Maximizing Travel Rewards with Credit Cards

💳 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