Award flight · one-way
Melbourne → Frankfurt on points: 10 options across the alliance backbones our cards can reach. Aeroplan books Star partner metal at a fixed 16,312 km distance band, AAdvantage prices the oneworld routing off its region chart, and Flying Blue covers SkyTeam dynamically. The verified charts crown THE PLAY; the dynamic row is shown as an honest estimate.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage the play | oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — via HKG, or Qatar via DOH, or Japan Airlines via NRT, or SriLankan Airlines via CMB, or Qatar Airways via DOH | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | the play |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — via PVG, or China Airlines via TPE, or Vietnam Airlines via SGN | ~50,000 est. | — | ₹50,000 | 0.8× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (16,312 km) — via SIN, or Thai Airways via BKK, or Air India via DEL, or Air China via PEK, or United Airlines via SFO | 75,000 | — | ₹75,000 | 1.3× |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Cathay Pacific via HKG (MEL–HKG–FRA, oneworld), Qantas Partner Classic Flight Reward — Zone 10 on 10,293 one-way miles | 76,100 | — | ₹76,100 | 1.3× |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage the play | oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — via HKG, or Qatar via DOH, or Japan Airlines via NRT, or SriLankan Airlines via CMB, or Qatar Airways via DOH | 85,000 | — | ₹85,000 | the play |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (16,312 km) — via SIN, or Thai Airways via BKK, or Air India via DEL, or Air China via PEK, or United Airlines via SFO | 130,000 | — | ₹1,30,000 | 1.5× |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — via PVG, or China Airlines via TPE, or Vietnam Airlines via SGN | ~130,000 est. | — | ₹1,30,000 | 1.5× |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Cathay Pacific via HKG (MEL–HKG–FRA, oneworld), Qantas Partner Classic Flight Reward — Zone 10 on 10,293 one-way miles | 182,900 | — | ₹1,82,900 | 2.2× |
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 HKG, or Qatar via DOH, or Japan Airlines via NRT, or SriLankan Airlines via CMB, or Qatar Airways via DOH | 115,000 | — | ₹1,15,000 | the play |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (16,312 km) — via SIN, or Thai Airways via BKK, or Air India via DEL, or Air China via PEK, or United Airlines via SFO | 150,000 | — | ₹1,50,000 | 1.3× |
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. Air France-KLM Flying Blue states that a carrier-imposed surcharge is charged on an award. American Airlines AAdvantage makes 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. 1 other programme priced here publishes nothing the desk could read.
Qatar AirwaysCathay PacificJapan AirlinesSriLankan Airlines oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 180,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 360,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 120,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
China EasternChina AirlinesVietnam 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 40k–60k; award space and travel date drive the real number.
Estimate Dynamic program — estimate is the typical one-way level for this region-pair (range 40k–60k); not a fixed chart price, and never crowned THE PLAY.
Feed it: 50,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 25,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 50,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1)
Singapore AirlinesThai AirwaysAir IndiaAir ChinaUnited Airlines 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.
Feed it: 37,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 75,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 187,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
Qantas own metal has never served Frankfurt: its European network is London (QF1 Sydney–Singapore–Heathrow, QF9 Melbourne–Perth–Heathrow), Paris and the seasonal Perth–Rome. The bookable Classic Reward here is Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong (MEL–HKG–FRA), and a partner-operated Trip prices on the dearer PARTNER Classic Flight Reward table. Summed great-circle sectors: MEL–HKG 4,605 mi + HKG–FRA 5,688 mi = 10,293 mi, partner Zone 10 (9,601–15,000 mi). Qatar via Doha and British Airways via Singapore or Heathrow are also Zone 10, so the price is robust to the routing choice. Points exclude taxes, fees and carrier charges; Qantas publishes no surcharge table, so no numeric value is asserted — budget A$150-300 economy, A$400-900 business, indicative not sourced. Corrected 2026-08-01: this row previously carried the Qantas-table price for a nonstop Qantas does not fly.
Feed it: 60,880 HSBC Reward Points (1:1.25 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 38,050 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 76,100 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
Qatar AirwaysCathay PacificJapan AirlinesSriLankan Airlines oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
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 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Singapore AirlinesThai AirwaysAir IndiaAir ChinaUnited Airlines 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.
Feed it: 65,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 130,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 325,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
China EasternChina AirlinesVietnam 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 85k–170k; award space and travel date drive the real number.
Estimate Dynamic program — estimate is the typical one-way level for this region-pair (range 85k–170k); not a fixed chart price, and never crowned THE PLAY.
Feed it: 130,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 65,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 130,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
Qantas own metal has never served Frankfurt: its European network is London (QF1 Sydney–Singapore–Heathrow, QF9 Melbourne–Perth–Heathrow), Paris and the seasonal Perth–Rome. The bookable Classic Reward here is Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong (MEL–HKG–FRA), and a partner-operated Trip prices on the dearer PARTNER Classic Flight Reward table. Summed great-circle sectors: MEL–HKG 4,605 mi + HKG–FRA 5,688 mi = 10,293 mi, partner Zone 10 (9,601–15,000 mi). Qatar via Doha and British Airways via Singapore or Heathrow are also Zone 10, so the price is robust to the routing choice. Points exclude taxes, fees and carrier charges; Qantas publishes no surcharge table, so no numeric value is asserted — budget A$150-300 economy, A$400-900 business, indicative not sourced. Corrected 2026-08-01: this row previously carried the Qantas-table price for a nonstop Qantas does not fly.
Feed it: 146,320 HSBC Reward Points (1:1.25 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 91,450 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 182,900 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
Qatar AirwaysCathay PacificJapan AirlinesSriLankan Airlines oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 345,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 690,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 230,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Singapore AirlinesThai AirwaysAir IndiaAir ChinaUnited Airlines 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.
Feed it: 75,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 150,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 375,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Flying back? Frankfurt to Melbourne on points (FRA–MEL). Or take the whole region: every corridor we price into Europe — 532 of them. Or pick any two hubs — 2,450 corridors priced.