Multiple Oneworld frequent flyer programs use distance-based award charts: British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japanese Airlines, Iberia, Qantas, Qatar, and Malaysia.
Because each program has different rules for calculating distances, award costs, and surcharges, there is no single program that is better than the others. Instead, your best option depends on the trip you want to take (and the types of points that you have). Nevertheless, there are still some useful rules of thumb for which program to choose.
In most cases, you'll want to take advantage of British Airways, Iberia, Cathay Pacific, or JAL. Malaysia, Qantas, and Qatar's award prices tend to be higher.
Awards are Sometimes Cheaper on the Program's Own Flight
The award prices shown below are what the program charges for flights on partner programs. Most of these programs have cheaper prices for their own flights.
As long as you are flying a simple round trip, with a nonstop flight in each direction, all the programs are reasonable options. However, if your flight is within a single region, such as a flight from one part of Europe to the other, make sure to check for the lowest priced option among the region-based programs.
Economy class tickets
Travel distances up to 4,000 miles
British Airways
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generally requires the fewest miles for coach flights between 1,000 and 4,000 miles each way. Below 1,000 miles, Iberia and JAL are sometimes slightly cheaper.
Travel distances under about 600 miles in the US
British Airways charges a minimum of 7,500 miles each way for flights that fly to, from, or within the United States (instead of 6,000 miles). For these flights, Iberia
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and JAL
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are cheaper options for travel distance up to about 600 miles.
Travelling American Airlines to Europe or making a connection
On American Airlines flights to/from Europe, British Airways adds expensive fuel surcharges and the other programs don’t. And if you need to make a connection on any routing, British Airways will make you pay for each flight separately and the other three major distance-based programs won’t. In either case, you are better off using Iberia
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, or sometimes Cathay Pacific or JAL, rather than British Airways.
Travel distances longer than 4,000 miles
If you have Marriott points, JAL
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is the cheapest option for longer flights. If not, the cheapest award depends on the distance you are flying.
More than two partner airlines for your trip
British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and JAL switch to more expensive multi-carrier award charts. If you don’t have Marriott Points, Iberia will generally be the cheaper option for distances up to 7,000 miles and Cathay Pacific the cheaper option for longer flights. If you do have Marriott Points, JAL is the cheapest option for most flights longer than 2,500 miles.
If you only have Ultimate Rewards Points
Your only choices are British Airways and Iberia. British Airways is usually cheaper for non-stop flights.
If you only have ThankYou points
You’ll want to use Cathay Pacific, even for the shortest flights.
Economy Class Ticket Chart
Distance each way
Economy
BA
Iberia
Cathay
JAL
Up to 300
12
11
20
12
300 - 500
12
12
20
12
500 - ≈600
12
17
20
15
≈600 - 750
18
17
20
15
751 - 1000
18
17
30
15
1,000 – ≈1200
18
23
30
23
≈1,200 – 2,000
22
23
30
23
2,001 – 2,500
26
28
30
37
2,501 – 2,750
26
42
30
37
2,751 – 3,000
26
42
54
37
3,001 – 4,000
42
42
54
45
4,001 – 5,000
52
65
54
47
5,000 – 5,501
52
65
80
50
5,501 – 6,200
62
65
80
50
6,201 – 6,500
62
75
80
55
6,501 – 7,000
73
75
80
55
7,001 – 7,500
103
100
80
70
7,501 – 9,000
103
100
94
70
9,001 – 10,000
103
120
94
70
10,001 – 12,500
103
120
94
90
Business and first-class tickets
Shorter flights
British Airways
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, Iberia
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, and JAL
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have comparable rates and Cathay Pacific is more expensive. The cheapest awards depend on the exact distance flown.
Travelling American Airlines to Europe or making a connection
British Airways adds expensive fuel surcharges and the other programs don’t. And if you need to make a connection, British Airways will make you pay for each flight separately and the other three major distance-based programs won’t. In either case, you are better off using Iberia
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or JAL
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, rather than British Airways.
Longer flights
For most people, Cathay Pacific is the best option for distances longer than 3,000 miles in business and 4,000 miles in first. But if you have Marriott points, JAL
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is almost always a less expensive option.
More than two partner airlines for your trip
British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and JAL will switch to more expensive multi-carrier award charts. If you don’t have Marriott points, Iberia will generally be the cheaper option for destinations up to 2,500 miles in business and first and Cathay Pacific the cheaper option for longer flights. If you do have Marriott points, JAL is the cheapest option for flights longer than 2,500 miles.
If you only have Ultimate Rewards Points
Your only choices are BA and Iberia. Unless you are flying AA to Europe or need to make a connection, BA is the cheaper option for most business class flights of less than 3,000 miles, while Iberia is the cheaper option for almost all first class tickets.
If you only have ThankYou points
You’ll want to use Cathay Pacific
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, even for the shortest flights. However, sometimes Malaysia requires slightly fewer miles (but is harder to work with).
Business Class Award Chart
Distance each way
Business
BA
Iberia
Cathay
JAL
Up to 300
25
22
40
24
300 - 500
25
24
40
24
500 - ≈600
25
34
40
30
≈600 - 750
33
34
40
30
751 - 1000
33
34
60
30
1,000 – ≈1200
33
46
60
42
≈1,200 – 2,000
44
46
60
42
2,001 – 2,500
78
46
60
60
2,501 – 2,750
78
100
60
60
2,751 – 3,000
78
100
122
60
3,001 – 4,000
124
100
122
80
4,001 – 5,000
155
150
122
85
5,000 – 5,501
155
150
150
100
5,501 – 6,200
186
150
150
100
6,201 – 6,500
186
175
150
110
6,501 – 7,000
217
175
150
110
7,001 – 7,500
309
250
150
130
7,501 – 9,000
309
250
180
130
9,001 – 10,000
309
270
180
130
10,001 – 12,500
309
270
180
145
First Class Award Chart
Distance each way
First
BA
Iberia
Cathay
JAL
Up to 300
48
33
60
36
300 - 500
48
36
60
36
500 - ≈600
48
51
60
60
≈600 - 760
66
51
60
45
751 - 1000
66
51
90
45
1,000 – ≈1200
66
69
90
65
≈1,200 – 2,000
88
69
90
65
2,001 – 2,500
103
96
90
90
2,501 – 2,750
103
150
90
90
2,751 – 3,000
103
150
162
90
3,001 – 4,000
165
150
162
120
4,001 – 5,000
206
225
162
135
5,000 – 5,501
206
225
240
145
5,501 – 6,200
248
225
240
145
6,201 – 6,500
248
262.5
240
165
6,501 – 7,000
289
262.5
240
165
7,001 – 7,500
412
375
240
190
7,501 – 9,000
412
375
270
190
9,001 – 10,000
412
405
270
190
10,001 – 12,500
412
405
270
220
Best programs for one-way flights
If you only need to fly one-way, Iberia, Cathay Pacific, and JAL become less attractive options. Iberia and JAL charge based on the total distance traveled. Since longer trips have a lower cost per mile than shorter trips, you'll need to pay far more than half the number of points for a one-way trip that is only half the number of miles. Cathay Pacific charges based on the air distance between destinations, but their one-way awards require considerably more than half the number of points of round trip flights.
Coach flights
British Airways
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is almost always the cheapest option for non-stop flights. If you need to make a connection or you are flying American Airlines to Europe, you'll want to stick to Cathay
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.
Shorter business Class flights
British Airways is the best option for business class flights of up to 2,000 miles.
Longer business class flights
For most people, Iberia is the best option for flights between 3,000-4,000 miles and Cathay Pacific is the best option for longer flights. But if you are able to get JAL points
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, they are often a less expensive option.
First class flights
JAL is the cheapest option for longer flights. Unfortunately, it doesn't participate in the Ultimate Rewards, Membership Rewards, or ThankYou Rewards programs. If you can't get the points, Cathay Pacific and British Airways will be your best options.
