HSBC TravelOne Credit Card Review: 20 Transfer Partners, Instant Conversions, One App
The HSBC TravelOne earns reward points that transfer 1:1 to 15 airlines and 5 hotel programs, all from the HSBC mobile app. Here's what works, what doesn't, and who it's best for.
Overview
The HSBC TravelOne earns HSBC Reward Points on every spend: 2 points per INR 100 on regular purchases, 4 points per INR 100 on airlines, travel aggregators, and forex. It's on the Mastercard World network, carries an annual fee of INR 4,999 (waived at INR 8 lakh spend), and is available without an existing HSBC banking relationship.
What makes it different from most Indian travel cards is how you use those points. You can convert them instantly to airline miles and hotel loyalty points through the HSBC India mobile banking app, at mostly 1:1 ratios. 15 airline programs, 5 hotel programs, most of them instant. No forms, no calls, no waiting.
Fees, Waivers & Welcome Benefits
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Joining Fee | INR 4,999 + GST (charged post activation) |
| Annual Fee (Year 2+) | INR 4,999 + GST |
| Fee Waiver | Waived on INR 8,00,000 spend in a financial year |
| Add-on Cards | Free (up to 3 for spouse, parents, or children 18+) |
| Welcome Benefit | INR 1,000 cashback + INR 3,000 PostCard Hotels voucher + 3 months EazyDiner Prime |
| Renewal Benefit |
The fee works differently from most cards. It's charged at your card anniversary, then reversed if you've hit INR 8 lakhs in the financial year. So the fee shows up on your statement first, and the reversal follows. Primary card spends only.
For the welcome benefit, you need to download the HSBC India mobile banking app and spend INR 10,000 within 30 days of getting the card. The cashback arrives within 60 days. This offer is valid for cards issued between December 2024 and December 2026.
There's also a separate 90-day milestone: spend INR 1,00,000 in your first 90 days and you get 3,000 bonus reward points. That's on top of the welcome benefit.
No separate renewal benefit exists. Your main incentive to stay is the fee waiver.
Earning Structure
| Category | Earn Rate | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Airlines, Travel Aggregators, Forex | 4 points per INR 100 | Capped at 50,000 points/month across primary + add-on cards |
| All Other Eligible Spends | 2 points per INR 100 | No cap |
The accelerated 4X rate covers airline ticket purchases (direct bookings), travel aggregators like MakeMyTrip and Cleartrip, and all foreign currency transactions. Once you hit 50,000 accelerated points in a calendar month, the rest of that month's travel/forex spend drops back to the base 2 points per INR 100. The cap is cumulative across your primary and add-on cards.
Points show up in your monthly statement.
Earning Exclusions
| Category | Notes |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Surcharge waiver still applies (INR 400-4,000 transactions) |
| Utilities | |
| Gold/Jewellery | |
| Insurance | |
| Education | |
| Government/Tax | |
| E-Wallets | Wallet loading transactions |
| Money Transfers | |
| Rent | Also attracts a 1% processing fee |
| Cash Advances | Also excluded from milestones and fee waiver |
| Fees & Charges | Also excluded from milestones and fee waiver |
The exclusion list is long. Fuel, utilities, rent, insurance, education, government payments, wallet loads, jewellery, and money transfers all earn zero points. If a big portion of your monthly card spend goes towards any of these, your effective earn rate will be lower than the headline 2 points per INR 100.
Worth noting: most of these excluded categories (fuel, rent, utilities, insurance) still count towards the INR 8 lakh fee waiver threshold. They just don't earn points. Cash advances and fees don't count towards anything.
Milestone Benefits
| Annual Spend | Reward | Period |
|---|---|---|
| INR 1,00,000 | 3,000 bonus points | First 90 days (limited period, cards issued Dec 2024 to Dec 2026) |
| INR 12,00,000 | 10,000 bonus points | Each anniversary year |
The 90-day milestone stacks with the welcome benefit. Hit both thresholds, and you walk away with INR 1,000 cashback, a PostCard voucher, EazyDiner membership, and 3,000 bonus points in your first three months.
The annual INR 12 lakh milestone is ongoing. 10,000 bonus points on top of your regular earnings. Same exclusions apply (no fees, cash advances, or charges count).
Transfer Partners
The HSBC TravelOne connects to 20 loyalty programs (15 airlines, 5 hotels). All transfers happen through the HSBC India mobile banking app.
Airline Partners
| Partner | Ratio | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|
| Air India Maharaja Club | 1:1 | 5 working days |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 1:1 | Instant |
| airasia rewards | 1:3 | Instant |
| British Airways Avios | 1:1 | Instant |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | Instant |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | 1:1 | Instant |
| Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings | 2:1 | 5 working days |
| JAL Mileage Bank | 1:1 | 10 working days |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Avios) | 1:1 | Instant |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | Instant |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | Instant |
| Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus | 1:1 | Instant |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 2:1 | Instant |
| United MileagePlus | 2:1 | Instant |
| Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles | 1:1 | Instant |
Hotel Partners
| Partner | Ratio | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|
| ALL - Accor Live Limitless | 1:1 | Instant |
| IHG One Rewards | 1:1 | Instant |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1 | Instant |
| Shangri-La Circle | 5:1 | Instant |
| Wyndham Rewards | 1:1 | Instant |
Twelve of the fifteen airline partners are at 1:1. The exceptions are airasia (1:3), Hainan and Turkish (both 2:1), and United (2:1). For comparison, most SBI cards that transfer to the same airlines do so at either 1:1 or 2:1, depending on the program and card tier.
The instant conversion through the app is the real differentiator. Most other bank reward programs require you to call or fill out a request, and transfers can take days. With the TravelOne, you open the app, pick a partner, and the miles land almost immediately.
A few of these partners are also available through Magnify's Mag Miles. You can earn Air India Maharaja Club miles and Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles on everyday spending through the Magnify app, no credit card needed.
For the latest transfer ratios, check the Magnify app.
Other Redemption Options
Points can also be redeemed via HSBC PhoneBanking or the Online@HSBC internet banking portal. But the airline and hotel instant conversion is the main reason to hold this card, and redeeming through other channels will almost certainly give you worse value per point.
Lounge Access
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Domestic lounges | 6 visits per year (HSBC TravelOne Lounge Program, 50+ lounges) |
| International lounges | 4 visits per year via LoungeKey |
10 lounge visits total per year. The domestic network covers 50+ lounges across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Chandigarh, and more. International access is through LoungeKey.
Airport Transfers
4 complimentary chauffeur-driven airport transfers per year, domestic airports only, max 1 per quarter. Provided by Ecos Mobility.
Insurance
| Coverage | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Protection | Up to USD 20,000/year | |
| Lost Card Liability | Up to INR 3,00,000 | Covers misuse from 24 hours before to 7 days after reporting. ICICI Lombard. Primary cardholders only. |
Fuel Surcharge
1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between INR 400 and INR 4,000 at all fuel stations across India. Fuel transactions don't earn any reward points.
Forex
The foreign currency markup is 3.5%. For a card with "Travel" in its name, that's disappointing. The HSBC Premier card charges just 0.99% on the same type of transactions.
The partial offset: forex transactions earn the accelerated 4X rate (4 points per INR 100). So you're paying more in markup but earning more points. Whether that trade-off works for you depends on how much you spend internationally and how you value the points. For most people doing occasional international spending, the 3.5% will sting more than the extra points are worth. For heavy domestic travel spenders who occasionally transact abroad, it's less of an issue since the bulk of value comes from domestic airline bookings.
DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion) is also at 3.5%.
Lifestyle Perks
- 15% off flights and hotels on Yatra, EaseMyTrip, Paytm Travel, Cleartrip, and Goibibo (various promo codes)
- 11% off StayVista bookings (max 2 per year, max INR 3,000 saving per booking)
- 20% off at AdaniOne duty free (min INR 8,000 spend, once per year)
- District by Zomato: 10% off events, dining discounts, and buy-one-get-one movie tickets (twice a month)
- 4 complimentary golf rounds and 12 lessons per year (Mastercard World benefit)
Eligibility & Support
Unlike the HSBC Premier card, the TravelOne doesn't require an existing HSBC banking relationship.
- Salaried: Minimum INR 6,00,000 per year
- Self-employed: Minimum INR 12,00,000 per year (ITR)
- Age: 18 to 65
- Available in 18 cities across India
- Documents: Salary slip, PAN, identity proof, address proof
- Support: 1800 267 3456 / 1800 121 2288 (international: +91-80-71898001)
- App: HSBC India Mobile Banking App
Verdict
For anyone who doesn't have an HSBC Premier banking relationship, this is one of the best cards in India for earning airline miles right now. 20 transfer partners at mostly 1:1, instant conversions from the app, 4X on travel and forex, 10 lounge visits, 4 airport transfers, and no requirement to be an existing HSBC customer. The INR 4,999 fee is reasonable if you hit INR 8 lakhs in annual spend.
The 3.5% forex markup is the one weak spot. If you spend heavily abroad, the HSBC Premier (0.99% forex) or a dedicated forex card is a better fit. And the exclusion list is long, so check that your spending categories actually earn points before committing. But for domestic travel spenders who want flexible, transferable points with a massive partner network, the TravelOne is hard to beat at this price.
Track HSBC Reward Points transfer ratios and find the best redemption value on the Magnify app.
