The HSBC Premier Mastercards thread

[Mick S]

just called them, to be fair, they answered quickly and I spoke to someone who came across as knowledgeable.

so, for anyone who has recently just gone into year two who received 40,000 bonus and has since had these reversed – these points are NOT the 2nd year bonus points. The bonus points are awarded within 60 days of the renewal date. So if your 2nd year started on 15th September, the points could take until 15th November to land in your account.

the points which were awarded and then reversed are a system error, and have been swept out of all the accounts which received them.

I hope this helps for anyone else who has had the same experience.

(a courtesy email from HSBC would have been nice, and would have saved a lot of stress)

[Luca M]

So, it looks like I rushed to put £2k through my card in September chasing this hidden bonus for nothing… could have put the same amount through BAPP and received 50% more Avios at least…

[Marc]

Luca M wrote:

So, it looks like I rushed to put £2k through my card in September chasing this hidden bonus for nothing… could have put the same amount through BAPP and received 50% more Avios at least…

Except it has never been a “hidden bonus” but simply a bug after the introduction of their new loyalty portal. Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose. It’s been clear from the be beginning that there would be a risk of HSBC not honouring it.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

Marc wrote:

Luca M wrote:

So, it looks like I rushed to put £2k through my card in September chasing this hidden bonus for nothing… could have put the same amount through BAPP and received 50% more Avios at least…

Except it has never been a “hidden bonus” but simply a bug after the introduction of their new loyalty portal. Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose. It’s been clear from the be beginning that there would be a risk of HSBC not honouring it.

As someone once said quite recently, “Them’s the breaks” @Luca M …

[yorkieflyer]

I do hope some bright soul didn’t ring up to seek clarification on the “offer”

[points_worrier]

Mick S wrote:

so, for anyone who has recently just gone into year two who received 40,000 bonus and has since had these reversed – these points are NOT the 2nd year bonus points. The bonus points are awarded within 60 days of the renewal date. So if your 2nd year started on 15th September, the points could take until 15th November to land in your account.

It’s been 60 days and I haven’t received my 2nd year points. But I have had my 40k removed. Has anyone had their year 2 bonus under the new system?

[colinc57]

Any news regarding a 25% conversion bonus?

[Mick S]

I opened my card in August 2021 but was told on the phone that my renewal was September 2022 (which seems odd).
anyway, I’ll be all over this in the first week in November if its still not posted.

let us all know please how you get on when you decide to get after it. Thanks

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

colinc57 wrote:

Any news regarding a 25% conversion bonus?

Someone posted in another thread today that it may be back:
https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/possible-25-bonus-for-transferring-hsbc-to-avios/

[rahaney]

Guernsey Globetrotter wrote:

colinc57 wrote:

Any news regarding a 25% conversion bonus?

Someone posted in another thread today that it may be back:
https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/possible-25-bonus-for-transferring-hsbc-to-avios/

Previous reply didn’t post?
25% confirmed – see other thread.
Thanks to both Jimbob and GG!

[rahaney]

Guernsey Globetrotter wrote:

colinc57 wrote:

Any news regarding a 25% conversion bonus?

Someone posted in another thread today that it may be back:
https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/possible-25-bonus-for-transferring-hsbc-to-avios/

Confirmed.
Many thanks @Jimbob
Just did 10k points -> 5k avios plus 1250. Transfer instantaneous.
Thanks @Guernsey globetrotter for highlighting too!

[colinc57]

Thanks, that was good timing.

[Mick S]

anyone else not had any posted for a while? I’ve used my card daily and the last points were awarded on 23rd September.

[rahaney]

Mick S wrote:

anyone else not had any posted for a while? I’ve used my card daily and the last points were awarded on 23rd September.

Depends what you were spending on. Recent changes to the reward portal a few months back have resulted in many categories not receiving any points anymore. They are also not showing them on statements anymore – you have to log in to the reward portal -> spend you points -> points earned (down the bottom).

[Mick S]

usual stuff – supermarket, coffee chains, McDonalds. Nothing is showing in the reward portal since 23rd September. Apart from the 40k which were added in error and removed on 3rd Oct.

[Mick S]

all via curve I should add – i wonder if that’s what the issue is then?
add to the above – train ticket, Manchester metrolink, and dentist. None of the transactions are showing on the reward portal

[polly]

Nothing on mine since our statement date of 15/9. Ours mix of curve from France, rest all U.K. paid with the WE card, mysterious.

[SteveJ]

Are there any switching incentives for the Premier account or any SUBs more than the 40k?

Not currently an HSBC customer, about to jump on the bandwagon, want to make sure I’m not missing a trick.

[Mick S]

probably not worth the aggravation if you’re not already a customer.

The renewal bonus isn’t getting paid, genuine transactions don’t attract points. That’s on a good day.
recently they’ve made changes. Some transactions now don’t qualify for points, and you’ll also get slugged with cash fees.

For the amount of points for the annual fee involved, plus the aggravation and all the messing about I wouldn’t bother. When my 2nd year is up I’m closing all my HSBC accounts – not just downgrading, I’m out.

[SteveJ]

Thanks for the insight Mick! I have some reasonably significant MasterCard or Visa only spend coming up, this seems like the only SUB in town (other than the BC which I’ve already done)

[JDB]

Mick S wrote:

probably not worth the aggravation if you’re not already a customer.

The renewal bonus isn’t getting paid, genuine transactions don’t attract points. That’s on a good day.
recently they’ve made changes. Some transactions now don’t qualify for points, and you’ll also get slugged with cash fees.

For the amount of points for the annual fee involved, plus the aggravation and all the messing about I wouldn’t bother. When my 2nd year is up I’m closing all my HSBC accounts – not just downgrading, I’m out.

I think that’s quite a negative perspective. I opened a Premier account relatively recently after Tesco stopped giving Avios and the WE was at that time the best earning non Amex. The (free) Premier bank account gives you insurance that is better in most respects than Amex Plat (but no car hire excess). Also got WE at the same time for total 40k Avios SUB and have been charged no annual fee for main card or supp for two years in line with many others. No issues with lounge acccess. They have just paid a large foreign s75 claim – a bit slow but no fuss. I got the extra 40k points recently and not removed, now transferred with bonus to Avios. Not seeing non points earning transactions. The app is no better or worse than others and I would say service is also about the same. I will use the WE less now with Barclaycard in town but I’m not going to get rid of as it still has considerable value to me at least.

[Mick S]

perhaps, yes. just sick of bad IT systems and endless issues this organisation seems to have though.

I seem to recall having the free card when I opened the Premier account. To upgrade to World Elite I had to mess about filling in a paper form (which took HSBC 3 attempts to get it over to me) and actually take this into branch. I really hope they’ve sorted that out, it’s 2022 for heavens sake, not 1990.

[JosephH]

Does anyone have recent experience, are HSBC back to charging the £195 annual card fee? Last year’s got waived I believe (due to covid/lack of travel?), with my renewal coming up in early November I’m seriously thinking about cancelling before it hits…

[rahaney]

JosephH wrote:

Does anyone have recent experience, are HSBC back to charging the £195 annual card fee? Last year’s got waived I believe (due to covid/lack of travel?), with my renewal coming up in early November I’m seriously thinking about cancelling before it hits…

Yep it’s back to normal now. Mine was charged in April…

Going to drop to the free Premier before next time myself

[Mick S]

Mick S wrote:

probably not worth the aggravation if you’re not already a customer.

The renewal bonus isn’t getting paid, genuine transactions don’t attract points. That’s on a good day.
recently they’ve made changes. Some transactions now don’t qualify for points, and you’ll also get slugged with cash fees.

For the amount of points for the annual fee involved, plus the aggravation and all the messing about I wouldn’t bother. When my 2nd year is up I’m closing all my HSBC accounts – not just downgrading, I’m out.

update – finally seen a couple of transactions attract points again, these are where I’ve used the card directly. Several transactions a few days earlier with Curve have still not gained points.

I can only conclude any transactions with Curve with this underlying card are literally pointless now.