Imagine this, your credit card points redemption could actually pay for your flight or hotel.

Sounds too good to be true? It’s not.

If you are earning decently, living modestly, and spending on online groceries, fuel, cabs, eating out, shopping, and utilities, then your everyday spends can quietly fund your next trip.

In this post, you’ll learn exactly how to turn your credit card points into plane tickets and hotel nights, using credit cards for medium income users.

👉 HDFC Regalia Gold
👉 HSBC Travel One
👉 American Express Platinum Travel
👉 Axis Bank Horizon
👉 IDFC FIRST Mayura

Let’s make your dream holiday a reality without burning your savings.

Credit Card Points Redemption: The Simple Game Plan

1. Track where you already spend (groceries, fuel, cabs, eating out, shopping, utilities).
2. Pick a card that gives extra points on your biggest spends (or use 1 primary + 1 travel card).
3. Stack welcome bonuses, category multipliers, and bank offers (like HDFC SmartBuy or Axis Travel EDGE).
4. Transfer points to airline or hotel partners when the conversion rate is high.
5. Use transfer bonuses and smart redemptions to squeeze maximum value.

Meet the Persona (That’s You)

You’re 25. You use Blinkit or Zepto for groceries, EazyDiner or Dineout for dinners, Ola or Uber on weekends, and occasionally shop online for clothes or gadgets. You spend around ₹50,000 per month, or ₹6 lakh a year.

Let’s see how far that ₹6 lakh can take you in terms of credit card points redemption.

The Best Travel Credit Cards in India to Fund Your Next Holiday

HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card

✴️ How You Earn

• 4 Reward Points per ₹150 on most spends (≈ 0.027 RP per ₹1).
• Extra benefits through SmartBuy on flights, hotels, and special merchants.

💫 How You Redeem

• Convert your points to airline miles through HDFC SmartBuy.
• Most partners offer 0.33–0.5 air miles per 1 Reward Point.

🚀 Best Strategy

• Skip catalog vouchers (poor value).
• Transfer points during a SmartBuy bonus or redeem directly for travel to get up to ₹0.75–₹1 per point in value.

Airline Transfer Partners: Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Vistara, Air India, AirAsia, Thai Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Lufthansa.

Hotel Transfer Partners: Accor Live Limitless (ALL), IHG One Rewards, Club ITC, Marriott Bonvoy, and Wyndham Rewards.

Transfer Ratio: Typically 2 HDFC Reward Points = 1 partner point.

Estimated Value per Point:

• Airlines: Approximately ₹0.50–₹1.00 per point, depending on the airline and route.
• Hotels: Accor ALL points are valued at approximately ₹2 per point.

🧮 Example: ₹6L annual spend = ~16,000 RPs → worth ₹8,000+ in flights/hotels if used smartly.

HSBC Travel One Credit Card

✴️ How You Earn

• 4 reward points per ₹100 on travel/foreign currency spends.
• 2 reward points per ₹100 on everything else.

💫 How You Redeem

• Converts to airline miles at a 1:1 ratio with most partners.
• Instant or same-day transfer to major programs (like British Airways, Etihad, Singapore Airlines).

🚀 Best Strategy

• Redeem via frequent flyer programs for maximum value.
• Watch for transfer bonus campaigns—a 20–30% bonus can stretch your miles further.

Airline Transfer Partners: Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, British Airways Executive Club, Etihad Guest, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Air India Maharaja Club, and Air France Flying Blue.

Hotel Transfer Partners: Accor Live Limitless (ALL), Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, and Wyndham Rewards.

Transfer Ratio:

• Airlines: 1 HSBC Reward Point = 1 airline mile.
• Hotels: 25 HSBC Reward Points = 1 hotel point.

Estimated Value per Point:

• Airlines: Approximately ₹0.50–₹1.00 per point, depending on the airline and route.
• Hotels: Accor ALL points are valued at approximately ₹2.00 per point.

🧮 Example: ₹6L spend = ~12,000 points → ₹7,000–₹14,000 value if transferred for flights.

American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card

✴️ How You Earn

• 1 Membership Rewards (MR) point per ₹50 spent.
• Bonus MR points at milestone spends and select merchants.

💫 How You Redeem

• Convert MR points 1:1 to major international airline partners.
• Or redeem for domestic travel via Amex Travel portal.

🚀 Best Strategy

• Save up MR points for international flights or business class upgrades—they yield the best rupee value.
• Look for Amex transfer bonuses (20–40%) for extra boost.

Airline Transfer Partners: Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, British Airways Executive Club, Etihad Guest, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and Air India Maharaja Club.

Hotel Transfer Partners: Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors.

Transfer Ratio:

• Airlines: 1 Amex Membership Rewards Point = 1 airline mile.
• Hotels: 1 Amex Membership Rewards Point = 1 hotel point.

Estimated Value per Point:

• Airlines: Approximately ₹0.50–₹1.00 per point, depending on the airline and route.
• Hotels: Marriott Bonvoy points are valued at approximately ₹1.00 per point.

🧮 Example: ₹6L spend = ~12,000 MR points → value up to ₹14,000 when transferred smartly.

Axis Bank Horizon Credit Card

✴️ How You Earn

• 2 EDGE Miles per ₹100 on regular spends.
• Bonus miles on travel bookings via Axis Travel EDGE.

💫 How You Redeem

• 1 EDGE Mile = 1 partner mile (for most airline partners).
• Partners include Air India, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and more.

🚀 Best Strategy

• Convert EDGE Miles 1:1 to your preferred airline partner.
• Avoid vouchers—flights give double the value.
• Mind annual transfer caps.

Airline Transfer Partners: Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Etihad Guest, and Air India Maharaja Club.

Hotel Transfer Partners: Accor Live Limitless (ALL), Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, and Wyndham Rewards.

Transfer Ratio:

• Airlines: 1 Axis EDGE Mile = 1 airline mile.
• Hotels: 1 Axis EDGE Mile = 1 hotel point.

Estimated Value per Point:

• Airlines: Approximately ₹0.50–₹1.00 per point, depending on the airline and route.
• Hotels: Accor ALL points are valued at approximately ₹2.00 per point.

🧮 Example: ₹6L spend = ~12,000 EDGE Miles → ₹7,200–₹14,000 in flight value.

IDFC FIRST Mayura Credit Card

✴️ How You Earn

• Earn reward points on every spend (up to 50x on select categories during promos).
• 1 Reward Point per ₹100 (base).

💫 How You Redeem

• Each point is worth ₹0.50 when redeemed for flights/hotels via the IDFC app.
• Partner transfer options may vary, but travel redemption gives the highest value.

🚀 Best Strategy

• Always redeem through the IDFC Travel & Shop portal to maximize per-point value.
• Combine points + cash if you’re short a few thousand points.

Airline Transfer Partners: Currently, IDFC FIRST Mayura does not have direct airline transfer partners.

Hotel Transfer Partners: Currently, IDFC FIRST Mayura does not have direct hotel transfer partners.

Redemption Options:

• Travel & Shop Portal: Reward Points can be redeemed for travel bookings through the IDFC FIRST Travel & Shop portal at a value of ₹0.50 per point.

Estimated Value per Point: ₹0.50 per point when redeemed through the Travel & Shop portal.

🧮 Example: ₹6L spend = ~30,000 points → ₹15,000 worth of travel bookings.

What’s the Real Value You Can Expect from Credit Card Points Redemption?

Let’s be honest; your ₹50k monthly spends won’t fund a Europe trip overnight. Here’s the credit card points redemption math:

Credit Card	Annual Spend	Points/Miles	Approx. Holiday Value
HDFC Regalia Gold	₹6,00,000	16,000 RP	₹3,000–₹9,000
HSBC Travel One	₹6,00,000	12,000 pts	₹7,000–₹14,000
Amex Platinum Travel	₹6,00,000	12,000 MR	₹7,000–₹14,000
Axis Horizon	₹6,00,000	12,000 EDGE Miles	₹7,000–₹14,000
IDFC Mayura	₹6,00,000	30,000 pts	₹15,000

That’s ₹7,000–₹15,000 worth of free travel each year. You can use it to fund a free domestic flight, hotel stay, or one leg of your international trip.

Stack your welcome bonuses + transfer bonuses, and that number can easily double.

Smart Credit Card Points Redemption Tips

• Track your category spends (don’t waste points on low-earning spends).
• Use bank portals like HDFC SmartBuy, Axis Travel EDGE, or IDFC Travel for higher value.
• Wait for transfer bonuses—they can boost your points by 20–50%.
• Use points only for flights/hotels, never for merchandise or cashback.
• Book early—award seats fill up quickly.

Verdict

Credit card points redemption isn’t magic; it’s your hidden holiday fund waiting to be unlocked.
If you spend smartly, your everyday swipes can easily turn into free flights, staycations, or an extra day on the beach.

Start small. Pick one or two travel-friendly cards. Track your points patiently and within a year of usage you can fund your entire trip or a significant part of it. You can also accumulate these credit card reward points over the period of 2-3 years to fund your big holiday abroad. Choice is yours!