Updated: July 2026. Award pricing changes — verify the current cost before you book.
Australia is one of the longest, priciest hauls a US traveler can take — 15+ hours in the air, with business-class fares regularly $6,000–$9,000 and the Qantas A380 First Suite pushing $11,000. On a route that punishing, a lie-flat seat isn't a luxury, it's sanity — and points are the only sane way to pay for it. This hub covers the best ways across the Pacific 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 it's a good redemption. Every figure below comes from that formula.
The two ways across the Pacific
- Qantas & oneworld — The flagship is the Qantas A380 First Suite from Los Angeles to Sydney, bookable with transferable points that convert to Qantas Frequent Flyer. Qantas also flies SFO, DFW and JFK to the East Coast of Australia.
- Star Alliance — United, ANA and Air Canada Aeroplan fly (or partner into) SYD, MEL, BNE and Auckland (AKL). Star tends to have more business-class space than Qantas releases in First, so it's the availability play — book the suite if you can find it, book Star business if you can't.
Comparison: the best premium redemptions to Australia & the Pacific
| Program | Best cabin redemption | ~Points | ~CPP | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Qantas A380 First, LAX–Sydney | 120,000 | ~9¢ | Qantas First for 120k |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Qantas business, US–SYD/MEL/BNE | ~108,000 | ~6¢ | Qantas First guide |
| United MileagePlus | United/Star business to SYD/MEL/AKL | ~80,000 | ~6–8¢ | United MileagePlus guide |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Star business to Australia (no fuel surcharges) | ~90,000 | ~6–8¢ | Aeroplan business to Europe |
| ANA Mileage Club | Star business via ANA's low chart | ~90,000 | ~6¢ | ANA business guide |
Best value picks — with the math shown
1) Qantas A380 First to Sydney — the icon. 120,000 Qantas points + ~$200 on a ~$11,000 seat:
($11,000 − $200) ÷ 120,000 × 100 = 9.0¢ per point — roughly 7× Qantas' 1.3¢ baseline. This is the redemption people plan a whole year around. Full walkthrough: Qantas First for 120k.
2) Star Alliance business to the East Coast — the availability play. United, ANA or Aeroplan business runs roughly 80,000–90,000 points one-way; on a ~$7,000 fare that's about:
($7,000 − $150) ÷ 85,000 × 100 = ~8¢ per point (illustrative). You give up the First Suite, but Star releases business space when Qantas First is bone-dry. See the United MileagePlus guide.
3) Aeroplan for surcharge-free Star seats. Air Canada Aeroplan doesn't pass on fuel surcharges, so your out-of-pocket taxes stay low on Star partners into Australia — often the cheapest cash component of any premium option. See Aeroplan business.
4) ANA's low Star chart. ANA Mileage Club prices Star business unusually cheaply (round-trip), so if you can plan a return itinerary in advance it's a strong value play. See the ANA business guide.
Which cards earn the points
Every pick is fed by transferable card points — collect one flexible currency, transfer only when you've found the seat. See the transfer partners guide.
- Amex Membership Rewards → Qantas and ANA. Earn on the Amex Gold
(#)and Amex Platinum(#). - Chase Ultimate Rewards → United. Earn on the Chase Sapphire Preferred
(#). - Capital One miles → Qantas. Earn on the Capital One Venture X
(#). - Citi ThankYou Points → Qantas. Earn on the Citi Strata Premier
(#). - Bilt Rewards → Air Canada Aeroplan and more, earned on rent with the Bilt card
(#).
So Amex, Capital One and Citi all feed Qantas for the First Suite, while Chase and Amex feed United/ANA for the Star business fallback.
When to book & how to find space
- Award space is scarce — book early. Qantas releases the bulk of long-haul First and business ~353 days out, and it goes fast. Set alerts the moment your dates open.
- Qantas favors its own members. You'll often see more First/business space searching as a Qantas Frequent Flyer than through partners — another reason to move points to Qantas only once you've confirmed the seat.
- Use the Pacific stopover. Routing through Auckland, Fiji or an Asian hub can add a free or cheap stopover and open availability when the nonstop is full — a two-destinations-for-one trick.
- Star is the plan B. If Qantas First is dry, check United, Aeroplan and ANA for business on the same corridor before giving up.
- Watch transfer bonuses to Qantas (Amex, Capital One and Citi run them periodically) to lower the effective cost.
FAQ
Which cities can I reach? Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane (BNE) and Perth are the mainland gateways; Auckland (AKL) covers New Zealand, and onward Star/oneworld connections reach the wider South Pacific.
Is the Qantas A380 First Suite really bookable on points? Yes — 120,000 Qantas points plus ~$200 in taxes, when the seat is available. The hard part is finding space, not the miles. See the full guide.
What if I can't find First-class space? Book Star Alliance business through United, Aeroplan or ANA — the same 15-hour flight in a lie-flat seat, with far more award availability.
Are surcharges a problem? On Qantas' own metal, taxes are moderate (~$200). If you want to minimize cash out-of-pocket, Aeroplan passes on no fuel surcharges on Star partners.
How far ahead should I plan? Treat Australia as a book-the-day-the-calendar-opens trip — roughly 11–12 months out — because premium space to the region is some of the scarcest anywhere.
Related guides
- Pillars: How much are your points worth? · Transfer partners guide · Best sweet spots · Points for beginners
- Pacific & Star trip reports: Qantas First to Sydney · United MileagePlus guide · Aeroplan business · ANA business
- Cards that feed these: Amex Gold · Amex Platinum · Chase Sapphire Preferred · Capital One Venture X · Citi Strata Premier · Bilt
