Yahoo Finance Is the HSBC TravelOne Card the One and Only Travel Card You Need?—MoneySmart Review 2023
Let’s talk about the HSBC TravelOne card’s name—“Travel One”. It aims to be the 1 travel card you need. HSBC says so as well: “Unlock instant travel rewards and elevated travel experiences everywhere you go with the one and only travel card you need.”
But does the HSBC TravelOne card (literally) live up to its name? If I only have 1 travel card, I want good miles earn rates, low (or no!) annual fees, and a slew of travel benefits and privileges.
Let’s take a look at how the HSBC TravelOne Card fares. We review the card’s earn rates, travel rewards, privileges, and more.
HSBC TravelOne Card Review—Is it MoneySmart? | ||
 Overall: ★★★★☆ | ||
Category | Our rating | The deets |
Earn rates: HSBC Reward points |  | – 2.4 miles per S$1 foreign spend |
Earn categories | | |
Annual fees and charges | ★★★★☆ | S$194.40 annual fee |
Accessibility | ★★★★☆ | Minimum income requirement: $30,000 (Singaporeans and PRs, salaried workers) / $40,000 (Singaporeans and PRs who are self-employed or commission-based; non-Singaporeans) |
Extras/periphery rewards | ★★★★☆ | – 4 complimentary visits every year to airport lounges worldwide |
Sign-up bonus | ★★☆☆☆ | Spend $800 within 30 days of card approval and pay the annual fee to receive 20,000 miles. Valid till 31 Aug 2023. Do check the HSBC TravelOne Card page for the latest sign-up promotion. |
See our credit card ranking rubric to find out how we rank credit cards.
Contents:
1. HSBC TravelOne Card: Summary
MoneySmart Exclusive
Online Promo
Instant Rewards Redemption
HSBC TravelOne Card
MoneySmart Exclusive:
Get S$40 Cash via PayNow when you apply through MoneySmart!
PLUS get up to 20,000 Miles (in the form of 50,000 Rewards Points) from HSBC when you pay the Card Annual Fee of S$194.40 (including GST), and spend a min. of S$800 in qualifying transactions! T&Cs apply.
Valid until 31 Aug 2023
More Details
Key Features
Instant reward redemption with an extensive selection of airline and hotel partners via HSBC Singapore mobile app
Accelerated earn rate: up to 2.4 miles for your spending
Travel privileges: Complimentary travel insurance coverage (including COVID-19), 4 x complimentary airport lounge visits for primary cardholders and more
Split flexibly: Split your purchases across a range of flexible tenors that suits your needs with HSBC Instalment Plans
Receive complimentary access to ENTERTAINER with HSBC app, with over 1,000 worldwide 1-for-1 deals on dining, lifestyle and travel.
At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.
The HSBS TravelOne card is an entry-level air miles card that’s good for general spending. It doesn’t come with any bonus earn categories, but does come with a good mix of travel benefits and privileges. These include travel perks (such as cashback and discounts when you shop overseas) and travel protection in the form of complimentary travel insurance.
2. HSBC TravelOne Card: Eligibility
Let’s first talk about who’s eligible for the HSBC TravelOne Card.
An entry-level miles card, the HSBC TravelOne Card has pretty typical age and minimum income requirements:
Age requirement: 21 years old
Minimum annual income requirements:
For Singaporean and PR salaried workers: $30,000
For Singaporeans and PRs who are self-employed or commission-based: $40,000
For foreigners: $40,000
3. HSBC TravelOne Card: Annual fees
The HSBC TravelOne Card comes with a pretty standard annual fee of S$194.40. Generally, this is the standard annual fee for most entry-level credit cards, barring credit cards with $0 annual fee.
Of course, the annual fee doesn’t matter if a fee waiver is available. HSBC doesn’t say anything about the first year’s annual fee (you can always try your luck requesting a fee waiver!). However, they will waive the annual fee for the second year onwards if you spend over S$25,000 per year. That’s about $2083 per month.
4. HSBC TravelOne Card: Earn rates
Here’s a quick look at how the HSBC Travel One Card’s earn rates compare to other entry-level miles cards:
Miles per dollar (S$1) | ||
Entry-level miles credit card | Local spend | Foreign spend |
1.2 miles (3 Reward points) | 2.4 miles (6 Reward points) | |
1.2 miles | 2 miles | |
1.2 miles | 2 miles | |
1.3 miles | 2.1 miles | |
1.4 miles (UNI$3.5 per S$5 spend) | 2.4 miles per S$1 overseas spend (UNI$6 per S$5 spend) | |
1.3 miles | 2.2 miles | |
The HSBC TravelOne Card local spend earn rates are average at best—there are miles cards with lower local earn rates, such as the BOC Elite Miles World Mastercard, which clocks in at just 1 mile per dollar (mpd).
However, the HSBC TravelOne Card’s foreign spend earn rates are above average. The only other miles credit card out there with a comparable rate is the UOB PRVI MASTERCARD Miles Card, which comes with a $5 minimum spend caveat—you need to spend S$5 to earn UNI$6/2.4 miles.
5. HSBC TravelOne Card: Bonus earn categories
At its heart, the HSBC TravelOne Card is meant for everyday, general spending. That comes with 1 downside: it doesn’t have any bonus earn categories. These refer to specific spend categories with which you can earn a greater number of miles per dollar.
Bonus earn rates are miles credit cards are usually between 3 mpd to 10 mpd. Here are some examples:
Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card: 3 mpd on online transactions in Transportation, Grocery and Food Delivery Merchants categories
UOB PRVI MASTERCARD Miles Card: 6 mpd (UNI$15 per S$5 spend) on major airlines and hotels booked through Expedia, UOB Travel, and Agoda
Citi PremierMiles Card: Up to 10 mpd on online travel bookings via Kaligo and Agoda
DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card: Up to 10 mpd on hotel transactions at Kaligo (capped at S$5,000/month); up to 6 miles per S$1 on flight, hotel and travel packages at Expedia (capped at S$5,000/month)
Is it a big disadvantage that the HSBC TravelOne card doesn’t have bonus earn categories? We would say not necessarily. It really depends on if you’d spend more on those bonus earn categories in the first place. For example, if you don’t want to book via Kaligo, Expedia or Agoda, the Citi PremierMiles Card and DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card bonus earn rates are basically made defunct.
6. HSBC TravelOne Card: Rewards points redemption
HSBC rewards you with Rewards points for each dollar of your spending—they don’t just give you miles directly. Here’s a breakdown of the points earn rates:
2.4 miles (6 Reward points) per S$1 foreign spending
1.2 miles (3 Reward points) per S$1 local spending
The good news is that from now till 31 Dec 2023, HSBC won’t charge you any conversion fee for redeeming your points for air miles or hotel points. Usually, you have to pay an annual HSBC Mileage Programme fee of S$40, subject to GST.
On top of that, HSBC rewards redemptions are fast. According to HSBC’s TraveIOne Card page, they’ll complete redemptions for air miles and hotel points instantly or in 1 business day.
Do note that HSBC Reward points expire after 37 months. 3+ years sounds like a lot of time, but you know how these expiry dates can creep up on us without us realising—fellow points hoarders, you know what I mean.
Prefer a rewards system with points/miles that never expire? Consider the Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card for 360 Rewards Points that never expire, or the Citi PremierMiles Card for Citi Miles that never expire.
7. HSBC TravelOne Card: Benefits and privileges
Although the HSBC TravelOne Card doesn’t have any bonus point categories, it does come with a generous slew of travel benefits and privileges. Broadly, these fall into 2 categories: travel perks, and travel protection.
HSBC TravelOne Card travel perks
Airport lounge access: As the primary cardholder, you get 4 complimentary lounge visits per year to over 1,300 airport lounges around the world.
Travel rewards: With the HSBC TravelOne Card, you get to enjoy cashback and discounts when you travel and do your shopping overseas under the Mastercard Travel Rewards catalogue. These apply to both in-store and online merchants across over 25 countries, including Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores in Japan and Bloomingdale’s in the United States.
™ : This is another MasterCard rewards programme that you get with the HSBC TravelOne card, but this one is a bit more upmarket. It offers privileged access to benefits across travel, culinary, shopping, sports, entertainment, and arts and culture.
HSBC TravelOne Card travel protection
Travel insurance: If you charge your air ticket (in full) to your HSBC TravelOne Card, you’ll get complimentary travel insurance coverage (including COVID-19) of up to USD100,000.
ID Theft Protection
™ : The HSBC TravelOne Card doesn’t just want to give you peace of mind while on holiday—it also aims to do so while you’re browsing and making purchases online. You can register for Mastercard ID Theft Protection to ensure your personal data is safe and secure, protecting you from identity theft and fraud.
™ Checking travel and health restrictions: It is such a chore to check for travel and health restriction/documentation. The HSBC TravelOne gives you access to Sherpa, a travel advisory tool that tells you what Visa requirements, travel documents, and even if COVID-19 tests are needed prior to your trip.
Hungry for more benefits? Even if you aren’t travelling, the HSBC TravelOne Card comes with a dining perk you can use right here in Singapore. You’ll get complimentary access to ENTERTAINER with HSBC, which comes with tons of 1-1 deals on dining, lifestyle and travel. These deals are available worldwide, but there are plenty to choose from locally too.
ALSO READ: Best Food Discount and Rewards Apps in Singapore—Chope, Burpple, Entertainer & More
8. HSBC TravelOne Card: Sign-up promotion
From now till 31 Aug 2023, you can get up to 20,000 Miles (in the form of 50,000 Rewards Points) when you apply for the HSBC TravelOne Card.
The downside is that you need to pay the card’s annual fee of S$194.40 (GST already included), as well as spend at least S$800 in qualifying transactions within 1 month. Depending on your lifestyle, this minimum spend could be easily doable, or a tall order.
9. Should I get the HSBC TravelOne Card?
If you’re looking for a general spending travel card (that means no bonus earn categories!), the HSBC TravelOne Card is a decent choice. Its earn rates are average or slightly above average (especially when it comes to foreign spending), and we like that you earn Rewards points per dollar spent. For some other cards with similar earn rates, you need to spend say $5 before you chalk up any points. This means that the HSBC TravelOne Card can help you earn points on even the smallest purchases.
HSBC TravelOne Card | |
Pros | Cons |
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Don’t forget that the HSBC Reward points expire after a 37-month period. This could be a pro or a con, depending on how much of a points hoarder you are.
The HSBC TravelOne Card does live up to its name as the 1 and only travel card you’ll need…if you’re looking for a general spending miles card. We suggest you get the HSBC TravelOne Card if you want a general spend card, if you value travel benefits, and if you’re looking for a higher than average earn rate for foreign spending. This card isn’t for you if you want a high bonus earn rate on selected categories, or if you want miles that never expire.
10. Alternatives to the HSBC TravelOne Card
Here are some other entry-level miles cards for you to consider. These rewards points/miles never expire:
Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card: This card rewards you with a bonus earn rate of 3 miles for online transactions on transport, food delivery, and groceries. The best part is that the 360 Rewards Points you earn never expire.
MoneySmart Exclusive
Annual Fee Waived | NOTHING GIVEAWAY
Standard Chartered Journey Credit Card
Earn up to 35,000 Miles when you meet the eligible spends AND have your first year Annual Fee waived when you sign up for the Journey Credit Card. T&Cs apply.
OR, earn up to 45,000 Miles when you meet the eligible spends and pay your card's first year Annual Fee when you sign up. Click here to apply.
Valid until 30 Sep 2023
More Details
Key Features
Up to 3 miles for every $1 spent
2 complimentary visits to Priority Pass lounges around the world each year
S$0 foreign transaction fee for overseas spend made and posted in June-July, November-December 2023
Complimentary travel insurance coverage of up to S$500,000.
360 Rewards Points do not expire
S$10 off Grab rides to or from Changi Airport
At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.
Citi PremierMiles Card: Citi Miles never expire! Plus, earn up to 10 miles per $1 spent on selected hotel bookings.
MoneySmart Exclusive
Faster Gift Redemption
Citi PremierMiles Card
MoneySmart Exclusive:
Get an Apple iPad Wi-Fi, 64GB 9th Gen (worth S$503.65) OR a Nintendo Switch OLED Gaming Console (worth S$579) OR a Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (worth S$575) or S$300 Cash via PayNow when you apply and spend a min. of S$500 in "Qualifying Spends" within 30 days from card approval date. T&Cs apply
Valid until 31 Aug 2023
More Details
Key Features
S$1 = 1.2 Citi Miles on Local spend (no min. spend)
S$1 = 2 Citi Miles on Foreign currency spend
Annual Fee Applies
Earn 10,000 Citi Miles upon renewal of annual membership and payment of annual fee
Citi Miles never expire
Priority Pass™ membership gives you access to more than 600 airport lounges twice a year
Priority Pass membership is on application basis and is reserved for the Principal cardmember only, limited to 2 complimentary visits per calendar year
Complimentary Travel Accident Insurance up to S$1,000,000 coverage, Medical Assistance Programme and Travel Inconvenience Coverage
With Citi PayAll, you can earn and accumulate Citi Miles, Citi ThankYou PointsSM or Cash Back quickly when you pay your big-ticket bills such as rent, insurance premiums, education expenses, taxes, utilities and more
At MoneySmart, we strive to keep our information accurate and up to date. This information may be different from what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider, or specific product site. MoneySmart shall not be liable to compensate the Customer should the information is not as updated as our Partner.
OCBC 90 N Card: Travel$ never expire. You’ll also get up to 7 miles per $1 spent on Agoda accommodations worldwide.
MoneySmart Exclusive
Earn Miles That Don't Expire
OCBC 90°N Card
MoneySmart Exclusive:
Get a Samsung M5 27-inch Smart Monitor (worth S$554) OR a Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 Bluetooth Speaker (worth S$405) OR an Apple AirPods 3rd Gen (worth S$261.40) or S$250 Cash via PayNow when you apply and spend a min. of S$500 in Eligible Transactions! T&Cs apply.
Valid until 18 Aug 2023
More Details
Key Features
1.3 Travel$ with every S$1 spent on Local Currency
Travel$ that do not expire - Convert Travel$ to loyalty points at 9 airline and hotel partner programmes.
Get cash rebates at up to 2.1% from your earned Travel$. No minimum spend and no caps
All online purchases on your OCBC 90°N Card come with e-Commerce Protection, which safeguards you against non-delivery or defective goods or if the seller fails to reimburse you.
Check out and easily compare the other air miles credit cards in Singapore.
P.S. Here’s our MoneySmart credit card ranking rubric
In case you’re wondering, here’s how we decide on our credit card rankings.
Is that credit card MoneySmart? Our MoneySmart credit card ranking rubric | |
Category | Our rating |
Overall | The average rating for the credit card on the whole, calculated from the ratings for the individual categories below. Plus, we’ll give you a one-liner on who we think the credit card is best suited for. |
Earn rates: Air miles / Cashback / Rewards points | Air miles / Cashback / Rewards points . This category looks at the depth rather than breadth of earn rates.  
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Earn categories | This category looks at the breadth rather than depth of your earnings.
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Annual fees and charges |
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Accessibility | Minimum income requirements:
Exclusivity: We dock 1-2 stars if there is/are another category/categories that make the card exclusive and very specific to a certain clientele. |
Extras/periphery rewards | These include:
We count the number of benefits and award between 0.5 to 2 stars for each, depending on how good the perk is. |
Sign-up bonus |
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Don’t miss our ultimate list of credit card reviews for the low-down on credit cards in Singapore.
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