What if we told you your credit card could unlock business class flights, five-star hotels, and legendary dining experiences — all without paying full price?
In this firecracker episode of The Great Indian Points & Miles Show, we go behind-the-scenes on:
🍽️ How Dineout transformed India’s dining culture — and how it all began the day a CFA charter was earned and instantly left behind
💳 The iconic HDFC x Dineout credit card partnership that turned meal swipes into sky-high redemptions
✈️ Booking a one-month European honeymoon entirely on miles — while being unemployed (yes, really)
🏨 How to score dream stays like the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong for free, and why Marriott Bonvoy is loyalty gold
📉 Why paying school fees with your card could earn you 14% in points — and how to stack your cards like a true points ninja
🧠 Why most people either hoard miles or let them rot — and how to break free from both traps to live the good life now
This episode is a crash course in credit card strategy, luxury travel hacks, and real desi jugaad that’s helping Indians fly fancy without paying fancy.
If you’re new to the game or already a SmartBuy pro — this one’s pure redemption gold.
Apply for credit cards discussed in the episode:
Timestamps:
00:00 – The Billion Dollar Meal - with Dineout's Co Founder Ankit Mehrotra
05:40 – Ankit navigating family expectations and choosing his own path
11:20 – The cultural challenge of building a dining-out habit in India
17:00 – Behind the scenes of the iconic HDFC x Dineout partnership
22:40 – How a thousand-rupee discount sparked deeper family conversations
28:20 – Reflections on India’s credit card growth and the role of partnerships
34:00 – Discovering a half-million mile surprise in his Miles & More account
39:40 – Ranking his favorite credit cards: Magnus Burdundy, Atlas, Infinia, and Amex UK Marriott
45:20 – Getting 50% returns through card offers on luxury shopping
51:00 – How Amex Platinum status turned an Etihad experience into luxury
56:40 – Comparing Middle Eastern airlines: Qatar QSuites vs. Emirates
1:02:20 – Using LifeMiles to book Air India and travel with family
1:08:00 – The role of flexibility in premium redemptions and program power
1:13:40 – “Have your cake and eat it too”: Credit cards as lifestyle enablers
1:19:20 – Making 12–14 trips a year and why points are meant to be spent
1:25:00 – Marriott Bonvoy redemption: 5 nights at Ritz-Carlton for 400K points
1:30:40 – Best Indian food abroad and what defines a great restaurant
1:36:20 – Throwback to Vidyarthi Bhavan in the early 2000s Bangalore food scene
1:42:00 – Why Europe nails desserts, from milk cakes to tiramisu
1:47:40 – Closing reflections: friends lost, the importance of living and eating well
