Award flight · one-way
Chennai sits closer to both hubs than Delhi, and the shorter feed drops the distance programs a band — Velocity falls to 89,500 business, the paper-cheap SQ seat if you could even hold the account. But the real headline is ANA: 43,500 one-way for the same SQ business, chart-cheapest here, gated only by ~104,400 Bonvoy at 3:1.25. KrisFlyer's zone chart ignores distance and still asks a flat 100,000 Saver via Changi — 19,000 under Asia Miles' 91,000 — and it's the seat you can actually book today. First carries two real numbers now: AAdvantage's 100,000 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 120,000 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?
+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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANA Mileage Club the play | Singapore Airlines via SIN (Star partner) — one-way (½ of 46k RT) | 23,000 | — | ₹23,000 | the play |
| Cathay Asia Miles | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld), Standard award | 27,000 | — | ₹27,000 | 1.2× |
| Air India Maharaja Points | Air India via DEL (MAA–DEL–SYD, Star Alliance), Value tier | ~40,000 est. | — | ₹32,000 | 1.4× |
| Copa Airlines ConnectMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — Copa ConnectMiles (fixed region chart) | 35,000 | — | ₹35,000 | 1.5× |
| Air China PhoenixMiles | Star Alliance metal (SQ/TG partner metal — CA itself flies only Delhi from India), India→Oceania — Air China PhoenixMiles | ~40,000 est. | — | ₹36,000 | 1.6× |
| Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards | Malaysia Airlines via KUL (oneworld partner award), India→Oceania — Alaska Atmos | 37,500 | — | ₹37,500 | 1.6× |
| United MileagePlus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — United MileagePlus | ~40,000 est. | — | ₹40,000 | 1.7× |
| Aegean Miles+Bonus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — Aegean Miles+Bonus | 40,000 | — | ₹40,000 | 1.7× |
| Thai Royal Orchid Plus | Thai Airways via BKK (MAA–BKK–SYD, Star Alliance), one-way | 42,500 | — | ₹42,500 | 1.8× |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | oneworld via KUL/SIN (Malaysia + Qantas, 1–2 stops), or SriLankan Airlines via CMB | 42,500 | — | ₹42,500 | 1.8× |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Malaysia Airlines via KUL (MAA–KUL–SYD, oneworld), Qantas Partner Classic Flight Reward — Zone 6 on 5,725 one-way miles | 43,500 | — | ₹43,500 | 1.9× |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — Avianca LifeMiles | ~45,000 est. | — | ₹45,000 | 2.0× |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Singapore Airlines via SIN (one stop), Saver | 42,000 | — | ₹46,200 | 2.0× |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | Singapore Airlines via SIN — Velocity Reward Seat | 42,000 | ₹6,900 | ₹48,900 | 2.1× |
| Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | Cathay Pacific via HKG (MAA–HKG–SYD, oneworld partner distance) | 45,000 | — | ₹49,500 | 2.2× |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | Star Alliance metal (Air India/SQ/TG — EVA itself serves no Indian city; the award rides partner metal), India→Oceania — EVA Infinity MileageLands | 51,000 | — | ₹51,000 | 2.2× |
| TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — TAP Miles&Go | 70,000 | — | ₹56,000 | 2.4× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (9,129 km) — via SIN, or Thai Airways via BKK | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | 2.6× |
The play · business
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANA Mileage Club the play | Singapore Airlines via SIN (Star partner) — one-way (½ of 87k RT) | 43,500 | — | ₹43,500 | the play |
| Aegean Miles+Bonus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — Aegean Miles+Bonus | 55,000 | — | ₹55,000 | 1.3× |
| Copa Airlines ConnectMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — Copa ConnectMiles (fixed region chart) | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | 1.4× |
| Air China PhoenixMiles | Star Alliance metal (SQ/TG partner metal — CA itself flies only Delhi from India), India→Oceania — Air China PhoenixMiles | ~70,000 est. | — | ₹63,000 | 1.4× |
| Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards | Malaysia Airlines via KUL (oneworld partner award), India→Oceania — Alaska Atmos | 75,000 | — | ₹75,000 | 1.7× |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | Star Alliance metal (Air India/SQ/TG — EVA itself serves no Indian city; the award rides partner metal), India→Oceania — EVA Infinity MileageLands | 77,000 | — | ₹77,000 | 1.8× |
| United MileagePlus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — United MileagePlus | ~80,000 est. | — | ₹80,000 | 1.8× |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | Qantas business via KUL/SIN (oneworld partner award, 1–2 stops), or SriLankan Airlines via CMB | 80,000 | — | ₹80,000 | 1.8× |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — Avianca LifeMiles | ~82,000 est. | — | ₹82,000 | 1.9× |
| Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | Cathay Pacific via HKG (MAA–HKG–SYD, oneworld partner distance) | 80,000 | — | ₹88,000 | 2.0× |
| Thai Royal Orchid Plus | Thai Airways via BKK (MAA–BKK–SYD, Star Alliance), one-way | 90,000 | — | ₹90,000 | 2.1× |
| Cathay Asia Miles | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld), Standard award | 91,000 | — | ₹91,000 | 2.1× |
| TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go | Star Alliance partner metal, India→Oceania — TAP Miles&Go | 115,000 | — | ₹92,000 | 2.1× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Singapore Airlines via Singapore (Star Alliance partner award) | 92,500 | — | ₹92,500 | 2.1× |
| Air India Maharaja Points | Air India via DEL (MAA–DEL–SYD, Star Alliance), Value tier | ~130,000 est. | — | ₹1,04,000 | 2.4× |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Malaysia Airlines via KUL (MAA–KUL–SYD, oneworld), Qantas Partner Classic Flight Reward — Zone 6 on 5,725 one-way miles | 108,000 | — | ₹1,08,000 | 2.5× |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | Singapore Airlines via SIN — Velocity Reward Seat | 89,500 | ₹20,700 | ₹1,10,200 | 2.5× |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Singapore Airlines via SIN (one stop), Saver | 100,000 | ₹8,000 | ₹1,18,000 | 2.7× |
| Etihad Guest | Etihad via AUH (MAA–AUH–SYD) — dynamic Guest pricing | ~120,000 est. | — | ₹1,20,000 | 2.8× |
| Emirates Skywards | Emirates via DXB (MAA–DXB–SYD) — Classic Rewards, calculator-priced | ~156,000 est. | — | ₹1,40,400 | 3.2× |
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 — via KUL, or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or SriLankan Airlines via CMB | 100,000 | — | ₹1,00,000 | the play |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (9,129 km) — via SIN, or Thai Airways via BKK | 120,000 | — | ₹1,20,000 | 1.2× |
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, Etihad Guest and Emirates Skywards state that a carrier-imposed surcharge is charged on an award. Air India Maharaja Points, Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards, United MileagePlus, American Airlines AAdvantage 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. 11 other programmes priced here publish nothing the desk could read.
Singapore Airlines Star Alliance
India (Zone 4) ↔ Oceania (Zone 10) = 46,000 economy round-trip; half one-way since 24-Jun-2025 → ~23,000 on SQ via Singapore. Chart-cheapest economy, but Marriott Bonvoy (3:1.25) is the main on-ramp. Single-source figure.
Feed it: 60,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.61:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 120,000 RBL Reward Points (5.22:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 40,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.74:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
MAA–HKG–SYD is ~6,900 combined miles (2,307 + 4,594) — Cathay's 5,001–7,500 Standard band, 27,000 one-way on CX metal via Hong Kong (total-distance chart). Chennai is a confirmed Cathay port. Surcharge-clean at this length; Standard space is the constraint. SBI feeds Asia Miles 1:1.
Feed it: 54,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1) · 27,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 132,000 RBL Reward Points (4.89:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Air India Star Alliance
Chennai has no Air India nonstop to Australia, so Maharaja backtracks north via Delhi (MAA–DEL–SYD, all AI metal) at the flat 40,000 Australia economy tier — same price as ex-Delhi. The wave-5 completeness row deferred here.
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: 40,000 IndusInd Reward Points (1:1) · 20,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 40,000 ICICI Reward Points (1:1)
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: 90,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.57:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 180,000 RBL Reward Points (5.14:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 60,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.71:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Singapore AirlinesThai 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: 50,000 HSBC Reward Points (1.25:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 105,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.63:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 210,000 RBL Reward Points (5.25:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Malaysia AirlinesSriLankan AirlinesCathay Pacific oneworld
Alaska Atmos bands the TOTAL DISTANCE FLOWN, not the nonstop great circle: the cheapest Atmos routing is Malaysia Airlines via KUL, ~5,725 flown miles against a 5,672-mile nonstop, which reads the Asia-Pacific chart's 5,001-7,000 mi band — 37,500 economy / 75,000 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: 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)
Star Alliance
United went fully dynamic in 2020 (no fixed chart), so ~40,000 is a typical Saver partner level to Oceania. But Aeroplan often prices the same Star seat lower, so compare before burning United miles.
Estimate United MileagePlus Saver partner level, India→Oceania 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: 20,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 100,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2) · 90,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.25:1 via Marriott Bonvoy)
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: 105,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.63:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 210,000 RBL Reward Points (5.25:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 70,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.75:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Thai Airways Star Alliance
Zone 3 (India) → Zone 6 (Australia) = 42,500 economy one-way on all-TG metal via Bangkok. Above KrisFlyer/Asia Miles; completeness (two-sector sum 45,000). Chart effective date unpublished.
Feed it: 21,250 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 42,500 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 42,500 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
QantasMalaysia AirlinesSriLankan Airlines oneworld
42,500 AA miles Indian Subcontinent → South Pacific — 127,500 Bonvoy at 3:1 (see /transfers/to/american-aadvantage). Chennai routes neatly via KL on Malaysia, then Qantas to Sydney.
Feed it: 127,500 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 255,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 85,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Malaysia AirlinesCathay Pacific oneworld
Repriced 1-Aug-2026 onto the cheapest verified Trip. A Classic Flight Reward is banded on the SUM of its great-circle sectors, so the routing IS the price: Malaysia Airlines MAA–KUL 1,633 mi + KUL–SYD 4,092 mi = 5,725 mi reads partner Zone 6 (4,801–5,800 mi) at 43,500 — a full band under the Cathay-via-Hong-Kong build this row carried until today (MAA–HKG 2,307 + HKG–SYD 4,594 = 6,901 mi, Zone 7, 51,800). Qantas own metal has never reached Chennai. Boundary note: the Malaysia Trip sits 75 miles — 1.29% — inside the Zone 6 ceiling and both formulae Qantas has used agree (haversine 5,725 mi, Vincenty 5,721), but nothing corroborates the band from a second routing: SriLankan via Colombo (MAA–CMB 402 + CMB–SYD 5,445 = 5,847 mi) lands Zone 7. A reading above 5,800 miles would price 51,800. Still 16,500 above Asia Miles' 27,000 for the same alliance, and Qantas has no Indian card feed — Accor at 4:5 is the least-bad on-ramp.
Feed it: 34,800 HSBC Reward Points (1:1.25 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 21,750 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 43,500 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
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: 135,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 270,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 90,000 HDFC Reward Points (2:1)
Singapore Airlines Star Alliance
Chennai is in KrisFlyer Zone 6, Sydney in Zone 9, so the India→Australia through-award is the flat 42,000 Saver one-way — the flat zone price means South India pays exactly what Delhi does, undercutting the distance-based rivals that Chennai's shorter feed would otherwise reward. SQ serves MAA nonstop; issuers feed KrisFlyer 1:1. Corrected 2026-07-22 to the official SQ 1-Nov-2025 chart — Zone 6→9 (Australia ex-Perth/Darwin & NZ) Saver.
Feed it: 42,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 21,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 84,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1)
Singapore Airlines Star Alliance
Chennai's shorter feed drops MAA–SIN–SYD (~5,728 mi) into Velocity's 4,801–5,800 band — 42,000, one band under Delhi's 50,000 — plus ~₹6,900 SQ carrier charges. The distance dividend Chennai gives the distance-based programs. Funded via KrisFlyer→Velocity 1.55:1, but Indian account eligibility is unsettled; treat as unconfirmed.
Feed it: 42,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 111,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.64:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 222,000 RBL Reward Points (5.29:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
MAA–HKG–SYD on Cathay (~6,903 mi) in JMB's 6,001–8,000 band at 45,000 economy. One-ways are bookable and price off the same chart at the one-way distance; a return re-bands on the ~13,800 combined miles at 55,000. Bonvoy on-ramp.
Feed it: 22,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 45,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 112,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Air IndiaSingapore AirlinesThai 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: 51,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 340,000 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 1,275,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors)
Star Alliance
TAP's 4 May 2026 devaluation lifted India→Oceania from 60k/105k to 70k/115k one-way. Route it through Singapore or Bangkok and the trip stays inside two TAP zones; a connection through Europe or the Gulf adds a third region, and TAP then bills segment by segment and sums — far dearer. Heavy fuel surcharges on Lufthansa-group and TAP metal.
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)
Singapore AirlinesThai Airways Star Alliance
DIRECTION-BLIND BY CONSTRUCTION: Aeroplan bands the DISTANCE FLOWN, so MAA–SYD and SYD–MAA 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: 30,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 60,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 150,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Singapore Airlines Star Alliance
43,500 one-way (half 87,000 RT, OW since 24-Jun-2025) for SQ business — 28,500 under KrisFlyer on paper, cheapest here, but ~104,400 Marriott Bonvoy to mint. Chart-cheap / hard-to-fund asterisk.
Feed it: 115,500 Amex Membership Rewards (2.66:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 231,000 RBL Reward Points (5.31:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 77,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.77:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
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: 135,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.45:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 270,000 RBL Reward Points (4.91:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 90,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.64:1 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)
Singapore AirlinesThai 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: 87,500 HSBC Reward Points (1.25:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 180,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.57:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 360,000 RBL Reward Points (5.14:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Malaysia AirlinesSriLankan AirlinesCathay Pacific oneworld
Alaska Atmos bands the TOTAL DISTANCE FLOWN, not the nonstop great circle: the cheapest Atmos routing is Malaysia Airlines via KUL, ~5,725 flown miles against a 5,672-mile nonstop, which reads the Asia-Pacific chart's 5,001-7,000 mi band — 37,500 economy / 75,000 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: 180,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.4:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 360,000 RBL Reward Points (4.8:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 120,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Air IndiaSingapore AirlinesThai 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: 77,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 513,334 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 1,925,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors)
Star Alliance
United went fully dynamic in 2020 (no fixed chart), so ~80,000 is a typical Saver partner level to Oceania. But Aeroplan often prices the same Star seat lower, so compare before burning United miles.
Estimate United MileagePlus Saver partner level, India→Oceania 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: 40,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 200,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2) · 180,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.25:1 via Marriott Bonvoy)
QantasMalaysia AirlinesSriLankan Airlines oneworld
80,000 AA miles business to Sydney via KL or Singapore — 240,000 Bonvoy at 3:1 (see /transfers/to/american-aadvantage). Asia Miles and Qantas FF lead this corridor; AA is the fixed alternative.
Feed it: 240,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 480,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 160,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
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: 246,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 492,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 164,000 HDFC Reward Points (2:1)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
80,000 for Cathay business via Hong Kong (6,001–8,000-mile band) — matching AAdvantage on the seat Asia Miles prices at 91,000. One-ways are bookable and price off the same chart at the one-way distance; a return re-bands on the combined distance at 110,000, not 2×80,000.
Feed it: 40,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 80,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 200,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Thai Airways Star Alliance
90,000 one-way Royal Silk business Zone 3 → Zone 6 via Bangkok — 18,000 over KrisFlyer. Direct-sector sum 92,500 brackets it. Completeness.
Feed it: 45,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 90,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 90,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
91,000 for the ~6,900-mile Cathay journey via HKG — the same 5,001–7,500 band as Delhi (wide enough to swallow the difference), and the same seat Qantas books at 125,400. 19,000 over KrisFlyer's SQ business. The Hong Kong value read when Standard space shows.
Feed it: 182,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1) · 91,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 456,000 RBL Reward Points (5.01:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Star Alliance
TAP's 4 May 2026 devaluation lifted India→Oceania from 60k/105k to 70k/115k one-way. Route it through Singapore or Bangkok and the trip stays inside two TAP zones; a connection through Europe or the Gulf adds a third region, and TAP then bills segment by segment and sums — far dearer. Heavy fuel surcharges on Lufthansa-group and TAP metal.
Feed it: 285,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.48:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 570,000 RBL Reward Points (4.96:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 190,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.65:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Singapore Airlines Star Alliance
No nonstop from South India to Sydney; Aeroplan routes MAA–SIN–SYD on Singapore Airlines — 1,840 + 3,911 ≈ 5,751 flown miles, the 5,001–7,000-mile Atlantic–Pacific band at 92,500 business. Chain-funded HDFC 2:1 / Bonvoy 3:1; two SQ cabins to Australia for one fixed award price.
Feed it: 46,250 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 92,500 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 231,250 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Air India Star Alliance
130,000 flat Australia business, but ex-Chennai a Delhi backtrack precedes the long haul. KrisFlyer's 100,000 via Singapore is 30,000 cheaper and more direct.
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: 130,000 IndusInd Reward Points (1:1) · 65,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 130,000 ICICI Reward Points (1:1)
Malaysia AirlinesCathay Pacific oneworld
Repriced 1-Aug-2026 onto the cheapest verified Trip. A Classic Flight Reward is banded on the SUM of its great-circle sectors: Malaysia Airlines MAA–KUL 1,633 mi + KUL–SYD 4,092 mi = 5,725 mi, partner Zone 6 (4,801–5,800 mi), 108,000 — a full band under the 125,400 this row carried for Cathay via Hong Kong (6,901 mi, Zone 7). Boundary note: the Trip sits 75 miles — 1.29% — inside the Zone 6 ceiling, both formulae Qantas has used agree (haversine 5,725 mi, Vincenty 5,721), and no second routing corroborates it — SriLankan via Colombo is 5,847 mi, Zone 7. A reading above 5,800 miles would price 125,400. Classic Rewards are points plus taxes, fees and carrier charges; Qantas publishes no surcharge table, so no numeric value is asserted. Asia Miles still books the same alliance for 91,000, and funding this one means ~86,400 Accor points at the 4:5 exit.
Feed it: 86,400 HSBC Reward Points (1:1.25 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 54,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 108,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
Singapore Airlines Star Alliance
89,500 for SQ business via Singapore — Chennai's ~5,728-mile total drops it a band below Delhi's 104,000, the lowest business figure across all four corridors. ~₹20,700 carrier charges. Cheapest via KrisFlyer→Velocity 31:20 or Accor 1:1 — but the Velocity account may be closed to Indians and ticketing is unverified. On paper the winner; KrisFlyer 100,000 is bookable today.
Feed it: 89,500 HSBC Reward Points (1:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 223,500 Amex Membership Rewards (2.5:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 447,000 RBL Reward Points (4.99:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Singapore Airlines Star Alliance
100,000 Saver for SQ business both legs through Changi — the crown from Chennai as from Delhi. It's the only program here whose price doesn't fall with the shorter South-India distance, and it still lands cheapest. Cash J ₹2.5–4L; the network's best ₹/mile from India. Corrected 2026-07-22 to the official SQ 1-Nov-2025 chart — Zone 6→9 (Australia ex-Perth/Darwin & NZ) Saver.
Feed it: 100,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 50,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 200,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1)
Etihad Airways
Etihad serves MAA–AUH–SYD, Guest priced dynamically with surcharges, no India→Australia chart. Westward backtrack; check calculator vs ~₹1.2–2.2L cash J.
Estimate Etihad Guest Saver Award starting level for the ~9,337-mile flown itinerary (via AUH), read off Etihad's last published one-way distance-band structure (top 6,001+ mile band). Etihad publishes no award chart today - GuestSeat became Saver Award on 13-Nov-2025 and pricing lives in the Miles Calculator - so fixed-rate space is limited and real quotes often run well above this floor.
Feed it: 60,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 120,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 300,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Emirates
Emirates flies MAA–DXB–SYD, calculator-priced, May-2026 premium +~15%, heavy surcharges. A westward detour to Australia; weigh miles vs ~₹1.2–2.2L cash J.
Estimate Emirates Skywards one-way Saver estimate, re-marked 01-Aug-2026 to the official miles-calculator pull of 25-Jul-2026 (post the 20-May-2026 devaluation, premium cabins +~15%; connecting corridors summed per leg); dynamic - no published chart, Saver space thin, Flex/Flex Plus price well above.
Feed it: 312,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1) · 756,000 RBL Reward Points (4.85:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 312,000 SBI Travel Credits (2:1)
Malaysia AirlinesCathay PacificSriLankan Airlines oneworld
That region-to-region cell is the PAIR, not the direction: every Indian-Subcontinent cell reads identically from either origin chart, so this heading has one published number. AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 300,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 600,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 200,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Singapore AirlinesThai Airways Star Alliance
DIRECTION-BLIND BY CONSTRUCTION: Aeroplan bands the DISTANCE FLOWN, so MAA–SYD and SYD–MAA 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: 60,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 120,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 300,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Flying back? Sydney to Chennai on points (SYD–MAA). Or take the whole region: every corridor we price into Oceania — 147 of them. Or pick any two hubs — 2,450 corridors priced.