What is a standard award?

How does a standard award fit into an award chart?

An award chart is the programme's price list: it sets out how many miles a trip costs at each level the programme sells, so one journey in a given cabin has a cheaper price at the lowest level and a higher price at the standard level. Because availability is limited, the cheapest level is the first to disappear on busy dates, and the standard level is what remains when it does. [2]

Charts are built differently from programme to programme. Many split the world into award chart zones and price by region pair and cabin; some price by distance; some also publish peak and off-peak versions of a level for particular dates.

Not every award is priced from a chart. Where a programme prices awards dynamically, the miles needed are calculated for the individual booking rather than set at a published level, so there is no separate standard tier to fall back on.

Programmes describe and bundle their awards in their own words. Qantas Frequent Flyer's terms, effective 27 August 2026, define a Classic Flight Reward as a ticket and reservation for one or more flights with a Qantas (QF), oneworld member airline or airline partner flight number, including Jetstar Airlines. [2] The same terms define a Classic Plus Flight Reward as a ticket and reservation for one or more flights on a Qantas operated and marketed flight with a Qantas flight number. [2] Both definitions cover flights with a Qantas flight number, so a Qantas-operated flight falls within either product; the Classic definition is the one that reaches oneworld and airline partner flying. [2] KrisFlyer miles, by contrast, can be redeemed for award tickets, upgrade awards or redemption tickets on Singapore Airlines, Star Alliance and other partner airlines. [3] At American Airlines, partner airline flights appear in AAdvantage award travel search results on aa.com and in the American app, and results can be filtered by airline on the 'Choose flights' screen. [1]

Why can the same seat cost more miles?

The first reason is that award seats are capacity-controlled. Qantas states that reward availability is limited [2], and its terms let it impose flight reward blackouts or non-bookable periods and limit the number of flight rewards and Classic Upgrade Rewards redeemable on particular flights. [2] When the cheapest level is closed on a flight, the higher level is the only published price left for that seat.

The second reason is that one programme can sell more than one award product over the same airline. Qantas treats its Classic and Classic Plus flight rewards as separate products, both of which a member obtains by redeeming Qantas Points, even though both definitions cover Qantas-operated flights with a Qantas flight number. [2]

The third reason is that the levels themselves move. Qantas may make changes to the ways in which Qantas Points are earned and redeemed and to the earning and redeeming rates [2], and Singapore Airlines reserves the right to modify, at its sole discretion and without prior notice, the award structure, award levels and availability of awards, and the redemption structure, redemption levels and availability of redemption seats. [3]

Finally, the cash side of an award can differ even when the miles do not. On a Qantas reward, members must pay any other amounts quoted at the time of booking, including applicable taxes, fees and carrier charges, plus any applicable Reward Assistance Fees. [2]

Can you change or cancel a standard award?

American Airlines says there are no change fees for award tickets, although a difference may be payable; when a trip is changed, the miles are reinstated to the original AAdvantage account and any amount owed is refunded to the card used for the original booking. [1] A trip can be cancelled on aa.com, with miles reinstated and eligible taxes and fees refunded at no charge up to one year from the date the ticket was purchased, as long as the cancellation happens before the first flight departs. [1]

Qantas sets out different mechanics: a change to a reward requires any additional Qantas Points or money needed for the new booking, a Change Fee, any additional applicable taxes, fees and carrier charges, and, where applicable, a Service Fee. [2]

Exceptions and limits

• If a reward booked with Qantas ceases to be available, Qantas will, at the member's option, either refund the Qantas Points redeemed or provide an alternative reward of similar value, except as otherwise stated in applicable fare rules. [2]
• American Airlines' free refund of taxes and fees on a cancelled award does not extend to sale-imposed nonrefundable taxes, taxes it must pay whether or not the member travels, or trips that have already started, and some countries have their own refund rules that American follows. [1]
• KrisFlyer awards from programme partners depend on the partner's continued participation in the programme [3], and tickets redeemed fully or partially with KrisFlyer miles are non-endorsable regardless of the fare conditions. [3] Each redemption is also subject to a minimum number of KrisFlyer miles published on singaporeair.com, which Singapore Airlines may change. [3]
• Paying partly in cash is a separate product rather than a level of the chart. Qantas defines Points Plus Pay as redeeming Qantas Points only, or redeeming Qantas Points and paying money by an accepted payment card, for certain Qantas Group products and services. [2] American's cash and miles option can be booked only on aa.com or in the American app, requires an AAdvantage member with a valid U.S. home address and at least 500 AAdvantage miles, and is limited to flights marketed and operated by American within the contiguous 48 U.S. states; it excludes Basic Economy fares, flights to, from or within Alaska or Hawaii, international flights, multi-city bookings, trips that include another airline, itineraries in different cabins, AAdvantage Business bookings and TripLink bookings. [1]

Frequently asked questions

Is a standard award the same as a saver award?

No. A saver award sits at the cheapest published level and is the first to run out on a given flight, while a standard award is priced higher for the trips where that cheapest level has gone. Programmes state that reward availability is limited. [2]

Do you pay taxes and fees on top of the miles?

On a Qantas reward, yes: members must pay the taxes, fees and carrier charges quoted at the time of booking, plus any applicable Reward Assistance Fee, in addition to the Qantas Points. [2]

Can a programme change what a standard award costs?

Yes. Qantas may change the ways in which Qantas Points are earned and redeemed and the earning and redeeming rates [2], and Singapore Airlines reserves the right to modify award levels and the availability of awards without prior notice. [3]

What happens if a booked award seat is withdrawn?

For Qantas rewards, if a reward ceases to be available after it has been booked, Qantas will either refund the Qantas Points or provide an alternative reward of similar value, at the member's option. [2]

Related pages

Terms: saver award, award chart zones, peak award, off-peak award, all glossary terms. Guides: award search workflow, how to book American AAdvantage awards, when not to redeem.

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. The examples here come from American Airlines AAdvantage, Qantas Frequent Flyer and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer; other programmes' award levels and naming are not covered.

1. American Airlines, Using miles for travel – AAdvantage program, checked 18 October 2026
2. Qantas Frequent Flyer terms and conditions, effective 27 August 2026, checked 18 October 2026
3. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer terms and conditions, checked 18 October 2026