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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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 £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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
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
Jan 13, 2018, 3:13 am
#346
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 87
I'm worried. Just booked a flight via bookwithmatrix, with the following itinerary: LHR-HEL-OSL-HEL-LHR.
The first flight is a BA codeshare, and the remainder are Finnair.
I calculated this as 240 TP, but the BA dashboard is showing this as 170 TP. All flights are business, classes R & I.
Am I going to get the 240 TP or did I mess something up?
The first flight is a BA codeshare, and the remainder are Finnair.
I calculated this as 240 TP, but the BA dashboard is showing this as 170 TP. All flights are business, classes R & I.
Am I going to get the 240 TP or did I mess something up?
Jan 13, 2018, 3:19 am
#347
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: ±38,000 feet
Programs: LH HON, BA GGL, AF Plat, EK Plat
Posts: 6,428
It sounds like Hel-Osl-hel are booked in cheapest O economy earning 5 TPS each way.
Jan 13, 2018, 4:02 am
#349
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
I'm worried. Just booked a flight via bookwithmatrix, with the following itinerary: LHR-HEL-OSL-HEL-LHR.
The first flight is a BA codeshare, and the remainder are Finnair.
I calculated this as 240 TP, but the BA dashboard is showing this as 170 TP. All flights are business, classes R & I.
Am I going to get the 240 TP or did I mess something up?
The first flight is a BA codeshare, and the remainder are Finnair.
I calculated this as 240 TP, but the BA dashboard is showing this as 170 TP. All flights are business, classes R & I.
Am I going to get the 240 TP or did I mess something up?
Jan 13, 2018, 4:10 am
#350
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,628
The BA TP calculation is a bit screwy with some flights, I wouldn't worry about it, you should get the full allocation. I have a similar situation with an ex Prague to the US, where I should be getting 80+160+80+280 but I'm seeing 530 on the TP calculation. I checked all the booking codes, everything seems OK, so I'm working on the basis it's a screwup on the BA site and will all come out in the wash.
Jan 13, 2018, 4:17 am
#351
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 87
It's showing one R flight, and three I flights.
Jan 13, 2018, 4:38 am
#352
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,628
I've just run through the check on my flights once again:
I AY PRG-HEL (40)
R BA HEL-LHR (80)
I AA LHR-JFK (140)
I AA JFK-DCA (40)
D AA DCA-BOS (40)
I AA BOS-LHR (140)
J BA LHR-HEL (80)
I AY HEL-PRG (40)
By my reckoning this adds up to 600 TP, and to make it into 530, as reported in MMB, you have to lose two of the 40 point segments and replace with 2 x 5. So I think this is a glitch in the calculation. Any comments welcome as I was scratching my head about this until someone warned me about the BA site.
I AY PRG-HEL (40)
R BA HEL-LHR (80)
I AA LHR-JFK (140)
I AA JFK-DCA (40)
D AA DCA-BOS (40)
I AA BOS-LHR (140)
J BA LHR-HEL (80)
I AY HEL-PRG (40)
By my reckoning this adds up to 600 TP, and to make it into 530, as reported in MMB, you have to lose two of the 40 point segments and replace with 2 x 5. So I think this is a glitch in the calculation. Any comments welcome as I was scratching my head about this until someone warned me about the BA site.
Jan 13, 2018, 4:56 am
#353
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Starbucks Gold,
Posts: 624
I've just run through the check on my flights once again:
...
By my reckoning this adds up to 600 TP, and to make it into 530, as reported in MMB, you have to lose two of the 40 point segments and replace with 2 x 5. So I think this is a glitch in the calculation. Any comments welcome as I was scratching my head about this until someone warned me about the BA site.
...
By my reckoning this adds up to 600 TP, and to make it into 530, as reported in MMB, you have to lose two of the 40 point segments and replace with 2 x 5. So I think this is a glitch in the calculation. Any comments welcome as I was scratching my head about this until someone warned me about the BA site.
Jan 13, 2018, 5:14 am
#354
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,628
Looks like the glitch is when there is an AY/BA mix and 40 TP I class segments, that's common with my trip and yours mflat. Probably a table lookup problem in the MMB tool.
Jan 13, 2018, 5:49 am
#355
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 87
I think I found the discrepancy.
AY is showing I booking class on the codeshare flight:
Whereas, BA records it as a BA R-class flight.
I'm thinking the calculator is using the AY-I which is only eligible for 10 TP.
AY is showing I booking class on the codeshare flight:
Whereas, BA records it as a BA R-class flight.
I'm thinking the calculator is using the AY-I which is only eligible for 10 TP.
Jan 13, 2018, 6:29 am
#356
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: WAW ✈ LHR ✈ GLA
Programs: BA GfL/GGL/CCR, HH Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,502
Jan 13, 2018, 6:49 am
#357
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,628
Yes, I think it's the R fare class that's throwing things out - looking at mine, I have AY5909 (BA0799) booked if I look at the AA site via the record locator (I originally booked via AA). If I follow the booking reference on BA or Finnair, this shows as a booking of BA0799 in business(R) which should be 80 TP (no mention of AY5909). If it were AY5909 in R it would be lowest economy class (10 TP). So presumably something has stuck from the AA record locator and got mixed with the booking.
Probably need advice from someone who understands codeshares, but I think that as I'm on a BA R fare I should get the full 80TP, if not immediately, on appeal. Bit of a mindfeck this.
Probably need advice from someone who understands codeshares, but I think that as I'm on a BA R fare I should get the full 80TP, if not immediately, on appeal. Bit of a mindfeck this.
Jan 13, 2018, 8:06 am
#358
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Starbucks Gold,
Posts: 624
What makes this example slightly confusing is the fact that both BA and AY fly the route with their own aircraft and you can buy AY tickets to fly on BA planes and vice versa as well as booking AY tickets to fly on AY planes.
A clearer example is, say, MAN-PHL-LAS on American which is two separate flights but both of which have AA735 as their flight number. If you book it on 001 stock you will only get TPs and Avios MAN-LAS (140 in Business). If you book the exact same flights on BA stock, you still fly on the AA planes but you get two BA flight numbers (BA1600 and BA1752) which then earn 280 TPs. Obviously BA do not operate the 5th freedom flight PHL-LAS but they have a codeshare hence why it comes up for additional TPs.
Hope that clarifies. As noted above, MMB sucks and should be taken with a pinch of salt!
Jan 13, 2018, 8:53 am
#359
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: London
Programs: BA bronze, Hertz pres circle, Marriott Platinum, hilton diamond
Posts: 2,537
I make that 1040tp?
80+140+140+140// 40+140+140+80
plus the 140 additional flight?
Actually my destination isn't LAX its LAS, but it doesn't make a difference to the price of this. Also getting it at 2k plus 500 for the HNL-LAS
Jan 13, 2018, 9:17 am
#360
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: BA, AA, SQ, UA, AC, WS, MR TIT
Posts: 8,659