❌ 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.
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
10:20 - Dhimant & Ameya’s Approaches: How the Pros Would Start Today
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
16:40 - Every Journey Is Unique: Find Your Own Card Strategy
17:10 - Biggest Beginner Mistakes: Poor Redemptions & Not Reading Fine Print
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
24:15 - More Mistakes: Missing Out on Bonus Points & Misreading T&Cs
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
44:05 - Loyalty Dilemmas: Marriott vs Accor vs Taj—Which To Prioritize?
46:30 - Traveler vs Tourist: Matching Hotel Programs to Your Travel Style
49:00 - Planning Year 2: Optimizing Card Stack for Life Events & Spends
52:50 - Card Choices for Spenders: Magnus, Atlas, and When To Level Up
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
1:17:00 - Maximizing Returns: Smart Combos and When To Diversify
1:20:45 - Wrap-up: Summary & Key Takeaways