HSBC credit cards

HSBC is a major global bank. In Australia, many of its credit card offers are aimed at travelers and frequent flyers. HSBC has its own reward program, HSBC Rewards Plus, and it has a Platinum Qantas Card - and a card that lets you choose from either program.

HSBC also has a credit card that lets you earn Star Alliance Network points and get on the fast track to Gold Status.

Compare HSBC Credit Card Offers

Name	Purchase rate p.a.	Annual fee	Balance transfer rate p.a.	Amount Saved
HSBC Platinum Credit Card HSBC Rewards Plus	Purchase rate p.a. 19.99%	Annual fee $0 first year ($149 after)	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Amount saved $778.32 over 12 months	More Info Compare	Save money with a 0% p.a. balance transfer rate for 12 months (with a one-time 2% BT fee), a first-year annual fee waiver and free travel insurance.
HSBC Low Rate Credit Card	Purchase rate p.a. 12.99%	Annual fee $99	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 25.99%	Amount saved $828.32 over 12 months	More Info Compare	0% p.a. on balance transfers for 12 months. Plus, no overseas transaction fees and complimentary domestic travel insurance.
HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card Star Alliance	Purchase rate p.a. 19.99%	Annual fee $0 first year ($450 after)	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Amount saved $477.32 over 12 months	More Info Compare	Get Star Alliance Gold Status when you spend $4,000 or more on eligible purchases in the first 90 days. Plus, 0% interest for 6 months on eligible flights
HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card Qantas Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 19.99%	Annual fee $0 first year ($299 after)	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Amount saved $628.32 over 12 months	More Info Compare	Offers $0 annual fee for the first year and a 0% balance transfer offer. Plus, up to 1.5 Qantas Points per $1 and complimentary travel insurance.
HSBC Premier World Mastercard HSBC Rewards Plus / Qantas Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 19.99%	Annual fee $0	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Amount saved $927.32 over 12 months	More Info Compare	Earn points per $1 spent with a choice between HSBC Rewards Plus or HSBC Qantas Rewards. Plus, complimentary travel insurance and airport lounge access.
HSBC Corporate Card	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		More Info Compare	Offers real-time management of cards, individual spending limits, travel insurance protection and zero liability for misuse.

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Types of credit cards from HSBC

• HSBC rewards credit cards

The HSBC Platinum and HSBC Premier World Mastercard give you a way to earn points per $1 on your eligible spending through HSBC Rewards Plus. You can redeem your points for gift cards, cashback on your account and more. With the HSBC Premier World Mastercard, you can choose between the Qantas Rewards program or the HSBC Rewards Plus.

• HSBC frequent flyer credit cards

The HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card offers up to 1.5 Qantas Point per $1 on all eligible spending in the first year, plus complimentary travel insurance.

The HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card earns up to 1 Star Alliance Point per $1, which you can transfer to a choice of 7 Star Alliance partners, including Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Air Canada Aeroplan and Air New Zealand Airpoints. You can also access more benefits by flying with your chosen airline's Gold Status program (if you meet the requirements).

• HSBC balance transfer credit card offers

Most HSBC cards have a 0% balance transfer offer for 12 months with a 2% fee. This lets you combine or transfer existing card debts and start paying them off with an interest-free period.

You will need to request a balance transfer when applying for a card.

• HSBC low rate credit cards

The HSBC Low Rate Credit Card has a 12.99% p.a. interest rate for purchases, which is competitive with other low rate credit cards in Australia. It also offers complimentary domestic travel insurance and no foreign transaction fees, which are nice perks for a low rate card.

• Corporate credit cards

The HSBC Corporate Card is suited to businesses that want access to credit and expense management tools. It allows you to classify spend limits by departments and business units, offers complimentary travel insurance and includes zero liability for misuse.

Features you can get with an HSBC credit card

HSBC has a strong set of programs that come with its cards, offering discounts on various shopping, travel and experience categories.

• HSBC Instant Savings

HSBC Instant Savings is an app for HSBC card customers. It gives you access to over 4,500 offers for things like restaurants, hotels, cafes, cinemas, groceries and more.

You can get discounts of 5% to 50% depending on where you shop, as long as you use your credit card. This can be a great money saving perk if you take advantage of deals on offer.

• HSBC home&Away Privilege Program

This program gives you access to special offers and discounts with partners in Australia and around the world when you use your HSBC credit card. To give you an idea of the options, when Finder looked on the HSBC home&Away website in March 2024, we saw deals like:

• 10% off Agoda hotel bookings
• 10% of Avis car rentals
• 15% off Mondaine watches

• Mobile wallets and contactless payments

You can add any personal HSBC credit card details to Apple Pay or Google Pay and use your eligible smartphone or smartwatch to make contactless payments.

• Online and mobile banking

You can check your balance, manage your account and send secure messages through HSBC's online and mobile banking platforms, as well as the HSBC app. With Online Banking, you can even set controls for your card based in the type of transaction, value or country.

How to apply for a HSBC credit card

You can apply for a HSBC credit card in around 10 minutes by filling in the online application form. To get started, make sure you meet the eligibility requirements and have the documents and details you need to include on the application.

Eligibility criteria

• • Age. You must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Residency status. You must be an Australian resident.
  • Income. The required income varies by card.
    

You'll need to meet the income requirements for your chosen HSBC credit card. For example, the HSBC Platinum Credit Card has a minimum income requirement of $40,000 per year and the HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card has a minimum income requirement of $75,000 per year.

• Credit history. You'll typically need a good credit score to get a credit card from HSBC.

Documents and details

• Personal information. This includes your current home address and previous home address if you’ve recently moved.
• Employer’s details. You will be asked to provide your employer’s contact details. If you’re self-employed you may also be asked to provide your accountant’s contact information.
• Financial information. The online application requires you to detail your financial situation. This includes information about your income, expenses, assets and liabilities. You may be required to confirm whether or not you have a mortgage or any dependent children and provide details regarding your savings and whether you get any income from assets such as shares or property.

What happens after you apply?

After submitting your application, you'll get a response within 60 seconds. You'll then be asked to upload supporting documentation. If you're approved, your card will be posted to you in the mail and you'll get further details about setting up your credit card account.

Credit card brands similar to HSBC

If you want a credit card from a global brand, here are 3 other credit card providers you could compare with HSBC:

• American Express Credit Cards
• Citi credit cards
• Macquarie Bank Credit Cards

Frequently asked questions

• How do I activate my HSBC credit card?

  You can activate your new HSBC credit card online or over the phone. To activate online:

  1. Log into your Internet banking account
  2. Select your credit card account
  3. Click on "Manage your account" then "Activate Card" and follow the prompts

  Alternatively, call 132 152 (or +612 9005 8511 if calling from abroad) and follow these steps:

  1. Enter your card number
  2. Follow the prompts to register your account for automated banking services
  3. Select the card activation option and then follow the prompts to complete this process

• How to pay my HSBC credit card?

  You can choose from the following options for making repayments on your HSBC credit card:

  • BPAY. Log into your Internet banking account and follow the instructions on how to set up a BPAY payment. The HSBC Biller Code is 17095 and your credit card account number is listed on your credit card statement. BPAY payments can take up to 2 business days to process and payments made after 6pm (EST) are only processed the next business day.
  • Direct debit. You can set up automated direct debits from your bank account to pay off your credit card each month. You can find the direct debit request form on the HSBC website. Your direct debit payments can be for a fixed monthly amount, the minimum amount or the full repayment amount.
  • HSBC branch. Take your HSBC credit card statement to an HSBC banking branch and you can pay it there with cash or EFTPOS.
  • Australia Post. Australia Post's Bank@Post service lets you pay your HSBC credit card account when you're at the post office. A $2.95 HSBC payment fee applies and you need to have your credit card statement with you to pay at Australia Post.

• How do I get interest-free finance with HSBC?

  HSBC has ended its long-term interest-free finance offers in 2023. It still offers interest-free days on purchases with eligible credit cards. But if you want to pay off large purchases over a long period of time, Finder's guide to interest-free finance has more options.

• What’s the minimum repayment on my HSBC credit card?

  You'll need to pay a minimum repayment of 3% or $30 for Low Rate cards and 3% or $20 (whichever is greater) for all other HSBC credit cards by the date listed on your statement each month.

• How do I apply for a HSBC balance transfer?

  If you want to take advantage of the balance transfer promotion available with HSBC credit cards, generally, you need to be a new customer applying for the credit card. You can elect to conduct a balance transfer from a non-HSBC credit card, store card or charge card while you're completing your application. Make sure that you include the name of your financial institution, the amount you want to transfer and details of the account.

• Can existing HSBC credit card customers get a balance transfer?

  It's possible to request a balance transfer onto your existing HSBC credit card by logging in to your online account or by calling HSBC on 132 152.

  With this option, the balance transfer rates and fees may be different to those offered for new customers. It will also be processed in real-time, so make sure you carefully check all the details before going ahead with an application for your existing HSBC card. If you have debt on a HSBC credit card, you can compare balance transfer offers from other banks to find an option that works for you.

• How much can I transfer to my HSBC credit card?

  You can balance transfer up to 90% of your approved credit limit.

• Do BPAY payments earn reward points?

  BPAY payments do not earn reward points. Eligible purchases exclude interest-free promotions, balance transfers, business expenses, cash advances, fees or charges, any disputed transactions, BPAY payments and any government fee or charge.

Contact details and related links

• HSBC customer service: 1300 301 168 (Australia) or +61 2 9005 8192 (overseas)
• HSBC Everyday Global Account
• HSBC savings and bank accounts

Written by

Amy Bradney-George

Editor

Amy Bradney-George was the senior writer for credit cards at Finder, and editorial lead for Finder Green. She has over 16 years of editorial experience and has been featured in publications including ABC News, Money Magazine and The Sydney Morning Herald. See full bio

Amy's expertise

Amy has written 587 Finder guides across topics including:

• Credit cards
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Co-written by

Richard Whitten

Editor

Richard Whitten is a money editor at Finder, and has been covering home loans, property and personal finance for 6+ years. He has written for Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine and Homely; and has appeared on various radio shows nationwide. He holds a Certificate IV in mortgage broking and finance (RG 206), a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification and a Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products (RG 146) certification. See full bio

Richard's expertise

Richard has written 538 Finder guides across topics including:

• Home loans
• Property
• Personal finance
• Money-saving tips