This morning, Neo Financial announced the launch of a co-branded Cathay Pacific credit card later this year. Upon its debut, Neo Financial will become the sole issuer of a card that earns Asia Miles in Canada.
Details of the card’s welcome bonus and earning structure have also been released, although some particulars, such as the card’s annual fee, have yet to be confirmed.
Neo Financial to Launch Cathay Pacific Co-Branded Credit Card
Neo Financial and Cathay Pacific have partnered to launch a co-branded credit card later this year.
Information about the card, as well as the option to add your name to a waitlist, is currently available on the Neo Financial website. Here’s what we know so far.
Neo Financial will replace RBC as the issuer of a Cathay Pacific co-branded credit card in Canada. As it stands, the RBC card is currently available for applications; however, it’s not clear how much longer this will be the case.
When it launches this fall, Neo Financial’s Cathay Pacific card will offer a welcome bonus of up to 45,000 Asia Miles, which is structured as follows:
- Earn 15,000 Asia Miles upon activating the card
- Earn 30,000 Asia Miles upon spending $3,000 (CAD) within three months of activating the card
Currently, the welcome offer on the RBC Cathay Pacific Visa Platinum Card is for 15,000 Asia Miles upon being approved. Earlier this year, it offered up to 40,000 Asia Miles as a welcome bonus, so the introductory offer from Neo Financial is superior regarding the size of the welcome bonus, and also comes with a lower minimum spending requirement.
The earning rates for Neo’s Cathay Pacific co-branded card will be as follows:
- Earn 2 Asia Miles per dollar spent on Cathay Pacific flights
- Earn 2 Asia Miles per dollar spent outside Canada
- Earn 1 Asia Mile per dollar spent elsewhere
You’ll also be able to earn 5x Asia Miles through Neo’s partners, as well as up to 15x Asia Miles for first-time purchases at select partners. The list of partners at which you can earn 5x or more Asia Miles isn’t publicly available.
As part of the introductory offer, you’ll receive a 10% discount on Cathay Pacific flights departing Canada.
Regarding other perks and benefits, the exact details are scarce; however, cardholders can expect to receive the following:
- Emergency medical care, trip cancellation, lost luggage, and other insurance coverage
- Access to airport lounges around the world
- Wi-Fi at hotspots worldwide and in-flight on select airlines
- Protection from unauthorized charges
To be eligible for the upcoming Neo Financial Cathay Pacific co-branded credit card, you must have a minimum personal income of $80,000 (CAD), or a minimum household income of $150,000 (CAD).
If you don’t meet the income requirements, or if you’d like to work on building up your credit score, Neo Financial will also offer a secured version of the card. As it stands, it will offer the same welcome bonus as the unsecured version of the card.
If you’re interested in either version of the card, head to the landing page and place your name on the waitlist to be notified when the card officially launches.
Neo Financial’s First Foray into Airline Loyalty Programs
The news of Neo Financial replacing RBC as the sole issuer of a Cathay Pacific co-branded credit card in Canada later this year is a bit of a surprise.
As it stands, this will become Neo Financial’s first foray into airline loyalty programs, after launching partnerships with other brands, such as Tim Hortons and Hudson’s Bay, in the recent past.
It’s worth noting that Neo Financial has also partnered with Air Miles for mortgages.
Currently, it’s not clear what the card’s annual fee will be, although it’s likely to fall into the range of other mid-tier cards at $120–150 (CAD).
The earning rate through Neo Financial’s partners is particularly intriguing. While the exact breakdown of which partners offer elevated earning rates isn’t available, it could certainly be worthwhile to explore, especially if a large first-time purchase could score up to 15x Asia Miles.
Lounge access available on the card will likely be through DragonPass, and it will be interesting to find out exactly what the parameters are. For example, will it just include a membership, or will there be complimentary lounge visits available to cardholders?
As for the Wi-Fi benefit, it’s likely to be through Boingo, which will offer cardholders 12 complimentary 90-minute sessions on flights per year, as well as unlimited Wi-Fi at Boingo hotspots worldwide.
In any case, the upcoming launch of the Neo Financial Cathay Pacific co-branded credit card has shaken things up in the Canadian credit card landscape.
Conclusion
Neo Financial has announced the upcoming launch of a co-branded Cathay Pacific credit card later this year. Upon its launch, it will replace RBC as the sole issuer of a card that directly earns Asia Miles in Canada.
If you’re interested in the card, be sure to add your name to the waitlist available on the Neo Financial website. It’s expected that the card will launch later this year.
This represents Neo Financial’s first foray into airline loyalty programs, and more details about the card are expected to follow shortly.
