New York to Beijing is an ultra-long-haul US–China route where the cheapest awards all connect through hubs such as Tokyo and Los Angeles. Award pricing spans 11 programs, and economy starts at 33,000 points with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Routing flexibility is a real lever on this route: the same program can price two different connections very differently. This page compares all 11 programs on JFK–PEK side by side.
SnapshotLive award availability and points prices between New York and Beijing.
OverviewNew York to Beijing is served by American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France and 25 more, offering multiple options for award travelers. Compare 11 loyalty programs to find the best value for your points. Award prices start from 33,000 points in economy. Use our search tool to check real-time award availability on this route.
Award pricing can vary by airline, cabin, loyalty program, travel season, and transfer partner. For this route, the best value often comes from comparing multiple programs instead of searching one airline at a time.
RouteNew York to Beijing covers about 6,820 miles, from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK); the distance alone works out to roughly 14h10 in the air, with connection time on top. There's no nonstop in the award data: every itinerary connects.
PricingBest one-way award prices per airline over the next 12 months.
| Airline | Economy | Premium economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air France | 33,000 pts | 65,000 pts | 155,500 pts | N/A |
| American Airlines | 37,500 pts | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Alaska Airlines | 37,500 pts | N/A | N/A | 225,000 pts |
| Cathay Pacific | 37,500 pts | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Emirates | 37,500 pts | 86,000 pts | 105,000 pts | 330,000 pts |
| Japan Airlines | 37,500 pts | 50,000 pts | 97,800 pts | 202,800 pts |
| Korean Air | 44,000 pts | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| EVA Airways | 47,000 pts | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Air ChinaBest | 47,000 pts | N/A | 87,500 pts | N/A |
| ANABest | 47,000 pts | N/A | 87,500 pts | N/A |
Live award pricing from Flightpoints data, computed 9/5/2026. Prices vary by date and availability.
StrategyNew York–Beijing is an ultra-long-haul trip, so cabin choice shapes the whole booking. The economy floor connects once; with no nonstop to pay up for, extra points buy only a better connection or a higher cabin. The cheapest economy seat's $475 in taxes and fees is the catch, well above the route's typical economy taxes; more points and less cash can come out ahead. Premium economy runs about 1.5 times the economy price and business about 2.3 times.
AvailabilityWhen award seats between New York and Beijing price cheapest over the next year.
ProgramsVirgin Atlantic Flying Club takes economy at 33,000 points. American AAdvantage is cheapest in premium economy at 50,000 points. Air Canada Aeroplan wins business class at 75,000 points. Watch the business-class routing: it lands at Incheon (ICN) and leaves from Gimpo (GMP), both in Seoul. First class starts at 202,800 points through Qantas Frequent Flyer on a connecting itinerary, often first on one leg only, so confirm the cabin on each flight.
Airlines12 airlines with award seats between New York and Beijing, nonstop or connecting.
AirlinesBy cabin, the cheapest seats sit on Air France (SkyTeam), Japan Airlines (oneworld), and Asiana Airlines (Star Alliance); no single alliance holds every cabin floor on this route. The lowest business-class award here is a Star Alliance partner booking: Asiana Airlines seats through Air Canada Aeroplan. On a connecting award, the airline named in the price table may fly only one leg, so confirm each segment's operator before moving points.
Details~6,820 miles; ~14h10 of flying before connections (approximate). Beijing is 12 hours ahead of New York (13 while New York is on standard time). Award data window: October 2026–August 2027, with calendar prices for seven months. Counting well-covered months only, January 2027 is the cheapest (33,000 points), ahead of October and November 2026 (37,500).
TipsInsider moves that consistently unlock cheaper award seats.
CompareAlternative corridors travelers consider alongside New York to Beijing.
AlternativesFor New York departures, Newark (EWR) prices at the same 33,000 points in economy as JFK; LaGuardia (LGA) starts at 37,500. No tracked Beijing route beats New York at last check; the next cheapest, San Francisco to Beijing, starts from 36,000 points. Beijing awards can also arrive at Daxing (PKX). It's worth confirming the arrival code before moving points.
Search live award availability across every airline and program that flies this route.
Common questions travelers ask about the New York to Beijing route.
The cheapest economy award at last check is 33,000 points one-way through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, with one stop. With 11 programs pricing the route, it pays to check several. Per-cabin lows from the last check are in the pricing table above.
