.8:1 to IHG for it to equal the current 2:1 to Avios.

  • Jonathan says:
    27 May27 May 07:35

    About a few days ago, it was suggested that anyone who has the HSBC credit cards should probably get rid of them…

    There was no mention that the cards are still very good options for those collecting Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Asia Miles, Etihad Guest and not interested in collecting Avios

    • polly says:
      27 May27 May 08:30

      Jonathan, l think the discussion was around weighing up the HSBC card benefits v the new Barclaycard avios cards. Earning rates, lounge passes v upgrade voucher, solo traveller etc. it’s a close call. Didn’t get the impression there was advice to get rid of them. They work very well, generally. Systems needs updating, to say the least.
      But if they bring Bonvoy, IHG etc on board, it’s a whole new ball game.

      • memesweeper says:
        27 May27 May 09:34

        The problem with the premium card is the annual fee. It’s so high you have to push a huge spend through to get value. The standard card earns at a lower rate. I’m downgrading now, and my day-to-day non-Amex spend will be with Chase or Curve with HH Barclays behind. Both remain a better bet than HSBC for now IMO.

        • Red Flyer says:
          27 May27 May 09:41

          HSBC have cancelled my fee 2 years running now – 1 automatically and 1 this year on request.

          • Adil says:
            27 May27 May 12:10

            What was your annual spend if you don’t mind me asking, i put about 16k through my World Elite and they recommended I should downgrade to the free one when I asked if they had any retention offers.

          • Reney says:
            27 May27 May 13:35

            May I ask when did you make this request and the reason you used? This is the first successful case I have read.

        • Jonathan says:
          27 May27 May 09:54

          If you’ve got half a million in rainy day money, then your card is free ! Don’t ask me about additional cardholders !

          • Rob says:
            27 May27 May 10:43

            It’s £1m now. You get a free supplementary card too.

            By the way, for anyone who has HSBC Jade, they have started giving out free tickets to some half-decent events (the concours at the HAC in the City next month is available, for eg, and that is usually £50 per head).

          • Pangolin says:
            27 May27 May 12:11

            I’ll check down the back of the sofa and see what I can find

  • ChrisBCN says:
    27 May27 May 07:47

    Vueling also has (direct) Paris to Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Newcastle.

  • PeterK says:
    27 May27 May 07:50

    Seeing on a regular basis the horrendous and growing queues at Gatwick for vueling checkin, I will avoid booking them until I see a marked improvement. vueling has consistently under provided check in facilities at LGW.

  • Gary_Dexter says:
    27 May27 May 07:52

    I don’t think this applies to the Rewards Credit Card which uses the Mastercard Pay With Rewards programme.

    As a holder of a Rewards Credit card myself I received no such email.

    • Rob says:
      27 May27 May 08:55

      Rewards members use the new portal but won’t be able to convert to hotels. Check your spam, my email was in there.

      • Gary_Dexter says:
        27 May27 May 10:34

        Definitely not there. I have the HSBC newsletter etc. domains whitelisted. Strange.

  • Speedbird676 says:
    27 May27 May 09:10

    The email was very cryptic. I hadn’t clocked the bit about hotel partners because I was more worried BA wouldn’t feature in the new portal.

    • Rob says:
      27 May27 May 10:00

      I thought they might cut BA as part of the Barclaycard deal, but the new T&C also say that HSBC will give you decent notice if any partners are being withdrawn and obviously no notice has been given.

  • Ash Raj says:
    27 May27 May 09:10

    Maybe a card with world of Hyatt coversion would be great

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