AIRLINE LOYALTY PROGRAMS

Airline loyalty programs matter most on long-haul routes — where alliance coverage, hub geography, upgrade likelihood, and redemption flexibility can outweigh brand loyalty to a single carrier. This guide is designed for travellers who fly across continents and want to understand which airline ecosystems tend to work best for the routes they actually take.

Rather than ranking programs in isolation, Antipode evaluates airline loyalty through a route-first lens. By combining distance, direction, and typical long-haul travel patterns, this page helps identify which alliances, frequent flyer programs, and transferable points ecosystems are usually the most practical for a given journey — informational only, with no live pricing or affiliations.

Loyalty Reality

Points programs that suit long-haul routes

Airline loyalty value changes with route structure. Programs that perform well on short regional flights often behave very differently on long-haul journeys, where alliance reach, hub positioning, upgrade instruments, and award availability matter more than headline earn rates. This tool looks at airline loyalty from a route-first perspective. Enter a typical journey below to see which airline alliances, frequent flyer programs, and flexible points ecosystems tend to align best with that style of long-haul travel — informational guidance only, with no live pricing, bookings, or affiliations.

Route

From To

Examples: London → Sydney, New York → Tokyo, Paris → Singapore, Los Angeles → Bangkok.

Recommendation summary

Route type

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Why these programs

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Airline loyalty programs (best fit)

Programs and alliances that commonly make long-haul redemptions and upgrades easier for this route type.

Run a route to see airline program suggestions.

Hotel loyalty programs (recovery-friendly)

Programs that tend to matter when you arrive tired: footprint, late checkout, breakfast, and reliable status benefits.

Run a route to see hotel program suggestions.

Transferable points ecosystems

Flexible points can be more useful than a single-airline currency. This section lists common transfer ecosystems and what they unlock.

Run a route to see recommended ecosystems.

How the Airline Calculator works

Choosing the right airline loyalty program is only part of the equation. The real value of points is revealed at the moment of redemption — when availability, fees, and cash alternatives all come into play.

This calculator helps you sanity-check a redemption before committing. By comparing the points or miles required against the cash price, you can see whether a booking represents good value, average value, or a poor use of points for that route and cabin — estimates only, with no live pricing or booking data.

Points & Payment

Points vs Cash Calculator

Compare a redemption in points or miles to the cash price to see whether it’s a good use of points. Estimates only.

Your redemption

Loyalty program

Cost in points / miles

Fees (taxes/surcharges)

Cash price (optional, but recommended)

Tip: If you don’t know the cash price, you can still see a “breakeven” cash price for your points.

Result

Value (cents per point)

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Verdict

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Assumed “fair” value

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Breakeven cash price

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Implied points value

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Values are estimates based on typical cents-per-point assumptions and may not reflect current market pricing. This is not financial advice.

ANTIPODE FAQ

Can two cities be exact antipodes?

Exact city-to-city antipodes are extremely rare. Some locations come close, but most antipodal pairs involve ocean points rather than populated places.

What exactly is an antipode?

It is the point directly opposite another on Earth — connected through the planet’s center. If you could drill straight down through your location, you would emerge at your antipode.

Why do most antipodes fall in the ocean?

Because Earth’s landmasses are clustered on one side of the planet. Over 90% of all antipodes place one point on land and the other in open ocean.

Do any major cities have true land-to-land antipodes?

A few rare pairs exist, including parts of New Zealand ↔ Spain, and parts of Argentina ↔ China. Most large cities do not have a land-based opposite.

Can I share my antipode?

Yes — use the map to find your opposite point, then screenshot or share the coordinates with friends. Yes — use Share Your Antipode to copy a link or generate an image card

Antipode City Pairs

Explore cities that lie almost exactly opposite one another on Earth — plus major cities whose antipodes fall close to land. Jump straight to the interactive map or read the dedicated city guide.

Near-Exact Antipode City Pairs

Rare land-to-land antipodes where two populated places lie almost perfectly opposite each other.

City	Country	Antipode City	Country
Christchurch	New Zealand	A Coruña	Spain
Madrid	Spain	Weber	New Zealand
Wellington	New Zealand	Alaejos	Spain
Hong Kong	China	La Quiaca	Argentina
Nelson	New Zealand	Mogadouro	Portugal
Whangārei	New Zealand	Tangier	Morocco
Tauranga	New Zealand	Jaén	Spain
Hamilton	New Zealand	Córdoba	Spain
Junín	Argentina	Lianyungang	China
Ulan-Ude	Russia	Puerto Natales	Chile
Masterton	New Zealand	Segovia	Spain
Palembang	Indonesia	Neiva	Colombia
Wuhai	China	Valdivia	Chile
Padang	Indonesia	Esmeraldas	Ecuador
Rafaela	Argentina	Wuhu	China
Gálvez	Argentina	Nanjing	China

Major Cities with Near-Antipodal Matches

Large cities whose antipodes fall close to land, even if not perfectly opposite.

City	Country	Near Antipode	Region
Auckland	New Zealand	Seville / Málaga	Spain
Shanghai	China	Buenos Aires	Argentina
Beijing	China	Bahía Blanca	Argentina
Xi’an	China	Santiago	Chile
Taipei	Taiwan	Asunción	Paraguay
Bangkok	Thailand	Lima	Peru
Montevideo	Uruguay	Seoul	South Korea
Bogotá	Colombia	Jakarta	Indonesia
Singapore	Singapore	Quito	Ecuador
Melbourne	Australia	Azores	Portugal