Key takeaways

  • Bank travel portals (like HDFC SmartBuy) often give the best fixed value per point.
  • Transfers to airlines can be worth more, but need planning and carry more risk.
  • Watch the caps. HDFC Millennia lets you pay up to 50% of a booking with points, and caps flight and hotel redemptions at 50,000 points a month.
  • Compare the portal's price with booking directly before you redeem.

Travel is usually where credit card points are worth the most. There are three ways to use them, and the right one depends on your card and how much planning you want to do.

Route 1: your bank's travel portal

Most banks run a travel portal where you can pay for flights and hotels with points at a fixed rate. For example:

  • HDFC Bank Millennia: HDFC's February 2026 FAQ says points can be used for flights and hotels at 1 point = ₹1, for up to 50% of the booking value, with flight and hotel redemptions capped at 50,000 points a month.
  • HDFC Bank Regalia Gold: points are worth about ₹0.50 each on flights and hotels via SmartBuy, which is how we value this card.
  • Premium HDFC cards like HDFC Bank Infinia Metal get about ₹1 per point on SmartBuy travel.

Pros: simple, predictable value, and no airline account needed. Cons: portal prices can be higher than booking direct, and there are caps on how much you can redeem.

Route 2: transfer to an airline or hotel programme

Some cards let you convert points into airline miles or hotel points. The upside can be large, especially for premium-cabin flights, but it needs planning. Axis Atlas, for example, transfers EDGE Miles at 1:2 to partners like Singapore KrisFlyer and Air India Maharaja Club, within annual caps. Read our transfer partners guide before converting anything.

Route 3: travel credits and coins

Some cards pay rewards that can only be used for travel. Scapia Federal Bank coins, for example, are redeemed for travel booked in the Scapia app. Treat these as travel credit: great if you use the app, worthless if you don't.

Step by step: booking a flight with points

  1. Check your balance and point value in your bank app.
  2. Price the flight three ways: on the airline's website, on your bank portal in cash, and on the portal with points.
  3. Work out your real value per point: (direct cash price − cash you still pay) ÷ points used. If the portal price is ₹500 higher than booking direct, subtract that from your value.
  4. Check the caps. You may only be able to pay part of the booking with points.
  5. Book and save the confirmation. Cancellations may return points or money under the portal's rules, which can differ from the airline's.

Five tips to get more value

  • Redeem for expensive trips. Fixed-value portals give the same ₹ per point either way, but transfers usually shine on high-fare routes.
  • Book early. Award seats on transfer partners disappear quickly around holidays.
  • Combine with sale fares where portals allow. Some portals run their own discounts.
  • Don't let points expire. Track them with our points expiry tracker.
  • Redeem before devaluations. Our changes log flags them as they're announced.

Hotels: points vs portal

For hotels, a bank portal's fixed value is often better than transferring to a hotel programme, especially where the transfer ratio is 2:1. Compare the portal's hotel price with the hotel's own website. Direct bookings sometimes include breakfast or free cancellation that portals don't.

Which cards are best for travel redemptions?

See our best travel credit cards for rankings, and use the reward points value calculator to compare what your points are worth across redemption options.

A worked example

Say you hold HDFC Bank Millennia with 8,000 points and want a ₹12,000 domestic return flight. Under HDFC's FAQ you can pay up to 50% of the booking with points at ₹1 each. That's 6,000 points for ₹6,000, with the remaining ₹6,000 paid on the card. If the same flight costs ₹11,500 on the airline's website, your real value is (₹11,500 − ₹6,000) ÷ 6,000 points ≈ ₹0.92 per point. Still excellent, but a little below the headline ₹1.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Redeeming small balances where a flat redemption fee eats most of the value.
  • Booking non-refundable fares with points when your plans might change.
  • Forgetting the cash part. If points only cover part of the booking, the rest goes on your card and should be paid in full.

FAQs

Can I book flights with credit card points in India?

Yes. Most banks let you redeem points on their travel portals, and some let you transfer points to airline programmes.

Is it better to use points for flights or cashback?

Often flights. Many cards give a higher value per point on travel than on statement credit. Compare both before redeeming.

Can I pay the full ticket price with points?

Not always. Some cards cap redemptions. HDFC Millennia, for example, allows up to 50% of the booking value with points.

Do I earn airline miles on flights booked with points?

Usually yes, if the booking is a regular fare and you add your frequent-flyer number, but check the portal's terms.

Are points bookings refundable?

It depends on the portal and fare. Some portals return points on cancellation, others refund to your card, and some fares are non-refundable. Read the cancellation terms before booking.

Which is better for hotels: points or cash?

Compare the rupee value per point with the hotel's direct price. Portals are convenient, but direct bookings sometimes include extras like breakfast or free cancellation.

Sources

About the author

Deepak

Founder & Editor, CardPicker

Deepak founded CardPicker and writes and fact-checks its credit card guides, comparisons and news.

✓ Fact-checked 26 September 2026Prices, dates and card terms in this article were checked against issuer websites, official pages and news reports listed under Sources. Card figures come from our database, which is re-verified regularly. Offers change often, so confirm on the issuer's site before you buy or apply. Spotted an error? Tell us.