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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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.
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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
From North, Central and South America
23Sep £1.48/TP £650 (US$853) 440 TPs JFK-CLT/BOS-LAX-LAS and return all I class aa.com
6Sep £1.50/TP US$457 240TPs RIC-CLT-DCA-BOS, BOS-LGA/PHL-CLT-RIC all I class aa.com
Jan/Feb wide open £1.94/TP £700(US$883) 360 TPs SEA-CLT-MCO-PHX-SEA all I class aa.com
From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
18Jan £1.58/TP £883 560 CMB-xHKG-CGK return I cathaypacific.com ermen CX
28Feb £1.44/TP £575 400 MCT-DOH-BKK-DOH-MCT A/R/R/A travel.americanexpress.co.uk QR
21Feb £1.53/TP £860 560 HKG-CMB-MEL return I Expedia.com.hk Firemin UL
16Mar £1.22/TP £687 560 CGK-CMB-DXB return I srilankan.com Firemin UL
01Apr £0.87/TP £314 360 PEN-KUL-KTM return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr £1.19/TP £335 280 KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr £1.28/TP £335 360 PEN-KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
05Apr £2.00/TP £320 160 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
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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. 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 £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 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 £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.
DUB-LHR-HEL return (or return to LHR) is currently a very efficient way of hitting 200-240 TPs
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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 £1,082, 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 - £1,296, see linked post for details
- from AMS to BKK INCEU60 reported here, e.g. BKK - £1,340, 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 £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
Code:
3Feb 200TPs DUB-LHR-HEL/HEL-LHR all I class ba.com
23Sep £1.48/TP £650 (US$853) 440 TPs JFK-CLT/BOS-LAX-LAS and return all I class aa.com
6Sep £1.50/TP US$457 240TPs RIC-CLT-DCA-BOS, BOS-LGA/PHL-CLT-RIC all I class aa.com
Jan/Feb wide open £1.94/TP £700(US$883) 360 TPs SEA-CLT-MCO-PHX-SEA all I class aa.com
From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
18Jan £1.58/TP £883 560 CMB-xHKG-CGK return I cathaypacific.com ermen CX
28Feb £1.44/TP £575 400 MCT-DOH-BKK-DOH-MCT A/R/R/A travel.americanexpress.co.uk QR
21Feb £1.53/TP £860 560 HKG-CMB-MEL return I Expedia.com.hk Firemin UL
16Mar £1.22/TP £687 560 CGK-CMB-DXB return I srilankan.com Firemin UL
01Apr £0.87/TP £314 360 PEN-KUL-KTM return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr £1.19/TP £335 280 KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr £1.28/TP £335 360 PEN-KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
05Apr £2.00/TP £320 160 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 £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 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 £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.
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
Jun 20, 2018, 1:05 pm
#2716
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
Given that there are numerous flights during the day from west to east I am sure it’s possible. Will mean a longer trip.
Jun 20, 2018, 1:46 pm
#2717
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,949
If you can avoid it, go for it, but I found that my jetlag hit me hard on the flight, so I fell asleep pretty swiftly, and woke when the wheels hit the ground!
M
Jun 20, 2018, 5:03 pm
#2718
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
I know it's possible to structure that trip, but when I try to search for LAX-PTY itineraries which don't use a redeye for the PHX-PHL leg, the price nearly doubles. How can I avoid that?
Jun 20, 2018, 7:28 pm
#2719
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Oxford (&Western Isles )
Programs: BA GGL, CCR; RyanAir MillionMiler :( ;
Posts: 756
try going via NYC or change the trip by +-1day. There is obviously no I availability on those flights that day?
Jun 21, 2018, 12:22 am
#2720
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beijing
Programs: SK EBG, BAEC Gold
Posts: 935
To pick this up I started by running a calendar search using
LAX:: AA PHX <AAxxx> PHL AA MIA AA
PTY:: AA+
plugging in a specific daytime PHX PHL flight number for the <AAxxx> part. This will give you an idea of days on which there is lower priced fare bucket availability for the daytime PHX-PHL flight. Once you have found that you can start to add in the other sectors - if you are lucky availability won't be as restricted, though in many cases the price will indeed go up as you add in more sectors.
Jun 21, 2018, 1:31 am
#2721
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Oxford (&Western Isles )
Programs: BA GGL, CCR; RyanAir MillionMiler :( ;
Posts: 756
plugging in a specific daytime PHX PHL flight number for the <AAxxx> part. This will give you an idea of days on which there is lower priced fare bucket availability for the daytime PHX-PHL flight. Once you have found that you can start to add in the other sectors - if you are lucky availability won't be as restricted, though in many cases the price will indeed go up as you add in more sectors.
Jun 21, 2018, 8:11 am
#2722
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Shangri-la Gold, Taj Gold, Krisflyer Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 101
Help needed - Aiming for BAEC Gold (bucketlist item)
Hey guys - spent the last few days reading all the posts from Page 61 onwards. You guys are so awesome, helping each other out and so knowledgable.
My BAEC year will reset on August 8th 2018 - i need to obtain the entire lot of TP points and 4 BA flights. I am based out of BLR, India.
I have a work trip coming up in September that would net me the 4 BA flights and 210 TP - BLR-HKG-LHR-BOS-LHR-BLR. I could choose to spend 1 weekend either in LHR or HKG and another 3 days in BOS(after my official trip). So i basically need to earn 1300 TP.
Europe is ruled out for me as i need a visa (i am an indian passport holder)
I thought of doing the TP run on UL CGK-CMB-BAH-CGK. It earns 560 TP and costs £700- so comes in at £1.24pp. I could just do this trip twice.
However, would be glad to hear of any recommendations - most of asia (other than China) is pretty easy and i could do something from LHR or Boston as well.
Thanks again guys
(this is my first post)
My BAEC year will reset on August 8th 2018 - i need to obtain the entire lot of TP points and 4 BA flights. I am based out of BLR, India.
I have a work trip coming up in September that would net me the 4 BA flights and 210 TP - BLR-HKG-LHR-BOS-LHR-BLR. I could choose to spend 1 weekend either in LHR or HKG and another 3 days in BOS(after my official trip). So i basically need to earn 1300 TP.
Europe is ruled out for me as i need a visa (i am an indian passport holder)
I thought of doing the TP run on UL CGK-CMB-BAH-CGK. It earns 560 TP and costs £700- so comes in at £1.24pp. I could just do this trip twice.
However, would be glad to hear of any recommendations - most of asia (other than China) is pretty easy and i could do something from LHR or Boston as well.
Thanks again guys
(this is my first post)
Jun 21, 2018, 11:22 am
#2724
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GOLD
Posts: 53
Any ideas trip to Istanbul in July maximising tier points and cheap price lol in business.. via anywhere in Europe departing Uk?
Thxs
Thxs
Jun 21, 2018, 9:04 pm
#2725
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SIN
Posts: 196
If you're in the US, consider doing an LAX-PTY run.
Jun 21, 2018, 10:41 pm
#2726
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beijing
Programs: SK EBG, BAEC Gold
Posts: 935
...
I have a work trip coming up in September that would net me the 4 BA flights and 210 TP - BLR-HKG-LHR-BOS-LHR-BLR. I could choose to spend 1 weekend either in LHR or HKG and another 3 days in BOS(after my official trip). So i basically need to earn 1300 TP.
(this is my first post)
...
I have a work trip coming up in September that would net me the 4 BA flights and 210 TP - BLR-HKG-LHR-BOS-LHR-BLR. I could choose to spend 1 weekend either in LHR or HKG and another 3 days in BOS(after my official trip). So i basically need to earn 1300 TP.
(this is my first post)
...
As CX_newbie mentions, and as you have already realized, both UL and MH offer good opportunities to earn status on BA (assuming you can make, as you already have plans for, the BA/IB sector requirements). The CKG-CMB-DOH run is certainly a good one. There was a time last year where there were also some good prices out of DOH (allowing a nested trip to be set up) so worth checking to see if and when those offers come back.
For MH, you need to be looking ideally at routings that include KUL<>KTM,PEK,TPE,ICN,TYO. One advantage you also have is that a couple of the Indian MH destinations are >2000 miles to KUL (though these will require a positioning flight from your home base). There aren't any offers at the moment ex-India it seems, but there almost certainly will be at some point, keep an eye on those (most offers are highlighted on the Deals of the Day webpage - https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/in/en/deals.html for India - but sometimes there are good prices that can only be found on the website.
I assume you write "other than China" due to visa requirements. Don't forget though that as an Indian passport holder I think you can still take advantage of the "24 hours transit without visa" option - so for example if you set up a trip to PEK or PVG, and then nest inside this a trip to Japan or Hong Kong leaving with less 24 hours between the flights in and out of China (maybe using some of the Avios you will have earned on JL or CX) this could still be an option. Certainly in the past there have been some very good deals for DEL-KUL-PEK and back.
Jun 22, 2018, 12:49 am
#2727
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Shangri-la Gold, Taj Gold, Krisflyer Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 101
Regarding the LAX-PTY rate, i was unable to reconstruct the fare despite reading previous posts. Best part is Panama has a VIsa on Arrival so i should be fine. So i basically get off work on Friday afternoon- so i can start the trip friday evening and hope to get back by Monday morning right?
Jun 22, 2018, 2:04 am
#2728
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Shangri-la Gold, Taj Gold, Krisflyer Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 101
Welcome to Flyertalk jiteshjerome - that is certainly an ambitious first post you have made there ... I assume from reading it that this means your aim is achieve Gold from flying in the period from Aug 9th 2018 to Aug 8th 2019 - in which case you have some time to wait for good offers to appear.
As CX_newbie mentions, and as you have already realized, both UL and MH offer good opportunities to earn status on BA (assuming you can make, as you already have plans for, the BA/IB sector requirements). The CKG-CMB-DOH run is certainly a good one. There was a time last year where there were also some good prices out of DOH (allowing a nested trip to be set up) so worth checking to see if and when those offers come back.
For MH, you need to be looking ideally at routings that include KUL<>KTM,PEK,TPE,ICN,TYO. One advantage you also have is that a couple of the Indian MH destinations are >2000 miles to KUL (though these will require a positioning flight from your home base). There aren't any offers at the moment ex-India it seems, but there almost certainly will be at some point, keep an eye on those (most offers are highlighted on the Deals of the Day webpage - for India - but sometimes there are good prices that can only be found on the website.
I assume you write "other than China" due to visa requirements. Don't forget though that as an Indian passport holder I think you can still take advantage of the "24 hours transit without visa" option - so for example if you set up a trip to PEK or PVG, and then nest inside this a trip to Japan or Hong Kong leaving with less 24 hours between the flights in and out of China (maybe using some of the Avios you will have earned on JL or CX) this could still be an option. Certainly in the past there have been some very good deals for DEL-KUL-PEK and back.
As CX_newbie mentions, and as you have already realized, both UL and MH offer good opportunities to earn status on BA (assuming you can make, as you already have plans for, the BA/IB sector requirements). The CKG-CMB-DOH run is certainly a good one. There was a time last year where there were also some good prices out of DOH (allowing a nested trip to be set up) so worth checking to see if and when those offers come back.
For MH, you need to be looking ideally at routings that include KUL<>KTM,PEK,TPE,ICN,TYO. One advantage you also have is that a couple of the Indian MH destinations are >2000 miles to KUL (though these will require a positioning flight from your home base). There aren't any offers at the moment ex-India it seems, but there almost certainly will be at some point, keep an eye on those (most offers are highlighted on the Deals of the Day webpage - for India - but sometimes there are good prices that can only be found on the website.
I assume you write "other than China" due to visa requirements. Don't forget though that as an Indian passport holder I think you can still take advantage of the "24 hours transit without visa" option - so for example if you set up a trip to PEK or PVG, and then nest inside this a trip to Japan or Hong Kong leaving with less 24 hours between the flights in and out of China (maybe using some of the Avios you will have earned on JL or CX) this could still be an option. Certainly in the past there have been some very good deals for DEL-KUL-PEK and back.
Would i be able to do something from London? I reach there on a Saturday morning so have the whole weekend as well- maybe a few trips to EDI?
Jun 22, 2018, 2:27 am
#2729
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Shangri-la Gold, Taj Gold, Krisflyer Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 101
Hey guys - any suggestions for any TP runs Ex-BOS. I have my flight back to BLR on Sunday night - so i can fly out friday night and be back on sunday.
Goal is to keep cost below £1.5 / TP,
Goal is to keep cost below £1.5 / TP,
Jun 22, 2018, 3:03 am
#2730
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL, A3 Gold, M&M SEN, FlyingBlue Gold, AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Amb
Posts: 902
1. KUL-PEN on D and PEN-KUL on D+3 (r/t)
2. PEN-KUL on D (o/w)
3. KUL-PEN on D (o/w)
Anyone tried this without trouble? I guess it would be better asked in MH board, but maybe one of the fellow BAEC members can share their experience?
