Updated: July 2026. Award pricing changes — verify the current cost before you book.
Business and first-class fares to Asia are brutal in cash: a lie-flat seat to Tokyo, Hong Kong or Singapore routinely runs $4,000–$16,000, and the top suites cross $20,000. That's exactly why Asia is where points pull the most weight — the same 100,000-ish miles that buy a mediocre economy ticket in cash can become a private first-class suite. This hub rounds up the best-value routes and links each full how-to.
Advertiser disclosure: we link to partner offers marked (#) and may be compensated. It doesn't change our editorial picks.
The formula every pick uses
Cents per point = (cash price − taxes/fees on the award) ÷ points used × 100
Beat the program's baseline value (see how we value points) and the redemption is a good one. Every table figure below comes from that formula.
The three ways into Asia
- The showpiece Asian carriers — ANA and JAL (Japan), Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong), Singapore Airlines (Singapore) and EVA Air (Taipei) fly the best premium cabins in the sky. You book them with the right mileage currency, not necessarily the airline's own.
- Star Alliance access — United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan and Turkish Miles&Smiles can all price ANA, EVA, Asiana and Thai. Handy when the boutique programs are short on space.
- Oneworld access — American AAdvantage and Alaska Mileage Plan both book JAL and Cathay business and first, giving you a second door to Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Comparison: the best premium redemptions to Asia
| Program | Best cabin redemption | ~Points | ~CPP | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANA Mileage Club (via Virgin) | ANA First, US–Tokyo round-trip | 120,000 | ~16¢ | ANA First for 120k Virgin |
| ANA Mileage Club | ANA "The Room" business round-trip | 85,000 | ~6.8¢ | ANA business for 85k |
| Cathay Asia Miles | Cathay First, US–Hong Kong | 110,000 | ~14¢ | Cathay First for 110k |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | Singapore Suites | 143,000 | ~9.6¢ | Singapore Suites for 143k |
| EVA Infinity MileageLands | Royal Laurel business, US–Taipei | 75,000 | ~4.5¢ | EVA Royal Laurel for 75k |
| Star Alliance (United/Aeroplan/Turkish) | Business to Asian hubs on ANA/EVA/Asiana | 80,000+ | ~5–8¢ | United MileagePlus guide |
| JAL / oneworld (AAdvantage or Alaska) | JAL business to Tokyo | ~60,000 | ~7¢ | Best sweet spots |
Best value picks — with the math shown
1) ANA First to Tokyo via Virgin — the 16¢ legend. Virgin Atlantic prices round-trip ANA First for 120,000 points + ~$400 on a ~$20,000 seat:
($20,000 − $400) ÷ 120,000 × 100 = 16.3¢ per point — about 12× Virgin's 1.35¢ baseline, and arguably the single best premium award a US collector can book. Full walkthrough: ANA First for 120k.
2) Cathay First to Hong Kong — 14¢ on Asia Miles. 110,000 Asia Miles + ~$200 on a ~$16,000 seat:
($16,000 − $200) ÷ 110,000 × 100 = 14.4¢ per mile. See Cathay First for 110k.
3) Singapore Suites — the only way in. 143,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$250 on a ~$14,000 cabin:
($14,000 − $250) ÷ 143,000 × 100 = 9.6¢ per mile. No airline sells Suites for points except KrisFlyer, so this is a genuine "money can't buy it" redemption. See Singapore Suites for 143k.
4) EVA Royal Laurel to Taipei — the one you can actually book. 75,000 miles + ~$150 on a ~$3,500 seat:
($3,500 − $150) ÷ 75,000 × 100 = 4.47¢ per mile. Lower ceiling than the First-class awards, but EVA releases space consistently — a big deal when the flashy suites are always sold out. See EVA Royal Laurel for 75k.
Which cards earn the points
Almost every pick above is fed by transferable card points, so you collect one flexible currency and move it only when you're ready to book. See the transfer partners guide for every ratio.
- Amex Membership Rewards → ANA, Singapore KrisFlyer, Cathay Asia Miles and Virgin Atlantic (the ANA First door). Earn it on the Amex Gold
(#)and Amex Platinum(#). - Chase Ultimate Rewards → United and Singapore KrisFlyer. Earn it on the Chase Sapphire Preferred
(#). - Capital One miles → Singapore, Cathay, EVA and Turkish. Earn on the Capital One Venture X
(#). - Citi ThankYou Points → Singapore, Cathay, EVA and Turkish. Earn on the Citi Strata Premier
(#). - Bilt Rewards → Virgin Atlantic and more, earned on rent with the Bilt card
(#).
Virgin Atlantic is a partner of all four currencies, so the ANA First sweet spot is reachable no matter which points you collect.
When to book & how to find space
- Book early for the suites. ANA, Cathay and Singapore First release most award seats 330–355 days out, then a second trickle inside 2 weeks. Set alerts and pounce.
- ANA and Singapore search well on their own sites once you hold the miles; for Cathay First, search on AA.com or Alaska as a back door if Asia Miles are hard for you to earn.
- Wait for transfer bonuses. Amex, Chase and Citi run periodic 20–30% bonuses to these airlines — waiting can knock a chunk off the cost.
- Book one seat at a time. Premium award space usually opens one seat per flight; two travelers may need split flights or patience.
- Star Alliance is your fallback. If ANA First is dry, United or Aeroplan business on the same jets is far easier to find.
FAQ
Which Asian cities are covered? All the major long-haul gateways — Tokyo (HND/NRT), Osaka, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Seoul and Bangkok — plus onward connections to Southeast Asia on the same alliance.
Do I need the airline's own miles? No. The whole trick is using the cheapest partner currency — Virgin for ANA First, Asia Miles for Cathay, KrisFlyer for Singapore — all fed by transferable card points.
Are the taxes and surcharges high? Reasonable on ANA, Cathay, Singapore and EVA (roughly $150–$400). Much better than European carriers, which is part of why Asia redemptions look so good.
What if I only have economy-level points? Star Alliance economy to Asia runs ~35,000–40,000 miles one-way, and off-peak business on EVA or via Turkish/Aeroplan is the most bookable premium option.
Is First class worth the extra points over business? For a once-in-a-lifetime trip, ANA First, Cathay First and Singapore Suites deliver value most people never experience. For repeat trips, ANA "The Room" or EVA business gives you 80% of the comfort for far fewer miles.
Related guides
- Pillars: How much are your points worth? · Transfer partners guide · Best sweet spots · Points for beginners
- Asia trip reports: ANA First (Virgin) · ANA business · Cathay First · Singapore Suites · EVA Royal Laurel
- Cards that feed these: Amex Gold · Amex Platinum · Chase Sapphire Preferred · Capital One Venture X · Citi Strata Premier · Bilt
