Award flight · one-way
Shanghai → San Francisco on points: 13 options across the alliance backbones our cards can reach. Aeroplan books Star partner metal at a fixed 9,877 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 HND, or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or American Airlines via DFW | 37,500 | — | ₹37,500 | the play |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — nonstop — or China Airlines via TPE, or Korean Air via ICN, or Delta Air Lines via LAX | ~40,000 est. | — | ₹40,000 | 1.1× |
| United MileagePlus | United Airlines own metal from SFO, dynamic award — nonstop | ~45,000 est. | — | ₹45,000 | 1.2× |
| China Eastern Miles | China Eastern Airlines own metal from PVG, region award — nonstop | 55,000 | — | ₹46,750 | 1.2× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (9,877 km) — nonstop — or All Nippon Airways via HND, or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or EVA Air via TPE | 50,000 | — | ₹50,000 | 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 HND, or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or American Airlines via DFW | 70,000 | — | ₹70,000 | the play |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (9,877 km) — nonstop — or All Nippon Airways via HND, or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or EVA Air via TPE | 85,000 | — | ₹85,000 | 1.2× |
| China Eastern Miles | China Eastern Airlines own metal from PVG, region award — nonstop | 100,000 | — | ₹85,000 | 1.2× |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — nonstop — or China Airlines via TPE, or Korean Air via ICN, or Delta Air Lines via LAX | ~95,000 est. | — | ₹95,000 | 1.4× |
| United MileagePlus | United Airlines own metal from SFO, dynamic award — nonstop | ~100,000 est. | — | ₹1,00,000 | 1.4× |
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 HND, or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or American Airlines via DFW | 110,000 | — | ₹1,10,000 | the play |
| China Eastern Miles | China Eastern Airlines own metal from PVG, region award — nonstop | 135,000 | — | ₹1,14,750 | 1.0× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (9,877 km) — nonstop — or All Nippon Airways via HND, or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or EVA Air via TPE | 120,000 | — | ₹1,20,000 | 1.1× |
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, United MileagePlus and China Eastern Miles 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.
Japan AirlinesCathay PacificAmerican Airlines 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)
China AirlinesKorean 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)
United Airlines Star Alliance
United Airlines own-metal Shanghai→San Francisco. United MileagePlus is fully dynamic — no award chart. Levels below are the typical one-way per person; ranges are the honest low/high seen across dates and demand. A valid United Airlines routing is assumed.
Estimate Dynamic/unpublished-chart program — estimate is the typical one-way economy level Shanghai→San Francisco (range 33k–80k); not a fixed chart price, never THE PLAY.
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)
China Eastern SkyTeam
China Eastern Airlines own-metal Shanghai→San Francisco. 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: 366,667 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 1,375,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors) · 275,000 Axis EDGE Miles (5:1 via Hilton Honors)
All Nippon AirwaysAsiana AirlinesEVA 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)
Japan AirlinesCathay PacificAmerican Airlines 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)
All Nippon AirwaysAsiana AirlinesEVA 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: 42,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 85,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 212,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
China Eastern SkyTeam
China Eastern Airlines own-metal Shanghai→San Francisco. 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: 666,667 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 2,500,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors) · 500,000 Axis EDGE Miles (5:1 via Hilton Honors)
China AirlinesKorean 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)
United Airlines Star Alliance
United Airlines own-metal Shanghai→San Francisco. United MileagePlus is fully dynamic — no award chart. Levels below are the typical one-way per person; ranges are the honest low/high seen across dates and demand. A valid United Airlines routing is assumed.
Estimate Dynamic/unpublished-chart program — estimate is the typical one-way business level Shanghai→San Francisco (range 75k–200k); not a fixed chart price, never THE PLAY.
Feed it: 50,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 250,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2) · 210,000 Amex Membership Rewards (2.1:1 via Marriott Bonvoy)
Japan AirlinesCathay PacificAmerican Airlines 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)
China Eastern SkyTeam
China Eastern Airlines own-metal Shanghai→San Francisco. 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: 900,000 Amex Membership Rewards (6.67:1 via Hilton Honors) · 3,375,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (25:1 via Hilton Honors) · 675,000 Axis EDGE Miles (5:1 via Hilton Honors)
All Nippon AirwaysAsiana AirlinesEVA 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: 60,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 120,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 300,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)
Flying back? San Francisco to Shanghai on points (SFO–PVG). Or take the whole region: every corridor we price into North America — 510 of them. Or pick any two hubs — 2,450 corridors priced.