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Old Jan 1, 2018, 5:20 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
  • 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.

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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:
  • 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
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
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BA Tier Point Runs | 2018 master thread

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Old Jan 25, 2018, 1:48 am
  #796  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Originally Posted by zen100
Thanks. Tried that - still didn't work. Errors out when I get to the American page.Might have to do this the hard way and phone AA. Can I call the UK number, or do I have to call an EU or US telephone number?
Weird. AA.com (and several specific country version) working for me.

I always find it best to call the US number - they have the most competent agents. Use Skype if you need to reduce call charges.
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 1:49 am
  #797  
 
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Originally Posted by madfish


I found bookwithmatrix worked for me using safari on my iPhone. Don’t think it worked well with IE on the laptop. Try different browsers as an option. In theory BA should also be able to ticket ghisbfare for you. However, they are less responsive when you need to make changes once AA mangle their schedule beyond all recognition.
This is a good point. When I did a Hawaii (LIH) TP run/holiday a few years ago there were so many little changes to the AA schedule. Luckily, AA allowed me a lot of flexibility to change to different flights and in the end I manged to get even better flight times than i'd started with.
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 2:38 am
  #798  
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Originally Posted by madfish


Did you get sorted? If not try copying your matrix search into bookwithmatrix. This will price in $ but just hold the fare and call AA to pay in £.
I called AA and a very competent agent who was asking for $2214 - when I asked to pay in GBP he put me on hold and asked internally to be priced in £££s when he returned I got the very favourable rate of $1.41 and this was before the rally over the last couple of days!
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 3:49 am
  #799  
 
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Duplicate Flights to get better TPs

I have an upcoming trip in 10 days time (LHR to GVA). My company policy is coach/economy for this and I have been booked as such but on an O/Q ticket class with only 5 TPs each way. Usually, at online check-in, or at the check-in desk, I would try and buy my own upgrade to Club Europe for the TPs for the 40 each way, 80 total, to help me get back to Gold (I dropped to Silver this year and have already done 860 TPs). However, I believe that O/Q class tickets are not offered an upgrade; and I am not happy to settle for 10 TPs (at least a flexi ticket without upgrade would have been 40 total). I am thinking to buy my own Club Europe tickets (cash & AVIOS) for the same flights and just not fly the existing Eco tickets (they are non-refundable anyway, but I would prefer not to cancel them and alert my employer to my scheme). Is this likely to be an issue? Is it better to book the other flights at different times (there are other flight times that work for me as it is a pretty frequent route)? Any suggestions? Thanks!
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 4:03 am
  #800  
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Originally Posted by Buzz0000
I have an upcoming trip in 10 days time (LHR to GVA). My company policy is coach/economy for this and I have been booked as such but on an O/Q ticket class with only 5 TPs each way. Usually, at online check-in, or at the check-in desk, I would try and buy my own upgrade to Club Europe for the TPs for the 40 each way, 80 total, to help me get back to Gold (I dropped to Silver this year and have already done 860 TPs). However, I believe that O/Q class tickets are not offered an upgrade; and I am not happy to settle for 10 TPs (at least a flexi ticket without upgrade would have been 40 total). I am thinking to buy my own Club Europe tickets (cash & AVIOS) for the same flights and just not fly the existing Eco tickets (they are non-refundable anyway, but I would prefer not to cancel them and alert my employer to my scheme). Is this likely to be an issue? Is it better to book the other flights at different times (there are other flight times that work for me as it is a pretty frequent route)? Any suggestions? Thanks!
There is no reason why an O/Q class booking shouldn't be offered a POUG - I have been offered them before. The main issue would be that if you are booked through a TA you are very unlikely to be offered a POUG, possibly during check in but certainly not before.

In terms of booking your own flight then there are the obvious issues around whether your employer would be concerned by that, but that would be something you need to consider yourself and I couldn't advise. I have occasionally booked my own flights and ignored an employer booked one but I am comfortable justifying that if I needed to.

By cash and avios do you mean where you book a normal revenue ticket but take the option during booking to reduce the cash amount by paying some avios (aka Part Payment with Avios)? If so that's fine you would earn normal TPs and avios. Also bear in mind if the employer has booked a return for you and you miss the outbound the rest of the ticket would be cancelled so you need to make your own booking to get home and that cancellation could alert your employer.

In terms of having two seats on the same flight I recall this can cause a problem but I think it is only if you try to check in for both seats. You may be ok if you only check in for the one you intend to travel on - but to be sure you my wish to book a different flight to avoid this altogether.
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 4:17 am
  #801  
 
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Hi KARFA
Thanks for prompt reply.
Ref POUG, I am sure I read somewhere on this site that the O/Q were not eligible, so thanks for the clarification. Currently (on BA.com for seat assignment) the Eco cabin looks about 25% full, which I guess would reduce the likelihood of being offered a POUG?
Yes, I agree re employer - my call. They need to get me there for business reasons and have paid the ticket anyway, so my choice if I pay again to get TP benefit.
Yes, I meant the PPA option to secure full TPs
Yes, I am planning to book returns as not taking the existing outbound voids the inbound.
Ref the 2 seats on the same flight issue, I will have a think about that - does anyone else have direct experience of it causing an issue?

Last edited by Buzz0000; Jan 25, 2018 at 4:43 am Reason: name wrong
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 4:20 am
  #802  
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Originally Posted by Buzz0000
Hi Kafka
Thanks for prompt reply.
Ref POUG, I am sure I read somewhere on this site that the O/Q were not eligible, so thanks for the clarification. Currently (on BA.com for seat assignment) the Eco cabin looks about 25% full, which I guess would reduce the likelihood of being offered a POUG?
No problem.

I think you are confusing it with upgrading with avios? You can't UuA from Q/O/G selling classes. For POUGs there is no such restriction.

Tbh for POUGs I find the likelihood of being offered is more related to how full the CE cabin is rather than how full ET is.
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 4:39 am
  #803  
 
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Ah yes KARFA , you are - of course - right, it is AVIOS u/g's not permitted
Thanks for cabin upgrade view, of course it is logical that it would be the other way around! :-)
Still keen to hear from others on the "two seats on same flight" dilemma
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 4:58 am
  #804  
 
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I've had TA booked tickets offered in the app for POUG short haul, up to the day of the flight in fact. And on other bookings nothing at all. I'd hesitate before doing anything much with bookings related to job policy - the policy isn't just about cost, it may be about external perception ("why is my supplier spending a fortune on travel, I saw his employee in CE when I was in ET!") and internal tensions ("why did X fly business class? Why can't I?"). For the potential trouble it causes it's not worth it.

As for the double tickets, you might as well enjoy the hyper-economy experience paid for by the employer and the slight avios and TP bonus, and then pay to go to somewhere you actually want to go when paying yourself, so two tickets but different destinations. I guess it's possible the TA may be told of a no show and report it back, which would require a bit of explaining. I wouldn't want to put my travel under extra scrutiny because my employer was concerned I was (heaven forfend!) favouring routings or timings because of status concerns (or trying to evade on-business bookings), so I tend not to even broach the subject of non-standard arrangements.
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 5:45 am
  #805  
 
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New York based runs

Hi everyone,

Firstly, thanks for all of the useful info in the threads. This is my first post but I've been reading periodically for over a year. I have been impressed by how detailed and interesting some of the runs have been - I wish I had the time to do the OTP - PHX one, for example.

Has anyone who is NYC (or generally US) based found great runs? I know that AA should be a great source of TPs (and wish I had done the F = F earlier vs the F = J now) but I haven't found anything really compelling yet.

Thanks in advance,
Lex
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 5:46 am
  #806  
 
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For those of us in the Middle East

DXB-CMB-JKT on UL £851 return - 560 TPs. £1.52 / TP

Just be sure to choose the ones with fully-flat seats as not all of their A330s do. Best are the A330-300s with herringbone seat layout.
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 6:00 am
  #807  
 
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Originally Posted by lexecutor
Hi everyone,

Firstly, thanks for all of the useful info in the threads. This is my first post but I've been reading periodically for over a year. I have been impressed by how detailed and interesting some of the runs have been - I wish I had the time to do the OTP - PHX one, for example.

Has anyone who is NYC (or generally US) based found great runs? I know that AA should be a great source of TPs (and wish I had done the F = F earlier vs the F = J now) but I haven't found anything really compelling yet.

Thanks in advance,
Lex

It depends entirely on how many TPs you need and your budget. It you're looking for lots at great value then it'd be best to get a cheap flight over to LAX and then do a PTY run. Otherwise if you're just looking for something simple out of NYC then keep an eye on the Premium Fare Deals thread for cheap AA fares and then try and re-route them for maximum stops/TPs.

Last edited by Foltan; Jan 25, 2018 at 6:14 am
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 6:04 am
  #808  
 
Join Date: May 2017
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Hi bisonrav
Thanks for the comments on biz travel. I often by the personal upgrades and it has never been an issue (of perception or explanation) with other travellers etc, but I appreciate the concern which may stem from your experience with your employer. There is no issue with my employer on airline choice, routings or timings . I would be making the same trip on the same airline (possibly at the same times) so it is not an issue from that perspective and the company is fine with personally bought upgrades (same applies for hotels, car hire etc).
I have no issue with flying ET; but as I do not fly much for pleasure/holidays as my wife has a flying phobia, I try to maximise my TPs on business travel opportunities by flying CE/CW - meaning I don't do the vacation TP runs many on here undertake.
In this case, it is unusual as I am possibly buying a totally replacement ticket - my open question is only about the viability of having two seats in different classes on the outbound and inbound flights. I guess I could maybe just ring the BA helpdesk and ask them what would happen?
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 7:04 am
  #809  
 
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Posts: 2,275
Originally Posted by lexecutor
Hi everyone,

Firstly, thanks for all of the useful info in the threads. This is my first post but I've been reading periodically for over a year. I have been impressed by how detailed and interesting some of the runs have been - I wish I had the time to do the OTP - PHX one, for example.

Has anyone who is NYC (or generally US) based found great runs? I know that AA should be a great source of TPs (and wish I had done the F = F earlier vs the F = J now) but I haven't found anything really compelling yet.

Thanks in advance,
Lex
Hi Lex, and welcome to the BA Tier Point Run thread! I usually leave welcoming to one of the more active posters here in the BA forum, but as a fellow NYC-area resident I thought I would do the honors.

Here are some of the TP runs that I have done to help me earn and keep BAEC Gold status (more details in the annual TP Run Threads):

(5 summers ago) SJU-MIA-MCO-LAX-LAS and v.v. [I did three one-ways after doing LGA-DCA-CLT-MIA-SJU and planned a trip out of LAS after]
(3 summers ago) LGA-PHL-(LAX)-PHX-LGB-PHX-LAX-CLT-LGA (outbound PHL-LAX got cut due to a schedule change on both runs I did]
(Last summer) PTY-LGA-PTY nested inside LGA-PTY-LGA over two weekends at 8 segments per direction (4 flights per day; 32 segments total = 1280 TP)

Obviously the US-based runs are not as lucrative as they used to be, but I still find earning status with BA to be worthwhile despite the lack of "great" TP runs. In general the best runs these days are between the West Coast and the Caribbean/Central America/Northern South America; sometimes there can be decent runs out of YYZ or YUL (which can be easy to position to from NYC). I'm not as "crazy" as some of the regulars in this thread as I tend to do only a bit more than enough TP runs (plus a holiday trip to Europe where I make sure to take 4 BA/IB flights) to earn Gold early in my TP year every other year. When the time is approaching for me to want to do a TP run, I start by looking at this thread and the Premium Fares thread. There have also been some decent Qatar runs to Southeast Asia,, but my work schedule generally hasn't allowed me to do anything with them.
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Old Jan 25, 2018, 8:54 am
  #810  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, *G, EK Skywards Silver
Posts: 1,020
Originally Posted by rossmacd
This is possible (availability permitting, of course) - what dates were you looking at, and what were your search parameters?
thanks very much

4th Apr ex OTP
11 Apr ex US (so transatlantic sector also departs in 11th to keep within fare rules)

preference is for a night in NYC, a night in SFO and then on to PHX.
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