Maximize your points & miles
Compare 15 airline loyalty programs side-by-side to find the highest-value way to fly across the Pacific on points and miles.
Transpacific flights are among the longest in commercial aviation and among the most expensive in cash. A business class ticket from Los Angeles to Tokyo or Hong Kong regularly runs $3,500–$5,000 one-way. With the right program, you can book those same seats for 50,000–75,000 miles and in some cases land over 7 cents per point in value.
Cash prices based on typical published fares. Award availability varies by date and route. Use the search tool for your specific itinerary.
The transpacific market is dominated by US carriers (United, Delta, American) from LAX, SFO, and SEA, plus the Asian carriers: Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, ANA, Singapore Airlines, and Korean Air. The Asian carriers consistently offer a superior hard product in business and first class, and the best award deals are almost always found by booking their seats through partner programs at lower rates than the airline's own currency would charge.
The range of redemption costs is enormous. In economy, you can pay as few as 22,000 BA Avios one-way on a oneworld partner or as many as 50,000 Emirates miles. In business class, Alaska Mileage Plan's 50,000 miles for Cathay Pacific is less than half what Singapore KrisFlyer now charges for its own product post-devaluation. Choosing the right program is the difference between a good redemption and a great one.
All rates shown are one-way in miles. CPP for business class is calculated against a typical cash fare of ~$3,500 one-way. Sorted by business class value, highest first.
| Program | Economy OW | Business OW | First OW | CPP (Biz) | Transfer From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Alaska Mileage Plan
BEST VALUE
SWEET SPOT
Cathay Pacific Business for 50k OW — best CPP rate in Asia |
25,000 | 50,000 | 70,000 | 7.0 cpp | |
|
ANA Mileage Club
SWEET SPOT
60k OW on ANA metal — best rate for Japan |
35,000 | 60,000 | 85,000 | 5.83 cpp | |
|
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
60k OW books ANA Business on Star Alliance flights |
25,000 | 60,000 | — | 5.83 cpp | |
|
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
SWEET SPOT
70k OW on own metal + free HKG stopover option |
30,000 | 70,000 | 110,000 | 5.0 cpp | |
|
Avianca LifeMiles
Books Star Alliance partners including ANA and Singapore |
30,000 | 70,000 | 90,000 | 5.0 cpp | |
|
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
DYNAMIC
Monthly Promo Rewards can cut rates 20–50% |
30,000 | 75,000 | — | 4.67 cpp | |
|
Air Canada Aeroplan
No fuel surcharges on ANA and other Star Alliance partners |
35,000 | 75,000 | 105,000 | 4.67 cpp | |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 37,500 | 75,000 | — | 4.67 cpp | |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | 40,000 | 80,000 | 110,000 | 4.38 cpp | |
| United MileagePlus | 35,000 | 80,000 | 110,000 | 4.38 cpp | |
|
British Airways Avios
ECONOMY SWEET SPOT
22k economy OW on JAL or Cathay (fuel surcharges apply) |
22,000 | 82,500 | 110,000 | 4.24 cpp | |
| American AAdvantage | 32,500 | 85,000 | 110,000 | 4.12 cpp | |
| Delta SkyMiles DYNAMIC | 35,000 | 95,000 | 145,000 | 3.68 cpp | |
|
Emirates Skywards
Best for Dubai connections to Southeast Asia |
50,000 | 100,000 | 140,000 | 3.50 cpp | |
|
Singapore KrisFlyer
DEVALUED
Post-Nov 2025 devaluation raised US rates significantly |
45,000 | 114,800 | 155,000 | 3.05 cpp |
Key takeaway: Alaska Mileage Plan at 50,000 miles for Cathay Pacific business class is the single best CPP deal on transpacific routes. For Japan, Virgin Atlantic or Amex MR transferring to ANA at 60,000 miles is the go-to. Singapore KrisFlyer's November 2025 devaluation made it one of the most expensive programs for US departures — avoid for business class unless booking Suites specifically.
See what your route actually costs in cash — then decide whether your miles are worth spending.
These six redemptions consistently deliver the highest value per point on flights to Asia and the Pacific.
Widely considered the best transpacific award deal in the hobby. Cathay Pacific's Aria Suite business class (A350 routes) features direct-aisle access, a full-flat bed, and one of the best inflight entertainment systems in the sky. At 50,000 Alaska miles, you pay less than half what Singapore or Emirates would charge for a comparable product. Alaska miles are earned primarily through the Bank of America Alaska Airlines Visa — no transfer from Chase, Amex, or Capital One. Book at alaskaair.com.
Cathay First on the A350-1000 is one of the most coveted products in aviation: a fully enclosed suite, a wide bed, a full-length wardrobe, and dedicated crew service. Alaska prices it at 70,000 miles. Cash equivalents regularly exceed $7,000 one-way, making this one of the highest CPP first class redemptions available globally. Availability is limited — book 11 months out when the schedule opens or watch for last-minute releases.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club prices ANA's "The Room" business class (787-9 routes) at 60,000 miles one-way to Japan. ANA's product is consistently ranked among the best in the world. Virgin Atlantic miles transfer 1:1 from Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, and Bilt — making this one of the most accessible Asia sweet spots for flexible-points holders. Book at virginatlantic.com, search for ANA-operated flights to NRT or HND.
Cathay Pacific allows free stopovers at Hong Kong when booking with Asia Miles, turning one award into two trips. A US–HKG–BKK routing at 70,000 miles gives you time in Hong Kong at no extra cost. Asia Miles transfer from Amex, Chase, and Bilt. The same Aria Suite business class product — 20,000 more miles than Alaska's rate, but the stopover benefit makes it worthwhile for multi-destination trips.
Avianca LifeMiles books Star Alliance partners including ANA, Singapore, and Korean Air at 70,000 miles one-way in business class. No fuel surcharges on most partner bookings. LifeMiles transfer from Amex, Capital One, and Citi at 1:1. Good option if you have Capital One or Citi points and ANA availability is open. Booking by phone is sometimes required for partner awards.
Aeroplan charges 75,000 miles for ANA business class one-way, slightly more than Virgin Atlantic's 60,000 miles. The key advantage: Aeroplan does not pass on fuel surcharges on Star Alliance partner bookings, saving potentially $300+ vs. booking through some other programs. Transfers from Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Bilt. Good backup when Virgin Atlantic availability is gone but ANA seats remain open.
Different programs shine for different Asian cities. Here is the fastest path to each major destination.
Japan has the best transpacific award availability of any Asian market. The top options:
Hong Kong is Cathay Pacific's hub and the clearest use case for the Alaska sweet spot. US–HKG nonstop flights operate from JFK (American, Cathay), LAX (Cathay), SFO (United, Cathay), and SEA (Alaska/Cathay codeshare).
Singapore Airlines' Suites product (A380 First Class) is the most aspirational redemption in the hobby. Post-devaluation, KrisFlyer rates for US originations are high, but for Suites the math still works.
For Southeast Asian cities beyond Singapore, the best strategy is usually to fly to a hub (HKG, NRT, SIN) on a sweet-spot award and then connect on a separate booking. Regional flights within Southeast Asia are often cheap in cash ($50–$150), so burning miles on the connection rarely makes sense.
Here is exactly how to book the best transpacific award deal from start to finish.
Go to alaskaair.com and create a free Mileage Plan account. You need a member number before making a booking.
Use the award search on alaskaair.com. Enter a US gateway (LAX, SFO, JFK, SEA) to HKG, select Business class. Look for "CX"-operated flights. Never accumulate miles for a specific trip until you confirm award space exists.
Alaska miles do not transfer from Chase, Amex, or Capital One. The primary path is the Bank of America Alaska Airlines Visa, which typically offers a 60,000–75,000 mile sign-up bonus — enough for a one-way business class to Asia.
Return to your search, select the flight, and complete the booking. Taxes and fees are typically $5.60–$20. Cathay does not add fuel surcharges on Alaska-booked awards.
Cathay releases award space to Alaska generously, especially 10–11 months in advance and within 2 weeks of departure. Try LAX and SFO if JFK shows nothing. If you are flexible on dates, ExpertFlyer lets you scan 30 days of availability at once.
Time needed: 20–30 minutes from account creation to confirmed booking once you have the miles. The hard part is finding available award space; once a seat is found the booking itself takes under 10 minutes.
The best transpacific program depends almost entirely on what points you already hold and where you want to go.
| If you hold… | Best transfer | Miles (biz OW) | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Miles | Cathay Pacific (direct) | 50,000 | Best CPP anywhere in Asia, exceptional hard product |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | Virgin Atlantic → ANA | 60,000 | Best Japan option; 1:1 transfer, ANA "The Room" product |
| Amex Membership Rewards | Virgin Atlantic → ANA or Cathay Asia Miles | 60,000–70,000 | Virgin for Japan; Cathay Miles for HKG and Southeast Asia connections |
| Capital One Miles | Avianca LifeMiles → ANA | 70,000 | Best option for Capital One holders; no surcharges on Star Alliance |
| Citi ThankYou Points | Avianca LifeMiles or Flying Blue | 70,000–75,000 | LifeMiles for ANA; Flying Blue for Air France-operated transpacific routes |
| Bilt Rewards | Virgin Atlantic → ANA or Cathay Asia Miles | 60,000–70,000 | Bilt transfers to both; Japan via ANA, HKG via Cathay Miles |
Don't have enough points yet? The fastest path to 60,000 Virgin Atlantic miles for ANA business class to Japan is a sign-up bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred (60,000 pts) or Amex Gold (60,000 pts). Transfer 1:1 to Virgin Atlantic once you confirm award space at virginatlantic.com.
Most transpacific business class seats are booked via transferable credit card currencies. Here is how the major programs map:
Watch for transfer bonuses. A 30% Amex bonus to Virgin Atlantic effectively brings ANA business class down to ~46,000 Amex points. Track current bonuses here →
Note on Alaska miles: Alaska Mileage Plan does not accept transfers from any major bank currency. Alaska miles must be earned by flying Alaska Airlines or through the Bank of America Alaska Airlines Visa cobranded cards.
Alaska Mileage Plan booking Cathay Pacific for 50,000 miles one-way is the best business class deal to Asia by CPP. For Japan specifically, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at 60,000 miles for ANA business class is outstanding and accessible via five transfer currencies. Both are significantly better value than booking through Singapore KrisFlyer post-devaluation or through the US carrier programs.
Business class to Tokyo ranges from 60,000 to 114,800 miles one-way. The best value is 60,000 miles via Virgin Atlantic Flying Club booking ANA, or 50,000 miles via Alaska booking Japan Airlines. United MileagePlus and Aeroplan charge 80,000 and 75,000 miles respectively. Singapore KrisFlyer now charges 114,800 miles — avoid for this route.
For the Alaska sweet spot (Cathay Pacific), the Alaska Airlines Visa is the primary vehicle. For Japan via ANA, Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred transfers to Virgin Atlantic. Amex Platinum or Gold reaches ANA, Cathay Asia Miles, Singapore KrisFlyer, and Avianca LifeMiles. Capital One Venture X transfers to Avianca for Star Alliance bookings. Bilt transfers to Cathay Asia Miles, Singapore, and Virgin Atlantic.
Yes, for the right traveler. Alaska prices Cathay First at 70,000 miles one-way, delivering roughly 10 cents per point against cash fares exceeding $7,000. Cathay First on the A350-1000 features a fully enclosed suite and top-tier service. Availability is limited and typically released 10–11 months in advance or within two weeks of departure.
British Airways Avios offers economy from 22,000 miles one-way on oneworld partners (Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific), though fuel surcharges apply. Fuel-surcharge-free options include Alaska Mileage Plan at 25,000 miles, Avianca LifeMiles at 30,000 miles, and Air France Flying Blue at 30,000 miles.
Yes. Singapore KrisFlyer implemented a significant devaluation in November 2025, raising US-originating award rates substantially. Business class from the US to Singapore or Japan now costs 114,800 miles one-way, up from roughly 88,000 miles before. KrisFlyer Suites (A380 First Class) remains aspirational and worth the premium for bucket-list trips, but KrisFlyer is no longer competitive for standard business class from the US.
Enter your origin, destination, and travel dates to see real-time CPP values across all programs for your exact trip.
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