Award flight · one-way
Shanghai → Delhi on points: 42 options across the alliance backbones our cards can reach. Aeroplan books Star partner metal at a fixed 4,292 km distance band, AAdvantage prices the oneworld routing off its region chart, and Flying Blue covers SkyTeam dynamically. Most of this board is mirrored from the del-pvg direction — award charts price the zone pair, not the direction of travel — so those rows render as honest estimates until someone reads a chart the other way round. Only the verified charts crown THE PLAY; an estimate never does.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cathay Asia Miles the play | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld), Standard award — cumulative-distance pricing | 20,000 | — | ₹20,000 | the play |
| SAS EuroBonus | SkyTeam metal (KE), India→North Asia — SAS EuroBonus | ~15,000 est. | — | ₹13,500 | 0.7× |
| Malaysia Airlines Enrich | Malaysia Airlines via KUL (one stop) — revenue-based Enrich pricing | ~18,750 est. | — | ₹15,000 | 0.8× |
| 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 | 0.8× |
| 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 est. | — | ₹22,500 | 1.1× |
| Air India Maharaja Points | Air India own metal from DEL — Shanghai suspended 1-Jun-2026, resumes September 2026 (Air India press note, 13-May-2026), region award | ~30,000 est. | — | ₹24,000 | 1.2× |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — Korean Air via ICN, or Vietnam Airlines via SGN | ~25,000 est. | — | ₹25,000 | 1.3× |
| United MileagePlus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — United MileagePlus | ~25,000 est. | — | ₹25,000 | 1.3× |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or Japan Airlines via HND, or Malaysia Airlines via KUL | 25,000 | — | ₹25,000 | 1.3× |
| Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld) via JAL partner chart | ~23,000 est. | — | ₹25,300 | 1.3× |
| China Eastern Miles | China Eastern Airlines own metal from PVG, region award | 30,000 | — | ₹25,500 | 1.3× |
| Air Europa SUMA | SkyTeam partner metal (KE/VN), India→North Asia — Air Europa SUMA | ~32,000 est. | — | ₹25,600 | 1.3× |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Avianca LifeMiles | ~27,000 est. | — | ₹27,000 | 1.4× |
| Aegean Miles+Bonus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Aegean Miles+Bonus | 30,000 | — | ₹30,000 | 1.5× |
| Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld partner award), India→North Asia — Alaska Atmos | 30,000 | — | ₹30,000 | 1.5× |
| Delta SkyMiles | SkyTeam partner metal (KE/VN/MU), India→North Asia — Delta SkyMiles (dynamic) | ~32,000 est. | — | ₹32,000 | 1.6× |
| Copa Airlines ConnectMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Copa ConnectMiles (fixed region chart) | 37,500 | — | ₹37,500 | 1.9× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (4,292 km) — or All Nippon Airways via HND, or Thai Airways via BKK | 40,000 | — | ₹40,000 | 2.0× |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | Star Alliance metal (TG — EVA itself serves no Indian city; the award rides partner metal), India→North Asia — EVA Infinity MileageLands | 40,000 | — | ₹40,000 | 2.0× |
| TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — TAP Miles&Go | ~50,000 est. | — | ₹40,000 | 2.0× |
| Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles | China Eastern PVG–DEL nonstop — Vietnam LotusMiles | 50,000 | — | ₹50,000 | 2.5× |
The play · business
Which card mints this?
| Program | Metal / routing | Points | Surcharge | All-in ₹ | vs play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China Eastern Miles the play | China Eastern Airlines own metal from PVG, region award | 45,000 | — | ₹38,250 | 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 | 0.7× |
| SAS EuroBonus | SkyTeam metal (KE), India→North Asia — SAS EuroBonus | ~30,000 est. | — | ₹27,000 | 0.7× |
| 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) | ~45,000 est. | — | ₹33,750 | 0.9× |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or Japan Airlines via HND, or Malaysia Airlines via KUL | 40,000 | — | ₹40,000 | 1.0× |
| United MileagePlus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — United MileagePlus | ~45,000 est. | — | ₹45,000 | 1.2× |
| Aegean Miles+Bonus | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Aegean Miles+Bonus | 45,000 | — | ₹45,000 | 1.2× |
| Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | Cathay Pacific business via HKG (oneworld) via JAL partner chart | ~42,000 est. | — | ₹46,200 | 1.2× |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Avianca LifeMiles | ~50,000 est. | — | ₹50,000 | 1.3× |
| Air Europa SUMA | SkyTeam partner metal (KE/VN), India→North Asia — Air Europa SUMA | ~64,000 est. | — | ₹51,200 | 1.3× |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — Korean Air via ICN, or Vietnam Airlines via SGN | ~55,000 est. | — | ₹55,000 | 1.4× |
| TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — TAP Miles&Go | ~70,000 est. | — | ₹56,000 | 1.5× |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | Star Alliance metal (TG — EVA itself serves no Indian city; the award rides partner metal), India→North Asia — EVA Infinity MileageLands | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | 1.6× |
| Cathay Asia Miles | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld), Standard award — cumulative-distance pricing | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | 1.6× |
| Copa Airlines ConnectMiles | Star Alliance partner metal, India→North Asia — Copa ConnectMiles (fixed region chart) | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | 1.6× |
| Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards | Cathay Pacific via HKG (oneworld partner award), India→North Asia — Alaska Atmos | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | 1.6× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (4,292 km) — or All Nippon Airways via HND, or Thai Airways via BKK | 75,000 | — | ₹75,000 | 2.0× |
| Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles | China Eastern PVG–DEL nonstop — Vietnam LotusMiles | 80,000 | — | ₹80,000 | 2.1× |
| Delta SkyMiles | SkyTeam partner metal (KE/VN/MU), India→North Asia — Delta SkyMiles (dynamic) | ~85,000 est. | — | ₹85,000 | 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 — or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or Japan Airlines via HND, or Malaysia Airlines via KUL | 50,000 | — | ₹50,000 | the play |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (4,292 km) — or All Nippon Airways via HND, or Thai Airways via BKK | 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. Air India Maharaja Points, United MileagePlus, American Airlines AAdvantage, China Eastern Miles, Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards and Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles 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. 12 other programmes priced here publish nothing the desk could read.
Cathay Pacific oneworld
DEL–HKG–PVG is ~3,097 flown miles — 2,751–5,000 band, 20,000 Standard, no type-2 premium up here. The corridor's take just got less thin: 10,000 under Maharaja's 30,000 nonstop economy, SBI-fed at 1:1, on Cathay metal both legs. The backtrack through Hong Kong costs ~3 hours; the points saving pays for it.
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)
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.
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — SAS EuroBonus 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.
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 flies DEL–KUL and KUL–PVG on its own metal — a long southern dog-leg — and Enrich prices off the cash fare, ~0.8–1.2¢ a point, no chart, no Indian bank feed (IHG 5:1, Hilton 25:3 only). Printed for completeness; burn existing balances, never build one for this.
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — Malaysia Airlines Enrich 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. Malaysia Enrich is revenue-linked ~Rs0.80/pt; ~= typical one-way MH economy fare / Rs0.80 for ~2,667 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 Reverse of del-pvg — Air China PhoenixMiles 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. 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)
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).
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — China Southern Sky Pearl Club 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.
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 Shanghai→Delhi. 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)
Korean AirVietnam 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 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)
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 Reverse of del-pvg — United MileagePlus 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. 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)
Cathay PacificJapan AirlinesMalaysia Airlines oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 75,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 150,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 50,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Cathay PacificJapan Airlines oneworld
Same Cathay routing on JAL's ledger: ~3,097 flown miles in the 2,001–4,000 partner band — 23,000 economy one-way. 3,000 over Asia Miles; worth it only because HSBC's 1:1 feed is instant. Shanghai finally has direct-fed published prices in both trims.
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — Japan Airlines Mileage Bank 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.
Feed it: 11,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 23,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 57,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
China Eastern SkyTeam
China Eastern Airlines own-metal Shanghai→Delhi. 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: 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.
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — Air Europa SUMA 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.
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 Reverse of del-pvg — Avianca LifeMiles 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. 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)
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. That chart is a single upper-triangular ZONE-PAIR matrix — 45 published cells for 9 zones, exactly one per unordered pair — so PVG → DEL and DEL → PVG resolve to the same cell. Re-read against the chart and promoted from mirror-estimate to chart read on 2026-08-06. 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)
Cathay PacificKorean AirJapan AirlinesMalaysia Airlines
Alaska Atmos bands the TOTAL DISTANCE FLOWN, not the nonstop great circle: the cheapest Atmos routing is Cathay Pacific via HKG, ~3,109 flown miles against a 2,667-mile nonstop, which reads the Asia-Pacific chart's 3,001-5,000 mi band — 30,000 economy / 60,000 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: 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 Reverse of del-pvg — Delta SkyMiles 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. 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)
All Nippon AirwaysThai Airways 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: 20,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 40,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 100,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Thai 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)
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.
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go 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.
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)
China Eastern SkyTeam
Per-segment chart; nonstop = one segment. China Eastern flies PVG–DEL nonstop, so LotusMiles bills exactly ONE cell — SW Asia × NE Asia 1 = 50,000, 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: 50,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 50,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 50,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
China Eastern SkyTeam
China Eastern Airlines own-metal Shanghai→Delhi. 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: 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)
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 Reverse of del-pvg — Air China PhoenixMiles 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. 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)
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.
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — SAS EuroBonus 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.
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)
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).
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — China Southern Sky Pearl Club 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.
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 PacificJapan AirlinesMalaysia Airlines 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)
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 Reverse of del-pvg — United MileagePlus 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. 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)
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. That chart is a single upper-triangular ZONE-PAIR matrix — 45 published cells for 9 zones, exactly one per unordered pair — so PVG → DEL and DEL → PVG resolve to the same cell. Re-read against the chart and promoted from mirror-estimate to chart read on 2026-08-06. 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 PacificJapan Airlines oneworld
42,000 one-way in Cathay business via Hong Kong — 18,000 under the Aeroplan fallback, one-ways allowed, HSBC 1:1. Between this and Asia Miles' 60,000, the JMB row is the value call; Asia Miles wins only if your balance already lives there.
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — Japan Airlines Mileage Bank 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.
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 Reverse of del-pvg — Avianca LifeMiles 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. 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 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.
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — Air Europa SUMA 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.
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))
Korean AirVietnam 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 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.
Estimate Reverse of del-pvg — TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go 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.
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)
Thai 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
The first published business price on this corridor that a card actually feeds: 60,000 Standard for two Cathay business sectors, SBI 1:1. Aeroplan's 75,000 on Air India's young relaunch schedule is the only alternative — and it may not even sell the cabin. Standard space capped; book when it opens.
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)
Cathay PacificKorean AirJapan AirlinesMalaysia Airlines
Alaska Atmos bands the TOTAL DISTANCE FLOWN, not the nonstop great circle: the cheapest Atmos routing is Cathay Pacific via HKG, ~3,109 flown miles against a 2,667-mile nonstop, which reads the Asia-Pacific chart's 3,001-5,000 mi band — 30,000 economy / 60,000 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: 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)
All Nippon AirwaysThai Airways 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)
China Eastern SkyTeam
Per-segment chart; nonstop = one segment. China Eastern flies PVG–DEL nonstop, so LotusMiles bills exactly ONE cell — SW Asia × NE Asia 1 = 80,000, 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: 80,000 HDFC Reward Points (1:1) · 80,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 80,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1)
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 Reverse of del-pvg — Delta SkyMiles 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. 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))
Cathay PacificJapan AirlinesMalaysia 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)
All Nippon AirwaysThai Airways 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: 47,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 95,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 237,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Flying back? Delhi to Shanghai on points (DEL–PVG). Or take the whole region: every corridor we price into South Asia — 380 of them. Or pick any two hubs — 2,450 corridors priced.