How a Credit Card Changed the Way India Dines & Flies | Dineout, HDFC & the Points & Miles Playbook

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:

• HDFC Diners Black Credit Card
• HDFC Infinia Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card
• ICICI Bank Times Black Credit Card
• Axis Magnus Credit Card

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