An Indian traveler used points held with a Singapore bank to arrange a first Europe trip from Bengaluru. The itinerary routed through Doha, with Qatar flights in economy and an IndiGo return leg. It blended bank points with cash rather than U.S. card rewards.
- Outbound fare
- ₹35,080 plus 8,500 Avios
- Return award
- 30,000 Avios plus €123.83
- Outbound route
- Bengaluru-Doha-Athens
- Aircraft
- A350-1000 and 787-8 outbound
The outbound booking was for Aug. 24, on QR573 from Bengaluru to Doha and QR203 onward to Athens. It cost ₹35,080, about US$366, plus 8,500 Avios through a Cash + Avios booking. For the return, the traveler booked QR222 from Bucharest to Doha on Sept. 6, then IndiGo flight 6E1302 to Bengaluru on Sept. 7; that award required 30,000 Avios and €123.83 in taxes and fees.
The traveler, an Indian MBA student at IIM Bangalore, had studied and worked in Singapore and held points with HSBC Singapore and UOB. The trip followed an academic term ending in late August 2026 and preceded an exchange semester in Melbourne. A Schengen visa application and a two-week itinerary covering Greece and Central Europe shaped the plan; separate Aegean and LOT flights within Europe were paid for in cash.
The mixed payment kept cash in the outbound booking, while the return drew more Avios plus fees. Singapore bank rewards offered an alternative route to Qatar awards for travelers earning points outside U.S. programs.
Source: www.insideflyer.com
