Jan 2, 2017, 6:09 pm
Last edit by: EsherFlyer
** AA Domestic First on two cabin will earn business TPs and avios for departures on or after 11 January 2017 - see reference posts for more details **
** Note that the practice of AA Domestic 3-class service flights booking into A for 210 TPs when I was no longer available ceased in September 2017. Discussion here. **
Welcome to the thread. This is a continuation of the highly popular 2016 Tier Point thread. We keep track of other prices, as well as useful reference information for those planning tier point runs.
Please read the first few posts in this thread first as it contains lots of information which may answer your question.
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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below!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
Sale Fares
Advanced Promotion Fares
See here in post # 8 for a 2017 archive of exEU sale fare, and see here in post # 445 for a 2016 archive of exEU sale fares.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This thread lists attractive tier point (TP) runs under £3 per TP grouped within different (departure) geographies
Please note that current availability is not guaranteed and 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:
Please see the links at the bottom of the wiki for archives of runs from previous years.
From Europe
24APR £0.90/TP £400 440 TLL-BA/AY-HEL-LON-GLA-KOI-ABZ ; TLL-BA/AY-HEL-LON-GLA-SDZ-ABZ (see post #1221)
02NOV £1.33/TP £583 440 LHR-HEL-TLL/TLL-HEL-LHR-NCL//NCL-LHR-HEL-TLL/TLL-HEL-LHR IIIIIIIIII Google Flights armouredant 2 nested tickets, both other a Saturday night. BA ticket, BA & AY metal, AY A350 possible LHR-HEL
08FEB £1.33/TP £346 260 JER-LGW-RAK-LGW-RAK I/I/I/I BA.com ramops
14AUG £1.65/TP £593 360 OSL-HEL-AGP-HEL-OSL I-I-I-I ITA Flythe96flag SH J cabin + possible red-eye (!) AY
26JUL £1.81/TP £72.70 40 MAD-FRA Z lan.com Prospero 787 flat bed LA
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
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)
24NOV £1.91/TP £765.00 400 BUD-DOH-SHJ I/A/I/A QR.com Wozza2404 A320 QR
11AUG £2.10/TP £420 200 AMS-LHR-GLA-LSI-ABZ-LSI-GLA-LHR-AMS I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I ITA Matrix --> Priceline.com MrMutton
13NOV £2.56/TP £410 160 LHR-HEL ? BA.com Lorcancoyle wide open as flight+hotel, can reduce with TCB cash back BA
From North, Central and South America
26Jan £1.50/TP £960 640 LGA-CMH-DCA-PHL-RDU-CLT-ATL-MIA-PTY and return I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I ITA Matrix--> BookWithMatrix dot com --> AA.com HPN-HRL other routings available; reverse routing is £40 more - see post 388 AA
10MAY £2.50/TP £203 80 ORF-CLT-ORD I/I AA.com
21MAY £2.08/TP £250 120 YYZ-PHL/LGA-CLT-ORF/PHF I/I/I AA.com
22NOV £1.43/TP £172 120 DCA-(LGA/BOS/PHL)-CLT-RDU (one way, reverse works as well) I/I/I ITA->BWM->priceline.com
From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
23Feb £0.99/TP £356 360 TPE-xKUL-PEN(JHB)-xKUL-TPE Z http://www.malaysiaairlines.com ermen two day min stay, promo fare MH
04JAN £1.10/TP £44 40 KUL-PEN D http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/uk/en.html fitch Works in both directions, rtn £80 if you can make the timnings work MH
11Nov £0.85/TP £307 360 TPE-KUL-SIN-KUL-TPE Z http://www.malaysiaairlines.com neofung
From Africa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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. The guide to using ITA matrix in post #4 (see 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 fewer
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). Alternatively, booking a return to one of the 40 tier point destinations with one way in CE and the return in ET (or vice versa if cheaper). Bilbao, Jersey and Amsterdam seems the most cost effective for this.
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 VNO via HEL will get you 240 TPs, as will JER-LGW/LHR-HEL e.g. LHR-HEL-OSL for £520. Also the BA fare for LHR-HEL-TLL at ~£235 is still available and would get 200 TPs for a return.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historic information
2016 Archive
2015 Archive (6 months Jul to Dec)
2015 Archive (6 months Jan to Jun)
2014 Archive
.
** Note that the practice of AA Domestic 3-class service flights booking into A for 210 TPs when I was no longer available ceased in September 2017. Discussion here. **
Welcome to the thread. This is a continuation of the highly popular 2016 Tier Point thread. We keep track of other prices, as well as useful reference information for those planning tier point runs.
Please read the first few posts in this thread first as it contains lots of information which may answer your question.
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
Sale Fares
- from AMS/RTM to US ILN4T7S6/INX6T7S6 reported in this post and this post, e.g. NYC - €1,461, ORD - €1,492, LAS - €1,460, needs to be booked by 25 September, see linked post for details
- from PRG to US ILN4T8S6 reported in this post, e.g. IAD - £1,033, MIA - £1,133, ATL - £1,080, needs to be booked by 21 September, see linked post for details
Advanced Promotion Fares
- from DUB to US ILN8C1S6 reported here, e.g. NYC - €1,472, MIA - €1,578, see linked post for details
- froM DUB to US ILN8S4C1 reported here, e.g. JFK - €1,427, MIA - €1,532, LAS - €1,667, LAX - €1,795, HNL - €2,095, this is an advanced purchase fare so no book by deadline, see linked post for details
- from OTP to PHX ILN8R4C1 reported here, e.g. PHX - £1,252, see linked post for details
- from AMS to BKK INCEU60 reported here, e.g. BKK - £1,216, see linked post for details
See here in post # 8 for a 2017 archive of exEU sale fare, and see here in post # 445 for a 2016 archive of exEU sale fares.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This thread lists attractive tier point (TP) runs under £3 per TP grouped within different (departure) geographies
Please note that current availability is not guaranteed and 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.
Please see the links at the bottom of the wiki for archives of runs from previous years.
From Europe
24APR £0.90/TP £400 440 TLL-BA/AY-HEL-LON-GLA-KOI-ABZ ; TLL-BA/AY-HEL-LON-GLA-SDZ-ABZ (see post #1221)
02NOV £1.33/TP £583 440 LHR-HEL-TLL/TLL-HEL-LHR-NCL//NCL-LHR-HEL-TLL/TLL-HEL-LHR IIIIIIIIII Google Flights armouredant 2 nested tickets, both other a Saturday night. BA ticket, BA & AY metal, AY A350 possible LHR-HEL
08FEB £1.33/TP £346 260 JER-LGW-RAK-LGW-RAK I/I/I/I BA.com ramops
14AUG £1.65/TP £593 360 OSL-HEL-AGP-HEL-OSL I-I-I-I ITA Flythe96flag SH J cabin + possible red-eye (!) AY
26JUL £1.81/TP £72.70 40 MAD-FRA Z lan.com Prospero 787 flat bed LA
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
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)
24NOV £1.91/TP £765.00 400 BUD-DOH-SHJ I/A/I/A QR.com Wozza2404 A320 QR
11AUG £2.10/TP £420 200 AMS-LHR-GLA-LSI-ABZ-LSI-GLA-LHR-AMS I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I ITA Matrix --> Priceline.com MrMutton
13NOV £2.56/TP £410 160 LHR-HEL ? BA.com Lorcancoyle wide open as flight+hotel, can reduce with TCB cash back BA
From North, Central and South America
26Jan £1.50/TP £960 640 LGA-CMH-DCA-PHL-RDU-CLT-ATL-MIA-PTY and return I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I ITA Matrix--> BookWithMatrix dot com --> AA.com HPN-HRL other routings available; reverse routing is £40 more - see post 388 AA
10MAY £2.50/TP £203 80 ORF-CLT-ORD I/I AA.com
21MAY £2.08/TP £250 120 YYZ-PHL/LGA-CLT-ORF/PHF I/I/I AA.com
22NOV £1.43/TP £172 120 DCA-(LGA/BOS/PHL)-CLT-RDU (one way, reverse works as well) I/I/I ITA->BWM->priceline.com
From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
23Feb £0.99/TP £356 360 TPE-xKUL-PEN(JHB)-xKUL-TPE Z http://www.malaysiaairlines.com ermen two day min stay, promo fare MH
04JAN £1.10/TP £44 40 KUL-PEN D http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/uk/en.html fitch Works in both directions, rtn £80 if you can make the timnings work MH
11Nov £0.85/TP £307 360 TPE-KUL-SIN-KUL-TPE Z http://www.malaysiaairlines.com neofung
From Africa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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. The guide to using ITA matrix in post #4 (see 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 fewer
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). Alternatively, booking a return to one of the 40 tier point destinations with one way in CE and the return in ET (or vice versa if cheaper). Bilbao, Jersey and Amsterdam seems the most cost effective for this.
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 VNO via HEL will get you 240 TPs, as will JER-LGW/LHR-HEL e.g. LHR-HEL-OSL for £520. Also the BA fare for LHR-HEL-TLL at ~£235 is still available and would get 200 TPs for a return.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historic information
2016 Archive
2015 Archive (6 months Jul to Dec)
2015 Archive (6 months Jan to Jun)
2014 Archive
.
BA Tier Point Runs | 2017 master thread
Jun 15, 2017, 1:17 am
#2191
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Could probably squeeze another 2 sectors in here to up it to 16, but I've not got time to do it at present.
Jun 15, 2017, 2:28 am
#2192
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: London
Programs: Newbie BA Gold
Posts: 570
Thanks! A couple more questions regarding DUB-LHR-JFK-LAS-JFK-LHR-DUB please....looking at thur-tuesday in the first half of august.
1) I'm considering upgrading LHR-JFK from CW to First. Do I use the "Book with Avios" to check if there is an outright reward booking available? There's quite a few showing as free, how would I go do the upgrade itself? Book the tix first then call them up?
2) How many avios is the upgrade?
3) Curious as to why there's so much availability? Flying to/from HK as well in summer and there's hardly anything. Am I looking in the right place?
4) Keen to try the babybus on return as the early arrival means I can go straight to work. So I just route the last bit as JFK-LCY//LHR-DUB? I guess I could be 'late' for the last leg...?
thanks!
1) I'm considering upgrading LHR-JFK from CW to First. Do I use the "Book with Avios" to check if there is an outright reward booking available? There's quite a few showing as free, how would I go do the upgrade itself? Book the tix first then call them up?
2) How many avios is the upgrade?
3) Curious as to why there's so much availability? Flying to/from HK as well in summer and there's hardly anything. Am I looking in the right place?
4) Keen to try the babybus on return as the early arrival means I can go straight to work. So I just route the last bit as JFK-LCY//LHR-DUB? I guess I could be 'late' for the last leg...?
thanks!
Jun 15, 2017, 2:33 am
#2193
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
2) How many avios is the upgrade?
Jun 15, 2017, 2:48 am
#2194
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
To build on the LAX-PTY run above, you can indeed stretch it to 16 sectors, for those inclined.
£786 - 840 TPs - £0.94/TP
Matrix routing codes:
Depart: LAX
Codes: AA1101 AA453 AA2026 AA4906,AA1653 AA657 AA2005 AA1061 AA959 /maxconnect 1000
11/10/2017
Arrive: PTY
Codes: AA960 AA1061 AA727 AA765 AA4737,AA782 AA2022 AA1888 AA2384 /maxconnect 1000
18/10/2017
Plenty of other dates and routing combos available.
Fare code: INX2DSN1
Prices up perfectly on AA.com
Note: fare rules state "PERMITTED MON THROUGH THU FROM THE GATEWAY." so this may restrict things a little.
£786 - 840 TPs - £0.94/TP
Matrix routing codes:
Depart: LAX
Codes: AA1101 AA453 AA2026 AA4906,AA1653 AA657 AA2005 AA1061 AA959 /maxconnect 1000
11/10/2017
Arrive: PTY
Codes: AA960 AA1061 AA727 AA765 AA4737,AA782 AA2022 AA1888 AA2384 /maxconnect 1000
18/10/2017
Plenty of other dates and routing combos available.
Fare code: INX2DSN1
Prices up perfectly on AA.com
Note: fare rules state "PERMITTED MON THROUGH THU FROM THE GATEWAY." so this may restrict things a little.
Jun 15, 2017, 2:49 am
#2195
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Taif, KSA
Programs: BA GGL, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,909
Jun 15, 2017, 2:49 am
#2196
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: London
Programs: Newbie BA Gold
Posts: 570
Just do a dummy one way reward booking for LHR-JFK in F and see if there are F reward seats showing for your flight. If there are you will have to call to do the UuA - you can't do it online.
The UuA avios cost is the difference in what a CW reward seats would cost and what a F reward seat would cost. For this route it is 18k off-peak and 20k peak.
The UuA avios cost is the difference in what a CW reward seats would cost and what a F reward seat would cost. For this route it is 18k off-peak and 20k peak.
Sorry I haven't done a UuA before!
Jun 15, 2017, 2:50 am
#2197
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
Jun 15, 2017, 2:51 am
#2199
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
Can I check, you are booking the flights with BA and not AA or a TA?
Jun 15, 2017, 2:53 am
#2200
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
To build on the LAX-PTY run above, you can indeed stretch it to 16 sectors, for those inclined.
£786 - 840 TPs - £0.94/TP
Matrix routing codes:
Depart: LAX
Codes: AA1101 AA453 AA2026 AA4906,AA1653 AA657 AA2005 AA1061 AA959 /maxconnect 1000
11/10/2017
Arrive: PTY
Codes: AA960 AA1061 AA727 AA765 AA4737,AA782 AA2022 AA1888 AA2384 /maxconnect 1000
18/10/2017
Plenty of other dates and routing combos available.
Fare code: INX2DSN1
Prices up perfectly on AA.com
Note: fare rules state "PERMITTED MON THROUGH THU FROM THE GATEWAY." so this may restrict things a little.
£786 - 840 TPs - £0.94/TP
Matrix routing codes:
Depart: LAX
Codes: AA1101 AA453 AA2026 AA4906,AA1653 AA657 AA2005 AA1061 AA959 /maxconnect 1000
11/10/2017
Arrive: PTY
Codes: AA960 AA1061 AA727 AA765 AA4737,AA782 AA2022 AA1888 AA2384 /maxconnect 1000
18/10/2017
Plenty of other dates and routing combos available.
Fare code: INX2DSN1
Prices up perfectly on AA.com
Note: fare rules state "PERMITTED MON THROUGH THU FROM THE GATEWAY." so this may restrict things a little.
Jun 15, 2017, 3:01 am
#2202
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: London
Programs: Newbie BA Gold
Posts: 570
Either. You can UuA when booking or call at some point later to UuA after booking. If there is reward availability at the point you are booking and you have sufficient avios you might as well do it all at the same time.
Can I check, you are booking the flights with BA and not AA or a TA?
Can I check, you are booking the flights with BA and not AA or a TA?
As the first leg is BA, I guess I would book via BA? Also, there seems to be an AA flight operated by BA also at 1430 but on a 777, is that correct? Which would be better in biz/first?
Jun 15, 2017, 3:07 am
#2203
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,779
Just had a look and not cheap on the 31st Oct (£1377) which is my preferred date. Got 4-5 days spare between two planned weekends.
£794 on Fri 3rd Nov but need to be in NY that day so no good without a bit of possible fiddling.
Cheaper prices for 7 days rather than say an overnight.
Last edited by xenole; Jun 15, 2017 at 3:21 am
Jun 15, 2017, 3:09 am
#2204
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 333
When you call, remember to mention that you could not do that online to have the phone booking fee waived.
By the way, I was charged 25k avios for that upgrade.
Jun 15, 2017, 3:15 am
#2205
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: London
Programs: Newbie BA Gold
Posts: 570
I would recommend doing both booking and upgrade over the phone at the same time. I wanted to UuA from CW to F on JFK-LHR recently, and even though expertflyer was showing award availability for a particular flight, operator could not see it. Luckily there was reward availability for a later flight, so they just booked me for that. If I would have booked in advance, it would be more complicated.
When you call, remember to mention that you could not do that online to have the phone booking fee waived.
By the way, I was charged 25k avios for that upgrade.
When you call, remember to mention that you could not do that online to have the phone booking fee waived.
By the way, I was charged 25k avios for that upgrade.