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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
#4066
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,973
Can even be a mileage run for the Aegean loyalty. (Star alliance)
#4067
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,973
Hi All,
I am looking to renew my BA Gold status within the next month. What are the obvious current options with lowest £ / TP ratio?
Last time, about 2 years back I re-qualified via a super attractive exEU to HNL flight (I think I collected 1100 TPs on that RT flight alone).
Now I basically need 1,500 TPs, prepared to leave asap, ex Europe in the direction of Americas, want to minimise £ and maximise TPs.
This is my goal for the next month. Once done that, will try to go for GGL by end of November (would be looking to go east from Europe)
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Ty
I am looking to renew my BA Gold status within the next month. What are the obvious current options with lowest £ / TP ratio?
Last time, about 2 years back I re-qualified via a super attractive exEU to HNL flight (I think I collected 1100 TPs on that RT flight alone).
Now I basically need 1,500 TPs, prepared to leave asap, ex Europe in the direction of Americas, want to minimise £ and maximise TPs.
This is my goal for the next month. Once done that, will try to go for GGL by end of November (would be looking to go east from Europe)
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Ty
#4068
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: HAJ
Programs: BA Bronze, AVIS Preferred Plus
Posts: 53
Hey guys.
I need 125 TPs within the next 4 weeks to make it to Silver for the first time. I am based in HAJ but could also easily start in HAM or have a positioning flight to GB. Best thing I could come up with so far is a flight HAJ-LHR-INV in CE for 349 Euro.
Hope you guys might have some good ideas.
Thanks, Maze
I need 125 TPs within the next 4 weeks to make it to Silver for the first time. I am based in HAJ but could also easily start in HAM or have a positioning flight to GB. Best thing I could come up with so far is a flight HAJ-LHR-INV in CE for 349 Euro.
Hope you guys might have some good ideas.
Thanks, Maze
#4069
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 20
ah, I see what you mean...I figured end of Sept -Oct would be a slow travelling season - so prices should be cheaper...
#4070
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 20
I have been using it very much my status expired last month, the card expires at the end of Oct - hence the rush to renew now.
#4071
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 20
1500 TPs in one month at anything like a reasonable price is likely to be tough. As noted there is a sale on in CE and some of the short haul + destinations are reasonably cheap, but they would require you do just over 9 returns to get the required TPs so not sure even that would work for you.
Well, I would like to see a friend in the US in October and visit someone in Asia in November. So I would spend money anyway - trying to kill two birds with one stone
Do you think short haul CE flights would be cheaper per TP than doing a long haul to the Americas?
#4072
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,973
Hey guys.
I need 125 TPs within the next 4 weeks to make it to Silver for the first time. I am based in HAJ but could also easily start in HAM or have a positioning flight to GB. Best thing I could come up with so far is a flight HAJ-LHR-INV in CE for 349 Euro.
Hope you guys might have some good ideas.
Thanks, Maze
I need 125 TPs within the next 4 weeks to make it to Silver for the first time. I am based in HAJ but could also easily start in HAM or have a positioning flight to GB. Best thing I could come up with so far is a flight HAJ-LHR-INV in CE for 349 Euro.
Hope you guys might have some good ideas.
Thanks, Maze
#4073
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Westchester Co, NY or Rio Grande Valley, TX or ???
Programs: BAEC G, WN A-, Hyatt G, HH G, MAR T, Hz PC, was [UA2P, FL A+Elite, BD G]
Posts: 2,275
TP runs are a bit more expensive than they used to be (for many reasons but especially due to no more F credit on all AA flights); see my next post for what you can expect ex-USA.
#4074
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
rb211.
Last edited by RB211; Sep 24, 2018 at 2:07 pm Reason: Clarity!
#4075
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 20
Also, what about flights to SJU or SJO in AA F? do those still offer value right now (ie low cost TPs?)
#4076
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 20
Unless you can find something really cheap in the next month, you are probably better off planning to do your TP run with tickets bought 28+ days in advance. This will mean that you will be flying while BA Silver, but that's not too bad in the USA as you will still get access to Flagship lounges if you travel through JFK/ORD/MIA/LAX.
TP runs are a bit more expensive than they used to be (for many reasons but especially due to no more F credit on all AA flights); see my next post for what you can expect ex-USA.
TP runs are a bit more expensive than they used to be (for many reasons but especially due to no more F credit on all AA flights); see my next post for what you can expect ex-USA.
Look forward to seeing your post...
I remember seeing one of your posts in June/July..you had something with £1.55 per TP - I like that!
#4077
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Westchester Co, NY or Rio Grande Valley, TX or ???
Programs: BAEC G, WN A-, Hyatt G, HH G, MAR T, Hz PC, was [UA2P, FL A+Elite, BD G]
Posts: 2,275
As promised above, here is a TP run that I just booked 3x for next summer:
JFK-CLT/BOS-LAX-LAS and return for £650 ($853 or $854 if you route through BOS both ways); 440 TP so £1.48/TP.
Notes:
1) This is a K-up fare, so in theory I could lose business credit without a refund if there is an equipment change with fewer seats in front - very unlikely in this case.
2) Fare says NYC-LAS, but prices out of LGA and EWR were $140+ higher. This may be due to lack of K availability? (I didn't look.)
3) Fare requires ticketing 90+ days in advance & Saturday night stay (tickets can be nested).
4) I'm sure AA will have a schedule change or two between now and my travel dates; I tried to build 2+ hour transfers in but could not in some cases. Wish me luck that schedule changes don't mess my tickets up too badly.
PS - It looks like there is a similar fare with only a 45 day ticketing requirement, but it costs $100 more...
JFK-CLT/BOS-LAX-LAS and return for £650 ($853 or $854 if you route through BOS both ways); 440 TP so £1.48/TP.
Notes:
1) This is a K-up fare, so in theory I could lose business credit without a refund if there is an equipment change with fewer seats in front - very unlikely in this case.
2) Fare says NYC-LAS, but prices out of LGA and EWR were $140+ higher. This may be due to lack of K availability? (I didn't look.)
3) Fare requires ticketing 90+ days in advance & Saturday night stay (tickets can be nested).
4) I'm sure AA will have a schedule change or two between now and my travel dates; I tried to build 2+ hour transfers in but could not in some cases. Wish me luck that schedule changes don't mess my tickets up too badly.
PS - It looks like there is a similar fare with only a 45 day ticketing requirement, but it costs $100 more...
Last edited by HPN-HRL; Sep 24, 2018 at 2:52 pm Reason: Added PS with add'l fare info
#4078
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Westchester Co, NY or Rio Grande Valley, TX or ???
Programs: BAEC G, WN A-, Hyatt G, HH G, MAR T, Hz PC, was [UA2P, FL A+Elite, BD G]
Posts: 2,275
My bad on the phrasing above - I meant something more like "no more F credit on every two+ cabin AA domestic flight" i.e almost no domestic AA flights can earn 60/210 TPs, whereas every domestic AA flight with 2 or more cabins used to be able to earn at the F rate.
#4079
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,076
AA made the change re-branding fares on 2-class domestic First to what normally is Business class fare, like I, C and D. Some flights are still sold as 'First', but the majority is branded as Business or Business/First. Passengers and CC still call the Premium cabin on a 2 class flight 'First'. regardless of fare class, or what actually is printed on the ticket or even the boarding passes.
For Aadvantage members this poses no big problem, as the two determinants of Elite qualification EQM (Elite Qualifying Miles) the factor is the same, EQD (D= Dollar) is also based on the fare price (ie without taxes & fees).
Without mobilizing too much conspiracy theories, it wouldn't surprise me if OW partners, like BA and AY (probably more, but unfamiliar with their respective FFP earning scheme) had lobbied for long to make this change.
For Aadvantage members this poses no big problem, as the two determinants of Elite qualification EQM (Elite Qualifying Miles) the factor is the same, EQD (D= Dollar) is also based on the fare price (ie without taxes & fees).
Without mobilizing too much conspiracy theories, it wouldn't surprise me if OW partners, like BA and AY (probably more, but unfamiliar with their respective FFP earning scheme) had lobbied for long to make this change.
#4080
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,973
AA made the change re-branding fares on 2-class domestic First to what normally is Business class fare, like I, C and D. Some flights are still sold as 'First', but the majority is branded as Business or Business/First. Passengers and CC still call the Premium cabin on a 2 class flight 'First'. regardless of fare class, or what actually is printed on the ticket or even the boarding passes.
For Aadvantage members this poses no big problem, as the two determinants of Elite qualification EQM (Elite Qualifying Miles) the factor is the same, EQD (D= Dollar) is also based on the fare price (ie without taxes & fees).
Without mobilizing too much conspiracy theories, it wouldn't surprise me if OW partners, like BA and AY (probably more, but unfamiliar with their respective FFP earning scheme) had lobbied for long to make this change.
For Aadvantage members this poses no big problem, as the two determinants of Elite qualification EQM (Elite Qualifying Miles) the factor is the same, EQD (D= Dollar) is also based on the fare price (ie without taxes & fees).
Without mobilizing too much conspiracy theories, it wouldn't surprise me if OW partners, like BA and AY (probably more, but unfamiliar with their respective FFP earning scheme) had lobbied for long to make this change.