Jan 1, 2018, 5:20 am
Last edit by: OWBA
Welcome to the thread. This is a continuation of the highly popular 2017 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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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 #9 for a 2018 archive of exEU sale fare, and see this post in the 2017 thread for last years’ archive of exEU sale fares.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This thread lists attractive tier point (TP) runs under Ł3 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
From North, Central and South America
23Sep Ł1.48/TP Ł650 (US$853) 440 TPs JFK-CLT/BOS-LAX-LAS and return all I class aa.com
6Sep Ł1.50/TP US$457 240TPs RIC-CLT-DCA-BOS, BOS-LGA/PHL-CLT-RIC all I class aa.com
Jan/Feb wide open Ł1.94/TP Ł700(US$883) 360 TPs SEA-CLT-MCO-PHX-SEA all I class aa.com
From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
18Jan Ł1.58/TP Ł883 560 CMB-xHKG-CGK return I cathaypacific.com ermen CX
28Feb Ł1.44/TP Ł575 400 MCT-DOH-BKK-DOH-MCT A/R/R/A travel.americanexpress.co.uk QR
21Feb Ł1.53/TP Ł860 560 HKG-CMB-MEL return I Expedia.com.hk Firemin UL
16Mar Ł1.22/TP Ł687 560 CGK-CMB-DXB return I srilankan.com Firemin UL
01Apr Ł0.87/TP Ł314 360 PEN-KUL-KTM return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr Ł1.19/TP Ł335 280 KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr Ł1.28/TP Ł335 360 PEN-KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
05Apr Ł2.00/TP Ł320 160 CAN-HKG-TPE return CathayPacific.com littlevoices CX/KA (flexible fare, bookable up to 24 hours in advance, allows stopovers, book with CX directly)
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. Some information on how to use ITA matrix is in post #4 of this thread (or just click 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 along with UK domestic returns. Additionally you may find that trips in to mainland Europe require a one night stay whereas the cheapest domestic CE returns do not have any minimum stay so can be booked as a same day return. If doing a back to back AMS and JER can be easier than DUB for an immediate turnaround - more information can be found in the back to back thread listed in the forum dashboard. 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). UK domestic route, Bilbao, Jersey and Amsterdam seem 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 Ł300 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 of this thread, 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 Ł500.
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 Ł520.
DUB-LHR-HEL return (or return to LHR) is currently a very efficient way of hitting 200-240 TPs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historic information
2017 Archive
2016 Archive
2015 Archive (6 months Jul to Dec)
2015 Archive (6 months Jan to Jun)
2014 Archive
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 JER to PDX IKN8T1S6 reported in this post, e.g. PDX Ł1,082, needs to be booked by 8 May, see linked post for details
Advanced Promotion Fares
- from OTP to PHX ILN8C8S4 reported here, e.g. PHX - Ł1,296, see linked post for details
- from AMS to BKK INCEU60 reported here, e.g. BKK - Ł1,340, see linked post for details
See here in post #9 for a 2018 archive of exEU sale fare, and see this post in the 2017 thread for last years’ archive of exEU sale fares.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This thread lists attractive tier point (TP) runs under Ł3 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
Code:
3Feb 200TPs DUB-LHR-HEL/HEL-LHR all I class ba.com
23Sep Ł1.48/TP Ł650 (US$853) 440 TPs JFK-CLT/BOS-LAX-LAS and return all I class aa.com
6Sep Ł1.50/TP US$457 240TPs RIC-CLT-DCA-BOS, BOS-LGA/PHL-CLT-RIC all I class aa.com
Jan/Feb wide open Ł1.94/TP Ł700(US$883) 360 TPs SEA-CLT-MCO-PHX-SEA all I class aa.com
From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
18Jan Ł1.58/TP Ł883 560 CMB-xHKG-CGK return I cathaypacific.com ermen CX
28Feb Ł1.44/TP Ł575 400 MCT-DOH-BKK-DOH-MCT A/R/R/A travel.americanexpress.co.uk QR
21Feb Ł1.53/TP Ł860 560 HKG-CMB-MEL return I Expedia.com.hk Firemin UL
16Mar Ł1.22/TP Ł687 560 CGK-CMB-DXB return I srilankan.com Firemin UL
01Apr Ł0.87/TP Ł314 360 PEN-KUL-KTM return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr Ł1.19/TP Ł335 280 KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr Ł1.28/TP Ł335 360 PEN-KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
05Apr Ł2.00/TP Ł320 160 CAN-HKG-TPE return CathayPacific.com littlevoices CX/KA (flexible fare, bookable up to 24 hours in advance, allows stopovers, book with CX directly)
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. Some information on how to use ITA matrix is in post #4 of this thread (or just click 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 along with UK domestic returns. Additionally you may find that trips in to mainland Europe require a one night stay whereas the cheapest domestic CE returns do not have any minimum stay so can be booked as a same day return. If doing a back to back AMS and JER can be easier than DUB for an immediate turnaround - more information can be found in the back to back thread listed in the forum dashboard. 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). UK domestic route, Bilbao, Jersey and Amsterdam seem 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 Ł300 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 of this thread, 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 Ł500.
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 Ł520.
DUB-LHR-HEL return (or return to LHR) is currently a very efficient way of hitting 200-240 TPs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historic information
2017 Archive
2016 Archive
2015 Archive (6 months Jul to Dec)
2015 Archive (6 months Jan to Jun)
2014 Archive
BA Tier Point Runs | 2018 master thread
Apr 17, 2018, 11:51 pm
#1981
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
@DominicB the issue you may face is having a Saturday night away on some of the CE fares. HEL is a reasonably good shout as this rule doesn’t seem to apply. However you may find yourself paying Ł400 plus for a return. I wouldn’t rule out some domestics, and LUX is also very well recommended for price.
Apr 18, 2018, 1:38 am
#1982
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 647
Apr 18, 2018, 3:39 am
#1983
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: Seigneur des Tarifs Utils First Class Mucci with Honours :) - BA GGL / CCR
Posts: 1,551
More importantly if you are doing this for Tier POints I class on Malaysian earns 0!!
Apr 18, 2018, 3:44 am
#1984
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beijing
Programs: SK EBG, BAEC Gold
Posts: 932
If your reference price is for the simple AMS-LHR-BKK/BKK-LHR-AMS trip (which I can see pricing at 1460 Eur for these dates) then the differential on top of the 100 Euro stopover fee (which is included in the INCEU60 fare price) will be the additional taxes needed for passing though Hong Kong and KL, as well as the additional "YQ" for flights on CX and MH (total of around 80 Eur). No way to avoid these extra fees pushing the price up if you want to take the indirect route to and from BKK ...
Apr 18, 2018, 3:58 am
#1985
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 647
If your reference price is for the simple AMS-LHR-BKK/BKK-LHR-AMS trip (which I can see pricing at 1460 Eur for these dates) then the differential on top of the 100 Euro stopover fee (which is included in the INCEU60 fare price) will be the additional taxes needed for passing though Hong Kong and KL, as well as the additional "YQ" for flights on CX and MH (total of around 80 Eur). No way to avoid these extra fees pushing the price up if you want to take the indirect route to and from BKK ...
On the tier points I only need 510 more and would be tagging on Bali to this so with the positioning as well (and that my tp year ends in November so will probably have some other flights before then) I should be fine without the MH flight. I was thinking about the RJ flight but doesn't quite work timing wise for me.
Apr 18, 2018, 4:31 am
#1986
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,933
Thanks both! The extra YQ makes sense - I don't know why I didn't see it when it was right in front of me!
On the tier points I only need 510 more and would be tagging on Bali to this so with the positioning as well (and that my tp year ends in November so will probably have some other flights before then) I should be fine without the MH flight. I was thinking about the RJ flight but doesn't quite work timing wise for me.
On the tier points I only need 510 more and would be tagging on Bali to this so with the positioning as well (and that my tp year ends in November so will probably have some other flights before then) I should be fine without the MH flight. I was thinking about the RJ flight but doesn't quite work timing wise for me.
TRAVEL FROM LAST INTERNATIONAL STOPOVER MUST COMMENCE NO EARLIER THAN THE FIRST SUN AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL SECTOR.
Apr 18, 2018, 4:43 am
#1987
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL / GfL
Posts: 3,254
Just to flag a good (short-haul) route for those requiring TP's and not wanting to trek too far from home. With a little bit of planning I have managed to nest 4 x LHR - LUX round trips during May & June in CE for Ł1.70 per TP which isn't bad value for a European short-haul in CE. It also gets me the 16K Avios bonus, so definitely have a look at it over the summer months (that offer ends 30th June). Note, if the ET - CE price differential is great than Ł59, book ET and await the POUG if you need the TP's.
Pilot37
Pilot37
Apr 18, 2018, 7:40 am
#1988
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Mäntyharju, Finland
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 155
Hi All! New BAEC member here. I live in Washington, DC, but current situation will have me in Europe a fair amount each year now for personal travel. I've got one trip already booked in J across to LHR and HEL in July (I'm actually visiting Finland and not adding on just for the extra tier points ;-) ) and with a few other domestic trips here visiting family and a trip to Hawaii this fall I'll be just short of Gold for my first year. I decided to book a tier points run from here in DC on AA down to Orlando.
I think I found a good price, but I definitely would like your comments and criticism to make sure I'm doing this right. I've got a round trip next month from DCA-LGA-MIA-MCO and then go back MCO-CLT-LGA-DCA in First which should net me 240 tier points and it was only $452.30. Is that a good price for the amount of points?
I think I found a good price, but I definitely would like your comments and criticism to make sure I'm doing this right. I've got a round trip next month from DCA-LGA-MIA-MCO and then go back MCO-CLT-LGA-DCA in First which should net me 240 tier points and it was only $452.30. Is that a good price for the amount of points?
Apr 18, 2018, 8:28 am
#1989
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,246
Less than $2 per tier point seems good to me.
Apr 18, 2018, 8:31 am
#1990
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: York, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL, Hilton Diamond, Marriott GOLD, Accor Club Gold
Posts: 709
Going beyond Europe
In post 1980 I was asking for advice about going around Europe for TPs, between my arrival in LHR mid morning on 30 July and needing to be in a London hotel on the night of 2 Aug. I see the Saturday night issues. If I were to go to Asia, what's likely to be the cheapest quick routing for some TPs? Is it worth landing from Chicago, flying to AMS to fly back from AMS - I see talk of an Asian routing starting from there.
And can I ask - how do I find out if there are upgrades into the First cabin on CX or QR?
Thank you, everyone
And can I ask - how do I find out if there are upgrades into the First cabin on CX or QR?
Thank you, everyone
Apr 19, 2018, 11:14 am
#1991
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA Gold and Virgin Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 42
Brilliant!
Apr 19, 2018, 12:26 pm
#1992
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Surrey
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 107
Fiddling around with Matrix for a possible TP run, something like EU-HEL-LHR-JFK-LAX-HNL. Is there a way to specify connections for each stop on Matrix or only for the whole leg? I'd ideally have a short connection in Heathrow and then as long as possible at say HEL and LAX. I guess I could specify the first flight from HEL to LHR to ensure there's an overnight but would be nice if I could specify the min connection at each stop.
Apr 19, 2018, 1:01 pm
#1993
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
You can use minconnect 60 in the extension code field which would give you a minimum connection time of 60 minutes. Maxconnect 120 gives flights with a maximum connection time of 2 hours.
Of course you can play around with the times but you need to use multicity if you want to use this for specific flight sectors
Alternative just work out the actual flight numbers that you want and use these.
Also if using multicity you can stipulate the dates for various sectors and also break down flight departure time into various bands. Just be careful that any flights over 24 hours will be classed as a stopover and not a connection and priced accordingly.
Of course you can play around with the times but you need to use multicity if you want to use this for specific flight sectors
Alternative just work out the actual flight numbers that you want and use these.
Also if using multicity you can stipulate the dates for various sectors and also break down flight departure time into various bands. Just be careful that any flights over 24 hours will be classed as a stopover and not a connection and priced accordingly.
Apr 19, 2018, 10:11 pm
#1994
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SIN
Posts: 196
@DominicB, there is the AMS-BKK fare which you will have seen on this thread. Can route via SIN or HKG too. There is a really interesting UL fare here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/prem...ncl-taxes.html
LCA-DOH-CMB-China (inc HK) nets 640 TP for around EUR1100.
LCA-DOH-CMB-China (inc HK) nets 640 TP for around EUR1100.
Apr 21, 2018, 11:01 am
#1995
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: Executive Club
Posts: 78
I'm looking to book something like this (KUL instead of HKG but otherwise the same idea). I had a question - as this is an AMS-BKK fare, do I need to allow time at BKK to go through immigration, pick up bags, check in again etc? Or will bags checked in at KUL go all the way through to AMS?
