Award flight · one-way
Chicago → Hong Kong on points: 10 options across the alliance backbones our cards can reach. Aeroplan books Star partner metal at a fixed 12,523 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 — nonstop — or Qatar via DOH, or Finnair via HEL, or Qatar Airways via DOH, or Japan Airlines via HND, or British Airways via LHR | 37,500 | — | ₹37,500 | the play |
| Cathay Asia Miles | Cathay Pacific own metal from HKG, distance-band award (12,523 km, Cathay-operated chart) — nonstop | 38,000 | — | ₹38,000 | 1.0× |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | Air France / KLM / SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — via ICN, or Delta Air Lines via LAX | ~40,000 est. | — | ₹40,000 | 1.1× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (12,523 km) — via TPE, or Lufthansa via FRA, or SWISS via ZRH, or All Nippon Airways via HND, or Turkish Airlines via IST, or Air Canada via YVR | 65,000 | — | ₹65,000 | 1.7× |
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 — nonstop — or Qatar via DOH, or Finnair via HEL, or Qatar Airways via DOH, or Japan Airlines via HND, or British Airways via LHR | 70,000 | — | ₹70,000 | the play |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | Air France / KLM / SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — via ICN, or Delta Air Lines via LAX | ~95,000 est. | — | ₹95,000 | 1.4× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (12,523 km) — via TPE, or Lufthansa via FRA, or SWISS via ZRH, or All Nippon Airways via HND, or Turkish Airlines via IST, or Air Canada via YVR | 102,500 | — | ₹1,02,500 | 1.5× |
| Cathay Asia Miles | Cathay Pacific own metal from HKG, distance-band award (12,523 km, Cathay-operated chart) — nonstop | 119,000 | — | ₹1,19,000 | 1.7× |
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 — nonstop — or Qatar via DOH, or Finnair via HEL, or Qatar Airways via DOH, or Japan Airlines via HND, or British Airways via LHR | 110,000 | — | ₹1,10,000 | the play |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (12,523 km) — via TPE, or Lufthansa via FRA, or SWISS via ZRH, or All Nippon Airways via HND, or Turkish Airlines via IST, or Air Canada via YVR | 140,000 | — | ₹1,40,000 | 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. Cathay Asia Miles and Air France-KLM Flying Blue state 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.
Qatar AirwaysFinnairJapan AirlinesBritish Airways oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 112,500 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 225,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 75,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
Cathay Pacific own-metal Chicago→Hong Kong. Cathay passes fuel surcharges on Asia Miles awards - the published Standard award miles are cabin-only. Cathay's own footnote reads 'Required Asia Miles do not include fuel surcharges and taxes.', so budget a separate cash component on top of the miles priced here — heaviest on the Europe and North America long-hauls. A valid Cathay Pacific routing is assumed.
Feed it: 76,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1) · 38,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 198,000 RBL Reward Points (5.21:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Air FranceKLMKorean AirDelta Air Lines 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 32k–55k; award space and travel date drive the real number.
Estimate Dynamic program — estimate is the typical one-way level for this region-pair (range 32k–55k); not a fixed chart price, and never crowned THE PLAY.
Feed it: 40,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 20,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 40,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1)
EVA AirLufthansaSWISSAll Nippon AirwaysTurkish AirlinesAir Canada 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: 32,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 65,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 162,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Qatar AirwaysFinnairJapan AirlinesBritish Airways oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 210,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 420,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 140,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Air FranceKLMKorean AirDelta Air Lines 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 80k–140k; award space and travel date drive the real number.
Estimate Dynamic program — estimate is the typical one-way level for this region-pair (range 80k–140k); not a fixed chart price, and never crowned THE PLAY.
Feed it: 95,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 47,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 95,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1)
EVA AirLufthansaSWISSAll Nippon AirwaysTurkish AirlinesAir Canada 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: 51,250 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 102,500 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 256,250 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Cathay Pacific oneworld
Cathay Pacific own-metal Chicago→Hong Kong. Cathay passes fuel surcharges on Asia Miles awards - the published Standard award miles are cabin-only. Cathay's own footnote reads 'Required Asia Miles do not include fuel surcharges and taxes.', so budget a separate cash component on top of the miles priced here — heaviest on the Europe and North America long-hauls. A valid Cathay Pacific routing is assumed.
Feed it: 238,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2:1) · 119,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 594,000 RBL Reward Points (4.99:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Qatar AirwaysFinnairJapan AirlinesBritish Airways oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 330,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 660,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 220,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
EVA AirLufthansaSWISSAll Nippon AirwaysTurkish AirlinesAir Canada 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: 70,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 140,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 350,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Flying back? Hong Kong to Chicago on points (HKG–ORD). Or take the whole region: every corridor we price into East Asia — 273 of them. Or pick any two hubs — 2,450 corridors priced.