2017 Year in Review: Major Events, Trends, and Highlights

As 2018 approaches, it’s a good moment to reflect on a year that was rewarding, challenging and instructive. 2017 brought several positives for me and for CardExpert.in, though it was not quite as strong as 2016. Half the year was dominated by business commitments and the other half by bouts of illness. Still, there’s a lot to be thankful for and lessons to carry forward. Below I summarize what went well and what didn’t in 2017, both for CardExpert.in and personally.

The Good

1. Readership: CardExpert experienced notable growth in 2017. At one point we served about 100,000 readers in a single month. There was a dip when I was unwell for a couple of months, but readership is climbing back.
2. Credit card industry developments: The market saw some strong product moves. SBI launched the Prime card to address common customer needs. ICICI refreshed its gemstone lineup and began issuing cards with Dreamfolks lounge access. HDFC introduced Clubmiles and added transfer partners after a period of devaluations. Overall, the industry is evolving rapidly and banks are beginning to respond more to customer demand, with better premium card options emerging over the last two years.
3. Points & miles promotions: 2017 offered several lucrative promotions enabling significant point accumulation. Apart from HDFC’s Diners 10x offers, Yes Bank ran a series of very attractive campaigns that made it possible to collect well over 100k points in some cases.
4. Trips: My travel was about 20% of what it was in 2016, mainly because my usual travel companion got married and his availability dropped. Still, I managed an international trip to Vietnam and a few domestic trips, and I took my family to North India (Delhi and Agra), which was very rewarding.
5. Memorable experiences: Highlights included an overnight cruise in Halong Bay, Vietnam, and flying domestic business class on Jet Airways—both vivid memories.
6. Work and health improvements: After years of late-night work schedules (often 4PM–4AM), I finally shifted back to a daytime routine. That change has had a big positive impact on my daily life—regular morning breakfasts feel like a small but meaningful luxury after nearly seven years.

The Bad

1. Unnecessary purchases: Late 2016 and into 2017 I made several purchases driven by reward offers rather than need. Many of those items were never used. The lesson was clear: only buy what you truly need, when you need it. Saving 50% is appealing, but not buying at all saves 100%.
2. Costly oversights: While chasing small points opportunities, I neglected some important tasks like timely accounting, taxation and project deadlines. That resulted in fees and interest totaling over Rs.20,000—equivalent to a large chunk of reward points. The takeaway: stop focusing on tiny promotions that save less than about Rs.1,000.
3. Illness: I had a rough 2–3 month stretch with repeated fevers and colds. It was one of the toughest periods of the year, and I hope to avoid a repeat.

Overall, the positives clearly outweigh the negatives.

What to expect On Cardexpert in 2018?

For me, the card-chasing phase is largely over after 2017, with the possible exception of Citibank, which hasn’t been a strong focus. The year ahead is about redeeming the points and miles accumulated over the past two years and enjoying the travel those balances can fund.

Flight Reviews

Flying domestic business class on Jet Airways hooked me on a more premium flying experience. I didn’t manage as many trips in 2017, but that should change in 2018.

A practical limitation in 2017 was the long drive—about three hours—to the nearest major airport (CJB) whenever I wanted to fly. That’s about to change: my city airport (SXV) is scheduled to reopen within a month, which will make flying much more convenient.

When local flights resume, I expect to fly far more frequently, and that will naturally increase hotel stays and related reviews. I’m looking forward to that change.

Hotel Reviews

In recent years I’ve become increasingly interested in hotels. I often stay in local hotels just to explore them and get some rest. With OTA pricing and offers, it’s possible to find very affordable rates—sometimes as low as Rs.500 per person per night on twin sharing at a 3-star property that normally costs much more.

Some stays have been unforgettable: extended breakfasts and relaxed mornings more than justify the price in many cases. I’ve taken several such stays with friends and solo, and I’m now exploring higher-end properties as well, including leisure trips to places like Aloft Coimbatore and Le Meridien Coimbatore.

I’m particularly fond of Starwood properties and expect to spend more time at Starwood (SPG), Marriott and Taj hotels going forward. My elite status targets for the near term are SPG/Marriott and JetPrivilege.

Expect to see more flight, hotel and airport lounge reviews on the blog in the coming months.

That said, business and personal commitments could keep me busy at times, so occasional breaks from the blog are possible.

Final Thoughts

There are many decisions ahead: new skills to learn, new places to visit and plenty of points and miles to redeem. With so much uncertainty, I’m eager to see what surprises the new year brings. I’ve rarely felt this excited about a New Year.

How was your 2017 and where do you plan to use your points and miles in 2018? Share your thoughts on the content you’d like to see on the blog—flights, hotels and airport lounge reviews are still relatively new here, and I’m keen to cover what readers want.