The research found that almost a third (32 percent) of all rewards points redeemed by SaveSage users were used for flights or transferring airline miles, reflecting the growing awareness of high-value redemptions against the backdrop of rising travel costs.
In total, users redeemed ₹850 crore worth of credit card reward points for travel during the year.
Based on anonymized data from more than 110,000 users managing more than 500,000 credit cards, the report highlights a broader shift toward premium travel experiences. Business class seats, long-haul international flights and luxury hotel stays saw strong growth as consumers looked to maximize the value of their reward points rather than opting for flat cashback.
SaveSage’s analysis shows that users earned an average reward value of 15.6 percent for every $100 spent on travel bookings, the highest of all spending categories.
Overall reward efficiency improved sharply to 7 percent in 2025, up from 2.2 percent in 2024. Users aged 30 to 35 were the most financially savvy cohort, with an average optimization rate of 11 percent.
Geographically, Pune, Bengaluru and Gurugram recorded the highest reward efficiency. At the same time, Tier-2 cities such as Ranchi, Jaipur and Hyderabad showed the fastest improvement, indicating broader adoption of the use of strategic rewards beyond major metros. The report also coincides with strong growth in credit card usage across the country.
Reserve Bank of India data shows that monthly credit card spend rose 19.6 percent year-on-year to ₹2.14 lakh crore in October 2025. Within the SaveSage user base, travel redemptions peaked in November and December, accounting for more than a third of annual travel-related redemptions as users approached the annual limit.
Despite rising travel ambitions, the research found that several premium card benefits remain underutilized. Only 0.3 percent of eligible users took advantage of free airport spa services, while even users with unlimited lounge access averaged just one visit every four weeks.
Published on December 25, 2025
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