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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
Jan 24, 2018, 7:48 am
#751
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL / GfL
Posts: 3,265
Borrowing from the always very helpful Premium Fare Deals forum, ALG-LAX, routing through either MAD or LHR/LGW and JFK is possible for £1,305. ITA Matrix can price it up on BA fares, but google flights and BA.com seem to think only AA can get this price!
720TP's (not bad at £1.81/TP) is the return, but the big IF which I am thinking is not possible, can a B2B be done on the LGW>ALG>LGW sector?
BA stays on the ground for 1hr, but no idea if getting a return boarding pass at LGW and then getting through immigration and back to the gate is possible in 30mins or so?
Pilot37
Jan 24, 2018, 7:57 am
#752
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Berkshire / London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Nandos
Posts: 1,011
I usually try to stay at one of the hotels next to the airport when I have an early OTP start so as not to have to deal with early morning traffic in Bucharest. The Vienna House Bucharest airport (AKA Angelo Hotel) is only a 5 minute walk from the airport and is of a decent quality.
On the OTP/PHX run i'd prefer to maximise sleep beforehand and as the OTP lounge is 'below par' there's not much reason to get there early, especially with such wonderful lounges and first class to look forward to further on in the journey.
On the OTP/PHX run i'd prefer to maximise sleep beforehand and as the OTP lounge is 'below par' there's not much reason to get there early, especially with such wonderful lounges and first class to look forward to further on in the journey.
Not sure, only read about them, never been. I also read they're smoking lounges - as a non-smoker I don't think I'd enjoy much sleep there!!
I agree with this.
Jan 24, 2018, 8:01 am
#753
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Wolverhampton
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriot Gold, Radisson Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 1,608
Jan 24, 2018, 8:44 am
#754
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 192
1. Easy - where you can deplane airside and remain there for boarding without any further complications as long as you have a boarding pass (EG Helsinki)
2. Medium - Where you can use a transit lane within the same terminal but there are passport / security checks you must go through (eg AGP)
3. Near Impossible - Where you must clear immigration and go through a more complicated proceedure, eg physical boarding pass required at CGK, long visa/immigration process eg Mumbai or where "compliance" is required eg T5 heathrow.
I've actually contacted Sri Lanken and asked them to hold open the check in as long as possible on my b2b and to call me as they are closing check in. They've given me a direct dial through to CGK so I'm still semi hopeful if I can get hold of someone sensible that I might be able to catch the check in before it closes - twice
We'll see. Flights are non refundable and cannot be changed so I'm committed to it now
Jan 24, 2018, 8:50 am
#755
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Pyrite
Posts: 179
I usually try to stay at one of the hotels next to the airport when I have an early OTP start so as not to have to deal with early morning traffic in Bucharest. The Vienna House Bucharest airport (AKA Angelo Hotel) is only a 5 minute walk from the airport and is of a decent quality.
Jan 24, 2018, 8:56 am
#756
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 484
If I was going to walk somewhere in the dark from OTP it would be the Angelo hotel. You can see it when you come out of the terminal building. I have stayed at the RIN Airport which was fine but I wouldn't walk there in the dark partly because of the distance, partly because the underfoot surface is uneven with plenty of trip hazards and I'm not that brave/foolhardy; also they have one shuttle an hour so you'd be lucky to get 5 hours actually in the hotel.
I thought the airport lounge was ok. It may have a smoking area perhaps but I didn't notice evidence of smoking in the main lounge area at all. It was a bit light on snacks though the yogurt pot with some kind of topping (in fridge under counter) was to my taste.
I will be taking a checked bag on my next trip so I think my bag and I will be spending some hours landside until check-in opens. Big, big, sigh. I am doubtful about leaving it at the left luggage in LHR as only a couple of hours connection planned and might fail to retrieve it.
I thought the airport lounge was ok. It may have a smoking area perhaps but I didn't notice evidence of smoking in the main lounge area at all. It was a bit light on snacks though the yogurt pot with some kind of topping (in fridge under counter) was to my taste.
I will be taking a checked bag on my next trip so I think my bag and I will be spending some hours landside until check-in opens. Big, big, sigh. I am doubtful about leaving it at the left luggage in LHR as only a couple of hours connection planned and might fail to retrieve it.
Jan 24, 2018, 8:57 am
#757
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 484
I would do that walk (female senior citizen for context). Just too mean to pay for hotel for short overnight.
Jan 24, 2018, 9:25 am
#758
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Pyrite
Posts: 179
Thanks Iamnotlost, much appreciated. I'll probably walk it.
With the LHR flight, a TATL and a US transcon in short succession the next day I was happy to stump up ~£60 for the night.
With the LHR flight, a TATL and a US transcon in short succession the next day I was happy to stump up ~£60 for the night.
Jan 24, 2018, 9:46 am
#759
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,330
Borrowing from the always very helpful Premium Fare Deals forum, ALG-LAX, routing through either MAD or LHR/LGW and JFK is possible for £1,305. ITA Matrix can price it up on BA fares, but google flights and BA.com seem to think only AA can get this price!
720TP's (not bad at £1.81/TP) is the return, but the big IF which I am thinking is not possible, can a B2B be done on the LGW>ALG>LGW sector?
BA stays on the ground for 1hr, but no idea if getting a return boarding pass at LGW and then getting through immigration and back to the gate is possible in 30mins or so?
Pilot37
I certainly wouldn't be keen on trying a B2B.
Jan 24, 2018, 9:47 am
#760
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: British Airways | Executive Club silver
Posts: 104
Can anyone put together a good short haul tps run for me
starting and finishing in Edinburgh , guess London will 1st stop then onto 3 or 4 stops in Europe
i will have 5 days to do it so maybe spend 1 night in each
European stop off
thanks in advance
starting and finishing in Edinburgh , guess London will 1st stop then onto 3 or 4 stops in Europe
i will have 5 days to do it so maybe spend 1 night in each
European stop off
thanks in advance
Jan 24, 2018, 9:54 am
#761
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,157
I'm not a TP expert but it would help if you can perhaps add your dates as without that then it's an open ended question. Further, do you need a specific amount of TP's?
Jan 24, 2018, 10:16 am
#763
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
https://www.sleepinginairports.net/e...est.htm#lounge
Jan 24, 2018, 10:18 am
#764
formerly mattking2000
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB
Programs: BA|AC|AZ|SPG|H|FPC
Posts: 1,187
Depending on the day you arrive, ALG immigration could be completely full or empty (those twice-a-week MRS/NCE/BOD/LYS/etc seem to never depart or arrive at the same hour...), and the process to get someone to get your boarding pass/go through security is a 30-minute affair at the minimum.
Given that boarding for flights at ALG begins well before departure (I've seen gates open 2 hours before departure), it's best not to do a B2B there.
As a counterpoint though, first-hand experience says that airport officials are bribe-able, so you might be able to do something (under)-handed there...
Jan 24, 2018, 10:33 am
#765
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: British Airways | Executive Club silver
Posts: 104
Welcome. What do you see as the advantages of having bronze? Is there any value of this for you? Most people tend to disregard bronze and see silver as a better level to achieve as this comes with lounge access and free seat selection at time of booking.
nevertheless, 300TPs are fairly easily attainable. From EDI you should be able to fit in an EDI/LGW/MLA and return over a couple of days 240 TPs in CE. Alternatively head down to LHR on day one and do a range of short haul flights on B2Bs from there or spend each day in a different city before returning to EDI at the end of it all.
Day 1 and 5 to and from EDI. 80TPs
Day 2, 3 and 4 from LHR to anywhere and return 80TPs each day.
However, with the above you would still be looking at around £800 minimum. I’d be more tempted to look to go on an ex-EU for not much more and hit silver.
im looking to get 160+ tps