HSBC Premier (Metal) vs HSBC TravelOne (2026)
Same points, same ~20 partners, one bank — TravelOne wins under ₹2L a month; the ₹50L-relationship metal takes over above it.
Head to head
| Metric | HSBC Premier (Metal) | HSBC TravelOne |
|---|---|---|
| Our rank | #8 | #14 |
| Annual fee | ₹20,000 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST |
| Fee waiver | None | ₹8,00,000 spend |
| Forex markup | 0.99% + GST | 3.5% + GST |
| APR | 2.99%/mo (35.88%/yr), computed from transaction date — Premier-specific rate (all other HSBC cards 3.75%/mo) | 3.75%/mo (45%/yr), computed from transaction date |
| Effective reward rate | 3.0% | 2.0% |
| Currency | HSBC Reward Points | HSBC Reward Points |
| House value | ₹1.00/pt | ₹1.00/pt |
| Welcome benefit | 20,000 reward points on first spend (cards issued through 31 Dec 2026) + Taj Epicure membership + ₹12,000 Taj gift card + EazyDiner Prime on activation | ₹1,000 cashback + ₹3,000 Postcard voucher + 3-mo EazyDiner Prime on ₹25k in 30 days |
| Lounge doors opened | 73 of 644 | 73 of 644 |
| Income — salaried | Qualified Premier relationship: ₹3L+ net monthly salary credit, or ₹50L quarterly TRB (₹40L if the account opened before 1-Jan-2026), or ₹1.15Cr+ mortgage plus the TRB criterion | ₹6L+/yr; age 18–65 |
| Income — self-employed | Same Premier relationship gates — TRB or mortgage routes | ₹12L+/yr; age 25–65 |
Gold marks the better side of a row. House value is our ₹-per-point mark for each card's currency — the full valuation index →
Net annual value face-off
Everyday spend at each card's base rate plus a realistic ~20% at its best accelerator (less for narrow or capped boosters) — milestones, fee waivers and the redemption haircut all at our house ₹/point. That's why the biggest headline rate doesn't automatically win. Tune it to your own spend in the calculator.
HSBC TravelOne wins under ₹3.25L/month; HSBC Premier (Metal) takes over above it.
Transfer reach
Both cards earn HSBC Reward Points, so the partner list is identical — 20 live transfer routes each. The fight is decided on earn and fees, not reach.
Both reach
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer 1:1
- British Airways Executive Club (Avios) 1:1
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Avios) 1:1
Full route maps on each card page, best ₹/point routes on the optimizer →
The call
For the ₹1L/month spender, HSBC TravelOne nets ₹36,400 against ₹16,000 — a ₹20,400 gap. At ₹5L/month, HSBC Premier (Metal) nets ₹1,60,000 against ₹1,42,000 — a ₹18,000 gap. Lounge chasers get no tiebreak here: both open 73 of 644 tracked doors.
Our standing verdicts: HSBC Premier (Metal) — Keep; HSBC TravelOne — Keep. On our board, HSBC Premier (Metal) sits at #8 to HSBC TravelOne's #14 — that's the overall call. Your spend pattern can overrule us: run your exact numbers →