Best of Articles, Airfare, Asia
Updated on Tue, 27 Jan 2026
Asia offers an incredible range of destinations and experiences, and we’re here to help you get there using points. When planning a trip to Asia, it often helps to have your destination in mind and work backward to the points and cards that make the most sense. Below are several strong options to consider, depending on how and where you want to fly.
Our Rankings
1 | Amex Platinum
Amex has the strongest set of transfer partners for flying to Asia with points. ANA, Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines are all excellent options, especially for premium cabins. Being able to transfer directly to these programs gives you better access to award space, as airlines typically release more seats on their own flights and often earlier than they do to partners. There are also plenty of strong partner redemption options. Air Canada Aeroplan, with its extensive partner network and use of award charts, offers some excellent sweet spot opportunities to Asia. JetBlue, Qantas, and Qatar also provide viable partner redemption paths. The Amex Platinum offers one of the highest signup bonuses in the hobby, and premium benefits like lounge access and travel insurance add comfort and peace of mind on long-haul trips. You also receive $200 in annual airline incidental credits on a preferred airline, which can help offset costs like seat upgrades and checked bags.
2 | Citi Strata Elite
Citi has significant overlap in transfer partners with American Express. You can take advantage of award flights through Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, Qantas, and Qatar, much like with Amex. EVA is another standout option, using a fixed award chart and often releasing more saver space on transpacific routes than other airlines, particularly in business class, which is considered one of the best products in the world. The ability to add a free stopover on a roundtrip ticket can add even more value by allowing an extra destination at no additional cost. Add in American Airlines for strong partner bookings to Asia, and the Citi Strata Elite sits just behind the Amex Platinum. The annual fee is lower, and while the signup bonus isn’t as large, it’s still strong. The card also offers Priority Pass access and four Admirals Club passes, adding comfort on long journeys, along with a series of statement credits that can help offset travel costs.
3 | Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase partners with several airlines that offer strong sweet spot redemptions to Asia. Some we’ve already mentioned, like Singapore Airlines, JetBlue, and Air Canada, are all viable options. Utilizing Virgin Atlantic’s region-based award chart can unlock an excellent redemption to Japan in first class on ANA, and while it’s been devalued, it’s still a great deal for a flight that can cost $10,000 or more in cash. They also have competitive options in economy and business class as well. Chase also partners with United, which offers solid award availability on its own flights and through partners like Singapore, Asiana, and Thai Airways. We’d splurge for the Sapphire Reserve over the Preferred primarily for the higher signup bonus and lounge access. You may also be able to take advantage of other benefits, like the $500 in annual The Edit credits, on a trip to Asia. That said, if the higher annual fee and coupon-book-style credits don’t appeal to you, the Chase Sapphire Preferred remains a strong alternative with a much lower annual fee and access to the same transfer partners.
4 | Capital One Venture X
Capital One has one of the strongest collections of direct transfer partners for flying to and from Asia. You can transfer points to Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and EVA Air, giving you direct access to their award space and some excellent sweet spot opportunities. Additional partners include Air Canada, Qantas, Qatar, and JetBlue, all of which offer solid partner redemption options. The Capital One Venture X is a premium card that keeps things simple, something that’s becoming increasingly rare. It offers a strong signup bonus, and the annual fee is easy to offset with a $300 annual travel credit, which must be used through the Capital One portal, plus 10,000 anniversary miles each year. There are no coupon-book-style credits to track, and that simplicity is a meaningful advantage.
Honorable Mentions
5 | Chase Aeroplan
We’ve mentioned Air Canada Aeroplan several times already, as its massive partner network gives travelers a wide range of options for getting to and from Asia from North America. While you may find lower award prices elsewhere, Aeroplan’s breadth of partners makes it much easier to find award flights that actually work for your trip. That’s often the challenge with the lowest-priced redemptions, as availability can be limited. Another major perk is the ability to add a stopover for 5,000 additional miles, and Asia is an ideal region to take advantage of this. Given the length of the journey, breaking the trip up allows you to visit an additional city or country for minimal extra cost. The Chase Aeroplan card offers a solid signup bonus, a low annual fee, and, if you time your application right, nearly two years of complimentary Aeroplan 25K Status with Air Canada.
6 | United Club
You can take advantage of United’s Star Alliance partners and flights on its own metal to travel to and from Asia. United does not pass on fuel surcharges for partner award redemptions, which can save a significant amount of cash compared to some other options on this list. Dynamic pricing means you may need some flexibility and patience to find the best awards, but there are plenty of viable options. The United Club Infinite is a strong choice thanks to its solid signup bonus and premium perks like United Club lounge access and preferred boarding. If you don’t fly United regularly, this can be a good card to hold for the year you’re traveling to Asia and then downgrade afterward. If you’d rather avoid the higher annual fee altogether, United offers other good options with the same redemption access. Choose the Explorer if you want two United Club passes, or the Quest if you prefer a second checked bag and don’t value lounge access.
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