Beginner's Guide to Free Travel with Credit Card Points

❌ No points.

❌ No credit cards.

❌ No airline or hotel status.

🤔 Can you still travel the world for free in 2025?

In this episode of The Great Indian Points & Miles Show, we’ve got the blueprint. 🗺️

We break down the step-by-step 2025 strategy for anyone in India starting from zero — and still dreaming of luxury stays, flight redemptions, and curated travel experiences.

Joining us is Aly Hajiani - one of India’s top points & miles creators with over 600,000 Instagram followers, who shares how he built a lifestyle powered by rewards. Alongside him are Dhimant, Ameya, and Aadil, mapping out real-world travel tips, combos, and practical credit card strategies for beginners.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

✅ The best starter credit cards for 2025

✅ Smart credit card combos to unlock maximum value

✅ How to avoid rookie mistakes (yes, we’ve made them too!)

✅ Creative redemptions that don’t break the bank

✅ Why this ecosystem is more accessible than ever before

Whether you’re just entering the game or looking to reboot your strategy, this episode is your ultimate jumpstart.

🎧 Also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

🛫 It’s time to earn smart and travel well.

Cards talked about in this video (some may be affiliate links):

• Axis Atlas Credit Card
• Axis Neo Credit Card
• Axis Magnus Credit Card
• Axis Magnus Burgundy Credit Card
• Flipkart Axis Credit Card
• HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card
• HDFC Moneyback Credit Card
• Swiggy HDFC Credit Card
• HFDC Regalia Credit Card
• HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card
• HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card (DCB)
• HDFC Tata Neu Infinity Credit Card

• ICICI Times Black Credit Card

• MakeMyTrip ICICI Credit Card
• ICICI Emerald Private Metal Credit Card (EPM)
• ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card
• IndusInd Avios Credit Card
• HSBC Travel One Credit Card:
• HSBC Live+ Credit Card
• ⁠SBI Cashback Credit Card⁠

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro: Can You Start From Zero? The 2025 Beginner’s Dilemma

04:21 - Meet Ali: India’s Top Credit Card Influencer Joins the Show

05:45 - How Would Ali Start From Scratch? First Credit Card Strategy

07:00 - Building Credit: Why The First Card Matters (and Which One)

08:40 - Laddering Up: Card #2, #3, and Monthly Spend Benchmarks

11:40 - Cashback vs Miles: Choosing The Right Beginner Card

13:30 - Why Starting Young Matters: Credit Building & Discipline

14:30 - Early Co-branded Cards: Marriott, Qatar, and Easy Redemptions

15:40 - Learning Values: How to Judge Points, Miles, and Cashbacks

18:50 - The Mistake of Not Planning Ahead for Top-Tier Cards

20:30 - Critical Advice: Pay Your Bills In Full, Avoid Speculative Transfers

22:20 - Dispute Resolutions: How Not Paying Hurts Your Credit Score

26:10 - Early Redemptions: What Should Be Your First Flight & Hotel?

27:40 - Realistic First Goals: Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, and Accor Hacks

30:10 - Hotel Redemptions: Domestic & International Value Sweet Spots

33:00 - Family Travel: Redeeming for Group Vacations in India & Abroad

35:30 - Leveling Up: Year Two—Upgrading Your Card Stack

36:45 - Building The Trio: Atlas, Amex Plat Travel, Flexible Third Card

39:30 - Multi-Country Trips: How The Right Stack Funds Your Vacation

41:10 - Taj Voucher Tips & Best Properties for Upgrades

46:30 - Traveler vs Tourist: Matching Hotel Programs to Your Travel Style

49:00 - Planning Year 2: Optimizing Card Stack for Life Events & Spends

54:55 - Avoiding Overspend: Why Discipline Beats Chasing Rewards

55:20 - Three-Year Framework: Analyze, Optimize, Emphasize

57:10 - Custom Gameplans: 50K/month Spenders—What Cards Should You Use?

1:01:05 - Persona 2: Small Business Owners—Best Cards for Taxes & Business Spends

1:08:05 - Persona 3: Freelancers & Self-Employed—How To Build Without Salary

1:11:05 - Persona 4: High Spenders (2-3L/month)—Magnus Burgundy, Infinia & EPM

1:15:10 - Caution: Why Lifestyle Cards Aren’t For Everyone

1:20:45 - Wrap-up: Summary & Key Takeaways