India in Six Nights: A Points-Powered Trip That Exceeded Expectations

Travelling to India has never been at the top of my family’s travel bucket list, though seeing the Taj Mahal has always been on mine. Unfortunately, it was not particularly high on my husband’s list either, so the trip stayed on the back burner for some time. That changed when my good friend and coworker Rachel mentioned that India had long been on her list as well.

When I shared my plans with family and friends, the reactions were mixed. Several people raised safety concerns, influenced in part by stories and social media coverage they had seen, while others shared personal experiences that came with a few cautionary notes.

With that context in mind, I went into the trip with fairly measured expectations but was still looking forward to it. I am happy to report that the experience exceeded those expectations, and I genuinely enjoyed the time we spent there.

Below is a recap of how the trip unfolded, including how we travelled there using points and where we stayed along the way.

The Tour

Most trips, I enjoy planning myself, including transportation, attractions, and all the small details in between. For India, however, there were enough unknowns for me that I preferred to lean on someone with local knowledge and experience, particularly given the additional safety considerations that come with travelling somewhere new.

Thankfully, Anshul (from Points, Miles and Bling) shared a contact for Vesna Event Crafters, a local travel and event company. While they were happy to arrange every aspect of the trip, we chose to have them handle only transportation and guided touring, which allowed us to book the accommodations we wanted using points.

For the itinerary, we settled on the classic Golden Triangle route covering Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, with the addition of a tiger safari at Ranthambore National Park. In total, for two people, the cost for a private driver and guide over our six nights came to $1,400 CAD. 

There are probably cheaper tour companies out there, but the level of service, reliability, and ease of logistics made this a solid value overall. One of our guides had previously served as the tour guide for President Trump and his administration during a visit to India several years ago.

We visited popular attractions and learned a lot about India’s historical past, including about Gandhi, its Mughal heritage, and life as a British colony. Memorable attractions included our rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk, one of India’s oldest and busiest markets, Humayun’s Tomb, Agra Fort, Amer Fort, and of course, the Taj Mahal.

Our visit to Ranthambore National Park was well worth it. We were fortunate enough to spot a three-year old tiger casually sunbathing right in the middle of the road. Sightings are never guaranteed, however, and the best time to see tigers is generally in May and June, when the heat tends to draw them out toward water sources.

Unlike many safari experiences in Africa, where game drives are often included with hotel stays, safaris at Ranthambore National Park are booked separately. Hotels in the area are happy to arrange this on your behalf, and I would recommend going through them.

The park is divided into ten zones, with Zones 1 through 5 historically offering the highest likelihood of tiger sightings. According to the official booking process, zone assignments are handled on a first come, first served basis, so check when booking opens.

The Flights

My friend and I did not take the most direct or most cost effective route to India on points. There are certainly simpler options, such as flying Air India nonstop, but this trip gave me a bit more flexibility than usual.

When travelling with my kids, I generally aim to keep things as straightforward as possible and maximize value, since family travel can add up quickly. When travelling with my husband or a friend, however, I am more willing to take a slightly more circuitous route in exchange for trying airlines and products I have not experienced before. It was also nice not having to worry about award space for 5 passengers once in a while!

We flew from Toronto to London in business class on Virgin Atlantic for 33,000 Virgin Points plus roughly $400 CAD in taxes. We were initially excited to try the Airbus A330-900neo scheduled for this route, but just a few weeks before departure, the aircraft was swapped to an A330-300 featuring Virgin Atlantic’s older “coffin” style seats. I did not fully appreciate what that meant until boarding.

While the lack of privacy was noticeable, the seats themselves were still comfortable. The food was average but I did enjoy their snack collection.

From London to Delhi via Muscat we flew in business class on Oman Air for 60,000 Atmos Rewards points plus $518 CAD in taxes. The long haul segment from London to Muscat was operated by a Boeing 787-9 with Apex Suites, which made for a very pleasant flight overall, although I would still rank Emirates and Qatar Airways ahead in terms of the full business class experience.

On the return, we flew from Jaipur to Abu Dhabi in business class on Etihad for 30,000 Etihad Guest miles and $360 CAD in taxes, followed by Abu Dhabi to Toronto in Etihad First Class Apartments on the A380 for 115,000 AAdvantage miles and $50 CAD in taxes. This was easily the highlight of the journey. From the First Class Lounge to the onboard service and dining, and the shower in the sky, the entire experience was exceptional.

The Accomodation

India is generally an affordable destination when paying cash for hotels, but redeeming points can unlock even better value. Based on our points valuations, every hotel stay on this trip represented strong to excellent value, especially when factoring in suite upgrades and elite benefits. 

The properties had 4 or 5-star ratings, were well maintained, provided service that was consistently warm and attentive, and where elite status went a long way. At every hotel we stayed at, we were upgraded from a standard room to a one bedroom suite, and there were no issues adding a complimentary rollaway bed.

In Delhi, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Delhi for 8,000 World of Hyatt points per night, replacing a cash rate of around $300 CAD. That works out to roughly 3.75 cents per point, well above our Hyatt valuation. 

The breakfast buffet featured a generous spread of both North American and Indian dishes, making it a comfortable and convenient start to the trip. The Regency Club provided a warm space to have a drink and the evening food offerings were quite good.

In Agra, we stayed at the ITC Mughal, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa for 21,500 Marriott Bonvoy points per night, replacing a cash rate of over $250 CAD. This redemption came in at around 1.2 cents per point, which is solid value for Bonvoy. 

The hotel offers lush gardens, spacious rooms, and a relaxing atmosphere just minutes from the Taj Mahal. Breakfast included a mix of traditional Indian and familiar Western options.

In Jaipur, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Jaipur Mansarovar for 9,500 World of Hyatt points per night, with cash rates exceeding $300 CAD. That translates to just over 3.1 cents per point. 

The property features a striking central courtyard and spacious, modern rooms, but what really stood out was the complimentary afternoon tea. Local artisans hosted hands-on activities, giving guests the opportunity to try traditional handicrafts, and Globalist members also have access to an on-site lounge.

This hotel participates in the Hyatt Privé preferred partner program which you can access through our in house travel agency Prince Collection. With low cash rates, you can score a great deal when you consider benefits such as a USD 100 property credit, complimentary breakfast for two, a one category room upgrade, and other perks.

In Ranthambore, there were no good points redemption options, so we opted to stay at the Taj Sawai Ranthambore for $550 CAD per night. While there were cheaper alternatives available, our rationale was simple: even if we did not spot a tiger, we would still be spending our time at a beautiful property.

The luxury resort included a daily breakfast buffet and afternoon tea, and the room itself was spectacular, complete with an outdoor bathtub. We offset the cost by redeeming TD Rewards points earned from the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card.

Overall Impression

Six nights turned out to be the perfect amount of time to cover the Golden Triangle and fit in a tiger safari. Travel between cities can take several hours by car, although trains can help reduce overall travel time, and ride share options such as Uber, Ola, and Rapido are widely available.

That said, if you have never experienced traffic in a place like Egypt or Bali before, the driving conditions in India can come as a bit of a cultural shock. Lane discipline is loose, horns are used constantly, and it is not uncommon to share the road with cows, rickshaws, mopeds, tuk tuks, and the occasional elephant.

Stray cows, those that have been released onto the streets because they have outgrown their milk-producing years, are everywhere. Despite this, we felt very safe using a private transfer throughout the trip.

Air quality can be an issue, particularly in the mornings and in Delhi, where smog can be noticeable. The cities are also very densely populated, and it is not uncommon to receive curious looks when travelling as women without a male companion. While this was something I had been warned about in advance, we did not experience any untoward behaviour during our trip.

That said, we were always accompanied by either our guide or driver. Our guides advised against venturing out on our own in Delhi and Agra, while in Jaipur, they indicated that moving around independently within the main tourist areas would generally be fine.

When it came to food, we largely followed the recommendations of our guides, who brought us to restaurants that were comfortable and tourist friendly. These spots typically served a mix of Indian specialties alongside familiar international options. We also enjoyed a few meals at our hotels.

I was a big fan of the naan and lentil soups throughout the trip. The naan in particular tasted noticeably better than what I am used to in North America. Food also tends to be spicier than at home, though most restaurants that cater to tourists will automatically tone things down. If you venture into more local spots, it is a good idea to let them know in advance if you prefer a milder spice level.

Street food is hugely popular with locals, but we chose to skip it on this trip. We also stuck to bottled water throughout our stay. Our driver had bottles ready for us each day, and bottled water was readily available at all of the hotels we stayed at.

I also want to mention how easy it was to use credit cards throughout the trip. Most establishments we visited accepted credit cards without issue. The main exceptions were street food vendors and ticket offices at tourist attractions, so it is still a good idea to carry some cash in rupees for those situations.

Conclusion

This six day trip to India ended up being far more enjoyable than I had expected. I never thought travelling with a colleague could be so much fun, and although India was never a destination I had seriously prioritized, experiencing the Taj Mahal and seeing a tiger in its natural setting firsthand were truly awe inspiring. The trip felt full without being rushed.

From a points and miles perspective, India proved to be an excellent destination. Flights offered the chance to experience premium products, while hotel redemptions delivered strong value, particularly when paired with elite benefits and suite upgrades.

By working with a tour company to handle transportation and sightseeing, the trip required very little planning beyond booking flights and hotels, making it a surprisingly straightforward and rewarding use of points.