Used to be better when it was under LoungeKey with 12x visits FOC (but still limited selection of lounges)... now it's 12x visits to only Plaza Premium Lounges (which is even more limited). How useful this new lounge programme is for you depends on where you travel to/from frequently.

See list of lounges available here: https://www.plazapremiumlounge.com/en-uk#

I mainly use it at KLIA on the way out nowadays for a quick free coffee from Flight Club (the food generally sucks) since the other airports I'm usually at either don't have Plaza Premium or I have access to a far better lounge than via HSBC Malaysia.

12 times total per year - how you use it is up to you. If you wanted to, you could use all 12 visits in one month and then don't visit lounges after that (or pay for additional visits).

If you are a really frequent traveler (to many locations), recommend looking for another card that comes with either unlimited or a more generous amount of visits either via LoungeKey/PriorityPass, or use the Premier Travel in combination with another card that has X number of LoungeKey/PriorityPass visits.

If you're a frequent traveler (but to the same location repeatedly), makes more sense to build up your points/tier with the airline you're traveling with to gain access to their own lounge (if applicable). Usually this means coughing up some cash to buy business class tickets earlier on to reach the required tier, then once you've reached "Silver" for example you might get lounge access even with economy class tickets flying out of their home airport. This may or may not be the same for MAS/China Air - but this is what I've done with Emirates.

Not sure... I think SC was one of the other banks that offered LK/PP on their cards, but I don't really keep up to date on this as I already have LK via my overseas HSBC card. Best to Google for current info...

Other option is to purchase PP (PriorityPass) outright. Check their website for plans. There are also some other competitors like Dragon Key or Lounge or something - you'll always see all the accepted lounge membership plans when you enter any lounge. Good to have a look at all of them and compare prices if you're planning to buy a plan.

This post has been edited by biatch0: Oct 5 2019, 07:45 PM

Agreed. If I didn't have LoungeKey via a different HSBC card, I would definitely purchase PriorityPass or look at getting a CC with one (depending on which is cheaper). If you're traveling to China often, maybe worth looking at a CC in China that may provide you with LK/PP? Also, RM 1k per annum for AF is quite reasonable just for the lounge access if you really travel often.

Doesn't seem to be very worth it? The 1:1 conversion to Enrich Miles (assuming you can travel) seems to make the most sense for me (again assuming we're able to travel again and MAS doesn't close shop).

I did... so I guess the answer is yes. But I made the application in person, and transfer money into Malaysia regularly (to appear as salary).

I convert to Air Miles... but now not really useful since can't fly anywhere - so just accumulate points until can decide what to do. Also don't want to convert to air miles now since Enrich Miles could have 0 value in the next few months

Dunno what security device you were using, but on mine, transfers still require you to have a combination of the token code and recipient bank account.

0 difference for me from a physical device in terms of usage, except I don't have to worry about forgetting where I put the token now since it's my phone.

If it's consistent across HSBC overseas, then it would be separate. I can't say for sure if Malaysia is the same, but that's the case with UAE.

Decided to try to play around with Binance a bit and buy some random coins (DOGE) using my card... Turns out that HSBC considers purchases on Binance to be a "Cash Advance" and charges RM 15 per transaction on this with no notification. The only reason I found out is because I noticed 2x RM 15 charges on my card labeled as "Cash Advance" and asked my RM about this - they were also unaware about Binance being considered a cash advance, and advised to immediately pay off the amount since a cash advance is considered a loan and is charged at a high interest rate.

Don't even remember what promo this is.... but got $$$ come in not going to complain

I didn't receive any message for this either but managed to sign up using "J4" and then with "J1 xxxxxx" (last 6 digits CC number).

Not going to complain if got chance to win cashback for normal spending habits

1.1 points on every RM1 overseas spend in foreign currency (online, utility and insurance transactions)
1 point on every RM4 local spend in Ringgit Malaysia (online, utility and insurance transactions)

Seems ok to me. I've only converted once (for testing purposes) and now just collecting points for the moment since I don't really travel MAS. Will probably start using MAS once borders start to open up more.

If you travel a lot, you probably have access to better cards that are linked to either LoungeKey/Priority Pass and have unlimited lounge visits including an additional guest.

That said, I still keep my HSBC Premier Travel purely because it has good mile conversion rates to MAS/Enrich Miles. There was also a promotion some time back where there was a 25% bonus on conversion which made it even more worth it.

Based on initial impressions, seems like the Premier Travel card (PTC) is still significantly better for miles conversion. Reward limits on foreign/local spend are the same I think? 20k foreign, 10k local.

But PTC gives a 1:1 conversion to Enrich, as opposed to 21:1 for TravelOne...

The lounge access is kind of not important at all, since Plaza Premium lounges are mostly garbage and at not many locations worldwide - if you want lounge access, you're better off getting some other card. I definitely haven't used my HSBC MY CC for any lounge access for years since they moved away from LoungeKey.

LOL

The only thing remotely attractive about this T1 card to me is the hotel partnership now... and even then the conversion rate is still horrible.

I asked my RM about this card, and they said sign up, get the bonus, redeem, cancel

Will definitely stick to the Premier Travel despite the T1 card looking much nicer (and that was the initial reason I was interested in the card).

Ever since HSBC MY stopped partnering with LoungeKey, all HSBC MY cards are pretty meh for lounge access. Plaza Premium lounges are so limited and even Premier Travel having access to additional lounges doesn't help at all.

Currently the Premier Travel is my primary card purely for MAS Enrich miles - (Almost) free travel is always appreciated

How do you find the T1 card? I'm looking for a new primary card after Malaysia Airlines/Enrich Miles have recently depreciated in value significantly... therefore making the Premier Travel card a lot less useful than it used to be.

Looks interesting... but the Plaza Premium thing is a bit of a turn off considering it's a World Elite card (even if it's 12x). My other World Elite card is unlimited complimentary entry to LoungeKey with a guest. In the airline points department it looks marginally better than HSBC PT because of more partners, but then again I don't need points for the partners...

Maybe I should look for a Malaysia Airlines related CC? I've been using my HSBC PT mainly to get free flights for the past few years with Malaysia Airlines so that's my main objective in replacing my card

Zenith RM1 = 2x UNIRM
PRVI Miles RM1 = 10x UNIRM

9,000 UNIRM = 1,000 Enrich Miles

Approx 8,000 Enrich Miles to 1 Economy Flight return BKK, therefore RM 9,000 (PRVI) to RM 36,000 (Zenith) equivalent overseas spend. There is however mention about a Visa Infinite Metal where 4,500 UNIRM = 1,000 miles which means points earned on that card are valued twice above PRVI miles. Any ideas on that card? Honestly, the vast majority 95% of my spend is overseas spend as I'm not based in KL, so the overseas spend points generation is probably the most important part of the card next to the value of the points.

At the 9,000 UNIRM to 1,000 Enrich Miles, I think the value is roughly the same as HSBC (if not slightly less). So it's only points generation that is a question since HSBC PT is now only 1.1x points per USD1 overseas spend...