Economy the play 10,000 pts All Nippon Airways own metal from NRT, region award
All Nippon Airways Star Alliance
All Nippon Airways own-metal Tokyo→Shanghai. Figures are ANA's own published zone chart for ANA-operated flights, REGULAR season, halved from ANA's round-trip chart to a one-way equivalent (ANA still publishes round-trip; one-way is sold at exactly half). Low season runs roughly 8-12% cheaper and high season 5-10% dearer. ANA passes full carrier-imposed fuel surcharges on its own awards - heaviest on Europe and North America, lighter within Asia - so budget cash on top. First is listed only on the flagship 777-300ER 'The Suite' routes (London, Frankfurt, New York); ANA's chart prices First in other zones, but the metal on those routes has no First cabin. A valid All Nippon Airways routing is assumed.
Feed it: 30,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 60,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 20,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — China Airlines via TPE, or Korean Air via ICN
China AirlinesKorean Air 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 5.5k–12k; award space and travel date drive the real number.
Estimate Dynamic program — estimate is the typical one-way level for this region-pair (range 5.5k–12k); not a fixed chart price, and never crowned THE PLAY.
Feed it: 7,500 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 3,750 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 7,500 HSBC Reward Points (1:1)
Japan Airlines own metal from NRT, priced off the published to/from-Japan route chart (1,796 km)
Japan Airlines oneworld
Japan Airlines own-metal Tokyo→Shanghai. JAL publishes true ONE-WAY base miles per destination on JAL-operated flights - no seasons in Economy/Premium Economy/Business; only First is season-banded (figures here are regular season, with low ~12% cheaper and high ~12% dearer). These are base-award prices; when base space is gone JAL's dynamic 'PLUS' pricing can be 4-8x higher - never pay it. JAL levies carrier-imposed fuel surcharges on its own awards, repriced with fuel: heaviest to Europe and North America, lightest within Asia. Bangkok is the standard Tokyo service (JL031/JL034 prices 4,000-5,000 miles higher in every cabin). First appears only where JAL's chart actually sells it - Boston, San Diego, Melbourne, Frankfurt, Delhi and Bengaluru are explicitly First-free. A valid Japan Airlines routing is assumed.
Feed it: 5,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 10,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 25,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (1,796 km) — or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or Air China nonstop, or EVA Air via TPE
Asiana AirlinesAir ChinaEVA Air 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: 7,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 15,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 37,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Cathay Pacific via HKG
Cathay Pacific oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 60,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 120,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 40,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
China Eastern Airlines own metal from PVG, region award
China Eastern SkyTeam
China Eastern Airlines own-metal Tokyo→Shanghai. Eastern Miles awards on China Eastern metal are generally taxes-and-fees only — MU does not add a carrier-imposed fuel surcharge (YQ) to its own award tickets, which is what makes the long-haul cells usable rather than theoretical. A valid China Eastern Airlines routing is assumed.
Feed it: 166,667 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 625,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors) · 125,000 Axis EDGE Miles (5:1 via Hilton Honors)
Business the play 20,000 pts All Nippon Airways own metal from NRT, region award
All Nippon Airways Star Alliance
All Nippon Airways own-metal Tokyo→Shanghai. Figures are ANA's own published zone chart for ANA-operated flights, REGULAR season, halved from ANA's round-trip chart to a one-way equivalent (ANA still publishes round-trip; one-way is sold at exactly half). Low season runs roughly 8-12% cheaper and high season 5-10% dearer. ANA passes full carrier-imposed fuel surcharges on its own awards - heaviest on Europe and North America, lighter within Asia - so budget cash on top. First is listed only on the flagship 777-300ER 'The Suite' routes (London, Frankfurt, New York); ANA's chart prices First in other zones, but the metal on those routes has no First cabin. A valid All Nippon Airways routing is assumed.
Feed it: 60,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 120,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 40,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Business ~20,000 pts est. SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — China Airlines via TPE, or Korean Air via ICN
China AirlinesKorean Air 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 18k–30k; award space and travel date drive the real number.
Estimate Dynamic program — estimate is the typical one-way level for this region-pair (range 18k–30k); not a fixed chart price, and never crowned THE PLAY.
Feed it: 20,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 10,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 20,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1)
Japan Airlines own metal from NRT, priced off the published to/from-Japan route chart (1,796 km)
Japan Airlines oneworld
Japan Airlines own-metal Tokyo→Shanghai. JAL publishes true ONE-WAY base miles per destination on JAL-operated flights - no seasons in Economy/Premium Economy/Business; only First is season-banded (figures here are regular season, with low ~12% cheaper and high ~12% dearer). These are base-award prices; when base space is gone JAL's dynamic 'PLUS' pricing can be 4-8x higher - never pay it. JAL levies carrier-imposed fuel surcharges on its own awards, repriced with fuel: heaviest to Europe and North America, lightest within Asia. Bangkok is the standard Tokyo service (JL031/JL034 prices 4,000-5,000 miles higher in every cabin). First appears only where JAL's chart actually sells it - Boston, San Diego, Melbourne, Frankfurt, Delhi and Bengaluru are explicitly First-free. A valid Japan Airlines routing is assumed.
Feed it: 12,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 24,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 60,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (1,796 km) — or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or Air China nonstop, or EVA Air via TPE
Asiana AirlinesAir ChinaEVA Air 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: 15,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 30,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 75,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Cathay Pacific via HKG
Cathay Pacific oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 90,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 180,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 60,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
China Eastern Airlines own metal from PVG, region award
China Eastern SkyTeam
China Eastern Airlines own-metal Tokyo→Shanghai. Eastern Miles awards on China Eastern metal are generally taxes-and-fees only — MU does not add a carrier-imposed fuel surcharge (YQ) to its own award tickets, which is what makes the long-haul cells usable rather than theoretical. A valid China Eastern Airlines routing is assumed.
Feed it: 253,334 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 950,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors) · 190,000 Axis EDGE Miles (5:1 via Hilton Honors)
First the play 40,000 pts oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Cathay Pacific via HKG
Cathay Pacific oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
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)
Japan Airlines own metal from NRT, priced off the published to/from-Japan route chart (1,796 km)
Japan Airlines oneworld
Japan Airlines own-metal Tokyo→Shanghai. JAL publishes true ONE-WAY base miles per destination on JAL-operated flights - no seasons in Economy/Premium Economy/Business; only First is season-banded (figures here are regular season, with low ~12% cheaper and high ~12% dearer). These are base-award prices; when base space is gone JAL's dynamic 'PLUS' pricing can be 4-8x higher - never pay it. JAL levies carrier-imposed fuel surcharges on its own awards, repriced with fuel: heaviest to Europe and North America, lightest within Asia. Bangkok is the standard Tokyo service (JL031/JL034 prices 4,000-5,000 miles higher in every cabin). First appears only where JAL's chart actually sells it - Boston, San Diego, Melbourne, Frankfurt, Delhi and Bengaluru are explicitly First-free. A valid Japan Airlines routing is assumed.
Feed it: 21,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 43,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 107,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (1,796 km) — or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or Air China nonstop, or EVA Air via TPE
Asiana AirlinesAir ChinaEVA Air 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: 25,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 50,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 125,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)