Award flight · one-way
Cathay via Hong Kong quietly rewrote this corridor. The cheapest seat to Seoul is now Asia Miles' 20,000 economy on a HKG connection — SBI 1:1, and 5,000 under Korean's off-peak nonstop. Korean's once-crowned 45,000 Prestige is beaten twice: AAdvantage prints Cathay business at 40,000 (Bonvoy 3:1), and JAL Mileage Bank at 42,000 — direct-fed via HSBC 1:1, one-ways allowed, the real business winner. SKYPASS stays a trophy no Indian card feeds; Maharaja's 30,000 nonstop economy is the no-connection buy. First carries two real numbers now: AAdvantage's 50,000 region cell — re-read off aa.com's live calculator 2026-08-06 — is the cheapest published first-class price on this board, with Aeroplan's 95,000 distance band the alternative; both charts are blind to direction, so the cells read the same coming home. Every other first- class row is still an estimate, and estimates never headline.
The play · economy
Which card mints this?
| Program | Metal / routing | Points | Surcharge | All-in ₹ | vs play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAS EuroBonus the play | SkyTeam metal (KE), India→North Asia — SAS EuroBonus | 15,000 | — | ₹13,500 | the play |
| Malaysia Airlines Enrich | Malaysia Airlines via KUL (one stop) — revenue-based Enrich pricing | ~18,750 est. | — | ₹15,000 | 1.1× |
| Air China PhoenixMiles | Star Alliance metal (CA own via PEK + TG — CA itself flies only Delhi from India), India→North Asia — Air China PhoenixMiles | ~17,000 est. | — | ₹15,300 | 1.1× |
| Cathay Asia Miles | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld), Standard award — cumulative-distance pricing | 20,000 | — | ₹20,000 | 1.5× |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld partner award), or SriLankan Airlines via CMB | 22,500 | — | ₹22,500 | 1.7× |
| China Southern Sky Pearl Club | China Southern own metal via Guangzhou (CAN) — the Delhi nonstop resumes 21 September 2026, India→North Asia — Sky Pearl (no partners) | 30,000 | — | ₹22,500 | 1.7× |
| Air India Maharaja Points | Air India own metal from DEL, published route-chart award (4,652 km nonstop) | ~30,000 est. | — | ₹24,000 | 1.8× |
| United MileagePlus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — United MileagePlus | ~25,000 est. | — | ₹25,000 | 1.9× |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — China Eastern via PVG, or Vietnam Airlines via SGN | ~25,000 est. | — | ₹25,000 | 1.9× |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | Korean Air nonstop (SkyTeam), off-peak award | 25,000 | — | ₹25,000 | 1.9× |
| Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards | Korean Air nonstop DEL-ICN (oneworld partner award), India→North Asia — Alaska Atmos | 25,000 | — | ₹25,000 | 1.9× |
| Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld) via JAL partner chart | 23,000 | — | ₹25,300 | 1.9× |
| China Eastern Miles | SkyTeam metal (MU own + KE/VN), India→North Asia — China Eastern Eastern Miles | ~30,000 est. | — | ₹25,500 | 1.9× |
| Air Europa SUMA | SkyTeam partner metal (KE/VN), India→North Asia — Air Europa SUMA | 32,000 | — | ₹25,600 | 1.9× |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Avianca LifeMiles | ~27,000 est. | — | ₹27,000 | 2.0× |
| Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles | Korean Air DEL–ICN nonstop — Vietnam LotusMiles | 30,000 | — | ₹30,000 | 2.2× |
| Aegean Miles+Bonus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Aegean Miles+Bonus | 30,000 | — | ₹30,000 | 2.2× |
| Delta SkyMiles | SkyTeam partner metal (KE/VN/MU), India→North Asia — Delta SkyMiles (dynamic) | ~32,000 est. | — | ₹32,000 | 2.4× |
| Copa Airlines ConnectMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Copa ConnectMiles (fixed region chart) | 37,500 | — | ₹37,500 | 2.8× |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | Star Alliance metal (Air India/TG — EVA itself serves no Indian city; the award rides partner metal), India→North Asia — EVA Infinity MileageLands | 40,000 | — | ₹40,000 | 3.0× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (4,652 km) — or Thai Airways via BKK, or Air China via PEK | 40,000 | — | ₹40,000 | 3.0× |
| TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — TAP Miles&Go | 50,000 | — | ₹40,000 | 3.0× |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Singapore Airlines via SIN (one stop), Saver | 42,000 | — | ₹46,200 | 3.4× |
The play · business
Which card mints this?
| Program | Metal / routing | Points | Surcharge | All-in ₹ | vs play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAS EuroBonus the play | SkyTeam metal (KE), India→North Asia — SAS EuroBonus | 30,000 | — | ₹27,000 | the play |
| Air China PhoenixMiles | Star Alliance metal (CA own via PEK + TG — CA itself flies only Delhi from India), India→North Asia — Air China PhoenixMiles | ~30,000 est. | — | ₹27,000 | 1.0× |
| China Southern Sky Pearl Club | China Southern own metal via Guangzhou (CAN) — the Delhi nonstop resumes 21 September 2026, India→North Asia — Sky Pearl (no partners) | 45,000 | — | ₹33,750 | 1.3× |
| China Eastern Miles | SkyTeam metal (MU own + KE/VN), India→North Asia — China Eastern Eastern Miles | ~45,000 est. | — | ₹38,250 | 1.4× |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | Cathay Pacific business via HKG (oneworld partner award), or SriLankan Airlines via CMB | 40,000 | — | ₹40,000 | 1.5× |
| United MileagePlus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — United MileagePlus | ~45,000 est. | — | ₹45,000 | 1.7× |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | Korean Air nonstop (SkyTeam), Prestige, off-peak award | 45,000 | — | ₹45,000 | 1.7× |
| Aegean Miles+Bonus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Aegean Miles+Bonus | 45,000 | — | ₹45,000 | 1.7× |
| Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | Cathay Pacific business via HKG (oneworld) via JAL partner chart | 42,000 | — | ₹46,200 | 1.7× |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Avianca LifeMiles | ~50,000 est. | — | ₹50,000 | 1.9× |
| Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards | Korean Air nonstop DEL-ICN (oneworld partner award), India→North Asia — Alaska Atmos | 50,000 | — | ₹50,000 | 1.9× |
| Air Europa SUMA | SkyTeam partner metal (KE/VN), India→North Asia — Air Europa SUMA | 64,000 | — | ₹51,200 | 1.9× |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — China Eastern via PVG, or Vietnam Airlines via SGN | ~55,000 est. | — | ₹55,000 | 2.0× |
| TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — TAP Miles&Go | 70,000 | — | ₹56,000 | 2.1× |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | Star Alliance metal (Air India/TG — EVA itself serves no Indian city; the award rides partner metal), India→North Asia — EVA Infinity MileageLands | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | 2.2× |
| Cathay Asia Miles | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld), Standard award — cumulative-distance pricing | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | 2.2× |
| Copa Airlines ConnectMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Copa ConnectMiles (fixed region chart) | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | 2.2× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Air India metal (Star Alliance partner award) | 75,000 | — | ₹75,000 | 2.8× |
| Delta SkyMiles | SkyTeam partner metal (KE/VN/MU), India→North Asia — Delta SkyMiles (dynamic) | ~85,000 est. | — | ₹85,000 | 3.1× |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Singapore Airlines via SIN (one stop), Saver | 88,000 | — | ₹96,800 | 3.6× |
| Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles | Korean Air DEL–ICN nonstop — Vietnam LotusMiles | 100,000 | — | ₹1,00,000 | 3.7× |
The play · first
Which card mints this?
+7 more ways in — the full funnel, ratios and ₹/mile side by side →
One of your cards is in those 7 — see it in the funnel →
| Program | Metal / routing | Points | Surcharge | All-in ₹ | vs play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage the play | oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or SriLankan Airlines via CMB | 50,000 | — | ₹50,000 | the play |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (4,652 km) — or Thai Airways via BKK, or Air China via PEK | 95,000 | — | ₹95,000 | 1.9× |
All-in ₹ = points × the program's house value (valuation index) + the sourced one-way surcharge; a dash means the carrier doesn't publish it and the ranking counts it ₹0 — the row's note carries the caveat. That surcharge is the airline's own cash charge on an award — YQ, as the notes below call it — and it is not the fuel-surcharge waiver your credit card advertises: that one hands back a hundred rupees or two at a petrol pump, this one runs to tens of thousands and decides whether the award is worth taking at all. “Dynamic” and estimated (~… est.) rows never compete for the play — the crown is always a verified, bookable price. Feed-ins come from the same transfer data as the optimizer, multi-hop chains included.
Chart-priced, not live seats. These prices are read off each programme’s published award chart and valued at our own house ₹/point. 37% of the 39,855 priced options on the board are stated estimates for programmes that publish no chart; they are marked ~ est. and never crowned the play. Nobody here can see whether a seat exists on your date — confirm the space with the programme before you transfer. Points that leave your issuer do not come back.
The cash on top of the miles. Cathay Asia Miles and Air France-KLM Flying Blue state that a carrier-imposed surcharge is charged on an award. American Airlines AAdvantage, Air India Maharaja Points, United MileagePlus, Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards, China Eastern Miles, Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer make you liable for one if the operating airline levies it, without saying whether it does. Air Canada Aeroplan states it adds none on its own metal. Government taxes and airport charges are payable in every case. Almost no programme publishes the amount, so the desk carries each one’s policy in its own words — on its programme hub — rather than a number nobody published. 13 other programmes priced here publish nothing the desk could read.
Korean Air SkyTeam
SAS joined SkyTeam on 1-Sept-2024, so EuroBonus now prices SkyTeam metal. Ex-India sweet spot: intra-"CESA" business to North Asia/Japan at ~30k. Watch the ×2 multiplier on Air Europa/China Airlines/Vietnam Airlines (UX/CI/VN) metal. One-way = 60% of round-trip.
Feed it: 105,000 HDFC Reward Points (7:1 via Radisson Rewards) · 105,000 SBI Travel Credits (7:1 via Radisson Rewards) · 262,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (17.5:1 via Radisson Rewards)
Malaysia Airlines oneworld
MH connects DEL–KUL–ICN on its own metal (the routing matrix missed KUL–ICN; Malaysia Airlines' destination table confirms it's active) — but Enrich prices off the cash fare, ~0.8–1.2¢ a point, no chart. No Indian bank feeds Enrich; hotel-side only (IHG 5:1, Hilton 25:3). A balance-dump, not a plan.
Estimate Malaysia Enrich is revenue-linked ~Rs0.80/pt; ~= typical one-way MH economy fare / Rs0.80 for ~2,891 mi; moves with the live fare. MH own-metal Value redemptions only.
Feed it: 104,167 Amex Membership Rewards (5.56:1 via Hilton Honors) · 234,375 Axis EDGE Reward Points (12.5:1 via IHG One Rewards) · 93,750 HDFC Reward Points (5:1 via IHG One Rewards)
Air ChinaThai Airways Star Alliance
Air China PhoenixMiles prices its own metal (India→Beijing, resumed Apr-2026) plus Star partners. North Asia is its only genuine strength; elsewhere it is a weak Star pricer with heavy fuel surcharges (why the currency sits at ₹0.90). India-origin levels are not published, so all values are estimated off trans-Pacific anchors. One-way (current PhoenixMiles).
Estimate PhoenixMiles' official zone division could not be reconciled with this corridor — Air China publishes no India-origin level, and its published zone tables do not map cleanly onto these city pairs. This value is extrapolated from the nearest published anchors, not a verified chart price.
Feed it: 21,250 HSBC Reward Points (1.25:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 51,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 102,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
DEL–HKG–ICN totals ~3,623 flown miles — the 2,751–5,000 band at 20,000 Standard, and this band charges India no type-2 premium. 5,000 UNDER Korean's own off-peak nonstop, on a program SBI feeds 1:1 — the cheapest published economy to Seoul, if you'll wear the Hong Kong connection.
Feed it: 40,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1) · 20,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 120,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Cathay PacificSriLankan Airlines oneworld
22,500 AA miles Indian Subcontinent → Asia Region 1 (Korea), Cathay via Hong Kong — 67,500 Bonvoy at 3:1 (see /transfers/to/american-aadvantage). Avios can't touch Seoul (Cathay metal is carved out of the partner bands); AA is the oneworld pricer. Korean Air/Aeroplan cover the nonstop.
Feed it: 67,500 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 135,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 45,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
China Southern
China Southern left SkyTeam in 2020, so Sky Pearl books CZ metal ONLY, and Delhi is its only Indian station: the Guangzhou nonstop resumes 21 September 2026 (CZ359/360 daily) after a six-year gap. The onward leg then backtracks through CAN and prices on summed distance (rarely optimal vs an alliance carrier).
Feed it: 75,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.5:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 150,000 RBL Reward Points (5:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 50,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.67:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Air India Star Alliance
Air India own-metal Delhi→Seoul. Air India publishes no no-surcharge promise: the Maharaja Club terms say members “shall pay applicable taxes and surcharges” on Air India, Air India Express and Star Alliance flights alike, and the FAQ this desk once cited for the opposite does not contain the sentence it was credited with. What own-metal awards have cost in practice is statutory taxes plus airport/user development fees: small on India–Gulf/SE Asia, moderate on Europe/North America, and materially higher on anything touching London Heathrow because of UK APD. Star Alliance partner awards booked with Maharaja Points are a different animal and can carry partner surcharges. A valid Air India routing is assumed.
Estimate Air India publishes no award chart. Its own Points Calculator states that “Fares indicated above are dependent on the time of booking and seat availability”, and Maharaja Club prices every award either as a Value fare (the discounted rate for booking well in advance) or as a higher Prime fare closer to departure. This number is the Value-fare floor as sampled after the April-2026 repricing — not a published chart cell: Value space is not always available on a given flight, and the same seat prices higher once it is gone. Pricing model re-verified against Air India’s Maharaja Club T&C and Points Calculator on 2026-08-09.
Feed it: 30,000 IndusInd Reward Points (1:1) · 15,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 30,000 ICICI Reward Points (1:1)
Star Alliance
United went fully dynamic in 2020 (no fixed chart), so ~25,000 is a typical Saver partner level to North Asia. But Aeroplan often prices the same Star seat lower, so compare before burning United miles.
Estimate United MileagePlus Saver partner level, India→North Asia on Star Alliance metal; United went fully dynamic in 2020, so this is a typical Saver that moves with availability and cabin scarcity.
Feed it: 12,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 62,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2) · 60,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.4:1 via Marriott Bonvoy)
China EasternVietnam Airlines SkyTeam
Flying Blue prices dynamically — no fixed chart. Air France/KLM pass carrier (YQ) surcharges on own metal — typically €90–110 economy / €200–300 business one-way long-haul; intra-region SkyTeam ~€15–40. Typical one-way economy runs 18k–40k; award space and travel date drive the real number.
Estimate Reverse of icn-del — Air France-KLM Flying Blue prices this pair off its zone/distance grid, not the direction of travel, so the forward number mirrors here; not a direction-specific chart read. Dynamic program — estimate is a distance-band estimate (this region-pair is not separately anchored) (range 18k–40k); not a fixed chart price, and never crowned THE PLAY.
Feed it: 25,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 12,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 25,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1)
Korean Air SkyTeam
Korea ⇄ Southwest Asia one-way on KE metal: 25,000 off-peak, 37,500 peak — and Korean's peak calendar now swallows roughly 40% of the year, so check the season table before you count on the low number. No Indian card feeds SKYPASS; Accor 2:1 or IHG 5:1 are the only ways in. Consolation: miles live a full 10 years.
Feed it: 50,000 HSBC Reward Points (2:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 100,000 HDFC Reward Points (4:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 250,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (10:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL))
Korean Air SkyTeam
Korean Air flies DEL-ICN nonstop, ~2,891 miles, and Alaska Atmos bands partner awards by distance flown — the Asia-Pacific chart's 1,501-3,000 mi band: 25,000 economy / 50,000 business one-way, plus the $20 partner booking fee per person each way (up from $12.50 on 1-Jul-2026). One-way.
Feed it: 60,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.4:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 120,000 RBL Reward Points (4.8:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 40,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
JMB's oneworld partner chart sums the sectors: DEL–HKG–ICN's ~3,623 flown miles sit in the 2,001–4,000 band — 23,000 one-way economy on Cathay metal. 3,000 over Asia Miles for the same seats, but JMB is direct-fed (HSBC 1:1, Axis EDGE 1:2, SBI 2:1). JAL's own DEL–HND metal can't do this trip: its own-metal chart prices Japan departures only.
Feed it: 11,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 23,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 57,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Korean AirVietnam AirlinesChina Eastern SkyTeam
China Eastern prices its own metal (India→Shanghai/Kunming nonstop) plus SkyTeam partners. North Asia is its genuine ex-India strength; other regions estimate off the nearest published China-anchored band (Eastern Miles publishes no India-origin matrix). All one-way.
Estimate Eastern Miles publishes no India-origin award matrix — this level estimates off the nearest published China-anchored band, as the row note states, not a verified chart price.
Feed it: 200,000 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 750,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors) · 150,000 Axis EDGE Miles (5:1 via Hilton Honors)
Korean AirVietnam Airlines SkyTeam
Air Europa SUMA prices SkyTeam partner metal off a five-band ONE-WAY distance chart: 0–600 mi 6k/12k · 601–1,250 12k/24k · 1,251–1,750 15k/30k · 1,751–3,500 32k/64k · over 3,500 48k/95k (economy/business). This corridor reads the 1,751–3,500 mi band. The 2020 chart that made India→Europe a 51k business steal is gone — the short Gulf hops are where SUMA is now cheap. Partner awards are SUMA call-centre only, paid entirely in Miles, and non-refundable.
Feed it: 32,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 64,000 HDFC Reward Points (2:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 160,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL))
Star Alliance
LifeMiles prices Star partner metal off an unpublished grid; India→Europe business ~63k is the headline sweet spot (beats Aeroplan). Business is the value cabin here; economy is mediocre. The chart is semi-fixed/unpublished, so some bands are estimates.
Estimate LifeMiles publishes no award chart — Avianca withdrew its public zone table in 2023 and prices Star partner awards off an unpublished internal grid. This level is extrapolated from that historical zone pricing plus dated community booking reports, not a verified chart price.
Feed it: 81,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 162,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 54,000 HDFC Reward Points (2:1)
Korean Air SkyTeam
Per-segment chart; nonstop = one segment. Korean Air flies DEL–ICN nonstop, so LotusMiles bills exactly ONE cell — SW Asia × NE Asia 2 = 30,000, verified cell-for-cell against the official SkyTeam partner table effective 1-Aug-2025. Every CONNECTING build on this program sums each segment instead, which is why most of the India board prices dearer than this. LotusMiles' own SGN/HAN metal runs off a separate chart (25k/60k one-way). One-way.
Feed it: 30,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 30,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 30,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
Star Alliance
Aegean Miles+Bonus prices Star partner metal off one region chart published as ROUND TRIPS — its own rule is that a one-way costs exactly half, and the halved figure is what we show. India sits in the "Near East & Central Asia" zone: the Far East is a flat 30k/45k one-way (Tokyo costs the same as Bangkok), Europe 35k/55k, North America 50k/75k. No Indian card feeds it — Marriott Bonvoy 3:1 is the only road in, and awards only display once you hold the full balance.
Feed it: 75,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.5:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 150,000 RBL Reward Points (5:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 50,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.67:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Korean AirVietnam AirlinesChina Eastern SkyTeam
Delta has had no award chart since 2015 — fully dynamic, so ~32,000 is a representative saver-ish partner level to North Asia; peak dates and 2026 partner hikes can swing business 1.5–3×. Kenya Airways (NBO) and Korean (ICN) are the strongest ex-India SkyTeam value.
Estimate Delta SkyMiles is fully dynamic (no chart since 2015); ~32,000/85,000 is a representative SkyTeam partner saver level India→North Asia on AF/KLM/KE/VN/MU metal — peak dates and the 2026 partner hikes swing business 1.5–3×.
Feed it: 96,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 192,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 64,000 HSBC Reward Points (2:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL))
Star Alliance
Copa ConnectMiles prices Star partner metal off its FIXED region chart (India sits in Copa’s "Central Asia" zone). Standout value — India→Europe 45k business, India→Sub-Saharan Africa 17.5k economy on Ethiopian (Cairo is a dearer 20k Middle East cell) — but NO Indian card feeds ConnectMiles (buy-miles or a US co-brand only), so treat it as a reference benchmark, not a wallet-reachable route.
Feed it: 97,500 Amex Membership Rewards (2.6:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 195,000 RBL Reward Points (5.2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 65,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.73:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Air IndiaThai Airways Star Alliance
EVA Infinity MileageLands prices Star metal off its zone chart (India = "Central/South Asia" zone; one-way = half round-trip). EVA own metal via Taipei covers Japan/N-Asia/SE-Asia/US/Europe; Gulf/Africa/Oceania are partner-metal only. India→US business ~97.5k (possibly ~55-60k on a fully-EVA routing).
Feed it: 40,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 266,667 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 1,000,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors)
Thai AirwaysAir China Star Alliance
Aeroplan prices Star partner awards by total distance FLOWN. This row is the direct great-circle band; a connecting routing that flies farther can land in the next band up. A valid Star routing (nonstop or via a Star hub within the maximum permitted mileage) is assumed. DIRECTION-BLIND BY CONSTRUCTION: Aeroplan bands the DISTANCE FLOWN, so DEL–ICN and ICN–DEL read the SAME chart cell — there is no direction in the chart to get wrong. Re-read against Air Canada's published Flight Reward Chart (2026-04 edition) on 2026-08-05 and promoted from mirrored estimate to a verified chart price.
Feed it: 20,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 40,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 100,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Star Alliance
TAP's 4 May 2026 chart repriced India — which sits in its "Asia" origin zone — and intra-Asia went from 40k/60k to 50k/70k one-way, still flat regardless of distance (fine to Tokyo, poor to Colombo). The Gulf was carved out into a Middle East zone of its own at 60k/80k, so Bangkok now undercuts Dubai. Heavy fuel surcharges on Lufthansa-group and TAP metal; steer via Turkish, EgyptAir or Ethiopian to dodge the YQ.
Feed it: 120,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.4:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 240,000 RBL Reward Points (4.8:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 80,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Singapore Airlines Star Alliance
Seoul shares Zone 7 ("Japan & South Korea") with Tokyo on the Nov-2025 chart, so India→Seoul prices exactly like India→Tokyo: 42,000 Saver in economy. 10,000 more than Korean's off-peak nonstop, plus a Changi detour — but mintable from four Indian issuers without touching a hotel program. Corrected 2026-07-22 to the official SQ 1-Nov-2025 chart (Zone 6→7). Every award routes via SIN (no India–Japan/Korea nonstop), which backtracks and may recalculate higher — this is the published reference fare and a floor.
Feed it: 42,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 21,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 84,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1)
Korean Air SkyTeam
SAS joined SkyTeam on 1-Sept-2024, so EuroBonus now prices SkyTeam metal. Ex-India sweet spot: intra-"CESA" business to North Asia/Japan at ~30k. Watch the ×2 multiplier on Air Europa/China Airlines/Vietnam Airlines (UX/CI/VN) metal. One-way = 60% of round-trip.
Feed it: 210,000 HDFC Reward Points (7:1 via Radisson Rewards) · 210,000 SBI Travel Credits (7:1 via Radisson Rewards) · 525,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (17.5:1 via Radisson Rewards)
Air ChinaThai Airways Star Alliance
Air China PhoenixMiles prices its own metal (India→Beijing, resumed Apr-2026) plus Star partners. North Asia is its only genuine strength; elsewhere it is a weak Star pricer with heavy fuel surcharges (why the currency sits at ₹0.90). India-origin levels are not published, so all values are estimated off trans-Pacific anchors. One-way (current PhoenixMiles).
Estimate PhoenixMiles' official zone division could not be reconciled with this corridor — Air China publishes no India-origin level, and its published zone tables do not map cleanly onto these city pairs. This value is extrapolated from the nearest published anchors, not a verified chart price.
Feed it: 37,500 HSBC Reward Points (1.25:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 75,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.5:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 150,000 RBL Reward Points (5:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
China Southern
China Southern left SkyTeam in 2020, so Sky Pearl books CZ metal ONLY, and Delhi is its only Indian station: the Guangzhou nonstop resumes 21 September 2026 (CZ359/360 daily) after a six-year gap. The onward leg then backtracks through CAN and prices on summed distance (rarely optimal vs an alliance carrier).
Feed it: 120,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.67:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 240,000 RBL Reward Points (5.33:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 80,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.78:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Korean AirVietnam AirlinesChina Eastern SkyTeam
China Eastern prices its own metal (India→Shanghai/Kunming nonstop) plus SkyTeam partners. North Asia is its genuine ex-India strength; other regions estimate off the nearest published China-anchored band (Eastern Miles publishes no India-origin matrix). All one-way.
Estimate Eastern Miles publishes no India-origin award matrix — this level estimates off the nearest published China-anchored band, as the row note states, not a verified chart price.
Feed it: 300,000 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 1,125,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors) · 225,000 Axis EDGE Miles (5:1 via Hilton Honors)
Cathay PacificSriLankan Airlines oneworld
40,000 AA miles for Cathay business DEL-HKG-ICN (one stop) — 120,000 Bonvoy at 3:1 (see /transfers/to/american-aadvantage). A Hong Kong backtrack for Seoul, printed as the fixed-price oneworld option.
Feed it: 120,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 240,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 80,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Star Alliance
United went fully dynamic in 2020 (no fixed chart), so ~45,000 is a typical Saver partner level to North Asia. But Aeroplan often prices the same Star seat lower, so compare before burning United miles.
Estimate United MileagePlus Saver partner level, India→North Asia on Star Alliance metal; United went fully dynamic in 2020, so this is a typical Saver that moves with availability and cabin scarcity.
Feed it: 22,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 112,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2) · 105,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.33:1 via Marriott Bonvoy)
Korean Air SkyTeam
45,000 Prestige off-peak (67,500 peak) — the cheapest published flat bed on this corridor, on a chart Korean has kept while Delta and United went dynamic. The catch is the toll road: Accor 2:1 means ~90,000 Accor points, IHG 5:1 means 225,000. Price your chain before you crown this the winner.
Feed it: 90,000 HSBC Reward Points (2:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 180,000 HDFC Reward Points (4:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 450,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (10:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL))
Star Alliance
Aegean Miles+Bonus prices Star partner metal off one region chart published as ROUND TRIPS — its own rule is that a one-way costs exactly half, and the halved figure is what we show. India sits in the "Near East & Central Asia" zone: the Far East is a flat 30k/45k one-way (Tokyo costs the same as Bangkok), Europe 35k/55k, North America 50k/75k. No Indian card feeds it — Marriott Bonvoy 3:1 is the only road in, and awards only display once you hold the full balance.
Feed it: 120,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.67:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 240,000 RBL Reward Points (5.33:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 80,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.78:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
42,000 one-way business through Hong Kong on the 2,001–4,000-mile partner band — 3,000 under SKYPASS's unreachable 45,000, 18,000 under KrisFlyer, and HSBC feeds it 1:1 instantly. The quiet direct-fed business winner to Seoul; one-way partner awards are allowed.
Feed it: 21,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 42,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 105,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Star Alliance
LifeMiles prices Star partner metal off an unpublished grid; India→Europe business ~63k is the headline sweet spot (beats Aeroplan). Business is the value cabin here; economy is mediocre. The chart is semi-fixed/unpublished, so some bands are estimates.
Estimate LifeMiles publishes no award chart — Avianca withdrew its public zone table in 2023 and prices Star partner awards off an unpublished internal grid. This level is extrapolated from that historical zone pricing plus dated community booking reports, not a verified chart price.
Feed it: 150,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 300,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 100,000 HDFC Reward Points (2:1)
Korean Air SkyTeam
Korean Air flies DEL-ICN nonstop, ~2,891 miles, and Alaska Atmos bands partner awards by distance flown — the Asia-Pacific chart's 1,501-3,000 mi band: 25,000 economy / 50,000 business one-way, plus the $20 partner booking fee per person each way (up from $12.50 on 1-Jul-2026). One-way.
Feed it: 120,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.4:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 240,000 RBL Reward Points (4.8:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 80,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Korean AirVietnam Airlines SkyTeam
Air Europa SUMA prices SkyTeam partner metal off a five-band ONE-WAY distance chart: 0–600 mi 6k/12k · 601–1,250 12k/24k · 1,251–1,750 15k/30k · 1,751–3,500 32k/64k · over 3,500 48k/95k (economy/business). This corridor reads the 1,751–3,500 mi band. The 2020 chart that made India→Europe a 51k business steal is gone — the short Gulf hops are where SUMA is now cheap. Partner awards are SUMA call-centre only, paid entirely in Miles, and non-refundable.
Feed it: 64,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 128,000 HDFC Reward Points (2:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 320,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL))
China EasternVietnam Airlines SkyTeam
Flying Blue prices dynamically — no fixed chart. Air France/KLM pass carrier (YQ) surcharges on own metal — typically €90–110 economy / €200–300 business one-way long-haul; intra-region SkyTeam ~€15–40. Typical one-way business runs 45k–75k; award space and travel date drive the real number.
Estimate Reverse of icn-del — Air France-KLM Flying Blue prices this pair off its zone/distance grid, not the direction of travel, so the forward number mirrors here; not a direction-specific chart read. Dynamic program — estimate is a distance-band estimate (this region-pair is not separately anchored) (range 45k–75k); not a fixed chart price, and never crowned THE PLAY.
Feed it: 55,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 27,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 55,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1)
Star Alliance
TAP's 4 May 2026 chart repriced India — which sits in its "Asia" origin zone — and intra-Asia went from 40k/60k to 50k/70k one-way, still flat regardless of distance (fine to Tokyo, poor to Colombo). The Gulf was carved out into a Middle East zone of its own at 60k/80k, so Bangkok now undercuts Dubai. Heavy fuel surcharges on Lufthansa-group and TAP metal; steer via Turkish, EgyptAir or Ethiopian to dodge the YQ.
Feed it: 180,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.57:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 360,000 RBL Reward Points (5.14:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 120,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.71:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Air IndiaThai Airways Star Alliance
EVA Infinity MileageLands prices Star metal off its zone chart (India = "Central/South Asia" zone; one-way = half round-trip). EVA own metal via Taipei covers Japan/N-Asia/SE-Asia/US/Europe; Gulf/Africa/Oceania are partner-metal only. India→US business ~97.5k (possibly ~55-60k on a fully-EVA routing).
Feed it: 60,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 400,000 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 1,500,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
60,000 Standard for two Cathay business sectors — 15,000 over Korean's off-peak Prestige, but SKYPASS has no Indian bank feed at all while Asia Miles takes SBI at 1:1. Against KrisFlyer's 88,000 via Changi it's the same price for arguably better metal. Standard space capped, book early.
Feed it: 120,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1) · 60,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 300,000 RBL Reward Points (5:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Star Alliance
Copa ConnectMiles prices Star partner metal off its FIXED region chart (India sits in Copa’s "Central Asia" zone). Standout value — India→Europe 45k business, India→Sub-Saharan Africa 17.5k economy on Ethiopian (Cairo is a dearer 20k Middle East cell) — but NO Indian card feeds ConnectMiles (buy-miles or a US co-brand only), so treat it as a reference benchmark, not a wallet-reachable route.
Feed it: 150,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.5:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 300,000 RBL Reward Points (5:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 100,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.67:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Air India Star Alliance
DEL–ICN's 2,891 great-circle miles clear the 2,500-mile line, so the June-2026 chart wants 75,000 in business on Air India metal — the same band cliff that punishes Mumbai to Hong Kong. Two-thirds more than Korean's own off-peak Prestige. Exists because Aeroplan is reachable at 1:1 from SBI and 1:2 from Atlas; a fallback, not a plan.
Feed it: 37,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 75,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 187,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Korean AirVietnam AirlinesChina Eastern SkyTeam
Delta has had no award chart since 2015 — fully dynamic, so ~85,000 is a representative saver-ish partner level to North Asia; peak dates and 2026 partner hikes can swing business 1.5–3×. Kenya Airways (NBO) and Korean (ICN) are the strongest ex-India SkyTeam value.
Estimate Delta SkyMiles is fully dynamic (no chart since 2015); ~32,000/85,000 is a representative SkyTeam partner saver level India→North Asia on AF/KLM/KE/VN/MU metal — peak dates and the 2026 partner hikes swing business 1.5–3×.
Feed it: 255,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 510,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 170,000 HSBC Reward Points (2:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL))
Singapore Airlines Star Alliance
Zone 6→7 Saver, same rate as Tokyo: 88,000 miles for two SQ business legs through Changi. A third more than Korean's off-peak Prestige — but direct-fed and bookable, versus a chart you can only reach through Accor or IHG at chain rates. The detour adds ~4 hours. Corrected 2026-07-22 to the official SQ 1-Nov-2025 chart (Zone 6→7). Every award routes via SIN (no India–Japan/Korea nonstop), which backtracks and may recalculate higher — this is the published reference fare and a floor.
Feed it: 88,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 44,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 176,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1)
Korean Air SkyTeam
Per-segment chart; nonstop = one segment. Korean Air flies DEL–ICN nonstop, so LotusMiles bills exactly ONE cell — SW Asia × NE Asia 2 = 100,000, verified cell-for-cell against the official SkyTeam partner table effective 1-Aug-2025. Every CONNECTING build on this program sums each segment instead, which is why most of the India board prices dearer than this. LotusMiles' own SGN/HAN metal runs off a separate chart (25k/60k one-way). One-way.
Feed it: 100,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 100,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 100,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
Cathay PacificSriLankan Airlines oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 150,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 300,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 100,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Thai AirwaysAir China Star Alliance
Aeroplan prices Star partner awards by total distance FLOWN. This row is the direct great-circle band; a connecting routing that flies farther can land in the next band up. A valid Star routing (nonstop or via a Star hub within the maximum permitted mileage) is assumed. DIRECTION-BLIND BY CONSTRUCTION: Aeroplan bands the DISTANCE FLOWN, so DEL–ICN and ICN–DEL read the SAME chart cell — there is no direction in the chart to get wrong. Re-read against Air Canada's published Flight Reward Chart (2026-04 edition) on 2026-08-05 and promoted from mirrored estimate to a verified chart price.
Feed it: 47,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 95,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 237,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Flying back? Seoul to Delhi on points (ICN–DEL). Or take the whole region: every corridor we price into East Asia — 273 of them. Or pick any two hubs — 2,450 corridors priced.