I’ve travelled to more than 110 countries, taken a thousand flights and stayed probably a gazillion nights in luxury suites, overwater villas, tents, camps and even caves in the most amazing places on the planet. But I still can’t get enough of it! Every time I travel, it feels like a new beginning – it frees my soul, it gives me a sense of purpose, and most of all, it gives me the purest form of joy.

 

But the trouble is, joy does NOT come cheap! From visas to flights to hotels and the sneaky  little costs in the between burn a not-so-small hole in my pocket, especially since I’m more inclined toward the luxury side of things.

 

That said, here’s the good news- luxury doesn’t always have to break the bank. These days, I’ve noticed people aren’t scared of indulging in ultra-luxury anymore. They want to push the envelope, experience the world’s best, and do it all without emptying their savings. And for that they have started to plan better.

 

So have I! Over the years, my adventures around the world have helped me figure out a few clever ways of travelling in style without exceeding my budget. Like joining the Emirates Skywards program to earn miles and taking the American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC).

 

 

I had been steadily saving up airline miles with Emirates Skywards for a while, thanks to a few long-haul business class flights and some strategic credit card spending. (When I decided to visit the Maldives, I had enough miles to upgrade my economy ticket to business class for just $100 plus taxes. Ah.. that was the best day, sipping champagne and stretching out in a lie-flat lounger outside my ocean villa, knowing I’ve paid only a fraction of the cost!)

 

I tell you, these loyalty programs are the best-kept secret of the travel industry.  But I’m going to give you the inside scoop on some amazing programs so you too can experience the joy of earning and redeeming  reward points for room upgrades, cabin upgrades, airport lounge access and so many more things. 

 

Here’s how I’ve made my travels a little more luxurious (and affordable):

 

Earning The Reward Points

To redeem points, you need to earn them first. Here’s how to stack up those points smartly.

 

1. Airline Frequent Flyer Programs 

 

 

Almost every airline - like Emirates Skywards, Delta SkyMiles, Air India, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, British Airways, Qantas, Singapore Airlines etc - have loyalty programs that you can sign up for free. These programs frequently run promotions throughout the year, offering double or triple miles rewards on certain routes, or bonus miles if you spend over a particular limit. For example, booking flights directly through Air India’s platforms can earn you bonus Flying Returns points. Keep an eye out for such promotions, especially if you have travel plans in the next 3-6 months—it’s an easy way to multiply your miles without extra effort!

 

 

Whenever possible, book your trips on an airline that is part of the Star Alliance. Not only can you earn points on qualifying fare tickets from that airline, but you’ll also rack up miles with any of the 25 other Star Alliance member airlines. Plus, you can transfer points from partner programs and redeem them for award tickets, making it a powerful tool for travellers looking to maximize their rewards.

 

Star Alliance doesn’t just help you earn miles, it also offers practical benefits that can save you time, money, and hassle, especially during complex itineraries. For example, let’s say you’re flying from Delhi to Frankfurt on an international flight, and then connecting to Berlin on a domestic flight. Typically, international and domestic flights have different luggage policies, with some domestic flights charging extra for seat selection, in-flight services like earphones, or even checked baggage. But with Star Alliance, your bags are checked through to your final destination free of charge, baggage allowances stay consistent (so you won’t get penalized for heavy bags), and perks like free seat selection are included. It’s these thoughtful extras that make all the difference during travel.

 

Here’s another thing many people don’t realize - you can join Star Alliance simply by signing up for the frequent flyer program of any participating airline. Whether it’s Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air India or Emirates, membership in one program gives you access to Star Alliance benefits across the board.

 

However, one important thing to note - your miles don’t automatically get credited to your account after you fly. Frequent flyer programs will typically send reminders asking you to log in and to manually add your flight details to claim your miles. Some programs allow up to 6 months from the date of travel to add flight details, so even if you forget initially, there’s enough time to update your account and get what’s yours. Don’t let those hard-earned miles go to waste! 😜

 

Partner Programs: Some airlines let you earn miles on partner airlines or even through car rentals and dining programs. That’s how I earned miles by using my HDFC Diners Club Miles credit card at my birthday bash this year. Similarly, travel aggregators and car rental services sometimes partner with airlines to offer promotions that help you earn points. 

 

 

Hot Tip #1: Although all airlines regularly send you emails to update you on their latest offers, I would also recommend following their social media handles on IG and X, so you don’t miss out on time-sensitive promotions.

 

2. Hotel Loyalty Programs 

 

 

 

International hotel programs like Taj Epicure, Oberoi One, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honours or IHG Rewards offer points for every stay. You can also earn bonus points for longer stays or during promotions. (Like when I went on a vacation to XXX, I earned 1.5x points because I was staying for 6 days. Since I travel a lot, accumulating these bonus points really helped me bump up my luxury quotient on my next trip.) But keep in mind that booking directly through the hotel’s website will earn you more points than third-party aggregators. 

 

Credit Card Partnerships: Many hotel loyalty programs in India and abroad have co-branded credit cards that accelerate your earnings. For example India’s first and only hotel co-branded card,  The Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Credit Card gives 8 Marriott Bonvoy Points per Rs. 150 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy and 4 Marriott Bonvoy Points per Rs. 150 spent on travel, dining & entertainment as of January 2025.

 

3. Credit Cards Programs

 

A lot of people believe that having 5-6 credit cards will unlock more benefits, but I like to  keep it simple. Personally, I never carry more than 3 credit cards, 2 of which I use specifically to maximize my travel perks.

 

One of my new favourites is the Federal Scapia co-branded credit card, which is built for travel lovers like me (and you!). This card lets me convert my everyday expenses into amazing travel experiences. The virtual card got activated immediately, and my physical card reached me in about 5 days. The best part is that there is no joining fees or annual fees, and also zero forex mark-up on international transactions! On top of that since I spend at least Rs 10,000 a month, it also gives me benefits like airport lounge access, complimentary dining, shopping and spa vouchers. What’s not to love!

 

Another card that works wonders for me is the American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC). This one does come with an annual fee—₹1,000 plus taxes for the first year and ₹4,500 plus taxes from the second year onward—but it’s totally worth it. For every ₹50 I spend (excluding fuel, insurance, utilities, and EMIs), I earn 1 reward point. Plus, I scored 1,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points simply by using the card 4 times in 1 month on transactions of ₹1,500 or more. Honestly, it doesn’t get easier than this to rack up reward points!

 

American Express also has a Platinum Travel Credit Card, which is also a great option, especially if you are someone who frequently travels internationally.  The annual fees are Rs 5000 and taxes. One of its biggest advantages is getting the Priority Pass, with the $99 annual membership waived off, which is a big deal because this card gets you access to more than 1500 airport lounges across the world! 

 

 

 

Not just that, you can even pre-booked the lounge from the app so you have a cosy seat waiting for you when you get there! This card also gives you 1 reward point for every 50 rupees that you spend ( not including fuel, insurance, utilities, EMI transactions). The difference with this card is that you get a lot of travel vouchers from Flipkart and Taj Stay vouchers depending on your actual spends. 

 

The one rule I swear by is that I never redeem my points for shopping transactions. I know I have a hectic travel calendar, so I always keep my points to redeem them for my flights or hotels. 

 

FOREX CARDS: A lot of people I know prefer forex cards over credit cards for international travel. They’re widely accepted, work almost like cash, and you can even withdraw local currency from an ATM when needed. But the problem with forex cards is that it is very difficult to dispute a transaction, because unlike credit cards, which only block the amount temporarily, forex cards immediately deduct the amount from your existing balance.

 

Just remember not to use a forex card during emergencies or exigencies. For e.g. if your luggage doesn’t arrive at your destination and you need to make some purchases, a forex card might not be your best option. You don’t get statements for forex cards, especially if they are not linked to your bank account.  I’ve had an experience like this where I had to submit claims of my travel insurance and I couldn’t get the required disbursal because I didn’t keep the physical bills of my purchase and I had no other way to show proof of purchase on those dates.

Redeeming The Reward Points

 

You earn points based on the distance you travel, or the room category you stay in or the cabin class you fly etc. The higher the category, the higher the points. 

But - and that’s a big but – do remember:

 

 

• 1 point does not equal 1 rupee. Every hotel and credit card program has its own conversion rate, so look at the fine print closely to know what their reward points ratio is. For e.g Federal Bank One card offers instant redemption on flights, hotels and buses on the Scapia app, where 1 reward point = 1 Scapia Coin. However, it is not a 1:1 ratio because 5 Scapia coins = Rs 1. 

 

• It takes a couple of years to build up enough points to redeem them for something worthwhile like upgrading from Economy to Business or getting an entire sector free, so be patient, spend smartly, and start planning early for that trip to the Bahamas 5 years from now ☺ 

 

• Banks keep changing their reward ratios, so stay updated on those notifications before you make any bookings. For e.g. Axis Atlas bank credit cards now let you earn 2 Edge Miles instead of 1 Edge mile for every Rs 100 spent.

 

• Reward points get devalued over time, because airlines or hotels change the value of points or miles in between, potentially reducing the benefits you receive.

 

Sprinkle a Little ‘Reward Points’ Magic To Your Travels

 

Traveling cheap or even free isn’t about cutting corners or skimping on experiences, it’s about intelligently selecting the most relevant loyalty programs and credit cards for yourself, so that you earn the right benefits, cashbacks and reward points. Because by leveraging those reward points, you can experience the world in ways you never imagined, all while sticking to your budget. The key is to earn strategically, redeem wisely, and keep dreaming big.

 

 

Got questions? Head to @galtravelstory and drop me a comment!