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Award flight · one-way

San Francisco to Tokyo on points

25,000 pts cheapest economy · ANA Mileage Club SFO → NRT great-circle 8,226 km · 5,111 mi 6 programs priced as of

San Francisco → Tokyo on points: 15 options across the alliance backbones our cards can reach. Aeroplan books Star partner metal at a fixed 8,226 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.

read the full take fold the take back up

Economy

The play · economy

ANA Mileage Club

All Nippon Airways own metal from NRT, region award

25,000 pts
surcharge not published
₹25,000 all-in at house ₹

Which card mints this?

+7 more ways in — the full funnel, ratios and ₹/mile side by side →

Program Metal / routing Points Surcharge All-in ₹ vs play
ANA Mileage Club the play All Nippon Airways own metal from NRT, region award 25,000 — ₹25,000 the play
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank Japan Airlines own metal from NRT, priced off the published to/from-Japan route chart (8,226 km) 27,000 — ₹29,700 1.2×
American Airlines AAdvantage oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or American Airlines via DFW 35,000 — ₹35,000 1.4×
Air France-KLM Flying Blue SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — China Airlines via TPE, or Korean Air via ICN, or China Eastern via PVG ~40,000 est. — ₹40,000 1.6×
United MileagePlus United Airlines own metal from SFO, dynamic award ~45,000 est. — ₹45,000 1.8×
Air Canada Aeroplan Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (8,226 km) — or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or or Air China via PEK, or Air Canada via YVR 50,000 — ₹50,000 2.0×

Business

The play · business

ANA Mileage Club

All Nippon Airways own metal from NRT, region award

52,500 pts
surcharge not published
₹52,500 all-in at house ₹

Which card mints this?

+7 more ways in — the full funnel, ratios and ₹/mile side by side →

Program Metal / routing Points Surcharge All-in ₹ vs play
ANA Mileage Club the play All Nippon Airways own metal from NRT, region award 52,500 — ₹52,500 the play
American Airlines AAdvantage oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or American Airlines via DFW 60,000 — ₹60,000 1.1×
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank Japan Airlines own metal from NRT, priced off the published to/from-Japan route chart (8,226 km) 55,000 — ₹60,500 1.2×
Air Canada Aeroplan Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (8,226 km) — or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or or Air China via PEK, or Air Canada via YVR 85,000 — ₹85,000 1.6×
Air France-KLM Flying Blue SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — China Airlines via TPE, or Korean Air via ICN, or China Eastern via PVG ~95,000 est. — ₹95,000 1.8×
United MileagePlus United Airlines own metal from SFO, dynamic award ~100,000 est. — ₹1,00,000 1.9×

First

The play · first

American Airlines AAdvantage

oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or American Airlines via DFW

80,000 pts
surcharge not published
₹80,000 all-in at house ₹

Which card mints this?

+7 more ways in — the full funnel, ratios and ₹/mile side by side →

Program Metal / routing Points Surcharge All-in ₹ vs play
American Airlines AAdvantage the play oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or American Airlines via DFW 80,000 — ₹80,000 the play
Air Canada Aeroplan Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (8,226 km) — or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or or Air China via PEK, or Air Canada via YVR 120,000 — ₹1,20,000 1.5×
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank Japan Airlines own metal from NRT, priced off the published to/from-Japan route chart (8,226 km) 125,000 — ₹1,37,500 1.7×

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. 2 other programmes priced here publish nothing the desk could read.

Row by row

15 options · 6 sourced charts
Economy

ANA Mileage Club

the play 25,000 pts

All Nippon Airways own metal from NRT, region award

All Nippon Airways Star Alliance

All Nippon Airways own-metal San Francisco→Tokyo. 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 (2.4:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 120,000 RBL Reward Points (4.8:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 40,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.6:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)

as of 10xtravel.com
Economy

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

27,000 pts

Japan Airlines own metal from NRT, priced off the published to/from-Japan route chart (8,226 km)

Japan Airlines oneworld

Japan Airlines own-metal San Francisco→Tokyo. 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: 13,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 27,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 67,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)

as of jal.co.jp
Economy

American Airlines AAdvantage

35,000 pts

oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or American Airlines via DFW

Alaska AirlinesAmerican 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)

as of aa.com
Economy

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

~40,000 pts est.

SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — China Airlines via TPE, or Korean Air via ICN, or China Eastern via PVG

China AirlinesKorean AirChina Eastern 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)

as of flyingblue.com
Economy

United MileagePlus

~45,000 pts est.

United Airlines own metal from SFO, dynamic award

United Airlines Star Alliance

United Airlines own-metal San Francisco→Tokyo. 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→Tokyo (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)

as of united.com
Economy

Air Canada Aeroplan

50,000 pts

Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (8,226 km) — or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or or Air China via PEK, or Air Canada via YVR

Asiana AirlinesAir ChinaAir 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: 25,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 50,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 125,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)

as of aircanada.com
Business

ANA Mileage Club

the play 52,500 pts

All Nippon Airways own metal from NRT, region award

All Nippon Airways Star Alliance

All Nippon Airways own-metal San Francisco→Tokyo. 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: 127,500 Amex Membership Rewards (2.43:1 via Marriott Bonvoy) · 255,000 RBL Reward Points (4.86:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy) · 85,000 RBL Reward Points (Nova/Lumière) (1.62:1 via Club ITC → Marriott Bonvoy)

as of 10xtravel.com
Business

American Airlines AAdvantage

60,000 pts

oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or American Airlines via DFW

Alaska AirlinesAmerican 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)

as of aa.com
Business

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

55,000 pts

Japan Airlines own metal from NRT, priced off the published to/from-Japan route chart (8,226 km)

Japan Airlines oneworld

Japan Airlines own-metal San Francisco→Tokyo. 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: 27,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 55,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 137,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)

as of jal.co.jp
Business

Air Canada Aeroplan

85,000 pts

Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (8,226 km) — or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or or Air China via PEK, or Air Canada via YVR

Asiana AirlinesAir ChinaAir 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: 42,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 85,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 212,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)

as of aircanada.com
Business

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

~95,000 pts est.

SkyTeam metal, Flying Blue (dynamic) — China Airlines via TPE, or Korean Air via ICN, or China Eastern via PVG

China AirlinesKorean AirChina Eastern 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)

as of flyingblue.com
Business

United MileagePlus

~100,000 pts est.

United Airlines own metal from SFO, dynamic award

United Airlines Star Alliance

United Airlines own-metal San Francisco→Tokyo. 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→Tokyo (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)

as of united.com
First

American Airlines AAdvantage

the play 80,000 pts

oneworld partner metal, AAdvantage region award — or Alaska Airlines via SEA, or American Airlines via DFW

Alaska AirlinesAmerican 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)

as of aa.com
First

Air Canada Aeroplan

120,000 pts

Star Alliance partner metal, Aeroplan distance-band award (8,226 km) — or Asiana Airlines via ICN (Star through 16 Dec 2026), or or Air China via PEK, or Air Canada via YVR

Asiana AirlinesAir ChinaAir 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: 60,000 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 120,000 SBI Travel Credits (1:1) · 300,000 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)

as of aircanada.com
First

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

125,000 pts

Japan Airlines own metal from NRT, priced off the published to/from-Japan route chart (8,226 km)

Japan Airlines oneworld

Japan Airlines own-metal San Francisco→Tokyo. 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: 62,500 Axis EDGE Miles (1:2) · 125,000 HSBC Reward Points (1:1) · 312,500 Axis EDGE Reward Points (5:2)

as of jal.co.jp

More corridors

39 from SFO · 48 to NRT

More from San Francisco

More to Tokyo

Flying back? Tokyo to San Francisco on points (NRT–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.