The HSBC Premier Mastercards thread

[SamG]

Guernsey Globetrotter wrote:

SamG wrote:

Hmm I have more than I thought so ideally I’d keep them in there until the secret Avios bonus appears again.

I’ll try calling again tomorrow

@SamG the secret bonus is currently running until 03 August according to this recent article!

https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/07/06/bonus-on-hsbc-premier-credit-card-points-conversions-to-avios/

Forgot about that! Thanks!

[travelersolo]

So just had an email from hsbc “We’re happy to let you know that we’re changing the airport lounge access benefit provided with your Premier World Elite Credit Card. This will change from LoungeKey to Priority Pass™ membership from 1 October 2023. ”

I find loungekey useful for dining credits at participating airport restaurans , does anyone know if priority pass have similar arrangements as I think priority pass for amex cards don’t usually have credits

[moody]

Just received the same – the main reason I have this card is for the dining credits at Heathrow and Gatwick – if these are going with the change to Priority Pass I will be looking to cancel.

[BurberryC]

I have the basic premier card, in addition to the change to PP – they’re passing along the price increase.

Airport lounge access will now be £24 per person, per visit. This will be applied to your Premier Credit Card.

[Rob]

moody wrote:

Just received the same – the main reason I have this card is for the dining credits at Heathrow and Gatwick – if these are going with the change to Priority Pass I will be looking to cancel.

Eh? Priority Pass is LoungeKey+.

Only Amex blocks the dining credits. All other banks globally that issue Priority Pass include them.

[moody]

Rob Burgess wrote:

moody wrote:

Just received the same – the main reason I have this card is for the dining credits at Heathrow and Gatwick – if these are going with the change to Priority Pass I will be looking to cancel.

Eh? Priority Pass is LoungeKey+.

Only Amex blocks the dining credits. All other banks globally that issue Priority Pass include them.

Well that’s a relief!

[phil-lavin]

Rob – can you do an article on what the change means?

I’ve not had HSBC Premier long as it was a debacle-and-a-half getting my account upgraded, so I haven’t had chance to use LoungeKey yet.

I had Amex Gold a couple of years back, with Priority Pass, but I cancelled it as I never managed to get into a UK lounge with it given they were always full, for walk-ins. Looks like you can now pre-book, though. That said, £24 plus £6 booking fee per person doesn’t fill me with enthusiasm. 60 quid, for 2 people, would get you pretty far in Weatherspoons…

[Froggee]

@phil-lavin – the cardholder is free so it should be £36 to pre-book entry for two.

And you can get a supplementary card for an annual £60 fee which comes with its own entry so if you had another half that travelled a bit, either on their own or with you then this might be worth paying for.

[phil-lavin]

@Froggee – I have the free card. Never managed to justify the fee on the world elite card, as the benefits aren’t great as compared to BA Amex and Barclaycard Avios. I have LoungeKey for the odd occasions that we’re not flying BA Club and barclaycard dragonpass doesn’t give you access to a lounge (e.g. Las Vegas)

[Numpty]

How do you use the dining credit with Loungekey? Show them digital Loungekey card? or tell them its loungekey and use HSBC card? not yet had the chance to use Loungekey to know – and wont get the chance to test out until the end of Sept, just before it switches.

In the case of LHR T5, can you use the dining credit, and then (say) an hour later use the Aspire lounge for free?

Sometime this month it needs HSBC to clarify how to active PP account – I tested it out last night using card number option to activate account and was told my card number was already registered to an account! Sure it will sort itself out nearer the time.

[09R]

Just transferred some HSBC points to BAEC and didnt get the bonus. I know that in the past promotions have run pasted the expiration date but this one is officially dead for now..

[nectar collector]

Numpty wrote:

How do you use the dining credit with Loungekey? Show them digital Loungekey card? or tell them its loungekey and use HSBC card? not yet had the chance to use Loungekey to know – and wont get the chance to test out until the end of Sept, just before it switches.

In the case of LHR T5, can you use the dining credit, and then (say) an hour later use the Aspire lounge for free?

Sometime this month it needs HSBC to clarify how to active PP account – I tested it out last night using card number option to activate account and was told my card number was already registered to an account! Sure it will sort itself out nearer the time.

+1 with the already registered issue – have raised a query with PP customer services , will post any useful reply

[yorkieflyer]

nectar collector wrote:

Numpty wrote:

How do you use the dining credit with Loungekey? Show them digital Loungekey card? or tell them its loungekey and use HSBC card? not yet had the chance to use Loungekey to know – and wont get the chance to test out until the end of Sept, just before it switches.

In the case of LHR T5, can you use the dining credit, and then (say) an hour later use the Aspire lounge for free?

Sometime this month it needs HSBC to clarify how to active PP account – I tested it out last night using card number option to activate account and was told my card number was already registered to an account! Sure it will sort itself out nearer the time.

+1 with the already registered issue – have raised a query with PP customer services , will post any useful reply

I hope we can register and activate before the 1 October as that’s when we will be travelling

[Numpty]

At a guess, because the HSBC card number is associated with Loungekey, and Collinson own them and PP they might be checking the card number against a database of numbers that combines Loungekey and PP. Probably accepted something in the Ts n Cs that allows it!

[snuptz]

Numpty wrote:

How do you use the dining credit with Loungekey? Show them digital Loungekey card? or tell them its loungekey and use HSBC card? not yet had the chance to use Loungekey to know – and wont get the chance to test out until the end of Sept, just before it switches.

In the case of LHR T5, can you use the dining credit, and then (say) an hour later use the Aspire lounge for free?

Sometime this month it needs HSBC to clarify how to active PP account – I tested it out last night using card number option to activate account and was told my card number was already registered to an account! Sure it will sort itself out nearer the time.

I used LoungeKey with my HSBC Premier World Elite recently as a dining credit and then I went into a lounge, no problem. Heck, I used in the past to visit 3 lounges one after the other in Singapore, no problems again. I showed them my CC saying it’s loungekey and they processed it.

Need to look into activating PP, my World Elite comes for renewal and me and my partner do travel a fair bit so I think it might just be worth it to pay the annual fee again. Hopefully PP would work the same or better then LoungeKey

[Rob]

I tried to register my HSBC WE with PP today and it failed. The problem may be that I have LoungeKey and PP accounts already under the same email address (LK from HSBC, PP from Amex Plat).

[yorkieflyer]

Rob Burgess wrote:

I tried to register my HSBC WE with PP today and it failed. The problem may be that I have LoungeKey and PP accounts already under the same email address (LK from HSBC, PP from Amex Plat).

but can we do anything till 1 October?

[Adder]

Anyone know if there’s a difference between the UK card and the Expat one (run out of Jersey)? There doesn’t appear to be but keen to hear if anyone knows better!

(I know the expat one is currently not taking applications)

[yorkieflyer]

yorkieflyer wrote:

Rob Burgess wrote:

I tried to register my HSBC WE with PP today and it failed. The problem may be that I have LoungeKey and PP accounts already under the same email address (LK from HSBC, PP from Amex Plat).

but can we do anything till 1 October?

Well, thought I’d take one for the team and call PP. The answer was that it can’t be registered before the 1st October, the call handler seemed to know what she was talking about so we shall see. I’ll be hoping that I get in the Plaza premium lounge at 0600 in Singapore on the 1st October using Loungekey!local time ie 2300 BST/2200 GMT 30 September

[alma]

Adder wrote:

Anyone know if there’s a difference between the UK card and the Expat one (run out of Jersey)? There doesn’t appear to be but keen to hear if anyone knows better!

(I know the expat one is currently not taking applications)

Last time I checked (few monts ago) the differences I noticed were as follows:

– recent +25% Avios promotion was only available on the UK card but not on the Jersey one (someone correct me if I’m wrong)
– there were minor differences in the availabilty of HSBC “offers” as per their terms – most of these are completely useless imo but for example the 15% off heathrow express is only for the UK issued card – meaning that in theory you can only use them with the referenced card, but often these don’t mean much in practice (YMMV)
– the Jersey card still had the sleek design (very important of course)

would be curious if anyone is aware of more differences or if there is/was also an Avios promo for the Expat card.

[Numpty]

Today is/was the day for the switch from Loungekey to Priority Pass. Not heard anything from HSBC and their website still states Loungekey. Same error as before for trying to activate PP using Mastercard credit card number. I’d have thought HSBC would be a bit more on it – but then again.

[yorkieflyer]

Numpty wrote:

Today is/was the day for the switch from Loungekey to Priority Pass. Not heard anything from HSBC and their website still states Loungekey. Same error as before for trying to activate PP using Mastercard credit card number. I’d have thought HSBC would be a bit more on it – but then again.

Agreed same here, error as before. Accessed Singapore plaza premium quoting LoungeKey at 0545 local time today 1 October, so before midnight UK time

[travelersolo]

Open the LK app if you still have it installed, a pop up should appear to activate PP but doesn’t work for me. I’ve got a pp membership with my amex registered under same email address as my LK was so maybe that’s I’m having issue with activation

[Numpty]

Right got it. Got the pop up message in LK app after waiting a bit and clicked on the World Elite button – it refuses card details. Clicked on the ‘Premier Card’ option, and it takes you to a Priority Pass webpage, and it all worked fine. Was concerned Id signed up for the paid for visits version of PP, but account shows it as unlimited visits and with HSBC logo. Digital card added to Apple wallet.

[nectar collector]

Numpty wrote:

Right got it. Got the pop up message in LK app after waiting a bit and clicked on the World Elite button – it refuses card details. Clicked on the ‘Premier Card’ option, and it takes you to a Priority Pass webpage, and it all worked fine. Was concerned Id signed up for the paid for visits version of PP, but account shows it as unlimited visits and with HSBC logo. Digital card added to Apple wallet.

Thank you !