FlyerTalk Forums - BA Tier Point runs

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This thread is a continuation of the hugely popular BA Tier Point runs thread. This is intended to be a starting point for finding key origin and destinations to tailor your tier point runs, but you will still need to do some leg work to find the correct dates and flights. Also, don't forget that with some of these fares there will be a positioning cost associated to get to the start of the tier point run.

Acknowledgments
Special thanks to corporate-wage-slave, Stez, JonWB and all our members who supported the old BA Tier Point runs thread.

Unlike Avios points which can be earned through a multitude of activities, Tier Points can only be earned through the pursuit of flying and are earned on all commercial BA and oneworld fares (subject to a few exceptions). The number of Tier Points you accrue is entirely dependent on the fare class (or selling class in BA lingo) your tickets are booked in. Below is the full earning chart which covers BA flights and oneworld partner flights. For the purpose of maximising your Tier Point earning, it is recommended you focus on the two right hand column (business and first class)

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-y...0/Earn_TPs.png

BA/AY short haul+ routes:
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MAN-HEL on AY code (BE metal)
LHR-DME on S7 code (BA metal). Note: BA code accrues at Club World rates
LGW-SKG and LGW-PFO are seasonal routes

List of BA/other long haul, 6,000 miles and over:
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BA: LGW - MRU
BA: LHR - CPT | EZE | HND | NRT | SIN

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AA: DFW - NRT | ICN
AA: DFW - ICN | NRT
AA: JFK - HND
AA: LAX - PVG
AA: ORD - PVG | NRT

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-q...ns.013.013.jpg
CX: HKG - JFK | LAX | ORD | SFO | YVR | YYZ | JNB

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IB: MAD - EZE | SCL | MVD

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JL: NRT - BOS | CDG | JFK | LHR | ORD
JL: HND - CDG

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LA: SCL - MAD | FRA
LA: SCL - AKL | SYD

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MH: KUL - AMS | CDG | FRA | LHR (from 01 Feb 2013)

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QF: BNE - DFW | LAX
QF: MEL - LAX
QF: SIN - FRA | LHR
QF: SYD - DFW | LAX | JNB | SCL

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-y...20Runs.019.jpg
RJ: AMM - ORD | DTW

Starting your run from Continental Europe
Here are a few popular examples to give you a flavour of what can be achieved at a relatively respectable price. Note, any fare prices shown in this post are indicative and reflect the rates checked at the time of writing. Fares do vary considerably, so check this thread from time to time for prevailing fares/offers/promotions etc

Naturally, to get to the most cost advantageous origin, positioning flights (and most likely, overnight accommodation) is an inevitable factor. Athens is the flavour of the moment for cheap (I class) transatlantic flights in business class. Thanks to the BA/AA Joint Business Venture, it is now possible to construct connections within the United States for very little extra. However, the lowest I class fares usually come with stop over and Saturday night stay restrictions, but it is possible to spread out your itinerary by constructing connections of up to 24 hours, if you prefer a trip that is gentler on the body.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x...20Runs.005.jpg

Note, 210 Tier Points are earned on Club World London City flights between LCY and JFK in lieu of the 140 Tier Points typically earned for the equivalent Club World flights between LHR/LGW and North America.

North American domestic first/business class runs
Central America and the Caribbean have become hot spots for TP earning frenzies out of the United States in recent years. AA's Instant Upgrade fares from the west cost to Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua amongst many other destinations in the region deliver excellent Tier Point yields. So much so, that with a little bit of planning and of course time, it is possible to rack up TPs at an alarming rate.

Planning and booking tips

If you're old school, like me, the first step is to download and immerse oneself in AA's flight schedule: The current timetable is available, here.
Familiarise yourself with AA.com's Multi-City booking tool. Don't leave more than 24 hours between flights
Select city pairs (if possible) in excess of 2,000 miles apart (see diagram below)
Avoid AA codeshare flights on non-oneworld metal. There is no TP credit on these flights
757 - As fantastically racy as these aircraft are, the first class seat requires a health warning. Think very carefully before committing yourself to a 5 hour red-eye 757 flight. Row 1 on the 757 is also worth avoiding.
777 - Yes the big birds do operate on a few domestic routes (eg. MIA-LAX). Like their senior, and more petite 767-200 siblings which ply the JFK-LAX transcon route, seats on these aircraft are sold as business as well as the usual first and economy classes
MCO - As American Airlines' low yield focus city, Orlando is your friend
Schedule changes - AA routinely gives its domestic timetable a jolly good shake (twice a year) so if you've booked your flights with plenty of advanced notice, expect a few changes to happen between now and the date of departure

The following diagram illustrates American Airlines' current domestic city pairs greater than 2,000 miles apart. Note, the forward cabin on flights serving SJU and YYZ are sold as business rather than first class. Anchorage is typically a seasonal route. Routes are subject to change so again downloading the lastest timetable from aa.com is recommended.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--...20Runs.009.jpg

Looking at the example below and having taken a LAS-MIA-SJU excursion myself last year, I enjoying the experience immensely. While not working the system with the same zeal as others and with that failing to join the ranks of the Managua GGLs, the two days R&R spent on the ocean front proved to be a splendidly rewarding by product.

Something to be aware of with premium cabins on flights operated by American Airlines: flights operating entirely within the United States are marketed as first class; those operating outwith the US are marketed as business class.

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I've highlighted the LAS-LAX-MIA-SJU routing not because it is the best earner. There are other routings that yield a greater sum of TPs and invariably at a better price but because this is a such gentle itinerary. The outbound legs can be accomplished in a single day, albeit with an early start. The inbound is even easier and a noon start is possible, a beneficiary of the westerly routing where the changing time zones work in our favour.

Note, the flights between MIA and SJU are sold as business class and thus accrue 40 Tier points. For those planning a trip from the Midwest or East Coast to San Juan, it is worth considering DFW as a connection point, since DFW and SJU are in excess of 2,000 miles apart.

Royal Jordanian deals between the EU and the Far East
While at the time of writing, this option may not represent the best TP earner, RJ flights between Europe and the Far East do still offer amazing value if you are travelling between the UK and HKG or BKK. Discounted fares beating the current price indicated below are often available when RJ's seasonal fare sales are running. Another way of looking at RJ for travel to the Far East is the AMM connection offers an opportunity to accrue double the number of Tier Points you would otherwise earn travelling direct on BA.

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Note: since RJ's AMM-HKG currently operates with a technical stop at BKK, and continues onwards to HKG with the same flight number, the AMM-BKK and BKK-HKG sectors count as one for the purpose of TP accrual.

London Gatwick short haul premium leisure fares
Closer to London, BA's own premium leisure Club Europe fares are not to be sniffed at. Same day hops between Gatwick, Amsterdam, and Jersey are popular by virtue of the absence of Saturday night stay restrictions on many LGW discounted Club Europe fares. AMS sectors typically price out at around £100 per sector (in R class) and at around £90 to/from JER (again in R class)

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Pro-active online upgrades (POUG) and airport upgrades offer additional opportunities to squeeze a few extra Tier Points out of deep discount economy BA tickets.

Irregular operations
Irregular operations come part and parcel with air travel. Expect the best but prepare for the worst. In other words, allow plenty of wriggle room in your travel plans, think twice about short connections at MIA during the hurricane season, or at JFK in winter, or at ORD at any time other than spring and fall, noting Chicago's spring and fall seasons while lasting no more than a week each Mother Nature is inclined to blast Chicagoland with her wrath during these short seasons.

Although AA tend to be very helpful rearranging flights, they do often work on the basis of getting you onto the next available service irrespective of fare class. So, for example, If you face a weather related delay they are particularly unwilling to more than that. However if you look at Expert Flyer or KVS before approaching the Admirals Club agent then you can be proactive in making suggestions. Note, in rebooking AA flights, there is a risk of instant upgrades ending up as business or worse, economy. If the next available flight is sold out in first, AA are often open to requests for a seat on the following flight that has seats available in first class. This may involve joining the stand-by list. Working with Gate Agents or AAdmirals Club staff pays dividends. It pays to check revised booking class(es) with the agent. This is your only opportunity to ensure the flights are rebooked into the same class as your original booking (A and/or P), and your Tier Points post as planned.