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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below!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
Apr 17, 2017, 6:08 am
#1471
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA Lifetime Gold 1.8mm, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold et al
Posts: 4,350
I fully acknowledge that this discussion has turned sharply towards pure exchange rate matters and that isn't desirable but they do have a significant impact upon the viability of TP runs especially when good fares aren't plentiful and and £/$ rates are the least favourable I've experienced in 30 years of TATL travel
Where cost isn't an issue it's the easiest thing in the world to amass as many TP's as one likes but I would suggest that this thread is about how to achieve the highest number of points for the lowest possible outlay. Exchange rates are a huge factor in that objective.
Where cost isn't an issue it's the easiest thing in the world to amass as many TP's as one likes but I would suggest that this thread is about how to achieve the highest number of points for the lowest possible outlay. Exchange rates are a huge factor in that objective.
Apr 17, 2017, 6:39 am
#1472
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,774
A lot of the issues are due to AA deciding to change things and pretty much double the price of basic runs overnight.
I've got a quick LAX-MIA-SJU-MIA-LAX (360TP) on Tuesday as I had a spare day. Over $700 for that one although the cost was offset by a $500 transportation voucher so around £175 in the end.
I'll hit the 1500 for gold in the first week of May and anything after that goes towards GGL requalification and GFUs.
Might see if there's anything half decent in OCT/NOV as I've got some free time then in amongst commitments but i doubt I'll get anything decent below £800.
I've got a quick LAX-MIA-SJU-MIA-LAX (360TP) on Tuesday as I had a spare day. Over $700 for that one although the cost was offset by a $500 transportation voucher so around £175 in the end.
I'll hit the 1500 for gold in the first week of May and anything after that goes towards GGL requalification and GFUs.
Might see if there's anything half decent in OCT/NOV as I've got some free time then in amongst commitments but i doubt I'll get anything decent below £800.
Apr 17, 2017, 7:58 am
#1473
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: HKG
Programs: Marriott Ambassador (Titanium Lifetime), BA Gold, Ex-Hertz 5* PC, Ex-HH Diamond, Ex-BD*G
Posts: 3,062
Does anyone have ideas for a TP run for the following:
Europe-HKG-Europe, outbound in June, return in December (Christmas time)
My challenges:
All I really see then is a rather boring Ex-Europe: HAM-LHR-HKG//HKG-LHR-VIE for about £1540. (I'm surprised we haven't seen an ex-Europe sale for some time, have been monitoring this for over a month now, but June's getting closer)
Anything more imaginative, thanks?
Europe-HKG-Europe, outbound in June, return in December (Christmas time)
My challenges:
- Looking to use a GUV2 from Club to First via a travel agent to use A availability - This wipes out the Experia travel KUL plus hotel fare, and also the BKK route (i.e. AMS-LHR-BKK) which only has Club
- If I could find Qatar or Cathay business I'd take that over the GUV2. Unfortunately the QR sales tend to end around the 10th December, which is too early for me.
All I really see then is a rather boring Ex-Europe: HAM-LHR-HKG//HKG-LHR-VIE for about £1540. (I'm surprised we haven't seen an ex-Europe sale for some time, have been monitoring this for over a month now, but June's getting closer)
Anything more imaginative, thanks?
Apr 17, 2017, 9:03 am
#1474
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
Does anyone have ideas for a TP run for the following:
Europe-HKG-Europe, outbound in June, return in December (Christmas time)
My challenges:
All I really see then is a rather boring Ex-Europe: HAM-LHR-HKG//HKG-LHR-VIE for about £1540. (I'm surprised we haven't seen an ex-Europe sale for some time, have been monitoring this for over a month now, but June's getting closer)
Anything more imaginative, thanks?
Europe-HKG-Europe, outbound in June, return in December (Christmas time)
My challenges:
- Looking to use a GUV2 from Club to First via a travel agent to use A availability - This wipes out the Experia travel KUL plus hotel fare, and also the BKK route (i.e. AMS-LHR-BKK) which only has Club
- If I could find Qatar or Cathay business I'd take that over the GUV2. Unfortunately the QR sales tend to end around the 10th December, which is too early for me.
All I really see then is a rather boring Ex-Europe: HAM-LHR-HKG//HKG-LHR-VIE for about £1540. (I'm surprised we haven't seen an ex-Europe sale for some time, have been monitoring this for over a month now, but June's getting closer)
Anything more imaginative, thanks?
Other than knocking a largely pointless £25 off by flying Finnair (BUD-HKG-BCN) the routing you've found seems to be the best. Have a look at TA fares BUD-XXX-HKG on CX as well via Kayak as there are some bargains there at the moment.
Apr 17, 2017, 2:36 pm
#1475
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 47
Suggestions for 320 TPs please
My apologies in advance but I'm going to be one of "those posters" 
I recently completed a PTY run which all told was originally going to earn me 1600-odd TPs in one go before the AA changes, and has ended up being 1180 TPs (so long as my hefty Original Routing Credit claim is approved, which is another story altogether).
Anyway - I'm 320 TPs short of gold, & I'd like to be gold by 13 May due to other flights I'll be taking.
I'm very limited on dates I can travel & would appreciate any thoughts/ideas on what to do, other than what I've come up with below.
I can either do a nested back to back TLL run on 8th & 9th May for just under £1k yielding 400 TPs (so not a great earn rate).
Or 4 CE returns - currently I can see UK domestic ones for around £800 all told.
My available dates are:
21, late afternoon of 22nd & 23 April
1, 2, 8, 9 or 10 May
I'm based in Milton Keynes so can easily position from BHX or LTN if required, have free Virgin Trains West & East Coast travel so can also go from elsewhere, plus obviously (fairly) easily get to LHR.
If anyone has any blinding ideas I'd seriously appreciate them.
Thanks in advance,
Col
I recently completed a PTY run which all told was originally going to earn me 1600-odd TPs in one go before the AA changes, and has ended up being 1180 TPs (so long as my hefty Original Routing Credit claim is approved, which is another story altogether).
Anyway - I'm 320 TPs short of gold, & I'd like to be gold by 13 May due to other flights I'll be taking.
I'm very limited on dates I can travel & would appreciate any thoughts/ideas on what to do, other than what I've come up with below.
I can either do a nested back to back TLL run on 8th & 9th May for just under £1k yielding 400 TPs (so not a great earn rate).
Or 4 CE returns - currently I can see UK domestic ones for around £800 all told.
My available dates are:
21, late afternoon of 22nd & 23 April
1, 2, 8, 9 or 10 May
I'm based in Milton Keynes so can easily position from BHX or LTN if required, have free Virgin Trains West & East Coast travel so can also go from elsewhere, plus obviously (fairly) easily get to LHR.
If anyone has any blinding ideas I'd seriously appreciate them.
Thanks in advance,
Col
Last edited by mkcol; Apr 17, 2017 at 2:47 pm Reason: Seems I have free east & west coast travel!
Apr 18, 2017, 1:40 am
#1477
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 47
@mkcol
Have you thought about just doing LHR- MAN nested trips in J, that will get you 40TP each way?
Have you thought about just doing LHR- MAN nested trips in J, that will get you 40TP each way?
I shall investigate that thanks ^
Apr 18, 2017, 2:25 am
#1478
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,972
If you can book a b2b then there seems little point in nesting. However, b2b are usually a problem when booking since the turnaround can be less than the MCT - that's when you need to nest tickets to get around this.
Also one other reason you may need to nest is if a Saturday night is required. This is often the case for short haul, but the cheap domestic I class CE fares don't seem to require any minimum stay so can be booked as a daytrip.
Also one other reason you may need to nest is if a Saturday night is required. This is often the case for short haul, but the cheap domestic I class CE fares don't seem to require any minimum stay so can be booked as a daytrip.
Apr 18, 2017, 4:44 am
#1479
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 47
My apologies in advance but I'm going to be one of "those posters"
I recently completed a PTY run which all told was originally going to earn me 1600-odd TPs in one go before the AA changes, and has ended up being 1180 TPs (so long as my hefty Original Routing Credit claim is approved, which is another story altogether).
Anyway - I'm 320 TPs short of gold, & I'd like to be gold by 13 May due to other flights I'll be taking.
I'm very limited on dates I can travel & would appreciate any thoughts/ideas on what to do, other than what I've come up with below.
I can either do a nested back to back TLL run on 8th & 9th May for just under £1k yielding 400 TPs (so not a great earn rate).
Or 4 CE returns - currently I can see UK domestic ones for around £800 all told.
My available dates are:
21, late afternoon of 22nd & 23 April
1, 2, 8, 9 or 10 May
I'm based in Milton Keynes so can easily position from BHX or LTN if required, have free Virgin Trains West & East Coast travel so can also go from elsewhere, plus obviously (fairly) easily get to LHR.
If anyone has any blinding ideas I'd seriously appreciate them.
Thanks in advance,
Col
I recently completed a PTY run which all told was originally going to earn me 1600-odd TPs in one go before the AA changes, and has ended up being 1180 TPs (so long as my hefty Original Routing Credit claim is approved, which is another story altogether).
Anyway - I'm 320 TPs short of gold, & I'd like to be gold by 13 May due to other flights I'll be taking.
I'm very limited on dates I can travel & would appreciate any thoughts/ideas on what to do, other than what I've come up with below.
I can either do a nested back to back TLL run on 8th & 9th May for just under £1k yielding 400 TPs (so not a great earn rate).
Or 4 CE returns - currently I can see UK domestic ones for around £800 all told.
My available dates are:
21, late afternoon of 22nd & 23 April
1, 2, 8, 9 or 10 May
I'm based in Milton Keynes so can easily position from BHX or LTN if required, have free Virgin Trains West & East Coast travel so can also go from elsewhere, plus obviously (fairly) easily get to LHR.
If anyone has any blinding ideas I'd seriously appreciate them.
Thanks in advance,
Col
https://goo.gl/flights/19vw
Apr 18, 2017, 6:55 am
#1480
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: HKG
Programs: Marriott Ambassador (Titanium Lifetime), BA Gold, Ex-Hertz 5* PC, Ex-HH Diamond, Ex-BD*G
Posts: 3,062
AMS-LHR-BKK can also be done as AMS-LHR-HKG-BKK which allows stopovers at €100 each. You would need at least one stopover unless you're planning to stay in Bangkok or buy an extra HKG-BKK return, but that still comes in at just under £1,400. With two stopovers it's £1,471 and would allow a complete side-trip to BKK.
Other than knocking a largely pointless £25 off by flying Finnair (BUD-HKG-BCN) the routing you've found seems to be the best. Have a look at TA fares BUD-XXX-HKG on CX as well via Kayak as there are some bargains there at the moment.
Other than knocking a largely pointless £25 off by flying Finnair (BUD-HKG-BCN) the routing you've found seems to be the best. Have a look at TA fares BUD-XXX-HKG on CX as well via Kayak as there are some bargains there at the moment.
Apr 18, 2017, 6:58 am
#1481
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,972
Thanks for the response, however just perfect time to spot the nice little VCE-HKG-CTU-HKG//HKG-VCE for about £1100 appear on the premium fares thread, £400 cheaper and an extra 80TPs! Time to start tweaking the routing, though the BUD-HKG is a nicer flight I am sure it seems to have a maximum stay restriction, or isn't available on the weekend I want to leave
Apr 18, 2017, 7:30 am
#1482
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,848
I think my best workaround is a TLL overnight starting from MAN earning 280TPs, then 1 more CE sector for another 40 TPs if I've done my sums right.
https://goo.gl/flights/19vw
https://goo.gl/flights/19vw
But this would have been my suggestion - if you have free railway travel anyhow, positioning to/from MAN is easy for the 280TP of a TLL trip. One more CE sector (MAN-LHR or vice versa) would also be relatively easy to schedule, and to position for.
Edit: one additional thought, would starting in BHX be better (for either of trip)? May be about the same price, but save a little time with positioning due to being closer to your starting point and having an attached railway station? I assume with MAN you'd need to change at Piccadilly.
Apr 18, 2017, 8:29 am
#1483
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
Am I right in thinking that routing through HKG both ways is not possible without a visa? You would have to find a different connecting option to CTU - and does it offer you the ability to stay in Hong Kong for long enough? (Or are you nesting an ex-HKG ticket so that you don't care?)
Apr 18, 2017, 8:42 am
#1484
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,972
Am I right in thinking that routing through HKG both ways is not possible without a visa? You would have to find a different connecting option to CTU - and does it offer you the ability to stay in Hong Kong for long enough? (Or are you nesting an ex-HKG ticket so that you don't care?)
There is also a 24-Hour Direct Transit option where no visa is required, but again my understanding is that it still has the same A->China->B requirement.