Award flight · one-way
San Francisco → Seoul on points: 13 options across the alliance backbones our cards can reach. Aeroplan books Star partner metal at a fixed 9,086 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 SEA, or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or American Airlines via DFW | 35,000 | — | ₹35,000 | the play |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | Korean Air own metal from ICN, region award — nonstop | 35,000 | — | ₹35,000 | 1.0× |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — nonstop — or China Airlines via TPE, or China Eastern via PVG, or Delta Air Lines via SEA | ~40,000 est. | — | ₹40,000 | 1.1× |
| United MileagePlus | United Airlines own metal from SFO, dynamic award — nonstop | ~45,000 est. | — | ₹45,000 | 1.3× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (9,086 km) — nonstop — or Air China via PEK, or Asiana Airlines nonstop, or EVA Air via TPE | 50,000 | — | ₹50,000 | 1.4× |
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 SEA, or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or American Airlines via DFW | 60,000 | — | ₹60,000 | the play |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | Korean Air own metal from ICN, region award — nonstop | 62,500 | — | ₹62,500 | 1.0× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (9,086 km) — nonstop — or Air China via PEK, or Asiana Airlines nonstop, or EVA Air via TPE | 85,000 | — | ₹85,000 | 1.4× |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — nonstop — or China Airlines via TPE, or China Eastern via PVG, or Delta Air Lines via SEA | ~95,000 est. | — | ₹95,000 | 1.6× |
| United MileagePlus | United Airlines own metal from SFO, dynamic award — nonstop | ~100,000 est. | — | ₹1,00,000 | 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 — via SEA, or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or Cathay Pacific via HKG, or American Airlines via DFW | 80,000 | — | ₹80,000 | the play |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | Korean Air own metal from ICN, region award — nonstop | 80,000 | — | ₹80,000 | 1.0× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (9,086 km) — nonstop — or Air China via PEK, or Asiana Airlines nonstop, or EVA Air via TPE | 120,000 | — | ₹1,20,000 | 1.5× |
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 and United MileagePlus 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. 1 other programme priced here publishes nothing the desk could read.
Alaska AirlinesCathay PacificAmerican Airlines oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 105,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 210,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 70,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Korean Air SkyTeam
Korean Air own-metal San Francisco→Seoul. Korean passes low-to-moderate carrier surcharges on its own-metal awards — noticeably milder than Turkish or British Airways, but not zero: expect a modest YQ plus government taxes, heaviest on long-haul and on Japan/Europe departures. A valid Korean Air routing is assumed.
Feed it: 70,000 HSBC Reward Points (2:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 140,000 HDFC Reward Points (4:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 350,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (10:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL))
China AirlinesChina EasternDelta 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 San Francisco→Seoul. 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 San Francisco→Seoul (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)
Air ChinaAsiana 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)
Alaska AirlinesCathay PacificAmerican 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)
Korean Air SkyTeam
Korean Air own-metal San Francisco→Seoul. Korean passes low-to-moderate carrier surcharges on its own-metal awards — noticeably milder than Turkish or British Airways, but not zero: expect a modest YQ plus government taxes, heaviest on long-haul and on Japan/Europe departures. A valid Korean Air routing is assumed.
Feed it: 125,000 HSBC Reward Points (2:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 250,000 HDFC Reward Points (4:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 625,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (10:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL))
Air ChinaAsiana 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 AirlinesChina EasternDelta 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 San Francisco→Seoul. 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 San Francisco→Seoul (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)
Alaska AirlinesCathay PacificAmerican Airlines oneworld
AAdvantage prices partner awards on a fixed region-to-region chart. A valid oneworld routing is assumed.
Feed it: 240,000 Amex Membership Rewards (3:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 480,000 RBL Reward Points (6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 160,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (2:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)
Korean Air SkyTeam
Korean Air own-metal San Francisco→Seoul. Korean passes low-to-moderate carrier surcharges on its own-metal awards — noticeably milder than Turkish or British Airways, but not zero: expect a modest YQ plus government taxes, heaviest on long-haul and on Japan/Europe departures. A valid Korean Air routing is assumed.
Feed it: 160,000 HSBC Reward Points (2:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 320,000 HDFC Reward Points (4:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL)) · 800,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (10:1 via Accor Live Limitless (ALL))
Air ChinaAsiana 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? Seoul to San Francisco on points (ICN–SFO). Or take the whole region: every corridor we price into East Asia — 273 of them. Or pick any two hubs — 2,450 corridors priced.