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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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below!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 Dec 25, 2015, 1:53 pm
  #6691  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: E14
Programs: BA GGL, Marriott, IHG, Sirius, Dusit, Thai, Virgin, Hyatt, BAA, AS, AA(both)
Posts: 1,244
Originally Posted by chris1979
all, need some support with some creative thinking.

likely to be in MIA next summer in July. and would like to be in LAS and SFO for a bit afterwards.

now, direct flights are clearly very inefficient (expensive and low TPs). so I was thinking of 'hopping' across to e.g. PTY in Y and then doing PTY MIA X X LAS/SFO. the latter part works well but MIA PTY in Y is something like GBP 422 which is ridiculous.

I did look at MIA - LAX in Y (ouch though can do 777 to DFW and 767 from there so cutting up the journey and a bit more space) for something like GBP 250 and then do LAX - PTY and then PTY - LAS / SFO (though any non TP runner would think that's more than a bit crazy given I am already in the 'hood once in LAX).

So, thoughts please? how do I get from MIA to LAS or SFO in a) comfort and b) maximise TPs? are there any other ways of getting to PTY as a starting point that I should think of? or any other routing etc etc etc?

tada and Merry Christmas!
Fly to Las something like
Dub lhr iad lax las return
Las lax Clt mco Mia sju return

And then just book redemptions back to from Mia from Sju ?
E14 26C is online now  
Old Dec 26, 2015, 2:39 am
  #6692  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: London
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Posts: 7,549
Originally Posted by E14 26C
Fly to Las something like
Dub lhr iad lax las return
Las lax Clt mco Mia sju return

And then just book redemptions back to from Mia from Sju ?
as said, I'll have to travel LHR - MIA on a separate ticket.

but I'll have a look at SJU rather than PTY though think PTY is still the winner for to/from Westcoast.
chris1979 is offline  
Old Dec 26, 2015, 2:03 pm
  #6693  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,788
Are the inbound and outbound aircraft from LAX-HNL-LAX the same for short turnarounds?
Looking at a SJU-MIA-LAX-HNL and back run and I can land in HNL at 8:44pm and depart at 10:15pm.
xenole is offline  
Old Dec 26, 2015, 4:03 pm
  #6694  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
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Posts: 1,916
Originally Posted by xenole
Are the inbound and outbound aircraft from LAX-HNL-LAX the same for short turnarounds?
Looking at a SJU-MIA-LAX-HNL and back run and I can land in HNL at 8:44pm and depart at 10:15pm.
Successive flight numbers, same aircraft types and same origin/destination should be a giveaway.
ENTP is offline  
Old Dec 26, 2015, 4:41 pm
  #6695  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
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Posts: 45
Hey Everyone,

I have been following this forum for a while and taken advantage of some of the posts but never actively participated. I found a decent (not spectacular) run and figured I'd share - complete newb here so please take it easy on me

BA/CX OSL-LHR-HKG-DPS-HKG-LHR-OSL all in I. 640TP for £1215. I see the fare available throughout 2016, stopovers allowed for 5000 NOK.

https://www.google.co.uk/flights/#se...016-06-06;sc=b

I am sure some wizards here can optimize this much more. ^^
tr2286 is offline  
Old Dec 27, 2015, 1:04 am
  #6696  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Brussels
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 218
830 TP, 1300€

Day1: DUB-LCY-JFK
Day2: JFK-MIA-LAX
Day3: LAX-SFO-JFK-LHR
Day4: LHR-DUB
fly_ebos is offline  
Old Dec 27, 2015, 1:28 am
  #6697  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 241
Is anyone aware of good TP run options to/from either DME or CAI at the moment? Need to go to both in the next 2-3 months (based in London but can position and / or go somewhere far flung if needed!)
loungesnob is offline  
Old Dec 27, 2015, 3:47 am
  #6698  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
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Posts: 10,076
Originally Posted by ENTP

Originally Posted by xenole
Are the inbound and outbound aircraft from LAX-HNL-LAX the same for short turnarounds?
Looking at a SJU-MIA-LAX-HNL and back run and I can land in HNL at 8:44pm and depart at 10:15pm.
Successive flight numbers, same aircraft types and same origin/destination should be a giveaway.
Although unlikely to bring checked luggage for a B2B return SJU---HNL--SJU, anyone else doing the same with anything in hold, beware of risk for queues at x-ray check before re-checking bags. Last time in HNL I had a family of seven ahead of me, t-w-e-n-t-y-t-h-r-e-e bags took time to load, re-load when two opened up inside x-ray, and finally remove from area to allow other pax to get their bags
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Old Dec 27, 2015, 4:22 am
  #6699  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 175
Originally Posted by loungesnob
Is anyone aware of good TP run options to/from either DME or CAI at the moment? Need to go to both in the next 2-3 months (based in London but can position and / or go somewhere far flung if needed!)
From DME, there is a CX fare to East Asia that can net you between 640 TPs and 840 TPs. The fare code is IRTRU and allows

UNLIMITED FREE STOPOVERS PERMITTED ON THE PRICING UNIT IN
HKG/TPE/BKK.
AND - 1 FREE STOPOVER PERMITTED ON THE PRICING UNIT IN
CNS/ADL.
AND - 1 FREE STOPOVER PERMITTED ON THE PRICING UNIT
IN AMS/FRA INBOUND
IN PAR/MIL INBOUND
IN ROM/LON INBOUND
IN ZRH/DUS INBOUND.
For example: DME-LHR-HKG-CTS 840 TPs for £1,139 (£1.36/TP)

DME-LHR-HKG-TPE-ICN 720 TPs for £1,144 (£1.59/TP)

DME-LHR-HKG-HAN 640 TPs for £1,056 (£1.65/TP)


If you start from LED, you can add an extra 80 TPs for the two LED-DME legs.

From CAI, I think CAI-DOH-BKK on QR for around £650 is a comfortable TP run, 360 TPs for £650 and you get to try the First Class lounge in Doha.
nkvuong is offline  
Old Dec 27, 2015, 5:04 am
  #6700  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 241
Many thanks!
loungesnob is offline  
Old Dec 27, 2015, 2:06 pm
  #6701  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: near Heathrow
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Posts: 2,916
For anyone intending to use the AA Lounge at SJU during TP runs, it's confirmed over on the AA board that the lounge will close permanently on 30 December.
gcuk is offline  
Old Dec 27, 2015, 2:34 pm
  #6702  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,788
Originally Posted by gcuk
For anyone intending to use the AA Lounge at SJU during TP runs, it's confirmed over on the AA board that the lounge will close permanently on 30 December.
Whilst not anything special, at least it opens early and is somewhere to leave luggage and charge devices. Going to have to pay one last visit in November and see if I can get a look at the upstairs as I've never seen that part open.
Will have to stick to Margueritaville or El Meson now. Or possibly Subway for breakfast as they open fairly early.
xenole is offline  
Old Dec 27, 2015, 2:44 pm
  #6703  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
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Why is it closing?
Calchas is offline  
Old Dec 27, 2015, 2:48 pm
  #6704  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Betwixt SEA and LHR
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, AS Gold MVP, IC RA, IHG Spire Elite, HH Diamond, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 1,354
Originally Posted by fly_ebos
830 TP, 1300€

Day1: DUB-LCY-JFK
Day2: JFK-MIA-LAX
Day3: LAX-SFO-JFK-LHR
Day4: LHR-DUB
I make that 760 TPs.
opalfruit is offline  
Old Dec 27, 2015, 2:53 pm
  #6705  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Thatcham, UK
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 470
Also considering a Mia based tpr in a few weeks time, I have a LHR-MIA-GRU return, that I could delay the MIA-LHR on a few days, so could do a MIA-somewhere and back before getting my MIA-LHR leg.

Where should I be looking? MIA-SFO return? MIA-LAX return?
CocoPops is offline  


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