Jan 2, 2015, 8:37 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below!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.

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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Jun 5, 2015, 2:23 am

#2716

BerksFlyer

Join Date: Aug 2013

Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Elite

Posts: 1,717

Quote:

Originally Posted by where2travel

A glaring problem with this for some people would be the overnight JFK-LHR in Economy.

^ even selecting an MCE seat wouldn't be enough to put that glaring problem right!

Jun 5, 2015, 2:32 am

#2717

KARFA

Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2012

Location: Leeds, UK

Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond

Posts: 43,349

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethan23

This is my planned trip, anyone see any glaring problems?? Don't see how BA can price it up as over £1100!

I will ring up the silver line again tomorrow

You do realise for around £1k you can get a return in J? To be honest if I was cash limited and could only do J one way I would do it on teh eastbound overnight return flight not the daytime westbound one.

Jun 5, 2015, 2:33 am

#2718

benjyyy

Join Date: Sep 2013

Location: Belfast

Posts: 398

Quote:

Originally Posted by where2travel

A glaring problem with this for some people would be the overnight JFK-LHR in Economy.

Still a good price for what is it...335 TPs?

Jun 5, 2015, 2:34 am

#2719

LondonAndy

Join Date: Mar 2009

Location: London

Programs: BA CCR/GGL, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 3,483

If I'm booked in "First (P)" rather than "First (A)" on the A321 HNL - LAX and LAX - JFK transcon service with AA, will I actually get the 210 TPs in P? Is it only an issue being booked in P rather than A if there are cancellations and you are trying to get rebooked?

Jun 5, 2015, 2:41 am

#2720

mikeyfly

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2014

Location: UK

Programs: BA Gold

Posts: 12,387

I have the same - schedule changes meant I had to call and change flights - the LAX-HNL is now P class - Tier Points remain the same in MMB so I assume it's fine?

Jun 5, 2015, 2:44 am

#2721

KARFA

Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2012

Location: Leeds, UK

Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond

Posts: 43,349

Quote:

Originally Posted by LondonAndy

No issue getting 210 TPs. I suspect you are in P since there is no A class availability on that US/AA flight. Under the BA IL28SALE fare it only looks for A class, so if A is A0 or AC then that's it the flight isn't available on the IL28SALE. However, I believe the eqiuvalent US and AA IL28SALE fares also use P class as well as A, so I suspect if you look at the bottom of the fare quote screen on itamatrix it will say "US IL28SALE" or "AA IL28SALE" instead of "BA IL28SALE".

You can combine these different carrier equivalent sales so you may get US IL28SALE for the outbound and BA IL28SALE for the inbound. BA should have no problem booking if you call - I booked an AA & BA combination last week.

These are not KUP or YUP type fares btw so from that persepctive they should be no different to A class when dealing with any rebookings. Typically with BA once something is cancelled they will rebook on a resonable alternative and won't restrict you to flights where only say P or A class is available.

Jun 5, 2015, 3:35 am

#2722

Markie

Moderator: Hyatt Gold Passport & Star Alliance

Join Date: May 1998

Location: London, UK

Programs: UA-1K 3MM/HY- LT Globalist/BA-GGLfL

Posts: 12,147

Just had a schedule change for August which meant a one minute mis-connect at JFK to ZRH.
For the first time the agent, after being on hold for over an hour with AA, realised that the LAX-JFK was a three class plane and so tried to stick me in Business.
I took the option of keeping the LAX-PHX-JFK routing and switching to JFK-LHR rather than JFK-ZRH-LCY which I had hoped for in order to experience the new 763 seating. Only lost 40 Tier Points, so not as bad as it might have been.

Jun 5, 2015, 3:40 am

#2723

orbitmic

FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club

Join Date: Jun 2008

Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high

Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc

Posts: 30,714

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markie

For the first time the agent, after being on hold for over an hour with AA, realised that the LAX-JFK was a three class plane and so tried to stick me in Business.

Unfortunately I think that is technically correct. They are supposed to rebook according to the original ticket fare rules or as close to them as possible, and if the original booking had included JFK-LAX that would have been booked in I.

Jun 5, 2015, 3:49 am

#2724

Markie

Moderator: Hyatt Gold Passport & Star Alliance

Join Date: May 1998

Location: London, UK

Programs: UA-1K 3MM/HY- LT Globalist/BA-GGLfL

Posts: 12,147

Quote:

Originally Posted by orbitmic

Totally agree - they should have done that! (The loss of TP's would have been significant - I went from 60+210+140+40 (450) to 60+210+140 (410) where as they wanted 140+140+40 (320).
Plus the 777W is great and my favourite seat is empty.

Jun 5, 2015, 3:53 am

#2725

gcuk

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: near Heathrow

Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL (OWE), SA LifePlat (*G), BD Gold to the end, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 2,921

The agents do seem to be getting better at picking up on the 3 class reroutes. I previously had a very enjoyable trip on the transcon 321 in F due to a reroute but on an upcoming MIA-LAX, where the 737 became a 777, I've been bumped down to J on the 777, having initially been put in F. I called and was told it was because of the original ticket rules and having checked, the rules do include a long list of flight numbers that the ticket won't be valid on and these include all the 321 transcons and 777 MIA-LAX flights. As it turns out, another schedule change has me back in F on an internationally configured 757.
It seems future reroutes in F rather than J on a 3 class will be good fortune but it was good while it lasted if that is the case.

Jun 5, 2015, 3:56 am

#2726

ethan23

Join Date: May 2013

Location: England

Programs: BA Bronze

Posts: 143

Quote:

Originally Posted by KARFA

This may be an ITA quirk but doing it the other way round actually came up a lot more expensive!!

Anyway I need an economy flight to keep me grounded otherwise I would expect at least busines every time

Quote:

Originally Posted by benjyyy

Still a good price for what is it...335 TPs?

Its not too bad and it gets me a few extra TPs on the way to BOS!

-

I will try phoning again and see if I can book at this price!

Jun 5, 2015, 3:58 am

#2727

KARFA

Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2012

Location: Leeds, UK

Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond

Posts: 43,349

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markie

Plus the 777W is great and my favourite seat is empty.

Sightly O/T, but what is your favourite seat? Am on the AA 77W next Easter and currently in 3A in the mini-cabin. It's a daytime flight and I won't be sleeping.

Jun 5, 2015, 4:10 am

#2728

JamieABZ

Join Date: Dec 2013

Location: Aberdeen

Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold

Posts: 751

You just beat me to it KARFA, I was about to ask the same - I've got 3 flights coming up and booked 3 and 4 J on all of them.

Jun 5, 2015, 4:21 am

#2729

benjyyy

Join Date: Sep 2013

Location: Belfast

Posts: 398

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethan23

Its not too bad and it gets me a few extra TPs on the way to BOS!

-

I will try phoning again and see if I can book at this price!

The reason you cant price it the other way around is due to the fare combinations. The fare basis on the JFK-LHR segment is really cheap. I can see fares for around £550 with 1 stop on the outbound in PHL going to MIA, BOS or EWR and direct from JFK to LHR on the way back.

Good price because flying a R/T from DUB all in Y would be around £400-£450 anyway

Jun 5, 2015, 4:26 am

#2730

Blueboys999

Join Date: Jan 2005

Programs: BA Gold, AA Lifetime Gold 1.8mm, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold et al

Posts: 4,350

Quote:

Originally Posted by KARFA

Sightly O/T, but what is your favourite seat? Am on the AA 77W next Easter and currently in 3A in the mini-cabin. It's a daytime flight and I won't be sleeping.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieABZ

You just beat me to it KARFA, I was about to ask the same - I've got 3 flights coming up and booked 3 and 4 J on all of them.

For a single traveller 3A/J are my favourites although nothing at all wrong with 4A/J (where you're closest to the inflight snacks!). For a couple the 2 middle pairs are great.