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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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below!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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Old Nov 20, 2015, 1:55 am
  #6031  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
Originally Posted by wytco0
I will be hand luggage only, so happy to rush across T5, its security that worries me as is seems rather chaotic and unpredictable.
Especially as you go through the premium channel but then it often feeds into the general queue (I've never understood that). Also why is there only 1 male security attendant. As soon as the buzzer gets set off, that then holds up the rest of the queue. Surely for 'premium' more than 1 person of each sex could be on hand. Rant over.
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Old Nov 20, 2015, 1:21 pm
  #6032  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
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not taking part of an EX EU flight

Quick question about ex EU flights
I have a job coming up in LA in April next year and to keep costs down, take business seats and have a decent tier points I am looking at DUB-LHR-LAX-LHR-DUB all on BA metal
So the question is when I return and I check in at LAX can I opt to check luggage only to LHR and then not take the LHR-DUB flight A. is that possible on the ticket B. would the Tier points remain 40-140-140 as its J-I-I (J not taken)
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Old Nov 20, 2015, 1:31 pm
  #6033  
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Originally Posted by Infocustv
Quick question about ex EU flights
I have a job coming up in LA in April next year and to keep costs down, take business seats and have a decent tier points I am looking at DUB-LHR-LAX-LHR-DUB all on BA metal
So the question is when I return and I check in at LAX can I opt to check luggage only to LHR and then not take the LHR-DUB flight A. is that possible on the ticket B. would the Tier points remain 40-140-140 as its J-I-I (J not taken)
Congratulations on your new job.

You should ensure you have a change of airports such as LAX-LHR//LGW-DUB or LAX-LHR//LCY-DUB. This will ensure your bags are only tagged to LHR.
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Old Nov 20, 2015, 1:49 pm
  #6034  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
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I'm no longer in pursuit of BA TPs, but in messing around with the MRU-SEA fare mentioned in the premium fare thread it occurred this might be of interest to you here if not previously mentioned.
Fare rules seem to permit MRU-LGW/LHR-JFK-LAX/SFO-SEA which would yield 880 TPs for the return. It's $2200 so GBP1.4 range.
It allows two stopovers as well, so seems like a convenient deal for UK based folks to get a winter and summer holiday out of it...
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Old Nov 20, 2015, 3:49 pm
  #6035  
 
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Originally Posted by Calchas
You should ensure you have a change of airports such as LAX-LHR//LGW-DUB or LAX-LHR//LCY-DUB. This will ensure your bags are only tagged to LHR.
How can I get ITA Matrix to search and purposely get an airport change on the return route?
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Old Nov 20, 2015, 3:58 pm
  #6036  
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Originally Posted by Infocustv
How can I get ITA Matrix to search and purposely get an airport change on the return route?
Use the multicity feature, or the wider LON rather than LHR/LGW in the return search.
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Old Nov 20, 2015, 6:31 pm
  #6037  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
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I have just spent several hours attempting to find a creative way to get from any UK airport to Hong Kong (I need to arrive there on or before Wednesday 25th November and not leave before 6pm on 30th November). I need 690 Tier Points to retain gold.....

Its a heck of a pain this as there are no obvious elongated routes to make my way there on business without incurring daft cost. I found a fairly decent £1200 return in business from DME (Moscow) and thought I could use Avios to get to DME and back again either side of the trip, but even that only earns 560 points and there is nothing more frustrating than being caught 130 TP short of retaining gold....

Any thoughts welcome. I don't mind flying somewhere else in order to start my journey there if it makes sense to do so. Any thoughts, input or advice for creative ways to get from the UK to Hong Kong on TP earning airlines would be hugely appreciated
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Old Nov 20, 2015, 6:48 pm
  #6038  
 
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Using an AY ex-EU fare might get you closer... but I can't squeeze out 690.

LIS-LHR(40)-HEL(80)-BKK(140)-HKG(40) and vv gets 600 RT right?

I see LIS-HKG for US$2400 on AY around those dates...

Originally Posted by BA Baby
I have just spent several hours attempting to find a creative way to get from any UK airport to Hong Kong (I need to arrive there on or before Wednesday 25th November and not leave before 6pm on 30th November). I need 690 Tier Points to retain gold.....

Its a heck of a pain this as there are no obvious elongated routes to make my way there on business without incurring daft cost. I found a fairly decent £1200 return in business from DME (Moscow) and thought I could use Avios to get to DME and back again either side of the trip, but even that only earns 560 points and there is nothing more frustrating than being caught 130 TP short of retaining gold....

Any thoughts welcome. I don't mind flying somewhere else in order to start my journey there if it makes sense to do so. Any thoughts, input or advice for creative ways to get from the UK to Hong Kong on TP earning airlines would be hugely appreciated
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Old Nov 21, 2015, 2:05 am
  #6039  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
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Originally Posted by BA Baby
I have just spent several hours attempting to find a creative way to get from any UK airport to Hong Kong (I need to arrive there on or before Wednesday 25th November and not leave before 6pm on 30th November). I need 690 Tier Points to retain gold.....

Its a heck of a pain this as there are no obvious elongated routes to make my way there on business without incurring daft cost. I found a fairly decent £1200 return in business from DME (Moscow) and thought I could use Avios to get to DME and back again either side of the trip, but even that only earns 560 points and there is nothing more frustrating than being caught 130 TP short of retaining gold....

Any thoughts welcome. I don't mind flying somewhere else in order to start my journey there if it makes sense to do so. Any thoughts, input or advice for creative ways to get from the UK to Hong Kong on TP earning airlines would be hugely appreciated
A slightly mad, why take one flight when you can take 4, option:

LON-AMS on BA
+ AMS-KUL-TPE on MH
+ TPE-HKG on CX

And back, all J. I think that is 80 + 600 + 80 = 760 TPs. The AMS-KUL-TPE return bit can be had for about £2,000. CX will probably charge you through the nose for the TPE-HKG bit, so may not be cost effective in practice. You have some room for Y legs if necessary though.
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Old Nov 21, 2015, 4:36 am
  #6040  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 333
Originally Posted by zeltergiset
A slightly mad, why take one flight when you can take 4, option:

LON-AMS on BA
+ AMS-KUL-TPE on MH
+ TPE-HKG on CX

And back, all J. I think that is 80 + 600 + 80 = 760 TPs. The AMS-KUL-TPE return bit can be had for about £2,000. CX will probably charge you through the nose for the TPE-HKG bit, so may not be cost effective in practice. You have some room for Y legs if necessary though.
The problem is that without AP these short hops in Europe in J on BA are outrageously expensive. But if one bites the bullet and accepts positioning to Europe in J on BA, then this is a better deal than suggested above. Edit: it was pointed out further in the thread that the AMM-BKK-HKG is the same flight number, so it will not bring 640 TPs as I originally assumed, just 560.



Assuming positioning is using Avios, that's another possible option:



If you add the cost of positioning to the first option, you get the price of second one, pretty much. Note that RJ trip will leave you only 50 TPs short, so you might get away with doing mixed-class positioning to save a few quid.

Last edited by SadKingBilly; Nov 21, 2015 at 5:12 am Reason: Incorrect TPs assumed/specified.
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Old Nov 21, 2015, 4:47 am
  #6041  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 333
This might be of the general interest as well, this RJ fare allowing routing CDG-AMM-BKK-HKG if booked in D class (fare code DLEEFR/DHEEFR) seems to be pretty widely available and comes in at GBP 1157 AI for 600 TPs.

Edit: Calchas helpfully pointed out that AMM-BKK-HKG has the same flight number, so the whole itinerary is just 560 TPs (which kind of ruins the whole point of flying the extra segment).

Last edited by SadKingBilly; Nov 21, 2015 at 5:11 am
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Old Nov 21, 2015, 5:00 am
  #6042  
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Originally Posted by SadKingBilly
This might be of the general interest as well, this RJ fare allowing routing CDG-AMM-BKK-HKG if booked in D class (fare code DLEEFR/DHEEFR) seems to be pretty widely available and comes in at GBP 1157 AI for 600 TPs.
I make it 140+140 twice or 560 points
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Old Nov 21, 2015, 5:05 am
  #6043  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 333
Originally Posted by Calchas
I make it 140+140 twice or 560 points
Did you count the BKK-HKG segment?

Looks like I miscounted too, it should be (140+140+40)*2=640.
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Old Nov 21, 2015, 5:07 am
  #6044  
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Originally Posted by SadKingBilly
Did you count the BKK-HKG segment?

Looks like I miscounted too, it should be (140+140+40)*2=640.
No, because it has the same flight number
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Old Nov 21, 2015, 5:08 am
  #6045  
 
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Originally Posted by SadKingBilly
Did you count the BKK-HKG segment?

Looks like I miscounted too, it should be (140+140+40)*2=640.
Only get credit for AMM-HKG so 560 is correct. Same flight no. routes AMM-BKK-HKG
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