FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
Award charts: distance bands
A distance-band award chart prices awards by flight distance bands: whichever band the distance falls in sets the price, regardless of the cities.
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Key takeaways
- Find the flight distance, then the band.
- Routes just under a band's upper limit are the best value.
- We have verified China Eastern's domestic distance-band chart.
- The distance basis follows China Eastern's source; we do not convert.
How it differs from zones
Zone charts care where you go; distance charts care how far. Under distance bands, a short flight across a border can still be cheap.
Worked example: China Eastern domestic
Domestic routes in the Chinese mainland (marketed and operated by MU/FM), one way, thousands of points:
| Distance | Economy X | Business O | First A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-600 km | Economy X6 | Business O8 | First A11 |
| 601-1200 km | Economy X12 | Business O16 | First A21 |
| 1201-1800 km | Economy X16 | Business O20 | First A28 |
| 1801-2400 km | Economy X20 | Business O25 | First A35 |
| 2401+ km | Economy X25 | Business O32 | First A43 |
Sources and review
Every number comes from verified, published rules on this site, with originals archived in our knowledge base; anything unverified or unstated shows as unknown.
Reviewed by: Content review.