💳 Ready to travel for free without needing a super-premium credit card? Whether you’re just starting out or still figuring out which card to get, this episode of The Great Indian Points & Miles Show is your roadmap to kickstarting your travel rewards journey — no million-mile flexing needed!
👥 Featuring Dhimant, Ameya, Aadil and our special guest Eshwar, a first-gen points enthusiast from Bangalore, we break down:
🔹 The best starter credit cards in India for points and miles - 2025 Edition
🔹 Real-life examples of redemptions — from Goa to Hong Kong
🔹 The truth about credit score building, card ladders, and upgrades
🔹 Top beginner cards: HDFC Marriott Bonvoy, Regalia Gold, ICICI Sapphiro & more
🔹 How to use reward sliders, SmartBuy, and card-on-card tricks to level up fast
🔹 Pro tips to maximize cashback, lounge access, and international travel – even on a modest salary
🔥 If you’ve been thinking “this game isn’t for me because I don’t have a Magnus or Infinia,” this is the episode you can’t miss. It’s starter-pack energy, but with real ROI.
Credit Cards mentioned in this episode (Some may be affiliate links):
HDFC Regalia Credit Card
HDFC Diners Black Credit Card
HDFC Diners Privilege Credit Card
HDFC Club Miles Credit Card
HDFC Millennia Credit Card
HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card
Axis Magnus Credit Card
Axis Atlas Credit Card
Axis My Zone Credit Card
Axis Privilege Credit Card
Axis Select Credit Card
ICICI Coral Credit Card
ICICI Emerald Credit Card
Timestamps:
00:00 – What if I can’t get a super premium card? Whats the way forward?
04:30 – Meet our special guest: Eswar from Bangalore
06:00 – Eswar’s first card story: HDFC Diners Privilege
08:00 – How cashback and LTF offers kickstart card journeys in India
09:00 – Ameya’s first credit card: ICICI Coral & Diners Black nostalgia
10:30 – Throwback to Jet Airways, Kingfisher, and co-branded cards
13:00 – Aadil’s first card: Shopper’s Stop Citibank credit card story
15:00 – How credit card behaviour evolved for Eswar post his first win
17:00 – From Diners Privilege to ClubMiles to Diners Black
19:00 – Understanding the credit limit journey and credit upgrades
20:30 – 💡 The importance of credit score building for beginners
22:00 – How to get your first card if you don’t qualify yet
23:30 – Building a ladder strategy with upgradeable card families
25:00 – Secured credit cards: FD-based cards for beginners
26:30 – How IDFC WOW Card works and why it’s great for beginners
27:00 – 🌍 What’s a good starter strategy? Ameya breaks it down
28:30 – Why co-branded airline cards can be a smart entry point
29:30 – Card recommendations from Ameya: Diners Privilege, ClubMiles, Millennia
30:30 – How long to wait before expecting an upgrade?
31:00 – HDFC Regalia + Regalia Gold card ladder explained
33:00 – 💥 First wins matter: Use SmartBuy sliders to redeem early
35:45 – Co-branded cards: Flipkart Axis, Amazon Pay ICICI, etc.
36:30 – ROI vs. ROS (Return on Spend): Travel vs Cashback
37:30 – Eswar’s card picks for beginners: Marriott Bonvoy & Swiggy
39:30 – HDFC Swiggy Card: Earn ₹42K cashback on daily spends
40:30 – HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card: Realistic redemptions and multiplier tricks
42:30 – 🛏️ Best Marriott redemptions in South India
44:00 – 2-card hack: How to get 2 free nights for ₹7,000
45:30 – Why Regalia and Regalia Gold are killer value for beginners
49:00 – 💡 Get that first win (flight/hotel) fast to stay motivated
51:00 – Card-on-card applications: Use strong limits to get better cards
55:30 – Domestic, international, or local? Choose your card by goal
58:00 – Devaluations are inevitable: plan redemptions early
59:00 – Inflation, redemption logic & why simplicity wins
01:00:00 – Final Advice from the trio for beginners
01:01:30 – Eswar reflects on his experience & favorite TGIPMS episode
