Base reward rate: Earn 2 points per ₹100 on most spends, accelerating to 4-12 points per ₹100 on travel bookings via HSBC Rewards Marketplace and other travel-related spends.
Redemption options: Flying Blue, Etihad Guest, Airasia Rewards, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Wyndham Rewards, JAL Mileage Bank, Royal Orchid Plus, Shangri-La Circle, United MileagePlus, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Infinity Mileage Lands, Air India Maharaja Club, The British Airways Club, Accor Live Limitless (ALL), Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Singapore Airlines Krisflyer, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club
Redemption value: 1 Pt = ₹5.00
Fees & Charges
Joining fee: 4999
Annual fee: 4999
Pros
Accelerated rewards on travel spends with up to 12% value-back
1:1 conversion ratio of rewards to airmiles or hotel points
Up to 15% discount across some of the most popular travel platforms
Complimentary golf rounds and green fee offers
Complimentary lounge access with no minimum spend requirement
Complimentary guest lounge access included
Cons
Carries a very high forex markup fee of 3.5%, which is uncompetitive for a premium travel-focused card and significantly diminishes savings on international transactions.
The welcome bonus of 3,000 points is low value and conditional on a ₹1L spend, failing to adequately compensate for the ₹4,999 joining fee.
Lounge access is capped at 6 domestic and 4 international visits annually, which is less generous than the unlimited access offered by other cards in the same fee segment.
Excludes a wide range of common spending categories from earning rewards, including fuel, utilities, insurance, and e-wallet loads, significantly limiting points accumulation.
Best Use Case
Frequent international travelers seeking accelerated rewards on travel bookings and complimentary lounge access.