Melbourne to Hong Kong on points: every program compared (2026)
Updated 2026-06-02 · 72 programs cover this route
Melbourne to Hong Kong is the kind of route Australian points collectors have been working out for decades. Within Asia-Pacific, the proximity — typically 7–10 hours nonstop on the busy corridors — means the cabin you fly in actually matters. You're not desperate to land regardless of seat; you want the lie-flat business product, not the angle-flat one. Multiple carriers fly this corridor at award rates worth considering, often including the route's home carrier plus partners via Singapore, Hong Kong, or Tokyo stopovers. Below: every program in your wallet that books at least one of them, what it costs in points and AUD, and which ones carry the kind of fuel-surcharge tax that erodes the value. Pick the program that gives you both the seat and the math you want.
| Program | Airline | Cabin | Points | Taxes (AUD) | Cabin Confidence (expert-curated) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | economy | 24,700 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 5 (OOL-NRT 4,798 mi, just inside Z5 band upper boundary 4,801 — BNE-NRT at 4,860 mi crosses into Z6). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z5 Jetstar Y 24,700). Direct on JQ 787-8 (JQ11/12 Tue/Thu/Sun per FlightAware live tracking 2026-04-22; ramps to daily seasonal peak). Gold Coast-Tokyo is the only JQ regional-capital direct J to Tokyo — route-awareness value for OOL-based leisure travellers (skips BNE transfer). JQ 2-class Y/J on 787-8; no PE/F. JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. CROSS-TABLE ASSEMBLY (Option C, S21 policy lock; Batch Q S23 application): This row encodes JQ OOL-NRT direct standalone Y on Jetstar table (Z5 just inside boundary). Chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d) blocks cross-table summed assembly. Worked example onward Japan-domestic on JL Y from NRT (Partner Z1-Z2 ~5,500-11,500): 24,700 Y this row + JL NRT-onward = 30,200-36,200 Y combined. Gold Coast-origin context: OOL-NRT is the only JQ regional-capital direct to Tokyo at Z5 sweet-spot rate (BNE-NRT crosses to Z6 at 29,900 Y; OOL saves 5,200 Y vs BNE departure). For onward Tokyo-domestic or trans-Pacific, two-award required (chart-mixing). ALTERNATIVE positioning OOL-BNE/SYD + AU-HND on JL: positioning flight + JL Z6 Partner Y 43,500 = ~50,000 Y total, more than direct JQ Z5 24,700; OOL travellers favored to use this row. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; cross-batch preservation A4 verified. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | economy | 24,700 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 5 (BNE-KIX 4,394 mi, within Z5 band 3,601-4,800 mi). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z5 Jetstar Y 24,700). Direct on JQ 787-8 (launched Feb 2024 per Simple Flying as part of Brisbane 787 Japan/Korea three-route expansion; 4x weekly ongoing). BNE-KIX is the Brisbane-Kansai direct — JQ 2-class Y/J on 787-8. JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. CROSS-TABLE ASSEMBLY (Option C, S21 policy lock; Batch Q S23 application): This row encodes JQ AU-Japan direct standalone segment on Jetstar table. For users continuing onward in Japan or trans-Pacific, chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d) BLOCKS single-award summed encoding when combining Jetstar table with Partner table (JL Japan-domestic, JL international onwards) or Qantas table (AA trans-Pacific). Two-award assembly required for any AU-Japan-onward itinerary using JQ + JL or JQ + AA. Worked example onward via JL Japan-domestic (Partner Z1-Z2 short-haul typical, ~5,500-7,000 Y): two-award total this row 24,700 Y BNE-KIX + JL KIX-{ITM/HND/etc} ~5,500-11,500 Y depending on segment = 30,200-36,200 Y combined. Verify specific segment in qantas.com booking flow. ALTERNATIVE direct AU-HND on JL (Partner Z6 same-table single-award 43,500 Y) avoids chart-mixing entirely if onward Japan access matters; trade-off JQ saves 18,800 Y on AU-side vs JL HND but Jetstar narrowbody product + cross-table assembly burden when continuing onward. AA trans-Pacific from NRT not relevant for KIX-origin (no AA flights from KIX); not applicable for this row. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; Batch P (commit f9fea1d) sibling INSERT-mode precedent for AS LAX-onwards; chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d); rate provenance per commit cd343af; cross-batch notes-citation preservation invariant on JL HND + AA AU-LAX rates verified at A4 pre-flight. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | economy | 24,700 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 5 (CNS-KIX 3,710 mi, within Z5 band 3,601-4,800 mi). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z5 Jetstar Y 24,700). Direct on JQ 787-8 (Cairns-Osaka ongoing per Executive Traveller coverage; seasonal frequency scale-up during peak tourism periods). CNS-KIX serves the Far North Queensland tourism corridor (Great Barrier Reef/tropical gateway) with direct JQ 787 access to Kansai region. JQ 2-class Y/J on 787-8. JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. CROSS-TABLE ASSEMBLY (Option C, S21 policy lock; Batch Q S23 application): This row encodes JQ CNS-KIX direct standalone Y on Jetstar table. Chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d) blocks single-award summed for any Jetstar + Partner (JL onwards) or Jetstar + Qantas (AA onwards) combination. Two-award assembly required if continuing beyond KIX. CNS-origin context: no QF own-metal CNS-KIX direct; this JQ row is the unique CNS-Osaka direct option. For onward Japan-domestic or international, separate award required. Worked example onward to ITM/HND on JL (Partner Z1-Z2 ~5,500-11,500 Y): 24,700 Y this row + JL KIX-onward ~5,500-11,500 Y = 30,200-36,200 Y combined. ALTERNATIVE positioning to BNE/SYD then onward via JL HND: complex multi-segment, generally not preferable for CNS-based travellers given JQ direct value. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d); cross-batch preservation A4 verified for JL HND + AA AU-LAX cited rates. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | economy | 29,900 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 6 (BNE-NRT 4,860 mi, within Z6 band 4,801-5,800 mi). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z6 Jetstar Y 29,900). Direct on JQ 787-8 Dreamliner 2-class (Y Economy + J Business; JQ does not offer PE or F anywhere in fleet — defect class 5 equivalent). JQ is QF-group LCC subsidiary (not oneworld/SkyTeam) on DISTINCT Jetstar Table chart — separate from Qantas Table (QF own-metal + AA + FJ) and Partner Table (CX/JL/QR/BA/MH/AY/LA/CI). Jetstar Table J cabin-mapping rule: JQ J rate = Qantas Table PE rate at same zone (AFF verbatim: "Jetstar Business Class still exactly matches the points cost of Qantas Premium Economy"); Y column is separately cited direct from Point Hacks news article. JQ launched BNE-NRT October 2023 as part of three-route Brisbane 787 Japan/Korea expansion (Simple Flying reference); service still active per FlightAware 2026-04-22. JQ imposes no fuel surcharges on QF Classic Reward (LCC cash-paired pricing; matches AA/AY/JL/MH low-YQ class). One-way; double for round-trip. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. CROSS-TABLE ASSEMBLY (Option C, S21 policy lock; Batch Q S23 application): This row encodes JQ BNE-NRT direct standalone Y on Jetstar table (Z6 boundary). Chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d) BLOCKS single-award summed encoding when combining JQ Jetstar table with JL Partner table (Japan-domestic from NRT/HND) or AA Qantas-table-exception (NRT-USA trans-Pacific). Two-award assembly required for any AU-onward itinerary. Worked example onward Japan-domestic on JL Y from NRT (Partner Z1-Z2 ~5,500-11,500): 29,900 Y this row + JL NRT-onward = ~35,400-41,400 Y combined. Worked example onward NRT-LAX on AA (Qantas-table-exception trans-Pacific Z9 ~58,900 Y): 29,900 Y this row + 58,900 Y AA NRT-LAX = 88,800 Y combined two-award. ALTERNATIVE direct AU-HND on JL (Partner Z6 same-table single-award 43,500 Y) avoids chart-mixing entirely if onward Japan access matters; same-table assembly with JL Japan-domestic onwards possible. Trade-off: JQ saves 13,600 Y on AU-side (29,900 vs 43,500) but cross-table burden + Jetstar narrowbody. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; Batch P sibling INSERT precedent (commit f9fea1d); chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d); rate provenance per commit cd343af; cross-batch preservation A4 verified for JL HND + AA AU-LAX cited rates. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | economy | 29,900 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 6 (SYD-ICN 5,181 mi / BNE-ICN 5,006 mi — both within Z6 band 4,801-5,800 mi; single region-level row with origin_airport=NULL covers both AU origins). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z6 Jetstar Y 29,900). Direct on JQ 787-8 — SYD-ICN ongoing (AFF SYD-ICN 787 business class review referenced); BNE-ICN launched Feb 2024 per Simple Flying Brisbane three-route expansion. JQ 2-class Y/J on 787-8; no PE/F. Region-level encoding follows CI Batch D AU-TPE precedent (commit 405173b) where all AU origins fell in same zone. JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| JAL Mileage Bank | JL | premium economy | 30,000 | $30 | — | No surcharges. JL direct SYD/MEL-NRT. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | economy | 34,700 | $200 | — | QF × CX partner redemption, Partner table Zone 5 (SYD-HKG 4,581 mi). Direct on CX 777-300ER or A330 (both fleets operate this route; cabin configuration varies). CX metal only — does not apply to CX codeshare on other oneworld metal. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges on CX. One-way; double for round-trip. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. CX First cabin NOT available at Saver/Classic Reward tier — op-up only, same finding as Asia Miles (Session 3b CX rebuild commit 7e6d019). Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | economy | 34,700 | — | — | QF × CI partner redemption, Partner table Zone 5 (SYD-TPE 4,514 mi / MEL-TPE 4,620 mi / BNE-TPE 4,113 mi — all within Z5 band 3,601-4,800 mi; single region-level row covers all three AU origins). Rate cited from authoritative Partner matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z5 Partner Y 34,700; qantas.com + upgradedpoints.com + awardwallet.com cross-verified 2026-04-22). Direct on CI A350-900 or A330-300 3-class (Economy / Premium Economy / Business). CI retired First fleet-wide years ago — no F cabin anywhere on current fleet. CI is SkyTeam (NOT oneworld) — bilateral QF non-alliance partner agreement per qantas.com partner page; scope expanded August 2023 from AU-TPE only to full CI network (qantasnewsroom press release). CI sits on QF Partner table despite SkyTeam alliance membership — alliance status is not what determines chart assignment. CI imposes no fuel surcharges on QF Classic Reward; all-in co-payment ≤ AUD 248.70 one-way long-haul regardless of cabin per Point Hacks (matches AA/AY/JL/MH low-YQ class; inverts BA/EK/QR high-YQ pattern). One-way; double for round-trip. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. Beyond-TPE onward routings (CI has 75+ destinations in Asia/US/Europe — Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, LAX/SFO/JFK/Vancouver, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Rome, London, Auckland, etc.) deferred from this file to Phase 5.5+ per connecting_via single-airport encoding constraint and Batch D scope boundary. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | economy | 35,000 | $250 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, off-peak season. Peak season rates are ~45% higher (see chart_variant='KE_metal_peak' row for same route). Peak calendar published annually by Korean Air. Verify award space in SKYPASS booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | economy | 36,200 | — | — | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 6 (4,801-5,800 mi). Economy Y on QF AU-Northeast Asia (SYD/MEL/BNE-NRT/HND/HKG/PVG on 787-9/A330). NRT/HND ceiling proxy: SYD-NRT 4,860 mi → Z6; consistent with existing Z6 PE/J region-level encoding. Z6 Qantas Table Y cited from CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 line 448 (36,200). Region-level (origin_airport=NULL); no F cabin on QF own-metal NEA (787-9/A330 equipment). Note: existing NEA notes text previously incorrectly stated band as "3,601-4,800" — corrected to "4,801-5,800" in Phase 5.5a (2026-04-23). Rates were correct throughout; text-only error. Gap note: Economy Y absent from Batch A — gap closed here (commit 5f33e55). One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | economy | 37,000 | $250 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal award, LOW SEASON rate (RT). AU-Japan direct: SYD-HND (NH879/880/889/890), PER-NRT (NH881/882). Regular season 45k RT, High season 50k RT. Low-season windows vary by route; broadly Jan-Feb (ex. NY holidays) and Sept-Oct. Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (18.5k OW) post-June-24-2025. Fuel surcharges apply on NH metal (~AUD 250+ in Y). Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: 10xtravel.com/ana-mileage-club-award-charts/ (Jan 2026), awardwallet.com/blog/understanding-ana-mileage-club-award-charts/, frequentmiler.com (Jun 2025 chart changes). |
| Asia Miles | CX | premium economy | 38,000 From this rate — varies by date | $35 | — | 2,751-5,000 mi band floor HKG-Northeast Asia premium economy. Stable through Apr-2025 and May-2026 deval events. Verify Saver availability in Asia Miles booking tool before transferring. |
| KrisFlyer | SQ | premium economy | 39,500 | $50 | — | SQ AU-origin to Northeast Asia (Japan/Korea) Premium Economy. Zone 7. Verify award space in KrisFlyer booking tool before transferring. |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | NH | economy | 42,000 | $90 | — | Velocity × ANA partner award — economy AU-Tokyo (SYD/PER-NRT/HND on NH metal; 4801-5800mi band). 42,000 VA points (saver minimum; range 42,000-45,000). Note: VA points used directly to book ANA flights via Velocity; DIFFERENT from VA→KF→ANA transfer-then-redeem path. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | FJ | economy | 43,200 | — | — | QF x FJ (Fiji Airways) Qantas-table partner redemption. BNE-NAN-HKG per-origin Z7 encoding. BNE-NAN-HKG = 6,790 mi summed (BNE-NAN 1,686 mi + NAN-HKG 5,104 mi), within Z7 band 5,801-7,000 mi. Rate cited from authoritative Qantas matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z7 Qantas economy 43,200). SWEET SPOT: BNE origin saves 5,000 economy points vs Z8 region-level (43,200 vs 48,200). BOUNDARY CASE: savings = exactly 5,000 at the >= 5,000 sweet_spot threshold — retained as sweet_spot=true per codebase threshold rule consistency (threshold is >=5,000, not >5,000; do not retroactively tighten without formal codification). Zone-math correction from prior session: SYD and BNE were assumed both Z7 — Session 8 Task 0 haversine verification confirmed SYD-NAN-HKG = 7,074 mi clears Z8 floor (7,001 mi) by 74 mi; only BNE at 6,790 mi is Z7. SYD+MEL covered by region-level Z8 rows. NAN-HKG A330 3x weekly (Mon/Thu/Sat) verified 2026. PE/F excluded per FJ fleet-wide 2-class Y/J configuration (defect class 5, Batch D commit 9d572e7). fuel_surcharge=false per FJ low-YQ policy. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | economy | 43,500 | $200 | — | QF × CX connecting itinerary via HKG to Shanghai, Partner table Zone 6 (summed-segment: SYD-HKG 4,581 mi + HKG-PVG 779 mi = 5,360 mi total, within Zone 6 band 4,801-5,800 mi). Routing AU-HKG on CX long-haul, HKG-PVG on CX A330 regional. No PE on HKG-PVG leg (A330 PE retrofit status variable per frame — conservatively omitted from this batch). No F on intra-Asia regional routing. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JL | economy | 43,500 | $200 | — | QF × JL partner redemption, Partner table Zone 6 (SYD-HND ~4,837 mi). Direct on JL51/52 777-300ER 4-class daily (8F/49J/40W/147Y). NRT alternate available via JL773/774 (~4,846 mi, same Z6 Partner rate). JL metal only — does not apply to JL codeshare on QF or other oneworld metal. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges on JL. One-way; double for round-trip. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | economy | 43,500 | — | — | BNE-TPE-NEA-short via CI metal. BNE-TPE 4,113 mi + TPE-NRT ~1,330 mi = 5,443 mi summed Z6 (vs SYD-TPE-NRT 5,844 mi Z7 / MEL-TPE-NRT ~5,950 mi Z7). Per-origin sweet-spot crosses Z6/Z7 boundary; user-actionable savings of 8,300 Y vs region-level Z7 (51,800 - 43,500 = 8,300 Y; ~16% discount). Symmetric per-origin encoding (S16) 5th application: BNE Y/PE/J all encoded at Z6 fully symmetric across cabins (Class 1 sub-E missing-coverage-axis discipline applied; no half-encoded sweet-spot). Applies to TPE-NEA-short destinations (Tokyo NRT/HND, Seoul ICN, Osaka KIX); for longer NEA destinations (Beijing/Shanghai) the summed distance may push back to Z7 — use the region-level row for SYD/MEL or check actual distance for BNE. Direct on CI A350-900 (3-class Y/PE/J). CI Partner-table; canonical QF×CI bilateral partnership pathway. Low-YQ class (fuel_surcharge=false). One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology: Phase 5.5d Batch U S33; rate provenance per CLAUDE.md authoritative Partner matrix (Z6 Y 43,500). |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | economy | 45,000 | $250 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal award, REGULAR SEASON rate (RT). AU-Japan direct: SYD-HND (NH879/880/889/890), PER-NRT (NH881/882). NH own-metal chart is seasonally tiered — this row is the regular-season variant; Low 37k RT, High 50k RT. High-season windows: Golden Week (late Apr-early May), Obon (mid-Aug), Christmas-New Year. Verify travel dates against ANA's annually-published seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way available post-June-24-2025 at exactly half RT (22.5k OW). Fuel surcharges apply on NH metal (~AUD 250+ in Y). Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: 10xtravel.com/ana-mileage-club-award-charts/ (Jan 2026), awardwallet.com/blog/understanding-ana-mileage-club-award-charts/, frequentmiler.com (Jun 2025 chart changes). |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | FJ | economy | 48,200 | — | — | QF x FJ (Fiji Airways) Qantas-table partner redemption. AU-NAN-HKG multi-segment on FJ metal (AU-NAN on FJ A330 + NAN-HKG on FJ A330). Zone 8 Qantas table encoding: SYD-NAN-HKG = 7,074 mi summed (SYD-NAN 1,970 mi + NAN-HKG 5,104 mi) and MEL-NAN-HKG ~7,578 mi summed (MEL-NAN ~2,474 mi + NAN-HKG 5,104 mi), both within Z8 band 7,001-8,400 mi — region-level covers SYD and MEL. Rate cited from authoritative Qantas matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z8 Qantas economy 48,200). BNE origin covered by dedicated per-origin row at Z7 (BNE-NAN-HKG 6,790 mi summed — below Z8 floor of 7,001 mi; SYD-NAN-HKG clears Z8 floor by 74 mi per haversine verification Session 8 Task 0; corrects prior session assumption that SYD and BNE both = Z7). NAN-HKG A330 service 3x weekly (Mon/Thu/Sat) verified 2026. PE excluded per FJ fleet-wide 2-class Y/J-only configuration (defect class 5, Batch D commit 9d572e7). F excluded per same. sweet_spot=false at region-level baseline; BNE per-origin rows carry sweet_spot=true at Z7 savings. fuel_surcharge=false per FJ low-YQ policy (Batch D precedent). One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| JAL Mileage Bank | JL | business | 50,000 | $40 | — | JAL business for 50k. One of the best deals in points. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | economy | 50,000 | $250 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal award, HIGH SEASON rate (RT). AU-Japan direct: SYD-HND (NH879/880/889/890), PER-NRT (NH881/882). Regular season 45k RT, Low season 37k RT. High-season windows: Golden Week (late Apr-early May), Obon (mid-Aug), Christmas-New Year (late Dec-early Jan). Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (25k OW) post-June-24-2025. Fuel surcharges apply on NH metal (~AUD 250+ in Y). Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: 10xtravel.com/ana-mileage-club-award-charts/ (Jan 2026), awardwallet.com/blog/understanding-ana-mileage-club-award-charts/, frequentmiler.com (Jun 2025 chart changes). |
| KrisFlyer | NH | economy | 51,000 | $80 | — | KrisFlyer Star Alliance partner saver; ANA SYD/MEL/PER-Tokyo direct; effective 1 Nov 2025; sources: AFF + Point Hacks AU; pre-Nov 48,500 → post-Nov 51,000 (~5%) |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | economy | 51,800 | $200 | — | QF × CX connecting itinerary via HKG to Beijing, Partner table Zone 7 (summed-segment: SYD-HKG 4,581 mi + HKG-PEK 1,237 mi = 5,818 mi total). BORDERLINE band placement: 17 miles past Zone 7 lower bound 5,801 mi; different distance sources give 5,817-5,826 mi sum. Chart-accurate reading puts this in Z7 Partner (Y 51,800). If QF booking tool rounds to Z6 Partner instead (Y 43,500), actual booking cost would be ~16% lower than stored. Notes this Z6 alternative for transparency — booking tool is ground truth. Routing AU-HKG on CX long-haul, HKG-PEK on CX A330 regional. No PE on HKG-PEK leg. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | economy | 51,800 | — | — | AU origin to Northeast Asia (Tokyo/Seoul/Osaka/Hong Kong/Beijing/Shanghai) via TPE on CI metal. Anchor distance SYD-TPE-NRT 5,844 mi at Z7 Partner; covers all AU origins (BNE/SYD/MEL/ADL) at region level. BNE per-origin sweet-spot row encoded separately at Z6 (5,443 mi summed) for NEA-short destinations specifically — see sibling BNE row. Direct on CI A350-900 (Business 1-2-1, PE dedicated 38-inch pitch, Economy 3-3-3) on AU-TPE leg + A350-900 onward TPE-NEA-short. CI Partner-table chart_variant; canonical QF×CI bilateral partnership pathway via single-PNR routing per qantas.com partner page (scope expanded August 2023 to full CI network). CI imposes no fuel surcharges (low-YQ class per AA/AY/JL/MH; ~AUD 90 carrier charges typical for SYD-LHR J via TPE per Australian Frequent Flyer + Point Hacks 2026). F NOT encoded — CI has no F product fleet-wide (retired years ago). Verify award space in qantas.com booking flow before transferring QF points. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology: Phase 5.5d Batch U S33; Class 1 sub-A operational availability + Class 1 sub-E missing-coverage-axis applied; rate provenance per CLAUDE.md authoritative Partner matrix (Z7 Y 51,800). |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | economy | 52,500 | $250 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, peak season. Peak dates 2026: Jan 2-11, Feb 13-22, Feb 27-Mar 2, May 1-5, Jul 24-Aug 16, Sep 23-27, Oct 2-5, Oct 8-11, Dec 25-27. Off-peak rates ~30% lower (see chart_variant='KE_metal_offpeak' row). Verify award space in SKYPASS booking tool before transferring. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | premium economy | 54,000 | $300 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal award, LOW SEASON rate (RT). AU-Japan direct on NH metal. Regular season 62k RT, High season 67k RT. Low-season windows vary by route; broadly Jan-Feb (ex. NY holidays) and Sept-Oct. Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (27k OW) post-June-24-2025. Premium Economy available on NH 787-9 AU routes. Fuel surcharges apply. Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: 10xtravel.com (Jan 2026), awardwallet.com. |
| KrisFlyer | SQ | business | 54,500 | $60 | — | SQ AU-origin to Northeast Asia (Japan/Korea) business. Zone 7. Verify award space in KrisFlyer booking tool before transferring. |
| Alaska Mileage Plan | CX | business | 60,000 | $40 | 90 — Excellent (curated) | AS on CX HKG-Northeast Asia business. Post-March-2024 deval rate (previously 50k — the pre-2024 sweet spot is gone). Verify award space in Alaska/Atmos booking tool before transferring. |
| Asia Miles | CX | business | 60,000 From this rate — varies by date | $45 | 90 — Excellent (curated) | 2,751-5,000 mi band floor HKG-Northeast Asia business. Post-May-2026 deval effective 2026-05-01. Verify Saver availability in Asia Miles booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | business | 61,600 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 5 (CNS-KIX 3,710 mi). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z5 Jetstar J 61,600 = Qantas Table Z5 PE 61,600 per cabin-remapping rule). Direct on JQ 787-8 2-class J. Comparison: QF own-metal does not operate CNS-KIX direct (no QF metal Cairns-Kansai) — JQ is the only direct Cairns-Osaka J award via QF Classic Reward currently. Alternative routings for CNS travellers: positioning flight CNS-SYD/BNE + onward QF/partner NRT-via-SIN complex assembly, substantially more points. CNS-KIX direct JQ at 61,600 J represents route-awareness value (unique availability) for FNQ-based travellers. JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. CROSS-TABLE ASSEMBLY (Option C, S21 policy lock; Batch Q S23 application): This row encodes JQ CNS-KIX direct standalone J on Jetstar table. Chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d) blocks single-award summed for cross-table onward assembly. Worked example onward Japan-domestic on JL J: 61,600 J this row + JL KIX-onward ~14,500-21,000 J = 76,100-82,600 J two-award. CNS-origin context: unique CNS-Osaka direct J option via QF Classic Reward; positioning alternatives substantially more points. ALTERNATIVE direct AU-HND on JL (Partner Z6 108,000 J) requires CNS positioning to BNE/SYD first; not preferable for CNS-based travellers. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; Batch P sibling INSERT precedent (commit f9fea1d); cross-batch preservation A4 verified. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | business | 61,600 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 5 (OOL-NRT 4,798 mi). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z5 Jetstar J 61,600 = Qantas Table Z5 PE 61,600 per cabin-remapping rule). Zone-delta reminder: BNE-NRT crosses into Z6 (rate 73,800 vs this Z5 61,600) — Gold Coast-origin travellers save 12,200 J points vs Brisbane departure for same Tokyo destination. Direct on JQ 787-8 2-class. JQ J recliner-style, not fully-flat (lower cabin comfort than QF own-metal J but materially cheaper points cost). JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. CROSS-TABLE ASSEMBLY (Option C, S21 policy lock; Batch Q S23 application): This row encodes JQ OOL-NRT direct standalone J on Jetstar table (Z5). Chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d) blocks cross-table summed assembly. Worked example onward Japan-domestic on JL J: 61,600 J this row + JL NRT-onward (Partner Z1-Z2 ~14,500-21,000 J) = 76,100-82,600 J combined. Gold Coast-origin context: OOL-NRT Z5 J 61,600 vs BNE-NRT Z6 J 73,800 = OOL saves 12,200 J for same Tokyo destination. JQ J recliner-class on 787-8 (2-2-2 angle-flat). For onward Japan-domestic or trans-Pacific connections, two-award required. ALTERNATIVE direct AU-HND on JL (Partner Z6 108,000 J + JL onward) requires OOL-BNE/SYD positioning first; not preferable for OOL-based travellers given JQ direct value. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; Batch P sibling INSERT precedent (commit f9fea1d); cross-batch preservation A4 verified. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | business | 61,600 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 5 (BNE-KIX 4,394 mi). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z5 Jetstar J 61,600 = Qantas Table Z5 PE 61,600 per cabin-remapping rule). Direct on JQ 787-8 2-class J. Launched Feb 2024 per Simple Flying. JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. CROSS-TABLE ASSEMBLY (Option C, S21 policy lock; Batch Q S23 application): This row encodes JQ AU-Japan direct standalone J on Jetstar table. For users continuing onward, chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d) BLOCKS single-award summed encoding when combining Jetstar with Partner (JL) or Qantas (AA). Two-award assembly required. Worked example onward Japan-domestic on JL J (Partner Z1-Z2 short-haul ~14,500-21,000 J typical): this row 61,600 J + JL KIX-{onward} ~14,500-21,000 J = 76,100-82,600 J combined. ALTERNATIVE direct AU-HND on JL (Partner Z6 same-table 108,000 J + onward Japan-domestic JL ~14,500-21,000 J = 122,500-129,000 J two-award same-table) — JQ AU-side cheaper by 46,400 J vs JL HND but JQ Business is recliner-class (2-2-2 angle-flat) not lie-flat international Business; cabin-comfort lower than JL Sky Suite J at 1-2-1. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; Batch P sibling INSERT precedent (commit f9fea1d); chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d); cross-batch preservation A4 verified. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | premium economy | 62,000 | $300 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal award, REGULAR SEASON rate (RT). AU-Japan direct on NH metal. Seasonally tiered chart — regular-season variant; Low 54k RT, High 67k RT. High-season windows: Golden Week, Obon, Christmas-New Year. Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (31k OW) post-June-24-2025. Premium Economy available on NH 787-9 AU routes. Fuel surcharges apply. Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: 10xtravel.com (Jan 2026), awardwallet.com. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | business | 62,500 | $300 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, off-peak season. Peak season rates are ~45% higher (see chart_variant='KE_metal_peak' row for same route). Peak calendar published annually by Korean Air. Verify award space in SKYPASS booking tool before transferring. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | business | 65,000 | $350 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal award, LOW SEASON rate (RT). AU-Japan direct on NH metal (SYD-HND, PER-NRT). Regular season 75k RT, High season 80k RT. Low-season windows vary by route; broadly Jan-Feb (ex. NY holidays) and Sept-Oct. Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (32.5k OW) post-June-24-2025. SWEET SPOT of the NH chart for AU travelers at low-season tier: NH business (The Room on 777, latest Suite on 787) for 65k RT is excellent value. Fuel surcharges apply (~AUD 350-500 in J). Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: 10xtravel.com (Jan 2026), awardwallet.com. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | premium economy | 67,000 | $300 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal award, HIGH SEASON rate (RT). AU-Japan direct on NH metal. Regular season 62k RT, Low season 54k RT. High-season windows: Golden Week (late Apr-early May), Obon (mid-Aug), Christmas-New Year (late Dec-early Jan). Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (33.5k OW) post-June-24-2025. Premium Economy available on NH 787-9 AU routes. Fuel surcharges apply. Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: 10xtravel.com (Jan 2026), awardwallet.com. |
| JAL Mileage Bank | JL | first | 70,000 | $50 | — | JAL first class for 70k. Exceptional value. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | premium economy | 70,800 | $250 | — | QF × CX partner redemption, Partner table Zone 5 (SYD-HKG 4,581 mi). Direct on CX 777-300ER or A330 long-haul fleet (PE retrofit complete on majority of fleet). CX metal only. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | premium economy | 70,800 | — | — | QF × CI partner redemption, Partner table Zone 5 (SYD-TPE 4,514 mi / MEL-TPE 4,620 mi / BNE-TPE 4,113 mi — all within Z5 band 3,601-4,800 mi; single region-level row covers all three AU origins). Rate cited from authoritative Partner matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z5 Partner PE 70,800; qantas.com + upgradedpoints.com + awardwallet.com cross-verified 2026-04-22). Direct on CI A350-900 or A330-300 3-class — Premium Economy cabin is a dedicated product distinct from Economy: wider seat, increased pitch, priority boarding, enhanced meal service. A350-900 PE: typically ~36 seats in 2-4-2 layout with 38-inch pitch. CI retired First fleet-wide years ago — no F anywhere on current fleet. CI is SkyTeam (NOT oneworld) — bilateral QF non-alliance partner per qantas.com partner page; scope expanded August 2023 to full CI network. CI imposes no fuel surcharges (≤ AUD 248.70 one-way long-haul all-in per Point Hacks; low-YQ class). One-way; double for round-trip. Beyond-TPE onward routings deferred to Phase 5.5+. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | premium economy | 73,800 | $150 | — | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 6 (4,801-5,800 mi). SYD/MEL/BNE-HKG/NRT/HND/PVG on QF 787-9 (PE + J only). One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | business | 73,800 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 6 (AU-ICN region-level: SYD 5,181 mi / BNE 5,006 mi, both Z6). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z6 Jetstar J 73,800 = Qantas Table Z6 PE 73,800 per cabin-remapping rule). Direct on JQ 787-8 2-class J. Comparison with same-table alternatives: no direct AU-ICN Qantas own-metal service; AA AU-LAX-ICN summed would be Qantas Z10 130,100-ish far costlier. JQ AU-ICN J at 73,800 is the only direct AU-Seoul J award via QF Classic Reward. JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | business | 73,800 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 6 (BNE-NRT 4,860 mi). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z6 Jetstar J 73,800 = Qantas Table Z6 PE 73,800 per cabin-remapping rule). Direct on JQ 787-8 2-class — post-April-2026 retrofit offers expanded J cabin (38-44 J seats vs prior 18-21; 2-2-2 angle-flat recliner-style J, not fully-flat, per Newsroom coverage). JQ J product is recliner-class compared to QF own-metal 1-2-1 fully-flat on long-haul — cabin-comfort lower than equivalent QF J but points cost significantly cheaper (QF Qantas Z6 J 98,400 vs JQ Jetstar Z6 J 73,800 = 24,600 QF points saved on BNE-NRT J). JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. CROSS-TABLE ASSEMBLY (Option C, S21 policy lock; Batch Q S23 application): This row encodes JQ BNE-NRT direct standalone J on Jetstar table (Z6). Chart-mixing rule (commit 465482d) blocks cross-table summed assembly. Worked example onward Japan-domestic on JL J: 73,800 J this row + JL NRT-onward (Partner Z1-Z2 ~14,500-21,000 J) = 88,300-94,800 J combined. Worked example onward NRT-LAX on AA J (Qantas-table-exception Z9 ~151,800 J): 73,800 J this row + 151,800 J AA NRT-LAX = 225,600 J two-award (note: AA Z9 NRT-LAX rate not currently encoded in DB; verify per qantas.com booking flow before relying). ALTERNATIVE direct AU-HND on JL (Partner Z6 same-table 108,000 J + onward Japan-domestic JL ~14,500-21,000 J = 122,500-129,000 J two-award same-table). JQ AU-side cheaper by 34,200 J (73,800 vs 108,000) but JQ J recliner-class (2-2-2 angle-flat) vs JL Sky Suite J (1-2-1 lie-flat). Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; cross-batch preservation A4 verified. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | business | 75,000 | $350 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal award, REGULAR SEASON rate (RT). AU-Japan direct on NH metal (SYD-HND, PER-NRT). Seasonally tiered chart — regular-season variant; Low 65k RT, High 80k RT. High-season windows: Golden Week, Obon, Christmas-New Year. Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (37.5k OW) post-June-24-2025. THE SWEET SPOT of the NH chart for AU travelers: NH business (The Room on 777, latest Suite on 787) for 75k RT regular is competitive. Fuel surcharges apply (~AUD 350-500 in J). Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: 10xtravel.com (Jan 2026), awardwallet.com. |
| British Airways Avios | CX | business | 75,750 | $50 | 90 — Excellent (curated) | CX hit by Dec-15-2025 BA Avios deval +~10%. SYD-HKG Zone 6 single-segment. Source: point.me / mainlymiles.com |
| British Airways Avios | JL | business | 75,750 | $45 | — | JL hit by Dec-15-2025 BA Avios deval +~10%. SYD-NRT Zone 6 single-segment. No fuel surcharge on JL metal. Source: thepointsguy.com |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | first | 80,000 | $350 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, off-peak season. Peak season rates are ~45% higher (see chart_variant='KE_metal_peak' row for same route). Peak calendar published annually by Korean Air. Verify award space in SKYPASS booking tool before transferring. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | — | economy | 80,000 | $250 | — | KE SkyTeam partner award. Round-trip mandatory (online system blocks one-way). Partner availability varies by airline; verify via SkyTeam booking tool or Korean Air call center before transferring miles. Specific partner-rate overrides exist for Vietnam Airlines (Oceania-Vietnam) and Garuda Indonesia (Oceania-Indonesia) — see chart_variant='SkyTeam_partner_VN'/'SkyTeam_partner_GA' rows. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | business | 80,000 | $350 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal award, HIGH SEASON rate (RT). AU-Japan direct on NH metal (SYD-HND, PER-NRT). Regular season 75k RT, Low season 65k RT. High-season windows: Golden Week (late Apr-early May), Obon (mid-Aug), Christmas-New Year (late Dec-early Jan). Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (40k OW) post-June-24-2025. NH business (The Room on 777, latest Suite on 787) for 80k RT high-season remains competitive but consider regular/low tier if dates flexible. Fuel surcharges apply (~AUD 350-500 in J). Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: 10xtravel.com (Jan 2026), awardwallet.com. |
| KrisFlyer | SQ | first | 81,000 | $70 | — | SQ AU-origin to Northeast Asia First. Zone 7. 777-300ER First deployed SIN-HND/NRT/HKG/PEK; A380 Suites on SIN-PVG from May 2026 and SIN-HKG Jun-Jul 2026 only. Verify aircraft type and award space in KrisFlyer booking tool before transferring. |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | NH | business | 82,000 | $100 | — | Velocity × ANA partner award — business AU-Tokyo (SYD/PER-NRT/HND on NH metal). 82,000 VA points (saver minimum; range 82,000-89,500). ANA "The Room" (777-300ER) and latest Suite (787-9) are world-class business products. Sweet spot: lower point cost than QF×JL 108K + better availability. |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | SQ | business | 82,000 | $100 | — | Velocity × Singapore Airlines partner award — business AU-Tokyo via Singapore (e.g. SYD-SIN-NRT on SQ; 4801-5800mi band). 82,000 VA saver. Two-segment routing. SQ A350 (or 777-300ER) Business product. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JL | premium economy | 85,000 | $250 | — | QF × JL partner redemption, Partner table Zone 6 (SYD-HND ~4,837 mi). Direct on JL51/52 777-300ER 4-class. PE confirmed in 4-class config (40 PE seats per agent verification). NRT alternate via JL773/774 same Z6 rate. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | premium economy | 85,000 | — | — | BNE-TPE-NEA-short via CI metal. BNE-TPE 4,113 mi + TPE-NEA-short ~1,330 mi = 5,443 mi summed Z6 (vs SYD/MEL Z7). Per-origin sweet-spot vs region-level Z7 PE (98,200): savings of 13,200 PE per one-way (~13% discount). Symmetric per-origin encoding (S16) 5th application: BNE Y/PE/J all encoded at Z6 symmetric (Class 1 sub-E discipline). CI A350-900 PE 2-4-2 38-inch pitch on both AU-TPE + onward TPE-NEA legs. CI Partner-table; canonical QF×CI bilateral partnership pathway. Low-YQ class (fuel_surcharge=false). Applies to NEA-short destinations (Tokyo/Seoul/Osaka); longer NEA destinations may push to Z7. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology: Phase 5.5d Batch U S33; rate provenance per CLAUDE.md authoritative Partner matrix (Z6 PE 85,000). |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | business | 90,000 | $300 | 90 — Excellent (curated) | QF × CX partner redemption, Partner table Zone 5 (SYD-HKG 4,581 mi). Direct on CX 777-300ER or A330 (Aria Suite J on retrofitted 777, regional J on A330). CX metal only. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. CX First NOT bookable on this segment (op-up only) — see file header SKIP rationale. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | business | 90,000 | — | — | QF × CI partner redemption, Partner table Zone 5 (SYD-TPE 4,514 mi / MEL-TPE 4,620 mi / BNE-TPE 4,113 mi — all within Z5 band 3,601-4,800 mi; single region-level row covers all three AU origins). Rate cited from authoritative Partner matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z5 Partner J 90,000; qantas.com + upgradedpoints.com + awardwallet.com cross-verified 2026-04-22). Direct on CI A350-900 (Business 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone, fully-flat) or A330-300 (Business 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone). Both aircraft types offer direct aisle access from every J seat; product verified on all three AU-TPE routings (SYD/MEL/BNE). CI retired First fleet-wide years ago — no F anywhere. CI is SkyTeam (NOT oneworld) — bilateral QF non-alliance partner per qantas.com partner page; scope expanded August 2023 to full CI network. CI imposes no fuel surcharges (≤ AUD 248.70 one-way long-haul all-in per Point Hacks; matches AA/AY/JL/MH low-YQ class, inverts BA/EK/QR high-YQ). Alternative same-table J routings to Northeast Asia from AU: JL AU-NRT direct Partner Z6 J 108,000 (Batch B — slightly more distant zone, +18,000 points over this CI AU-TPE); CX AU-HKG direct Partner Z5 J 90,000 (Batch B — identical points at same Z5 Partner rate, different destination). CI AU-TPE at 90,000 J is competitive with CX AU-HKG for Asia access and opens onward Taipei-Asia/US/Europe connections via CI network (those onward segments deferred to Phase 5.5+). One-way; double for round-trip. Beyond-TPE onward routings deferred to Phase 5.5+ per connecting_via single-airport encoding constraint. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | business | 92,500 | $300 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, peak season. Peak dates 2026: Jan 2-11, Feb 13-22, Feb 27-Mar 2, May 1-5, Jul 24-Aug 16, Sep 23-27, Oct 2-5, Oct 8-11, Dec 25-27. Off-peak rates ~30% lower (see chart_variant='KE_metal_offpeak' row). Verify award space in SKYPASS booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | premium economy | 98,200 | — | — | AU origin to Northeast Asia via TPE on CI metal. Anchor SYD-TPE-NRT 5,844 mi at Z7 Partner; covers all AU origins at region level. BNE per-origin sweet-spot at Z6 encoded separately. CI A350-900 PE: ~36 dedicated PE seats in 2-4-2 layout with 38-inch pitch, priority boarding, enhanced meal service; product distinct from Economy. PE encodable per existing CI encoding convention (A330-300 + A350-900 + 777-300ER all 3-class on QF-redemption CI routes). CI Partner-table; canonical QF×CI bilateral partnership pathway. Low-YQ class (fuel_surcharge=false; ~AUD 90 carrier charges typical long-haul J via TPE per Australian Frequent Flyer + Point Hacks 2026). F NOT encoded — CI has no F. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology: Phase 5.5d Batch U S33; Class 1 sub-A + Class 1 sub-E applied; rate provenance per CLAUDE.md authoritative Partner matrix (Z7 PE 98,200). |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | business | 98,400 | $220 | — | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 6 (4,801-5,800 mi). SYD/MEL/BNE-HKG/NRT/HND/PVG on QF 787-9 / A330. F cabin NOT available on QF own-metal NEA service (787-9 + A330 are both no-F equipment); for partner F via QF Classic Reward, see Batch B forthcoming rows for JL F SYD-HND (Zone 6 Partner = 155,200) and CX F SYD-HKG (Zone 6 Partner = 155,200). One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | business | 108,000 | $300 | 90 — Excellent (curated) | QF × CX connecting itinerary via HKG to Shanghai, Partner table Zone 6 (summed: 4,581 + 779 = 5,360 mi, Z6 band). Routing AU-HKG on CX J, HKG-PVG on CX A330 regional J. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. F not offered on intra-Asia regional routing. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JL | business | 108,000 | $300 | — | QF × JL partner redemption, Partner table Zone 6 (SYD-HND ~4,837 mi). Direct on JL51/52 777-300ER 4-class — Sky Suite J (49 J seats). NRT alternate via JL773/774 same Z6 rate. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | business | 108,000 | — | — | BNE-TPE-NEA-short via CI metal. BNE-TPE 4,113 mi + TPE-NEA-short ~1,330 mi = 5,443 mi summed Z6 (vs SYD/MEL Z7). Per-origin sweet-spot vs region-level Z7 J (125,400): savings of 17,400 J per one-way (~14% discount). Symmetric per-origin encoding (S16) 5th application: BNE Y/PE/J all encoded at Z6 fully symmetric (Class 1 sub-E missing-coverage-axis discipline). CI A350-900 Business 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone fully-flat on both AU-TPE + onward TPE-NEA legs. CI Partner-table; canonical QF×CI bilateral partnership pathway via single-PNR routing. Low-YQ class (fuel_surcharge=false; ~AUD 90 carrier charges typical long-haul J via TPE). At 108,000 J one-way BNE-TPE-Tokyo via CI is one of the lowest J redemption rates to NEA from East-Australian cities — competitive with JL AU-NRT direct Z6 J 108,000 (identical points; CI offers TPE stopover potential). Applies to NEA-short (NRT/HND/ICN/GMP/KIX); longer NEA may push Z7. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology: Phase 5.5d Batch U S33; rate provenance per CLAUDE.md authoritative Partner matrix (Z6 J 108,000). |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | FJ | business | 113,900 | — | — | QF x FJ (Fiji Airways) Qantas-table partner redemption. BNE-NAN-HKG per-origin Z7 encoding. BNE-NAN-HKG = 6,790 mi summed (BNE-NAN 1,686 mi + NAN-HKG 5,104 mi), within Z7 band 5,801-7,000 mi. Rate cited from authoritative Qantas matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z7 Qantas business 113,900). SWEET SPOT: BNE origin saves 16,200 business points vs Z8 region-level (113,900 vs 130,100 — comfortably clears >=5,000 threshold). Zone-math correction: SYD assumed Z7 in prior session — verified Z8 (7,074 mi) during Session 8 Task 0; only BNE (6,790 mi) is Z7. SYD+MEL covered by region-level Z8 rows. NAN-HKG A330 3x weekly verified 2026. PE/F excluded per FJ fleet-wide 2-class Y/J configuration (defect class 5, Batch D commit 9d572e7). fuel_surcharge=false per FJ low-YQ policy. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| KrisFlyer | NH | business | 114,500 | $100 | — | KrisFlyer Star Alliance partner saver; ANA business SYD/MEL/PER-Tokyo direct; effective 1 Nov 2025; sources: AFF (post-Nov: 114,500) + Point Hacks AU (pre-Nov: 104,000); ~10% increase; ANA "The Room" on 777-300ER not 787-9 |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | NH | first | 119,000 | $120 | — | Velocity × ANA partner award — first AU-Tokyo (SYD-NRT/HND on NH 777-300ER metal). 119,000 VA points (saver). ANA First "The Suite" is rare AU-bookable first-class redemption. Availability extremely tight; book 355 days out. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | first | 120,000 | $350 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, peak season. Peak dates 2026: Jan 2-11, Feb 13-22, Feb 27-Mar 2, May 1-5, Jul 24-Aug 16, Sep 23-27, Oct 2-5, Oct 8-11, Dec 25-27. Off-peak rates ~30% lower (see chart_variant='KE_metal_offpeak' row). Verify award space in SKYPASS booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | business | 125,400 | $300 | 90 — Excellent (curated) | QF × CX connecting itinerary via HKG to Beijing, Partner table Zone 7 (summed: SYD-HKG 4,581 mi + HKG-PEK 1,237 mi = 5,818 mi total). BORDERLINE band placement: 17 miles past Zone 7 lower bound 5,801 mi. Chart-accurate reading puts this in Z7 Partner (J 125,400). If QF booking tool rounds to Z6 Partner instead (J 108,000), actual booking cost would be ~14% lower than stored. Notes this Z6 alternative for transparency — booking tool is ground truth. Routing AU-HKG on CX J, HKG-PEK on CX A330 regional J. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | business | 125,400 | — | — | AU origin to Northeast Asia via TPE on CI metal. Anchor SYD-TPE-NRT 5,844 mi at Z7 Partner; covers all AU origins at region level. BNE per-origin sweet-spot at Z6 encoded separately. CI A350-900 Business 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone fully-flat with direct aisle access from every seat; same product on AU-TPE leg + onward TPE-NEA. CI Partner-table; canonical QF×CI bilateral partnership pathway. Low-YQ class (fuel_surcharge=false; ~AUD 90 carrier charges typical long-haul J via TPE per Australian Frequent Flyer + Point Hacks 2026). Comparable Asian-hub J alternatives at same Partner zone: CX AU-HKG direct Z5 J 90,000 (lower zone, direct); JL AU-NRT direct Z6 J 108,000 (slightly cheaper, direct). CI via-TPE Z7 J 125,400 opens onward NEA destinations not served by direct AU links. F NOT encoded — CI has no F fleet-wide. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology: Phase 5.5d Batch U S33; Class 1 sub-A + Class 1 sub-E applied; rate provenance per CLAUDE.md authoritative Partner matrix (Z7 J 125,400). |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | FJ | business | 130,100 | — | — | QF x FJ (Fiji Airways) Qantas-table partner redemption. AU-NAN-HKG multi-segment on FJ metal (AU-NAN on FJ A330 + NAN-HKG on FJ A330). Zone 8 Qantas table encoding: SYD-NAN-HKG = 7,074 mi summed and MEL-NAN-HKG ~7,578 mi summed, both within Z8 band 7,001-8,400 mi — region-level covers SYD and MEL. Rate cited from authoritative Qantas matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z8 Qantas business 130,100). BNE origin covered by dedicated per-origin row at Z7 (6,790 mi summed — below Z8 floor; see BNE rows for Z7 sweet-spot). NAN-HKG A330 3x weekly verified 2026. PE excluded per FJ fleet-wide 2-class Y/J configuration (defect class 5, Batch D commit 9d572e7). F excluded per same. sweet_spot=false at region-level; see BNE per-origin rows for Z7 sweet-spots. fuel_surcharge=false per FJ low-YQ policy (Batch D precedent). One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | — | business | 140,000 | $350 | — | KE SkyTeam partner award. Round-trip mandatory (online system blocks one-way). Partner availability varies by airline; verify via SkyTeam booking tool or Korean Air call center before transferring miles. Specific partner-rate overrides exist for Vietnam Airlines (Oceania-Vietnam) and Garuda Indonesia (Oceania-Indonesia) — see chart_variant='SkyTeam_partner_VN'/'SkyTeam_partner_GA' rows. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JL | first | 155,200 | $350 | — | QF × JL partner redemption, Partner table Zone 6 (SYD-HND ~4,837 mi). Direct on JL51/52 777-300ER 4-class — Flagship Suite F (8 F seats). JAL is the only carrier offering bookable F from Australia to Japan via Classic Reward (NOT op-up unlike CX HKG F). NRT alternate via JL773/774 same Z6 rate. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. SWEET SPOT — rare AU-Tokyo F redemption at relatively low partner rate. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool. REVISIT BY late 2026: JL transitioning AU-origin routes from 777-300ER to A350-1000 during 2026. A350-1000 4-class config RETAINS F (6F/54J/24W/155Y) but config flexibility means individual frames could deploy without F. Re-verify F availability before transferring points for travel beyond late 2026. If F discontinued on AU routes, this row should DELETE per AA Project Olympus / NH NEA F precedent. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | — | first | 180,000 | $450 | — | KE SkyTeam partner award. Round-trip mandatory (online system blocks one-way). Partner availability varies by airline; verify via SkyTeam booking tool or Korean Air call center before transferring miles. Specific partner-rate overrides exist for Vietnam Airlines (Oceania-Vietnam) and Garuda Indonesia (Oceania-Indonesia) — see chart_variant='SkyTeam_partner_VN'/'SkyTeam_partner_GA' rows. |
Captain Byron's verdict
JAL Mileage Bank at 50,000 points is the cheapest path if you want predictable advance availability with no fuel surcharge. KrisFlyer costs +4,500 points but offers more reliable advance availability.
Related routes
Cabin Confidence ratings are expert-curated swap-risk assessments based on aviation research (fleet, schedule, industry changes) — directional today, measured-data pipeline in progress. A "swap" occurs when an airline substitutes the scheduled aircraft with one that has a different (usually inferior) cabin product.