Sydney to Los Angeles on points: every program compared (2026)
Updated 2026-06-03 · 76 programs cover this route
Sydney to Los Angeles is a route where program choice matters more than usual. Premium-cabin supply across the Pacific is tight — the major Australian carriers (Qantas, Virgin Australia) own the direct corridor but constrain award availability, and the partner-award path (via Asia or via the South Pacific) opens up dramatically more J seats at competitive points cost. Qantas Classic Reward on the A380 was the historical sweet spot but several routes have lost A380 service since 2024. Virgin Australia's Delta One partnership is the under-rated alternative. ANA via Tokyo, Cathay via Hong Kong, and JAL via Tokyo all open up business-class availability that Qantas direct simply doesn't have. Below: every program that books this route, what they charge, and where the genuine value sits.
| Program | Airline | Cabin | Points | Taxes (AUD) | Cabin Confidence (expert-curated) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AS | economy | 16,100 | $40 | — | Standalone Partner-table encoding. AU-SEA requires two-award assembly: AU-LAX (Qantas table Z8 via AA exception) + LAX-SEA (this row, Partner table Z2). Distance: LAX-SEA 954 mi (Partner Z2 band 601-1,200 mi). Worked total (any AU origin, single rate region-level Z8 across all AU origins since AU-LAX direct distances 7,165-8,348 mi all sit inside Z8 band 7,001-8,400 mi): 48,200 Y + 16,100 Y = 64,300 Y two-award total. AU-LAX rates per existing DB encoding (commit da4211a, Z8 region-level: 48,200 Y / 130,100 J). LAX-SEA rates per Partner table zone math (Z2 Y 16,100 from CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4). AS narrowbody (737-MAX 8/9 / 737-800 / 737-900) operates LAX-SEA daily multi-frequency; Main Cabin Y. Operational availability verified (Class 1 sub-pattern A, S19 codified). Verify in qantas.com booking flow before transferring points. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21 (cross-table standalone with two-award assembly notes; chart-mixing rule per commit 465482d blocks single-award summed encoding for AA Qantas-table + AS Partner-table); rate provenance per commit cd343af. AS no fuel surcharges; ~AUD 30-50 typical taxes on US-domestic standalone segment. One-way; double for round-trip. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AS | economy | 16,100 | $40 | — | Standalone Partner-table encoding. AU-PDX requires two-award assembly: AU-LAX (Qantas table Z8 via AA exception) + LAX-PDX (this row, Partner table Z2). Distance: LAX-PDX 833 mi (Partner Z2 band 601-1,200 mi). Worked total (any AU origin, single rate region-level Z8 across all AU origins): 48,200 Y + 16,100 Y = 64,300 Y two-award total. AU-LAX rates per existing DB encoding (commit da4211a, Z8 region-level: 48,200 Y / 130,100 J). LAX-PDX rates per Partner table zone math (Z2 Y 16,100, CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4). AS narrowbody (737-MAX / 737-800) operates LAX-PDX multi-daily; Main Cabin Y. Operational availability verified (Class 1 sub-pattern A, S19 codified). Verify in qantas.com booking flow before transferring points. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; chart-mixing rule per commit 465482d; rate provenance per commit cd343af. One-way; double for round-trip. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AS | economy | 23,000 | $40 | — | Standalone Partner-table encoding. AU-ANC requires two-award assembly: AU-LAX (Qantas table Z8 via AA exception) + LAX-ANC (this row, Partner table Z3). Distance: LAX-ANC 2,344 mi (Partner Z3 band 1,201-2,400 mi; just under upper boundary). Worked total (any AU origin, single rate region-level Z8 across all AU origins): 48,200 Y + 23,000 Y = 71,200 Y two-award total. AU-LAX rates per existing DB encoding (commit da4211a, Z8 region-level: 48,200 Y / 130,100 J). LAX-ANC rates per Partner table zone math (Z3 Y 23,000, CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4). AS hub home base — multi-daily 737-MAX 9 / 737-900ER frequencies; Main Cabin Y reliably available. Operational availability verified (Class 1 sub-pattern A, S19 codified). Verify in qantas.com booking flow before transferring points. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; chart-mixing rule per commit 465482d; rate provenance per commit cd343af. One-way; double for round-trip. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AS | economy | 28,200 | $50 | — | Standalone Partner-table encoding. AU-HNL via LAX requires two-award assembly: AU-LAX (Qantas table Z8 via AA exception) + LAX-HNL (this row, Partner table Z4). Distance: LAX-HNL 2,556 mi (Partner Z4 band 2,401-3,600 mi). Worked total (any AU origin, single rate region-level Z8 across all AU origins): 48,200 Y + 28,200 Y = 76,400 Y two-award total. AU-LAX rates per existing DB encoding (commit da4211a, Z8 region-level: 48,200 Y / 130,100 J). LAX-HNL rates per Partner table zone math (Z4 Y 28,200, CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4). AS post-Hawaiian-merger (2025-10-01) operates LAX-HNL on 737-800/900; Main Cabin Y. Note alternative routings exist for AU-HNL (JQ MEL-HNL direct on Jetstar table; QF/HA AU-HNL combinations) — this AS-via-LAX path is one of multiple AU-HNL options and likely not the cheapest; encoded for completeness. Operational availability verified (Class 1 sub-pattern A, S19 codified). Verify in qantas.com booking flow before transferring points. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; chart-mixing rule per commit 465482d; rate provenance per commit cd343af. taxes_approx_aud=50 reflects HI departure tax slightly above LAX-{SEA/PDX/ANC} ~40. One-way; double for round-trip. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AS | business | 31,500 | $40 | — | Standalone Partner-table encoding. AU-SEA J requires two-award assembly: AU-LAX (Qantas table Z8 via AA exception) + LAX-SEA (this row, Partner table Z2). Worked total (any AU origin): 130,100 J + 31,500 J = 161,600 J two-award total. AU-LAX rates per existing DB encoding (commit da4211a, Z8: 130,100 J). LAX-SEA J at Partner Z2 31,500 (CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4). CABIN-MAPPING NOTE: AS does NOT operate international Business cabin; AS "First Class" is domestic First (recliner, not lie-flat). QF Classic Reward partner-award convention maps AS First Class to Business (J) for partner-award purposes (parallel to AA-domestic precedent and other narrowbody-only US-domestic Partner-table carriers). User booking AS LAX-SEA J should expect AS First Class product (recliner First seat, not lie-flat international Business). PE NOT encoded for this routing — AS "Premium Class" is extra-legroom Main Cabin (sub-Y), not a separate PE cabin per partner-award convention. Operational availability verified (Class 1 sub-pattern A, S19 codified). Verify in qantas.com booking flow before transferring points. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; chart-mixing rule per commit 465482d; rate provenance per commit cd343af. AS no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AS | business | 31,500 | $40 | — | Standalone Partner-table encoding. AU-PDX J requires two-award assembly: AU-LAX (Qantas table Z8 via AA exception) + LAX-PDX (this row, Partner table Z2). Worked total (any AU origin): 130,100 J + 31,500 J = 161,600 J two-award total. AU-LAX rates per existing DB encoding (commit da4211a, Z8: 130,100 J). LAX-PDX J at Partner Z2 31,500. CABIN-MAPPING NOTE: AS "First Class" is domestic First (recliner), maps to J for partner-award purposes per QF Classic Reward convention (parallel to AA-domestic and other US-domestic narrowbody Partner-table carriers). PE NOT encoded — AS has no PE product. F NOT encoded — AS has no international F cabin fleet-wide. Operational availability verified (Class 1 sub-pattern A, S19 codified). Verify in qantas.com booking flow before transferring points. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; chart-mixing rule per commit 465482d; rate provenance per commit cd343af. AS no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JQ | economy | 36,800 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 7 (MEL-HNL 5,889 mi, within Z7 band 5,801-7,000 mi — just over the Z6/Z7 boundary at 5,800 mi). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z7 Jetstar Y 36,800). Direct on JQ 787-8 2-class (launched April 2026 per Jetstar newsroom as the flagship Melbourne-Honolulu service). ROUTE-AWARENESS VALUE: QF own-metal does not operate AU-HNL direct (codeshare only); AA AU-HNL routings from AU require LAX/SFO transit (Qantas Z8 SYD-LAX summed 130,100 J + connecting HNL leg separately). JQ MEL-HNL is the ONLY direct AU-Hawaii award via QF Classic Reward — unique route availability for Melbourne-origin travellers + any Australian willing to position to MEL. sweet_spot=false per codebase convention (rate 36,800 matches Z7 Jetstar Y baseline exactly per matrix; unique-route value captured here in notes rather than via rate-anomaly flag). JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | UA | economy | 42,000 | $60 | — | Velocity × United partner award — economy AU-LAX/SFO (SYD/MEL/BNE-LAX on UA metal; 4801-5800mi band). 42,000 VA saver. Lower fuel surcharges than QF own-metal SYD-LAX equivalent. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AS | business | 46,000 | $40 | — | Standalone Partner-table encoding. AU-ANC J requires two-award assembly: AU-LAX (Qantas table Z8 via AA exception) + LAX-ANC (this row, Partner table Z3). Worked total (any AU origin): 130,100 J + 46,000 J = 176,100 J two-award total. AU-LAX rates per existing DB encoding (commit da4211a, Z8: 130,100 J). LAX-ANC J at Partner Z3 46,000. CABIN-MAPPING NOTE: AS "First Class" is domestic First (recliner), maps to J for partner-award purposes per QF Classic Reward convention. AS hub home base — First Class inventory typically more available on hub-home routes. PE NOT encoded — AS has no PE product. F NOT encoded — AS has no international F cabin fleet-wide. Operational availability verified (Class 1 sub-pattern A, S19 codified). Verify in qantas.com booking flow before transferring points. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; chart-mixing rule per commit 465482d; rate provenance per commit cd343af. AS no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | economy | 48,200 | $200 | — | QF × AA partner redemption, Qantas table Zone 8 (AA is QF's deep codeshare partner receiving own-metal table pricing, not standard Partner table). Direct SYD-LAX on AA 777-300ER. AA metal only — does not apply to AA codeshare on QF or other oneworld metal. One-way; double for round-trip. Partner award space restricted on AU-NA historically — verify availability in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | FJ | economy | 48,200 | — | — | QF × FJ connecting itinerary AU-NAN-LAX, Qantas table Zone 8 summed. Rate cited from authoritative Qantas matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z8 Qantas Y 48,200). Summed-segment distances: SYD-NAN-LAX 7,503 mi / BNE-NAN-LAX 7,256 mi / MEL-NAN-LAX 8,201 mi — all within Z8 Qantas band (7,001-8,400 mi). SINGLE AWARD — both legs are FJ metal on the Qantas table; chart-mixing rule not applicable (same-carrier same-table summed). Single region-level row (origin_airport=NULL) covers all three AU origins (SYD/BNE/MEL) since all three fall in same Z8 summed zone — no per-origin split needed at summed level (contrast direct AU-NAN rows 1-6 which split Z3 vs Z4). AU-NAN leg on 737 MAX 8 / A330 / A350-900 depending on rotation; NAN-LAX leg on FJ A350-900 2-class (33J + 301Y). No PE cabin on either leg (FJ fleet-wide no PE). No F. FJ no fuel surcharges. Alternative same-table Y routings to LAX: QF own-metal SYD-LAX direct (Qantas Z8 Y 48,200 — identical points, direct routing no Fiji stopover); AA AU-LAX direct Qantas Z8 Y 48,200 (same points, Pacific direct). FJ via NAN advantage: Fiji stopover option. Award space requires both segments showing Qantas-table inventory simultaneously; verify in qantas.com booking tool. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | economy | 48,200 | — | — | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 8 (7,001-8,400 mi). Economy Y on QF AU-North America. LAX baseline: SYD-LAX 7,488 mi / MEL-LAX ~7,928 mi → both Z8. Z8 Qantas Table Y cited from CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 line 450 (48,200). Region-level (origin_airport=NULL) covers non-DFW AU-NA origins. Per-origin SYD-DFW and MEL-DFW Y at Z9 = 58,900 (Rows 10-11). JFK-summed (AU-LAX-JFK, Z10) Y deferred — no existing Z10 NA PE/J baseline to anchor against; Phase 5.5 scope. 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. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | economy | 55,000 | $300 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, off-peak season. KE bundles Europe/ME/NA at identical rates. Peak season rates are ~45% higher (see chart_variant='KE_metal_peak' row). Peak calendar published annually by Korean Air. Verify award space in SKYPASS booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | economy | 58,900 | — | — | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 9 (8,401-9,600 mi). Economy Y on QF SYD-DFW nonstop 787-9 (QF7/QF8, 7×/week). SYD-DFW 8,565 mi → Z9. Z9 Qantas Table Y cited from CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 line 451 (58,900). Per-origin required per defect class 3 (commit 6bfb879). Note: Z9 Y (58,900) costs 10,700 MORE than Z8 region-level Y (48,200) — DFW is further than LAX; sweet_spot=false. One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | economy | 58,900 | — | — | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 9 (8,401-9,600 mi). Economy Y on QF MEL-DFW nonstop 787-9 (3×/week). MEL-DFW 8,674 mi → Z9. Z9 Qantas Table Y cited from CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 line 451 (58,900). Matches SYD-DFW Z9 Y rate (same zone). Per-origin required per defect class 3 (commit 6bfb879). sweet_spot=false. One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | economy | 58,900 | — | — | QF x AA (American Airlines) Qantas-table partner redemption. AU-LAX-ORD multi-segment on AA metal (AU-LAX on 777-300ER long-haul 4-class + LAX-ORD on AA domestic narrowbody 737 or A321 or occasional widebody). Zone 9 Qantas table encoding: SYD-LAX-ORD 9,237 mi summed, within Z9 band 8,401-9,600 mi. Rate cited from authoritative Qantas matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z9 Qantas economy 58,900). Closes Y component of Y+PE gap on AA ORD coverage (J 151,800 + F 227,800 already encoded at Z9). MEL-LAX-ORD 9,678 mi is technically Z10 by 78 mi; pre-existing ORD encoding uses Z9 region-level which undercharges MEL. This batch matches existing ORD J/F encoding at Z9 region-level for consistency; MEL Z10 per-origin split flagged for Phase 5.5 audit queue (ORD per-origin audit item) — not fixed this batch. Through-booking all-AA all-Qantas-table (no chart-mixing). is_partner_award=false. fuel_surcharge=false per AA DB-verified precedent. sweet_spot=false: SYD-ORD Y savings of 4,600 vs hypothetical Z10 is BELOW 5,000 threshold (Task 0 initial claim of 7,700 savings was based on incorrect Z10 Y recall of 66,600; actual Z10 Y = 63,500). One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. Rate provenance per commit cd343af. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | economy | 60,000 | $350 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal through-award, LOW SEASON rate (RT). AU-Tokyo-NA all on NH metal — requires connection via HND/NRT; no non-stop AU-NA on NH. Regular season 70k RT, High season 98k 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 (30k OW) post-June-24-2025. Fuel surcharges apply on all NH segments (~AUD 350+ in Y). Award space on both legs required — historically scarce in J/F. Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: awardwallet.com/blog/understanding-ana-mileage-club-award-charts/ (Jan 2026), 10xtravel.com (Jan 2026). |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | economy | 63,500 | $250 | — | QF × AA connecting itinerary, Qantas table Zone 10 via LAX (summed-segment methodology: SYD-LAX 7,488 mi + LAX-JFK 2,475 mi = 9,963 mi total, falls in Zone 10 Qantas band 9,601-15,000 mi). Routing AU-LAX on AA/QF metal, LAX-JFK on AA metal. One-way. Verify connection availability in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | economy | 63,500 | $300 | — | QF x AA Qantas-table partner redemption, MEL→ORD via LAX per-origin Z10 encoding. Summed-segment distance: MEL-LAX 7,921 mi + LAX-ORD 1,745 mi = 9,666 mi total, within Z10 Qantas band 9,601-15,000 mi (MEL crosses Z10 threshold by 65 mi). Per-origin SURCHARGE vs region-level Z9 encoding (58,900 Y) - region-level is correct for SYD (9,233 mi Z9) and BNE (~8,910 mi Z9) but undercharges MEL which crosses into Z10. Delta: +4,600 pts vs region-level Y. MEL-origin users see this Z10 rate per published QF zone-math rules (strict distance-based zones, sphere-method geometry, no discretionary rounding at boundaries per AFF documentation). Rate cited from authoritative Qantas matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z10 Qantas economy 63,500). Closes 2nd of 3 Class 3 re-verification queue items (DFW AA false-positive closed Batch L at 0e5207a; ORD MEL TRUE-positive closed this Batch M; multi-program DB scope audit remains open). sweet_spot=false: per-origin here surfaces HIGHER cost for accuracy, not a discount - opposite direction from BNE-NAN-HKG Z7 sweet-spot precedent (Session 8 Batch J) but same symmetric methodology. is_partner_award=false per Qantas-table carrier convention. fuel_surcharge=false per DB-verified precedent across all 20 QF-program AA rows (Class 1 per ceebba5). Routing options: AU-LAX on AA 777-300ER + LAX-ORD on AA domestic (737/A321/occasional widebody). One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879 (summed-segment). Rate provenance per commit cd343af. Class 3 + S14 two-dimension sub-pattern: both dimensions confirmed TRUE (claim truth + framing correctness) at S15 Task 0. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | economy | 70,000 | $350 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal through-award, REGULAR SEASON rate (RT). AU-Tokyo-NA all on NH metal — requires connection via HND/NRT; no non-stop AU-NA on NH. Seasonally tiered chart — regular-season variant; Low 60k RT, High 98k RT. High-season windows: Golden Week (late Apr-early May), Obon (mid-Aug), Christmas-New Year. Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (35k OW) post-June-24-2025. Fuel surcharges apply on all NH segments (~AUD 350+ in Y). Award space on both legs required — historically scarce in J/F. Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: awardwallet.com/blog/understanding-ana-mileage-club-award-charts/ (Jan 2026), 10xtravel.com (Jan 2026). |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AS | business | 73,400 | $50 | — | Standalone Partner-table encoding. AU-HNL J via LAX requires two-award assembly: AU-LAX (Qantas table Z8 via AA exception) + LAX-HNL (this row, Partner table Z4). Worked total (any AU origin): 130,100 J + 73,400 J = 203,500 J two-award total. AU-LAX rates per existing DB encoding (commit da4211a, Z8: 130,100 J). LAX-HNL J at Partner Z4 73,400 (CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4). CABIN-MAPPING NOTE: AS "First Class" is domestic First (recliner), maps to J for partner-award purposes per QF Classic Reward convention. PE NOT encoded — AS has no PE product. F NOT encoded — AS has no international F cabin fleet-wide. Note alternative AU-HNL routings exist (JQ MEL-HNL on Jetstar table; QF/HA combinations) — this AS-via-LAX path encoded for completeness alongside other AU-HNL options. Operational availability verified (Class 1 sub-pattern A, S19 codified). Verify in qantas.com booking flow before transferring points. Methodology: Option C policy locked S21; chart-mixing rule per commit 465482d; rate provenance per commit cd343af. AS no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. |
| Asia Miles | CX | premium economy | 75,000 From this rate — varies by date | $50 | — | 7,501+ mi band floor HKG-North America premium economy (LAX/JFK/YVR primary gateways). HKG-SFO may price lower at ~50k in 5,001-7,500 band. Stable through Apr-2025 and May-2026 deval events. Verify specific gateway and Saver availability in Asia Miles booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | economy | 76,100 | $250 | — | QF × CX connecting itinerary via HKG to New York JFK, Partner table Zone 10 (summed-segment: SYD-HKG 4,581 mi + HKG-JFK 8,066 mi = 12,647 mi total, within Zone 10 band 9,601-15,000 mi). Routing AU-HKG on CX 777-300ER/A330, HKG-JFK on CX 777-300ER ultra-long-haul 4-class. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Verify connection availability in qantas.com booking tool. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | economy | 76,100 | $250 | — | QF × CX connecting itinerary via HKG to Toronto, Partner table Zone 10 (summed-segment: SYD-HKG 4,581 mi + HKG-YYZ 7,792 mi = 12,373 mi total, within Zone 10 band 9,601-15,000 mi). Routing AU-HKG on CX long-haul, HKG-YYZ on CX 777-300ER. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. PE not included — agent omitted per conservative verification. F not offered on this routing per CX First Class routes guide (CX First operates LHR/CDG/JFK/LAX/YVR, not YYZ explicitly). Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JL | economy | 76,100 | $250 | — | QF × JL connecting itinerary via Tokyo to New York JFK, Partner table Zone 10 (summed-segment: SYD-NRT 4,846 mi + NRT-JFK 6,745 mi = 11,591 mi total, within Zone 10 band 9,601-15,000 mi). Routing AU-Tokyo on JL 777-300ER, NRT-JFK on JL 777-300ER 4-class (or JL5/6 HND-JFK on A350-1000 — same Z10 rate via HND hub). No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Verify connection availability in qantas.com booking tool. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | economy | 76,100 | — | — | AU origin to North America (LAX/SFO/JFK/ORD/YVR/SEA/HNL/IAH) via TPE on CI metal. Anchor distance SYD-TPE-LAX 11,304 mi at Z10 Partner; covers all NA destinations at region level (SYD-TPE-JFK ~12,400 mi also Z10 — no East/West split per QF Partner-table distance-only structure verified per CLAUDE.md authoritative matrix). Long-haul on CI A350-900 + 777-300ER widebody (AU-TPE + TPE-NA legs). CI Partner-table; canonical QF×CI bilateral partnership pathway via single-PNR routing per qantas.com partner page. Low-YQ class (fuel_surcharge=false; substantial cost advantage vs UA/AA/Skyteam-partner equivalent NA J routings). F NOT encoded — CI has no F fleet-wide. 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; rate provenance per CLAUDE.md authoritative Partner matrix (Z10 Y 76,100). |
| KrisFlyer | SQ | premium economy | 79,000 | $60 | — | Z-FLOOR CONVENTION (S28 Decision 2 remediation per DEFECT-MISSING-DESTINATION-COVERAGE): This row encodes the region's lowest-zone floor; intra-region gateway/destination variance documented in notes is NOT separately encoded — user booking the higher-zone gateway should expect the higher noted rate. SQ AU-origin to North America Premium Economy. Zone 12 US West (LAX/SFO) 79,000; Zone 13 US East (JFK/EWR) 84,500. Verify award space in KrisFlyer booking tool before transferring. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | economy | 82,500 | $300 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, peak season. KE bundles Europe/ME/NA at identical rates. 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 | JQ | business | 85,300 | — | — | QF × JQ partner redemption, Jetstar Table Zone 7 (MEL-HNL 5,889 mi). Rate cited from authoritative Jetstar Table matrix in CLAUDE.md commit e579e3d (Z7 Jetstar J 85,300 = Qantas Table Z7 PE 85,300 per cabin-remapping rule). Direct on JQ 787-8 2-class J — launched April 2026 as the flagship AU-Hawaii service. ROUTE-AWARENESS VALUE for J specifically: QF own-metal does not operate AU-HNL direct (codeshare only, not Classic-Reward-bookable); AA AU-LAX direct Qantas Z8 J 130,100 plus onward AA LAX-HNL separate award is the only same-table J alternative (130,100 + LAX-HNL segment ≈ 170k+ total two-award J). JQ MEL-HNL J at 85,300 is ~50% of the two-segment AA routing — direct J to Hawaii in a single award at LCC 2-class product. Cabin caveat: JQ J is recliner-style (not fully-flat) on 787-8 — lower comfort than QF own-metal/AA/JL fully-flat J but substantially cheaper points cost AND direct routing. sweet_spot=false per codebase convention (unique-route availability, not rate-anomaly). JQ no fuel surcharges. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | UA | business | 87,000 | $130 | — | Velocity × United partner award — business AU-LAX/SFO Polaris (SYD-LAX on UA metal). 87,000 VA saver. UA Polaris Business product (787-9 / 777-300ER). Note: some sources cite 102,000 for higher distance band — verify current rate. Carrier charges ~AUD130 vs QF SYD-LAX ~AUD525. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | premium economy | 88,000 | $400 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal through-award, LOW SEASON rate (RT). AU-Tokyo-NA via NH metal. Regular season 98k RT, High season 136k 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 (44k OW) post-June-24-2025. Premium Economy on NH 787-9 (AU-Japan) + 777/787 (Japan-NA). 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: awardwallet.com, 10xtravel.com. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | business | 97,500 | $400 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, off-peak season. KE bundles Europe/ME/NA at identical rates. Peak season rates are ~45% higher (see chart_variant='KE_metal_peak' row). Peak calendar published annually by Korean Air. Verify award space in SKYPASS booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | premium economy | 97,600 | $250 | 91 — Excellent (curated) | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 8 LAX baseline (7,488 mi). Stored rate is LAX-specific Zone 8; SYD-DFW routing on QF7/QF8 prices at Zone 9 = 113,900 (separate row deferred to Phase 5.4b-2c airport-specific batch). One-way. Verify gateway + award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | premium economy | 97,600 | $250 | — | QF × AA partner redemption, Qantas table Zone 8 (AA exception — own-metal table pricing not Partner table). Direct SYD-LAX on AA 777-300ER. AA metal only. One-way; double for round-trip. Partner award space restricted on AU-NA historically — verify availability in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | premium economy | 98,000 | $400 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal through-award, REGULAR SEASON rate (RT). AU-Tokyo-NA via NH metal. Seasonally tiered chart — regular-season variant; Low 88k RT, High 136k RT. High-season windows: Golden Week, Obon, Christmas-New Year. Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (49k OW) post-June-24-2025. Premium Economy on NH 787-9 (AU-Japan) + 777/787 (Japan-NA). 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: awardwallet.com, 10xtravel.com. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | economy | 98,000 | $350 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal through-award, HIGH SEASON rate (RT). AU-Tokyo-NA all on NH metal — requires connection via HND/NRT; no non-stop AU-NA on NH. Regular season 70k RT, Low season 60k 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 (49k OW) post-June-24-2025. Fuel surcharges apply on all NH segments (~AUD 350+ in Y). Award space on both legs required — historically scarce in J/F. Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: awardwallet.com/blog/understanding-ana-mileage-club-award-charts/ (Jan 2026), 10xtravel.com (Jan 2026). |
| JAL Mileage Bank | JL | business | 100,000 | $50 | — | Via NRT to LAX/JFK/SFO. JAL business. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | — | economy | 110,000 | $300 | — | KE SkyTeam partner award. Round-trip mandatory (online system blocks one-way). Covers North America AND Central America in KE chart. 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. |
| KrisFlyer | SQ | business | 112,500 | $80 | — | Z-FLOOR CONVENTION (S28 Decision 2 remediation per DEFECT-MISSING-DESTINATION-COVERAGE): This row encodes the region's lowest-zone floor; intra-region gateway/destination variance documented in notes is NOT separately encoded — user booking the higher-zone gateway should expect the higher noted rate. SQ AU-origin to North America business. Zone 12 US West (LAX/SFO); Zone 13 US East (JFK/EWR) prices higher at 117,000. Verify award space in KrisFlyer booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | premium economy | 113,900 | — | 91 — Excellent (curated) | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 9 (8,401-9,600 mi). SYD-DFW nonstop on QF 787-9 (QF7/QF8, 7×/week). SYD-DFW 8,565 mi → Z9; overrides region-level NA Zone 8 LAX-baseline PE (97,600). Z9 Qantas Table PE cited from CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 line 451 (113,900). Per-origin encoding per defect class 3 (commit 6bfb879) — SYD-DFW is Z9 while AU-LAX and other non-DFW NA origins remain Z8 region-level. sweet_spot=false: Z9 costs more than Z8 baseline — correct per-origin pricing, not a rate anomaly. One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | premium economy | 113,900 | — | 91 — Excellent (curated) | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 9 (8,401-9,600 mi). MEL-DFW nonstop on QF 787-9 (3×/week). MEL-DFW 8,674 mi → Z9; overrides region-level NA Zone 8 LAX-baseline PE (97,600). Z9 Qantas Table PE cited from CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 line 451 (113,900). Matches SYD-DFW Z9 rate (same zone). One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| British Airways Avios | CX | business | 115,000 | $65 | — | CX hit by Dec-15-2025 BA Avios deval +~10%. Summed: SYD-HKG (Z6) + HKG-USA (Z7/8). Source: thepointsguy.com |
| Asia Miles | CX | business | 119,000 From this rate — varies by date | $65 | — | 7,501+ mi band floor HKG-North America business (LAX/JFK/YVR primary gateways). HKG-SFO may price lower at ~91k in 5,001-7,500 band. Post-May-2026 deval effective 2026-05-01. Verify specific gateway and Saver availability in Asia Miles booking tool before transferring. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | first | 120,000 | $500 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, off-peak season. KE bundles Europe/ME/NA at identical rates. Peak season rates are ~45% higher (see chart_variant='KE_metal_peak' row). Peak calendar published annually by Korean Air. Verify award space in SKYPASS booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | premium economy | 124,700 | $300 | — | QF × AA connecting itinerary, Qantas table Zone 10 via LAX (summed-segment: SYD-LAX 7,488 + LAX-JFK 2,475 = 9,963 mi total, Zone 10 band). Routing AU-LAX + LAX-JFK both on AA metal. One-way. Verify connection availability in qantas.com booking tool. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Emirates Skywards | EK | business | 125,000 From this rate — varies by date | $70 | — | EK Skywards own-metal Saver award, AU/NZ-origin one-way. Dynamic pricing — Saver-tier floor. Long routing AU-DXB-NA on EK metal (typically AU-DXB on A380, DXB-JFK/LAX/SFO/IAD on A380/777). Saver tier does not offer Premium Economy or First Class (Flex Plus only). Verify award space and tier in emirates.com Skywards booking tool before transferring. |
| British Airways Avios | AA | business | 127,000 | $40 | — | AA hit by Dec-15-2025 BA Avios deval +~10%. Multi-segment AU→USA via NRT/HKG. Source: thepointsguy.com / awardfares.com |
| Alaska Mileage Plan | CX | business | 130,000 | $60 | — | AS on CX HKG-North America business. Post-March-2024 deval rate (previously 75k pre-deval). Verify award space in Alaska/Atmos booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | business | 130,100 | $380 | 88 — Good (curated) | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 8 LAX baseline (7,488 mi). Stored rate is LAX-specific Zone 8; SYD-DFW QF7/QF8 nonstop prices at Zone 9 = 151,800 (deferred to 5.4b-2c). One-way. Verify gateway + award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | business | 130,100 | $300 | — | QF × AA partner redemption, Qantas table Zone 8 (AA exception — own-metal table pricing not Partner table). Direct SYD-LAX on AA 777-300ER. AA metal only. One-way; double for round-trip. Partner award space restricted on AU-NA historically — verify availability in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | FJ | business | 130,100 | — | — | QF × FJ connecting itinerary AU-NAN-LAX, Qantas table Zone 8 summed. Rate cited from authoritative Qantas matrix in CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 (Z8 Qantas J 130,100). Summed distances: SYD-NAN-LAX 7,503 mi / BNE-NAN-LAX 7,256 mi / MEL-NAN-LAX 8,201 mi — all in Z8 band (7,001-8,400 mi). SINGLE AWARD — same-carrier same-table summed (both FJ metal on Qantas table). AU-NAN leg on 737 MAX 8 (recliner J) / A330 / A350-900 (1-2-1 Super Diamond J); NAN-LAX leg on FJ A350-900 (33-seat 1-2-1 Super Diamond J, the flagship FJ product). CABIN MATCHING required: if AU-NAN segment is 737 MAX 8, user flies a recliner J on the short-haul leg then fully-flat J on NAN-LAX. For fully-flat J throughout, verify A350-900 or A330 aircraft assignment on AU-NAN segment (availability varies by rotation and season). FJ fleet-wide no PE (defect class 5). No F. No fuel surcharges. Alternative same-table J routings to LAX: QF own-metal SYD-LAX direct (Qantas Z8 J 130,100 — identical points, direct 14.5-hr Pacific on A380/787-9; no cabin-matching concern since single fully-flat product throughout); AA AU-LAX direct Qantas Z8 J 130,100 (same points, 777-300ER fully-flat J direct, Batch B). FJ via NAN advantage: Fiji stopover option. Award space requires both segments showing Qantas-table J inventory simultaneously — cross-segment award scarcity higher than single-segment alternatives. Verify in qantas.com booking tool. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | premium economy | 136,000 | $400 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal through-award, HIGH SEASON rate (RT). AU-Tokyo-NA via NH metal. Regular season 98k RT, Low season 88k 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 (68k OW) post-June-24-2025. Premium Economy on NH 787-9 (AU-Japan) + 777/787 (Japan-NA). 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: awardwallet.com, 10xtravel.com. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | business | 137,000 | $500 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal through-award, LOW SEASON rate (RT). AU-Tokyo-NA via NH metal (connects HND/NRT to JFK/LAX/SFO/IAD/ORD/SEA/YVR). Regular season 153k RT, High season 216k 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 (68.5k OW) post-June-24-2025. Fuel surcharges substantial on dual-segment NH (~AUD 500-700 in J). Award space historically tight in J (The Room); book early. Compare to Star Alliance partner chart (145k RT, non-seasonal) — note partner is higher than NH low-season here. Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: awardwallet.com/blog/understanding-ana-mileage-club-award-charts/, 10xtravel.com. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | premium economy | 143,500 | $300 | — | QF × CX connecting itinerary via HKG to New York JFK, Partner table Zone 10 (summed: 4,581 + 8,066 = 12,647 mi, Z10 band). Routing AU-HKG + HKG-JFK both on CX long-haul metal with PE cabins. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JL | premium economy | 143,500 | $300 | — | QF × JL connecting itinerary via Tokyo to JFK, Partner table Zone 10 (summed: 4,846 + 6,745 = 11,591 mi, Z10 band). Routing AU-Tokyo + Tokyo-JFK both on JL 4-class metal with PE cabin. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | premium economy | 143,500 | — | — | AU origin to North America via TPE on CI metal. Anchor SYD-TPE-LAX 11,304 mi at Z10 Partner; covers all NA at region level (no East/West split per QF Partner-table distance-only structure). CI A350-900 + 777-300ER PE 2-4-2 38-inch pitch on both legs. CI Partner-table; canonical QF×CI bilateral partnership pathway. Low-YQ class (fuel_surcharge=false). F NOT encoded — CI has no F. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology: Phase 5.5d Batch U S33; rate provenance per CLAUDE.md authoritative Partner matrix (Z10 PE 143,500). |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | business | 145,000 | $400 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, peak season. KE bundles Europe/ME/NA at identical rates. 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 | QF | business | 151,800 | — | 88 — Good (curated) | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 9 (8,401-9,600 mi). SYD-DFW nonstop on QF 787-9 (QF7/QF8, 7×/week). SYD-DFW 8,565 mi → Z9; overrides region-level NA Zone 8 LAX-baseline J (130,100). Z9 Qantas Table J cited from CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 line 451 (151,800). QF 787-9 Business (1-2-1 lie-flat Suites) on SYD-DFW. No F cabin on this route — F available only on A380 routes (SYD-LAX, SYD-LHR-via-SIN). One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | QF | business | 151,800 | — | 88 — Good (curated) | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 9 (8,401-9,600 mi). MEL-DFW nonstop on QF 787-9 (3×/week). MEL-DFW 8,674 mi → Z9; overrides region-level NA Zone 8 LAX-baseline J (130,100). Z9 Qantas Table J cited from CLAUDE.md commit 6a7fab4 line 451 (151,800). QF 787-9 Business (1-2-1 lie-flat Suites) on MEL-DFW. No F on this route. Matches SYD-DFW Z9 J rate. One-way. Verify award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | business | 153,000 | $500 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal through-award, REGULAR SEASON rate (RT). AU-Tokyo-NA via NH metal (connects HND/NRT to JFK/LAX/SFO/IAD/ORD/SEA/YVR). Seasonally tiered chart — regular-season variant; Low 137k RT, High 216k RT (high season ~+41% vs regular). High-season windows: Golden Week (late Apr-early May), Obon (mid-Aug), Christmas-New Year. Verify travel dates against ANA seasonal calendar before redemption. One-way at half (76.5k OW) post-June-24-2025. Fuel surcharges substantial on dual-segment NH (~AUD 500-700 in J). Award space historically tight in J (The Room); book early. Compare to Star Alliance partner chart (145k RT, non-seasonal) if premium space unavailable on NH. Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: awardwallet.com/blog/understanding-ana-mileage-club-award-charts/ (153k regular confirmed; NerdWallet NYC-SYD-NYC regular business example). |
| KrisFlyer | SQ | first | 154,000 | $90 | — | Z-FLOOR CONVENTION (S28 Decision 2 remediation per DEFECT-MISSING-DESTINATION-COVERAGE): This row encodes the region's lowest-zone floor; intra-region gateway/destination variance documented in notes is NOT separately encoded — user booking the higher-zone gateway should expect the higher noted rate. SQ SIN-LAX first. Zone 12 rate. SIN-JFK prices higher at 156k (Zone 13); SIN-SFO/EWR/ICN have no First equipment. Verify gateway and award space in KrisFlyer booking tool before transferring. |
| Asia Miles | CX | first | 160,000 From this rate — varies by date | $75 | — | 7,501+ mi band floor HKG-North America first (LAX/JFK primary gateways; F not operated SFO). Stable through Apr-2025 and May-2026 deval events. Verify Saver availability in Asia Miles booking tool before transferring. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | business | 166,300 | $350 | — | QF × AA connecting itinerary, Qantas table Zone 10 via LAX (summed-segment: SYD-LAX 7,488 + LAX-JFK 2,475 = 9,963 mi total, Zone 10 band). Routing AU-LAX on AA/QF metal, LAX-JFK on AA metal (LAX-JFK A321T transcon J product). One-way. Verify connection availability in qantas.com booking tool. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | KE | first | 180,000 | $500 | — | KE own-metal SKYPASS award, peak season. KE bundles Europe/ME/NA at identical rates. 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 | 182,900 | $400 | — | QF × CX connecting itinerary via HKG to New York JFK, Partner table Zone 10 (summed: 4,581 + 8,066 = 12,647 mi, Z10 band). Routing AU-HKG on CX J, HKG-JFK on CX 777-300ER Aria Suite J. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. CX First NOT bookable on AU-HKG leg (op-up only) — AU-HKG-JFK F would be mixed-cabin product; DEFERred from this file per mixed-cabin defect precedent. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CX | business | 182,900 | $400 | — | QF × CX connecting itinerary via HKG to Toronto, Partner table Zone 10 (summed: 4,581 + 7,792 = 12,373 mi, Z10 band). Routing AU-HKG on CX J, HKG-YYZ on CX 777-300ER J. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. F not offered on this routing per CX First Class routes guide. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | JL | business | 182,900 | $400 | — | QF × JL connecting itinerary via Tokyo to JFK, Partner table Zone 10 (summed: 4,846 + 6,745 = 11,591 mi, Z10 band). Routing AU-Tokyo on JL 777-300ER Sky Suite J, NRT-JFK on JL 777-300ER Sky Suite J (or HND-JFK A350-1000 J). No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | CI | business | 182,900 | — | — | AU origin to North America via TPE on CI metal. Anchor SYD-TPE-LAX 11,304 mi at Z10 Partner; covers LAX/SFO/JFK/ORD/YVR/SEA/HNL/IAH at region level (no East/West split per QF Partner-table distance-only structure verified per CLAUDE.md authoritative matrix lines 919-944). CI A350-900 + 777-300ER Business 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone fully-flat on both AU-TPE + TPE-NA legs; same product end-to-end. CI Partner-table; canonical QF×CI bilateral partnership pathway via single-PNR routing per qantas.com partner page. Low-YQ class (fuel_surcharge=false; ~AUD 90 carrier charges typical long-haul J via TPE per Australian Frequent Flyer + Point Hacks 2026 — substantial cost advantage vs UA/AA NA J routings which carry higher YQ on QF Classic Reward). F NOT encoded — CI has no F fleet-wide. One-way; double for round-trip. Methodology: Phase 5.5d Batch U S33; rate provenance per CLAUDE.md authoritative Partner matrix (Z10 J 182,900). |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | — | business | 185,000 | $400 | — | KE SkyTeam partner award. Round-trip mandatory (online system blocks one-way). Covers North America AND Central America in KE chart. 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 | QF | first | 195,400 | $480 | — | QF own-metal Classic Reward, Zone 8 LAX baseline (7,488 mi). F cabin available ONLY on SYD-LAX A380 (QF11/QF12). SYD-DFW QF7/QF8 currently 787-9 — NO F cabin on that routing despite Zone 9 chart cell existing. One-way. Verify A380 schedule + award space in qantas.com booking tool before redemption. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | first | 195,400 | $350 | — | QF × AA partner redemption, Qantas table Zone 8 (AA exception — own-metal table pricing not Partner table). Direct SYD-LAX on AA 777-300ER (F cabin operational through at least late 2026 per Project Olympus retrofit schedule; re-verify before late 2026). AA metal only. One-way; double for round-trip. Partner F award space rare — verify availability in qantas.com booking tool before transferring QF points. REVISIT BY late 2026: AA Project Olympus 777-300ER retrofit progressively removes Flagship First class through ~2027. Re-verify F availability before transferring points for travel beyond late 2026. If F no longer offered, this row should DELETE as structural defect (same precedent as NH NEA F and QF own-metal NEA F). |
| ANA Mileage Club | NH | business | 216,000 | $500 | — | ANA Mileage Club own-metal through-award, HIGH SEASON rate (RT). AU-Tokyo-NA via NH metal (connects HND/NRT to JFK/LAX/SFO/IAD/ORD/SEA/YVR). Regular season 153k RT, Low season 137k RT (high season ~+41% vs regular). 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 (108k OW) post-June-24-2025. Fuel surcharges substantial on dual-segment NH (~AUD 500-700 in J). Award space historically tight in J (The Room); book early. Compare to Star Alliance partner chart (145k RT, non-seasonal) — partner is significantly cheaper than NH high-season here; strongly consider partner if dates fall in high window. Variants: chart_variant='NH_low'/'NH_regular'/'NH_high' capture the 3 seasonal tiers of NH's own-metal International chart. Sources: awardwallet.com/blog/understanding-ana-mileage-club-award-charts/, 10xtravel.com. |
| Etihad Guest | EY | business | 240,000 From this rate — varies by date | $65 | — | AU-AUH-NorthAmerica Business priced per-segment on EY distance chart: SYD/MEL-AUH (6001+ mi band) 120k floor + AUH-JFK/ORD/IAD (6001+ mi band) 120k floor = 240k summed. Dynamic pricing layered on top — verify in EY booking engine before transferring points. Source: Point Hacks (Jul 2025) + 10xtravel + Upgraded Points distance chart. |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | AA | first | 249,400 | $400 | — | QF × AA connecting itinerary, Qantas table Zone 10 via LAX (summed-segment: SYD-LAX 7,488 + LAX-JFK 2,475 = 9,963 mi total, Zone 10 band). Routing AU-LAX on AA 777-300ER F + LAX-JFK on AA A321T F (transcon Flagship First). Note F cabin product differs across segments — AU-LAX is widebody Flagship First, LAX-JFK is narrowbody A321T transcon F. One-way. Verify connection availability in qantas.com booking tool. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. REVISIT BY late 2026: AA Project Olympus 777-300ER retrofit progressively removes Flagship First class through ~2027. Re-verify F availability before transferring points for travel beyond late 2026. If F no longer offered on AU-LAX, this row should DELETE as structural defect. |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | — | first | 260,000 | $500 | — | KE SkyTeam partner award. Round-trip mandatory (online system blocks one-way). Covers North America AND Central America in KE chart. First availability limited (few SkyTeam partners offer F via SKYPASS). 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 | 261,600 | $500 | — | QF × JL connecting itinerary via Tokyo to JFK, Partner table Zone 10 (summed: 4,846 + 6,745 = 11,591 mi, Z10 band). Routing AU-Tokyo on JL 777-300ER Flagship Suite F + NRT-JFK on JL 777-300ER Flagship Suite F (or HND-JFK on A350-1000 F). FULL FLAGSHIP SUITE F END-TO-END bookable as single award — distinct from CX HKG-JFK F which is mixed-cabin DEFER. JL operates F on both segments per agent verification. No QF-imposed fuel surcharges. One-way. SWEET SPOT — rare AU-NA full-F itinerary; one of the most valuable QF Classic Reward redemptions available. Verify connection availability in qantas.com booking tool. REVISIT BY late 2026: JL transitioning to A350-1000; A350-1000 retains F (6F config) but watch for AU-route deployment changes. Re-verify before transferring points for travel beyond late 2026. Methodology lock per commit 6bfb879. |
Captain Byron's verdict
Qantas Frequent Flyer and Qantas Frequent Flyer both come in around 31,500 points. You want Qantas Classic Reward and accept the carrier charges. Qantas Frequent Flyer offers more reliable advance availability — pick the one that matches your booking style.
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.