HSBC Black Credit Card

HSBC, named after the initials of its founding member – the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd, is correctly regarded as one of the world’s omnipresent financial giants. HSBC credit cards are renowned world over for their exceptional incentives and reliable banking processes. However, despite the bank’s stellar reputation, most people are unaware of the long history of HSBC credit cards in UAE.

HSBC has been in the Middle East since as early as 1946, initially known as The Imperial Bank of Iran. After its eventual rebranding to HSBC, the bank continued to rapidly expand, finally setting up a regional office in the UAE to better serve its Middle East customer base. In fact, the Black HSBC credit card is one of the region’s most exclusive cards. This HSBC UAE credit card offers cardholders immense benefits, on land, in the air, locally and internationally alike.

Features of the HSBC Black Credit Card

The features offered on an HSBC credit card are amongst some of the best in the world and are often used as templates by other institutions to reward their customers. Some of the most useful features of an HSBC credit card in UAE are:

Leading Security Standards

An HSBC UAE credit card offers some of the best standards of card security in the market today. The Black HSBC credit card comes equipped with security protocols provided directly by the global payment networks of Visa and MasterCard. Cardholders can make secured payments in person and online at any vendor that display either the ‘Verified by Visa’ or the ‘MasterCard SecureCode’ logo.

Balance Transfer Facilities

Owners of the Black HSBC credit card in UAE can transfer their outstanding balance amounts from other cards onto their HSBC credit card in order to avail of the 0% interest balance transfer facilities. Cardholders are offered the 0% interest HSBC credit card balance transfer services for tenors of 6months, 12 months or 24 months. The HSBC credit card balance transfer can be initiated either through the online portal or via phone.

• Online Application: Available through the HSBC credit card login.
• Telephonically: Alternatively, customers may contact customer care to avail of the HSBC credit card balance transfer. Customer care can be contacted at 800-4320 within the UAE and at (+971)4-224-1000 from outside the UAE.

Cash Instalments

Cardholders can convert any purchase on their Black HSBC UAE credit card into low-interest monthly instalments through an HSBC cash instalment plan. The HSBC credit card cash instalment plans are available for tenors of 6 months, 12 months and 24 months at monthly interest rates as low as 0.75%. Cash instalment plans can be initiated in the exact same way as the previously mentioned HSBC credit card balance transfer facility, i.e. online and via phone.

International Acceptance

As a premier HSBC UAE credit card, the Black HSBC credit card enjoys international benefits in addition to its immense global acceptance. While most credit card ATM withdrawals incur a cash advance fee and cash advance interest on the transaction amount, the Black HSBC credit card does not charge any cash advance fee and carries a minimal cash advance interest of 2.75%.

Mobile Transactions

All HSBC credit cards in UAE qualify for the card-less purchasing mobile apps, namely Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. The Samsung Pay app allows the cardholder to store their HSBC credit card on their smartphone and pay at eligible vendors directly through the mobile app itself. The Apply Pay app works in a similar manner, albeit through iPhones and Apple Watch devices.

Benefits of the HSBC Black Credit Card

The Black HSBC UAE credit card offers cardholders benefits ranging from local dining discounts to international travel incentives in the form of air miles and flight discounts. The benefits offered by the Black HSBC credit card are:

Air Miles Loyalty Program

Members of the Black HSBC credit card in UAE are enrolled in the HSBC loyalty program, which is called Air Miles rewards. As an Air Miles rewards participant, the HSBC credit card owner earns miles for purchases made with the card. These miles can be redeemed for flight tickets, hotel reservations, retail purchases, grocery shopping and a lot more. Additional information on the HSBC credit card rewards program is provided in a later section labelled ‘The HSBC Credit Card Air Miles Program’.

Airport Lounge Access

The Black HSBC UAE credit card grants cardholders and one additional guest access to more than 900 airport lounges across the globe. Both primary and supplementary HSBC credit card members can avail of the complimentary airport lounge passes. The Black HSBC UAE credit card offers unlimited free-of-charge access at partnered airports.

Flight Benefits

As part of the MasterCard World line of cards, HSBC credit card owners can avail of 10% discounts on any international round trip flight that has been booked through cleartrip.ae by using the promo code ‘MCWORLD’.

Additionally, the Black HSBC UAE credit card offers cardholders Gold Tier membership into the Qatar Airways frequent flyer program – aka the Qatar Airways Privilege Club. The benefits of a Gold Tier membership include priority check-ins, extra baggage allowances and complimentary lounge access for the HSBC credit card member and an accompanying guest. These benefits are also extended to other airlines that are part of the oneworld alliance, which include British Airways, American Airlines, Qantas and many more.

Hotel Benefits

HSBC credit card owners are offered an impressive range of discounts and complimentary nights for premium hotels and resorts all over the world. The benefits include:

• Expedia Discounts: The Black HSBC UAE credit card provides customers with a 10% discount on hotel reservations made through Expedia.com. Cardholders are also given an entire year’s Expedia+ Gold membership free of charge, through which the HSBC credit card member is eligible for complimentary room upgrades and tons of additional offers.
• Agoda Discounts: With over 180,000 partnered hotels across the globe, Agoda is a mammoth hotel reservations provider that members of the Black HSBC credit card in UAE can benefit from. Cardholders are offered a 7% discount for hotel bookings made through Agoda.com.
• Starwood Hotel & Resorts Stays: Owners of the Black HSBC credit card in UAE are given membership to the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) loyalty program. As an SPG member, the HSBC credit card holder can earn complimentary nights of stay at over 175 Starwood Hotels & Resorts establishments across the world.
  • Cardholders that book 2 nights of stay earn their 3rd night’s stay free.
  • Cardholders that book 3 nights of stay earn their 4th night’s stay free.
  • Cardholders that book 4 nights of stay earn their 5th and 6th night’s stays free.

Starwood Hotel & Resorts properties include premier hotels such as Le Meridien, Westin, Sheraton and many more. The full list of partnered hotels and resorts available to the Black HSBC UAE credit card owners can be found on the HSBC site.

• Soneva Stays: The resort located in beautiful Thailand – Soneva, offers a picturesque outlook of the glistening Indian Ocean and eco-friendly luxury accommodations to its customers, creating a complete paradise of a vacation destination. Cardholders of the Black HSBC credit card in UAE receive:
  • 2 free nights of stay at a one-room villa in the Soneva Fushi resort or the Soneva Kiri resort; and
  • A choice of either Sonu’s Picnic package at the Soneva Fushi resort or the Private Cinema Paradiso package at the Soneva Kiri resort.

Members of the Black HSBC credit card can avail of this special offer via the MasterCard site.

• Global Hotel Alliance Membership: The Black HSBC UAE credit card offers cardholders free DISCOVERY Black membership to the Global Hotel Alliance. The Global Hotel Alliance loyalty program offers HSBC credit card owners early check-ins, late check-outs, double room upgrades and assured room availability for bookings made 24 hours in advance. The Global Hotel Alliance contains dozens of premier hotels.
• Luxury Stays: Customers can use their Black HSBC UAE credit card to book luxury apartment stays at the following locations for up to 15% discounts:
  • At 2,500+ onefinestay locations in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Rome.
  • At the Grosvenor House in Dubai.
  • At 25+ Oakwood locations across the Asia Pacific region.

Additional details can be found on the MasterCard site.

• Ministry of Villas Stays: Also offered to the Black HSBC credit card members in the luxury stay segment are 10% discounts on Ministry of Villa bookings. The offer includes a complimentary bottle of champagne and free airport transfers for bookings of 5 nights or more. Reservations can be made through ministryofvillas.com.

Hertz Car Rentals

This HSBC credit card in UAE grants cardholders enrolment into the Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President’ Circle program. Benefits of this membership include rental queues bypassing at popular airports, one car upgrade, 15% discounts on rental rates and one complimentary extra driver (valid only for spouses and domestic partners). The President’s Circle program can be accessed at the MasterCard website.

MasterCard Priceless Cities

 From falcon flying in Dubai to lavish campfire retreats in the exotic wilderness reserves of South Africa, a Black HSBC credit card offers the best available prices on international experiences via the MasterCard Priceless Cities program.

Daily Lifestyle Benefits

 A wide assortment of lifestyle benefits makes the Black HSBC UAE credit card an invaluable tool for day to day spending. Lifestyle benefits of the Black HSBC credit card include:

• Concierge Services: Visiting a foreign country is vastly more enjoyable with the Black HSBC credit card’s international concierge service. The card offers access to a local concierge anywhere across the globe who is responsible for planning the best travel routes, making reservations, acquiring event tickets and performing other time-consuming activities for the Black HSBC credit card An international concierge service can be booked via the MasterCard site.
• Cinema Offers: Customers may take advantage of complimentary movie tickets and cinema discounts with their Black HSBC credit card in UAE. The offers are valid at both VOX and REEL cinemas.
  • VOX Cinemas: Black HSBC credit card carrying customers receive 4 buy 1 – get 1 free movie tickets at VOX cinemas and a 20% discount on refreshments.
  • REEL Cinemas: The terms and conditions mentioned above also apply to REEL cinema offers.
• Local Travel: Travel with the Black HSBC credit card in UAE, in complete comfort and style. Cardholders are offered the following local travel services:
  • Careem Discounts: Owners of the Black HSBC credit card are offered a free first ride (for new Careem riders) and an additional 20% discount on 3 rides every month.
  • Valet Parking: Offered by VALTRAN, members of the Black HSBC UAE credit card can avail of limitless complimentary valet parking services at locations such as Wafi City, Oasis Centre, Ibn Battuta Mall, City Walk 1, Marina Mall Abu Dhabi and more.
• Shopping: The Black HSBC UAE credit card offers cardholders huge discounts on shopping and shipping, both locally and internationally. The various offers are as follows:
  • Reebonz Shopping Discounts: As a new Reebonz customer, the Black HSBC credit card holder is given complimentary AED 350 of shopping credits towards their first purchase. Following this, the Black HSBC UAE credit card owner receives 6% discount on purchases made throughout the year, as well as free international shipping options. The offer can be accessed at Reebonz.com.\
  • Chic Outlet Shopping Discounts: Black HSBC credit card holders get enormous discounts on the products and services offered at the thousands of Chic Outlet Shopping boutiques across the globe. These benefits include a 15% discount on shopping packages, on Shopping Express and on chauffeur services at select boutiques. The Black HSBC UAE credit card member is also invited to the VIP program, which grants an additional 10% discount on select boutiques. Details on available locations and offers can be found on the Bicester Village Shopping Collection website.
  • MyUS Shipping Discounts: The MyUS platform is an international shipping aggregator, which allows the Black HSBC credit card members to shop at more than 100,000 US retail stores and have products shipped at discounted rates. As holders of the Black HSBC UAE credit card, customers receive a complimentary 2-year membership to MyUS, which includes 30% shipping discounts during the first month and 20% shipping discounts for the remainder of the membership period.
• Spa Treatments: By booking a 90-minute massage at partnered spas all over the globe, the Black HSBC UAE credit card owner receives 30 complimentary minutes. These massage treatments can be booked at deluxe locations such as at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, at Swissotel Hotels & Resorts and more.
• Golfing Advantage: Primary and supplementary Black HSBC credit card owners are given one complimentary round of golf every month at The ELS Club in Dubai Sports City and at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in Abu Dhabi. These complimentary rounds include a full 18 hole course and must be booked at least 14 days in advance.
• Dubai Opera: Fans of the fine arts can revel in the delights of an evening at the Dubai Opera with their Black HSBC credit card in UAE. The Black HSBC credit card offers cardholders access to premium seating and complimentary services that include parking, refreshment, show program and memorabilia (if available). Cardholders can also book pre-sales tickets with their Black HSBC UAE credit card. The benefits can be redeemed at Dubaiopera.com.
• I Love Dining Program: A dining program created by HSBC exclusively for HSBC credit card owners – the I Love Dining program offers as much as 30% discounts on more than 400 dining establishments across the UAE. Cardholders can peruse through the various dining offers on the HSBC site.
• The HSBC Entertainer App: By observing popular local attractions and activities in the UAE, HSBC has managed to create a spectacular entertainment app that offers owners of the Black HSBC credit card in UAE discounts on local dining, entertainment, leisure, welfare and other services. The HSBC entertainer app also carries 9,000+ ‘Buy 1 Get 1 Free’ offers and is available for both Android and iOS.

Insurance

Travel, especially to a foreign land, can be very exciting and eventful. However, travel also poses its own risks, from language barriers to cancelled flights and more. To ensure a pleasant travelling experience, Black HSBC credit card owners are offered various complimentary travel insurance policies such as:

a. Inconvenience Insurance: The Black HSBC UAE credit card offers cardholders complimentary travel inconvenience insurance, which provides the following coverage:

• Baggage Loss (Capped at US$3,000)
• Baggage Delays (Capped at US$500)
• Trip Cancellations (Capped at US$7,500)
• Trip Curtailments (Capped at US$7,500)
• Trip Delays (Capped at US$500)
• Missed Connections (Capped at US$500)

b. Medical Insurance: Travel medical insurance covers the Black HSBC credit card owner in the event of unforeseen personal and family medical emergencies. The coverage offered is as follows:

• Personal Accidents (Capped at US$500,000)
• Emergency Medical Evaluations & Repatriation (Capped at US$500,000)
• Emergency Medical Expenses (Capped at US$500,000)
• Hospitalization Charges (Capped at US$100 per day)

c. Car Rental Insurance: Overseas vehicular accidents and their associated repair costs are covered under the rental collision and loss damage waiver policy offered free of charge to Black HSBC UAE credit card Coverage under the policy is as follows:

• Physical Damage (Capped at US$50,000) – This covers collision damage, theft and damage caused by natural calamities.
• Towing (Capped at US$100)
• Drop-Off (Capped at US$ 100)

d. Confirmation Letter: In order to avail of the complimentary insurance policy, owners of the Black HSBC credit card in UAE will be required to obtain a travel insurance confirmation letter. This can be done within minutes through the online MasterCard portal. Note that the Black HSBC credit card falls under the World Elite MasterCard category.

Supplementary Cards

Owners of the Black HSBC credit card are entitled to unlimited supplementary cards. Supplementary Black HSBC UAE credit cards are issued to family and friends of the primary cardholder and share one common credit limit with the primary card. Supplementary Black HSBC credit cards can be set with fixed spending limits and are offered to the primary cardholder absolutely free-of-charge.

Eligibility Criteria for the HSBC Black Credit Card

There are two major eligibility criteria applicants must meet in order to qualify for the Black HSBC credit card in UAE. The eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Age Restriction: Applicants are required to fall between the minimum age requirement of 21 years and a maximum age requirement of 70 years in order to qualify for the Black HSBC credit card.
• HSBC Premier Account Holder: The applicant must have an HSBC premier account to apply for a Black HSBC UAE credit card. An HSBC premier account grants the customer access to benefits such as no annual membership fees, global acceptance, fee-less international money transfers, exclusive discounts and more. HSBC premier account holders may leaf through the various applicable discounts and offers for shopping, dining, travel and health & wellness on the HSBC website.

In addition to the above-mentioned eligibility criteria, Black HSBC credit card owners also need to meet a few HSBC Premier Account eligibility parameters. To qualify for an HSBC Premier Account, customers should either:

1. Meet the minimum monthly requirement of AED 350,000 through either deposits or investments; or
2. Make a minimum monthly income transfer of AED 50,000; or
3. Have a minimum mortgage drawdown of AED 3,000,000 for the initial 24 months, after which either of the first two conditions needs to be met.

Note: Owners of the Black HSBC UAE credit card should also be aware that in order to qualify for an HSBC Premier Account, the cardholder is required to have a minimum monthly income of AED 50,000.

Top Reasons to Get the HSBC Black Credit Card

The Black HSBC UAE credit card offers cardholders an immense variety of benefits and rewards. It is very rare to find a card that can match these benefits, thanks in part to the exclusivity and strict barriers to entry for the Black HSBC credit card. These are just some of the top reasons why customers in UAE covet the Black HSBC credit card so highly.

Global Brand

More than just a credit card issuer, HSBC has made a reputation for itself as a financial guru in major markets across the globe. This combination of HSBC’s financial acumen, top-class card benefits and dedicated customer support has sculpted the Black HSBC UAE credit card into one of the nation’s premier financial tools.

Exclusivity

The Black HSBC credit card redefines the meaning of exclusivity. As one of the most premier cards offered by the bank, the Black HSBC UAE credit card unlocks the doors to invite only events and memberships that other cards simply cannot offer. However, unlike most other ‘exclusive’ cards, the Black HSBC credit card manages to perfectly balance a world of benefits against reasonable pricing.

Always Improving

Be it the innovative card features or the incredible Black HSBC UAE credit card offers, customers can rest assured they are receiving the best deals in the market. HSBC strives to thoroughly understand the local markets and customer requirements before committing to providing any service. As such, cardholders can expect any Black HSBC credit card offers to be regularly refreshed and always lucrative.

Benefits Everywhere

As mentioned in the earlier sections, the Black HSBC UAE credit card gives cardholders access to a long list of benefits. These benefits range from local fine dining discounts and discounted cab fares to international travel insurance and even flight ticket redemptions. The variety of benefits the Black HSBC UAE credit card offers are so incredibly diverse that they allow cardholders to save at nearly every turn.

Complimentary Services

Offering a credit card with no charges at all is not feasible. However, the Black HSBC credit card does its best to minimize the extent of fees and charges levied upon the cardholder. The Black HSBC UAE credit card waives an extensive range of charges, offering customers supplementary cards, card replacements and paper statements for free. In fact, the Black HSBC credit card doesn’t even charge its customers an over limit fee.

HSBC Black Credit Card Offers

The numerous Black HSBC UAE credit card offers are updated frequently and are subject to change as per the bank’s discretion. Cardholders are advised to check back frequently for updates on offers. The HSBC UAE credit card offers currently available (as of March 2019) are:

Bonus Air Miles

As a sign-up bonus for the Black HSBC credit card, new cardholders are credited with 200,000 bonus air miles within 60 days of making the annual membership fee payment. Furthermore, owners of the Black HSBC UAE credit card are also offered 100,000 air miles on all subsequent membership anniversaries, starting from the second year onwards.

HSBC Premier Account Cashback

Members of the Black HSBC credit card are required to open up an HSBC Premier Account in order to qualify for the card. There is an added advantage to opening an HSBC Premier current account, which comes in the form of bonus cash back. HSBC credit card applicants that open up an account on or before March 31st, 2019 will receive up to AED 2,000 as cash back, credited directly into their account.

Refer a Friend

The Black HSBC UAE credit card requires applicants to be HSBC Premier Account members. As such, Black HSBC credit card owners are eligible to receive AED 1,000 for every referred customer that goes on to become an HSBC Premier Account member.

Entertainment Offers

The Black HSBC UAE credit card offers customers a bevvy of entertainment benefits including but not limited to movie ticket discounts, spa treatments, discounts on suit purchases and much more. All of the currently available HSBC credit card offers can be found on HSBC’s website.

Dining Offers

As mentioned earlier, the HSBC I Love Dining program is one that offers owners of the Black HSBC UAE credit card discounts on tons of dining establishments across the nation.

HSBC Entertainer App Offers

The HSBC Entertainer App consolidates all available discounts on the Black HSBC credit card, offering dining vouchers, shopping discounts, dozens of Buy 1 Get 1 Free deals and more. Cardholders can access these discount through the HSBC Entertainer mobile app, which is available on both Android and iOS.