HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card

Choosing the best Qantas Frequent Flyer credit card to suit your circumstances can be difficult. There are so many variables to consider. How many points are earned per dollar spent? Are points capped? Are there any sign-up bonus points on offer? Is it an Amex card, therefore not accepted everywhere or possibly subject to a surcharge? And how much is the annual fee?

Best take a look, then, at the HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card, which comes with one of the best available non-Amex combinations of points earning rate and annual fee. Its points cap is high enough for it never to be a problem, and the package contains all the usual platinum card benefits.

Complimentary Qantas Frequent Flyer membership

You need to be a Qantas Frequent Flyer member to earn your bonus Qantas Points. If you are not one already, you get a complimentary membership, priced at $99.50 at no extra cost.

A solid Qantas Points earn rate

You can earn 1 Qantas Point per $1 spent on eligible purchases up to $1,000 for each statement period. Once you cross that threshold, you earn 0.5 Qantas Points on eligible purchases, which are capped at 7,500 points per month.

This earning rate is good for a Visa or Mastercard (except for the very expensive cards issued by Qantas Money).

This card has a monthly cap of 7,500 Qantas Points ($12,500 of spending). This means that after spending $12,500 in any one month, no further Points can be earned in that month. That’s unlikely to trouble most cardholders.

The monthly $2,500 threshold is more annoying, beyond which the earning rate drops to 0.5 Qantas Points per dollar. Many cardholders will reach this monthly limit and see their earning rate fall in the last part of the statement period. However, many competing cards have similar restrictions.

Annual fee

The annual fee for the HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card is $299 p.a., which some might find relatively high compared to other credit card options. However, it's important to consider the card's benefits and rewards structure to determine whether the annual fee is justified based on your spending and travel habits.

Insurance benefits

HSBC have covered most bases with the card’s complimentary insurance policies. Here’s what’s included:

1. Annual multi-trip international travel insurance for primary and supplementary cardholders and their families. It covers emergency medical expenses, unavoidable trip cancellation, flight delay, luggage and documents loss, damage or delay, rental vehicle insurance excess waiver, loss of income, and more.
2. Annual multi-trip domestic flight travel insurance, covering unavoidable trip cancellation, flight delay, luggage loss, damage and delay, and rental vehicle insurance excess waiver.
3. Transit accident insurance, providing cash compensation in the event of accidental injury on a plane or public transport, where the fare was paid with the card.
4. Extended warranty insurance, doubling the warranty period on goods purchased with the card, up to a maximum of 12 extra months.
5. Purchase protection insurance, providing 90 days of loss, theft and damage cover for goods purchased using the card.

The travel policies are activated by paying travel costs with the card. In the case of overseas travel, this means paying at least 90% of the return airfares of all travellers needing cover, and in the case of domestic travel, paying at least 90% of all fares plus accommodation.

Interest-free balance transfer for 12 months

Do you have an overdue balance on your current credit card? That might mean paying interest at 20% p.a. (or more). You can transfer that balance to your new HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card and pay no interest for 12 months, as well as pay no upfront fee. This will save you heaps in interest charges.

Up to 55 days interest-free

After you’ve repaid your transferred balance, or immediately if you don’t have one, there’s an accommodating 55-day billing cycle, 11 days longer than the 44 days applied by some cards. This means that you’ll get up to 55 days interest-free each month, depending on the timing of your purchases. You pay the ongoing purchase interest rate of 19.99% p.a. on any balances remaining beyond the interest-free period.

Visa Premium Benefits

Because it’s a Visa Platinum card, certain perks are automatic. They include the Visa Premium Concierge Service for worldwide lifestyle advice and assistance, just a phone call or mouse click away. The best seats in the house for concerts and the theatre are assured, even before they go on sale to the general public. Plus, you’ll have access to travel and accommodation discounts just for being a Visa Platinum cardholder.

HSBC Instant savings

There’s yet another built-in benefit. You’ll receive free membership of the Frequent Values program, giving you access to ongoing discounts for more than 4,500 offers from supermarkets, petrol stations, restaurants, department stores, entertainment and hotel accommodation.

Is the HSBC Platinum Qantas Credit Card worth it?

With an earn rate that drops after the first $2,500 spent each month, this isn't a card for big spenders. But if you are happy to see your Qantas Points balance climb steadily, this card is worth serious consideration.