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Old Jan 2, 2015, 8:37 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: theultimateflyer
Welcome to the thread — please read the wiki first as it contains lots of information which may answer your question. We keep track of other prices, as well as useful reference information for those planning tier point runs.

This is a community-maintained wiki post. Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below!


Current Promotions of Interest
  • from DUB to US IJN8S4Z1 reported here, e.g. JFK - €1,074, MIA - €1,119, LAS - €1,224, LAX - €1,296, HNL - €1,623, needs to be booked by 2 February, for outbound travel over Easter and summer 2016, see linked post for details
  • from DUB to US ILN8S4Z1 reported here, e.g. JFK - €920, MIA - €958, LAS - €1,048, LAX - €1,110, needs to be booked by 2 February, for outbound travel over November and Christmas & New Year 2016, see linked post for details

  • from DUB to US ILR28AP reported here, e.g. JFK - €1,538, MIA - €1,601, LAS - €1,751, LAX - €1,854, HNL - €1,834, this is an advanced purchase fare so no book by deadline, no stopovers, see linked post for details
  • from DUB to US ILN8S4E1 reported here, e.g. JFK - €1,538, MIA - €1,601, LAS - €1,751, LAX - €1,854, HNL - €1,834, this is an advanced purchase fare so no book by deadline, allows stopovers for €75, see linked post for details

  • from CPH to US ILR21AP reported here, e.g. JFK - £890, MIA - £1,132, ORD - £942, LAX - £1,277, HNL - £1,361, this is an advanced purchase fare so no book by deadline, no stopovers, see linked post for details
  • from CPH to US ILN2S4E1 reported here, JFK - £890, MIA - £1,132, ORD - £942, LAX - £1,277, HNL - £1,361, this is an advanced purchase fare so no book by deadline, allows stopovers for €75, see linked post for details

  • ILN2S4Z1 from OSL to HNL (19.5k/21.5k NOK (£1,520/£1,675) via. LON or via. HEL & LON)
    PERMITTED 23NOV 15 THROUGH 28NOV 15 OR 22DEC 15 THROUGH
    01JAN 16 OR 27MAR 16 THROUGH 31MAR 16 ON THE OUTBOUND
    TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.

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This thread lists attractive tier point (TP) runs under £3 per TP grouped within different (departure) geographies

Please note the following:
  • Current availability is not guaranteed.
  • All prices include taxes.

Please use the following convention when adding tier point runs to this wiki post:

Date fare checked | Price per Tier Point | Total Price | Total Tier Points | Route | Booking Classes | Booking Channel | Credit | Notes (if applicable) | Airlines

Please remember to:
  • Convert currencies to GBP, rounding to the nearest pound.
  • Post full routes and full booking classes.
  • Note any restrictions on booking in the Notes section.
  • List in order of price per tier point within the relevant departure area.

From Europe
17DEC | £0.75/TP | £909 | 1200 | DUB-LHR-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-DUB | I/I/A/A/A/A/I/I | aa.com | perthflyer | BA AA
30JUL | £0.93/TP | £335 | 360 | JER-LGW-SSH-LGW-JER | J/I/I/J | ba.com | dom462 | CE | BA
01 NOV | £0.99/TP | £1343 | 1360 | CPH-HEL-LHR-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-HEL-CPH | I/I/I/A/P/P/A/I/I/I | ITA Matrix | MrMutton
19 AUG | £1.01/TP | £1,375 (1938 EUR) | 1360 | DUB-HEL-LON-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-HEL-DUB | IIIAAAAIII | OttoMH | J/F | AY BA AA
16 AUG | £1.22/TP | £1,675 (21.5k NOK) | 1360 | OSL-HEL-LON-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-HEL-OSL | IIIAAAAIII | OttoMH | J/F | AY BA AA
16 AUG | £1.27/TP | £1,518 (19.5k NOK) | 1200 | OSL-LON-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-OSL | IIAAAAII | OttoMH | J/F | BA AA
14AUG | £1.31/TP | £470 | 360 | OSL-HEL-AGP-HEL-OSL | I-I-I-I | ITA | Flythe96flag | SH J cabin + possible red-eye (!) | AY
04 SEP | £1.31/TP | £1,220 (1681 EUR) | 910 | DME-MAD-JFK-LAX-MIA-MAD-DME | all in I | iberia.com | henkybaby | J | BA AA IB | works till 6/16 so far
23AUG | £1.34/TP | £1148 | 860 | DUB-PHL-PHX-LAS-PHX-JFK-LHR,LCY-DUB | I/P/P/P/P/I/I | ticketed on aa.com | megaloman | AA & BA (UD on 747 JFK-LHR)
17AUG | £1.67/TP | £1408 |840 |BHX-JFK-PHX-LAS & back | I-A-A-A-A-I | aa.com |Swiss Tony | AA ski slope bed on TATL | AA
26JUL | £1.81/TP | £72.70 | 40 | MAD-FRA | Z | lan.com | Prospero | 787 flat bed | LA
23NOV | £1.89/TP | £377 | 200 | DUB-LHR-MAD-SVQ r/t | I-I-I-I-I-I | ITA | Lorcancoyle | IM0B IB DUB to SVQ | BA and IB flights (I2 for domestic under IB code), random dates in December available, A340 on some dates (helpfully pointed out by Temps that domestic Spain is only 20 TPs)
17 AUG | £1.89/TP | £1818 | 960 | OSL-LON-KUL//SIN-SYD/SYD-PER/PER-SYD-SIN/SIN-LHR-OSL | BugAlugs | J | BA QF | INCSALE ended 14thSep - (Applied GUF via TA (moves J to F on BA longhaul and scores 1260 TPS in total)
31 DEC | £1.91/TP | £1220 | 640 | AMS-LHR-MIA-SCL // EZE-JFK-LHR-BCN | J/I/I-I/I/J | AA.com | nufnuf77 (can also return to LHR for £20 less but 40TP less
13NOV | £2.56/TP | £410 | 160 | LHR-HEL | ? | BA.com | Lorcancoyle | wide open as flight+hotel, can reduce with TCB cash back | BA
1JAN | £1.85/TP | £444 | 240 | JER-LGW/LHR-HEL | J/I/I/J | ITA Matrix | flatlander | Available most weekends first half of 2016, fare IM0R
24NOV | £1.91/TP | £765.00 | 400 | BUD-DOH-SHJ | I/A/I/A | QR.com | Wozza2404 | A320 | QR
7DEC | £2.24/TP | £942 | 420 | MAD-MIA-SXM-CLT-JFK-LHR | I/I/I/A/I | ticketed on aa.com | megaloman | other routings possible earning more TPs could have lower the price with added LHR-CDG leg to £865 (£2.06/TP)
22JAN | £2.29/TP | £640 | 280 | FCO-CMB-FCO | I/I | book on SriLankan website | theultimateflyer

From North, Central and South America
31JUL | £0.39/TP | £484 | 1240 | HNL-LAX-BOS-MIA-BAQ-MIA-PHL-LAX-HNL | AAAIIAAA | ITA Matrix | Pawel Siewko | AA
16OCT | £0.55/TP | £298.50 | 540 | JFK-LAX-DEN-LAX-JFK | P-P-P-P | aa.com | Calum | AA A321t F seat between JFK & LAX (FARE GONE)
16JUL | £0.57/TP | £554 | 980 | LAX-LAS-PHX-PHL-CLT-TPA-MIA-PTY-MIA-PHL-PHX-LAS-LAX | PPPPPPIIPPPP | aa.com | Airprox | AA + US
27JUL | £0.80/TP | £15.94 | 20 | VVC-BOG-MDE | A | lan.com | JohnnyColombia | A is economy on LA | LA
08NOV | £0.84/TP | £772.50 | 920 | KOA-LAX-CLT-SJU-CLT-LAX-KOA | AAIIAA | aa.com | Lappe | Same day turnarounds available
30SEP | £0.87/TP | £808.00 | 920 | BOG-MIA-LAX-HNL-LAX-MIA-BOG | I-P-P-P-P-I | aa.com | JohnnyColombia | No comments
20SEP | £1.00/TP | £663.20 | 660 | LGA-BOS-LAX-PHX-LAX-BOS-LGA | P-P-P-P-P-P | americanairlines.co.uk | njf63 | TCON on 737 so not too comfortable but good availability next Mar/Apr
21AUG | £1.05 | £253 | 240 | BOS-PHL-PIT-PHL-BOS | PPPP | aa.com | Simon Schus | AA op by US
02NOV | £1.27/TP | £1250 | 980 | MCO-MIA-LAX-HNL | A | AA | Mr 1A
05AUG | £1.37/TP | £578 | 420 | LAS-PHL-LAS | A/P | aa.com | Lucanesque | First | AA op by US
28JUL | £1.43/TP | £400 | 280 | SCL-IPC-SCL | Z | lan.com - Chilean version | moonman85 | 787 flat bed | LAN
06NOV | £1.67/TP | £66.00 | 40 | JFK-YYZ | Z | tam.com.br | frb98mf | Fifth Freedom flight every Wed/Fri/Sun, 767 flat bed
13NOV | £1.06/TP | £705 | 660 | RIC-CLT-PHL-PHX-PHL-CLT-RIC | A | AA.com | wenzlydale | 2 trips this year - mixture of A320s and B757s not a lot of food offered but all the G&Ts you could wish for
07JAN|£1.24/TP | £668 | 540 | SEA-MIA-ATL-CLT-SEA | P/P/P/P | aa.com | EsherFlyer | 24h transcon bounce. All I could fit in...

From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
18AUG | £1.25/TP | £440.00 | 360 | BKK-KUL-ICN Return | Z | www.malaysiaairlines.com | Wozza2404 | A330 Angle Flat for long haul sectors | MH
12OCT | £1.68/TP | £1,546 | 920 | TLV-MAD-LHR-JFK-LAX-JFK-LHR-MAD-TLV | I/I/I/I/I/I/I | iberia.com | frb98mf | Business (bonus: A330/A340 on the TLV legs!) | IB
24NOV | £1.43/TP | £803 | 560 | CTS-HKG-DPS-HKG-CTS | I/I/I/I | cathaypacific.com | zeltergiset | One 24hr+ stopover in HKG allowed | CX
06JAN | £1.86/TP | £856 | 460 | HND-HKG-DPS-HKG-CTS | I/I/I/I | cathaypacific.com | Gastrocnemius | One 24hr+ stopover in HKG allowed | CX
11JAN | £1.26/TP | £707 | 560 | KTM-KUL-TPE-KUL-KTM | D/D/D/D | malaysiaairlines.com | zeltergiset | MH
11JAN | £1.68/TP | £940 | 560 | TPE-KUL-KTM-KUL-TPE | D/D/D/D | malaysiaairlines.com | zeltergiset | MH

From Africa
11AUG | £0.89/TP | £748 | 840 | ACC-LHR-MIA-LAX-MIA-LHR-ACC | I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I | iberia call centre | njf63 | CW / AA J | IB
15NOV | £2.00/TP | £1200 | 600 | CPT-DOH-JFK-DOH-CPT | I/I/I/I | QR Website | Calum | QR J on the B788/A350 & 46hrs of flying | QR

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Need a year-end TP run (ex-LON) to make / retain status?

Some tips for searching for the year-end TP run for newcomers, the below is indicative only, but hopefully provides a bit of guidance for relatively straightforward runs ex-LON. Prospero's guide to using ITA matrix in post 3 (here along with these ideas, might come in handy. Feel free to share results, problems or general questions in the thread as these may not always work and there might be better deals out there...

For overnight trips remember to check BA and Iberia for their flights and hotel option as well, can get hotel for almost no extra cost at times

Need 80 TPs or less
Club Europe return somewhere close by is best - DUB, AMS and JER usually cheapest. AMS and JER easier than DUB for an immediate turnaround. The BA.com low fare finder can be very useful.

If you need as few as 45 TPs you might consider booking economy flights and hoping for a proactive online upgrade offer - but they're not guaranteed to materialise (so not one if you have no more time left in your TP collection year)

Or a slightly more interesting fun run

Need 85-120 TPs
Iberia flights via MAD to regional Spanish airports will get you 120 TPs as the domestic Spanish flights are 20 TPs in business. Under £300 including hotel can be available. Check BIO, GRX, VLC, BCN, SVQ etc. Example here

Need 125-160 TPs
Take a look at the shorthaul plus routes earning 80 TPs each way in business listed in the first post (here) MLA, IST, HEL and RAK are usually available. If time sensitive take a look at BA flight and hotel option to HEL, where you can usually get the last BA flight out on a Saturday, airport hotel and first return Sunday for well under £500.

Alternative options include positioning to JER and flying JER-LGW-XXX (AMS usually works well and avoids switching airports)

Need more than 160 TPs
You'll most likely be heading north then - OSL or VLL via HEL will get you 240 TPs, as will JER-LGW/LHR-HEL e.g. LHR-HEL-OSL for £520
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2015 Archive (6 months Jan to Jun)
2014 Archive
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Old May 30, 2015, 12:50 pm
  #2566  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Originally Posted by ENTP
LON-MAD-BIO/SVQ/ALC/AGP gets 120 TP each way and can be done for less than £250 - about £220 if you go from LGW. Two of them and you're sorted.
120 return not each way.
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Old May 30, 2015, 1:01 pm
  #2567  
 
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Originally Posted by chris1979
120 return not each way.
You are correct - I meant each run
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Old May 30, 2015, 1:02 pm
  #2568  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
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http://gallery.flyertalk.com/gallery/album334/koa

Apologies, still havent managed to work out how to add pictures so have attached a link

Have been playing with the Hawaii fares and on aa.com manged to find a nice fare for 1,104 GBP
DUB-LHR-EWR-CLT-LAX-KOA (J/I/P/P/P) returning KOA-PHX-BOS-PHL-DUB which I make 1280 TP or 0.86p per TP. I couldnt replicate on ITA and seemed to me like on aa.com lots of creative routings could be made using the multicity tool.

Last edited by englisha; May 30, 2015 at 1:25 pm Reason: problems with adding pic and calc
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Old May 30, 2015, 3:31 pm
  #2569  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: UK
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Posts: 713
ITA matrix help

Hi fellow FTers - can someone please post me a quick reminder of what to put in ITA to explore ex DUB sale fares to LAX or HNL please (preferably AA via LCY-JFK babybus or LHR-BOS)? Only using it every 9 months or so I can never get the routing codes right and it's driving me crackers!!

Thanks in advance for any kind soul willing to share their pearls of wisdom. All the best.
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Old May 30, 2015, 5:05 pm
  #2570  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
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What sort of period are you thinking of?

You do know that the Baybus now only earns 140 TP, so Babybus is probably more hassle than it's worth, and you have the added disadvantage of being routed in I on the AA transcon (a better hard product than the first class routes on BOS-LAX or BOS-PHL, but fewer tier points and if you wanted an easy life you'd just route via DFW or LAX and skip the east coast in the first place!)
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Old May 30, 2015, 5:33 pm
  #2571  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: UK
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Thanks Cymro - yes we could do LHR-BOS-LAX for max TPs, quite like the LCY option as enjoy the service and handy for home vs LHR.

Really just looking for an example ITA matrix search string for either via BOS or NYC so I can play around with searches. I should save a copy of previous searches but I haven't in the past & now can't get the cursed thing to route properly... Clearly a Luddite. Thanks in advance
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Old May 30, 2015, 7:16 pm
  #2572  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
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Originally Posted by DocS
Thanks Cymro - yes we could do LHR-BOS-LAX for max TPs, quite like the LCY option as enjoy the service and handy for home vs LHR.

Really just looking for an example ITA matrix search string for either via BOS or NYC so I can play around with searches. I should save a copy of previous searches but I haven't in the past & now can't get the cursed thing to route properly... Clearly a Luddite. Thanks in advance
Here's a starting point. This search forces the TATL on the Babybus using BA flight codes only, the codeshares are in the Wiki. Obviously change JFK to BOS, LAX to PHX, etc. to change routing options or combine them with commas, e.g.: PHX,LAX to route via either PHX or LAX.

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Old May 30, 2015, 11:40 pm
  #2573  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Posts: 713
Aha! That's really helpful, thanks timezonehopper - I was putting commas instead of spaces between the routing airports. Thank you ^
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Old May 31, 2015, 1:06 am
  #2574  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Hi,
Thanks to everyone on here I'm just putting the finer details together for first ex-EU flight. A quick question though, is there any particular reason to avoid/pick the AA 777 flight from MIA to LHR rather than the BA 747? Travelling in April 2016.
Thanks.
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Old May 31, 2015, 1:12 am
  #2575  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Posts: 1,917
No particular reason, especially on a night flight.
Rows 3 and 4 in the AA 77W mini-cabin are the best on that airframe; then again the UD is a nice experience too. You might want the T5 Arrivals lounge?
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Old May 31, 2015, 1:20 am
  #2576  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 109
Originally Posted by ENTP
You might want the T5 Arrivals lounge?
Good point. That swings it, thanks.
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Old May 31, 2015, 2:42 am
  #2577  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Göteborg Sweden
Programs: SPG GOLD / BA GOLD/Club Carlson Gold/AMEX Plat.
Posts: 1,043
Originally Posted by timezonehopper
Here's a starting point. This search forces the TATL on the Babybus using BA flight codes only, the codeshares are in the Wiki. Obviously change JFK to BOS, LAX to PHX, etc. to change routing options or combine them with commas, e.g.: PHX,LAX to route via either PHX or LAX.

Timezonehopper.. I have tried to follow your example on above but for some example , it's not working for me .. Starting point would be GOT. I've change to the appropriate codes to use GOT.. Any suggestions ?
Thanks
Flyiboy (david)
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Old May 31, 2015, 3:13 am
  #2578  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,917
Could you post a screenshot of what you're doing?
Also, just to check that you aren't searching over Thanksgiving and Xmas when BA1-4 don't run.
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Old May 31, 2015, 4:46 am
  #2579  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Göteborg Sweden
Programs: SPG GOLD / BA GOLD/Club Carlson Gold/AMEX Plat.
Posts: 1,043
Originally Posted by ENTP
Could you post a screenshot of what you're doing?
Also, just to check that you aren't searching over Thanksgiving and Xmas when BA1-4 don't run.
ENTP...thanks..Did not relizaed that babybus did not run durning these times.

Flyiboy
btw..still learning Matrix and screenshots
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Old May 31, 2015, 5:01 am
  #2580  
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Posts: 10,077
What happened to ITA Matrix? Until late Thursday playing with itineraries DUB-HNL late November and from Dec 25. From yesterday "no flights" in November, X-MAS/NE returns flights in the price span 11+K€ to 14+K€.

A massive booking frenzy Friday or ITA hung over?
onobond is online now  


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