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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 29, 2018, 1:45 pm
#886
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
If you are looking for someone else to help :-) , I am looking for a run as well. I'll be able to travel from LAX (but also SAN, LAS and SFO in a pinch) between April 14 to April 27
1. LAX
2. April 14 to 27
3. Maximum :-)
4. Stay a night or two.
BTW: I found your suggested route May 6 to May 9 At £715.20 (all flights book in "I") which is crazy.
1. LAX
2. April 14 to 27
3. Maximum :-)
4. Stay a night or two.
BTW: I found your suggested route May 6 to May 9 At £715.20 (all flights book in "I") which is crazy.
How about this:
LAX - 21-Apr-18
Routing codes: AA421 LAS AA1754 PHX AA513 PHL AA2009 RDU AA2765 CLT AA5411 JAX AA4697 MIA AA959
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
PTY - 23-Apri-18
Routing codes: AA960 MIA AA1113,AA1061 MCO,TPA AA1938,AA691 CLT AA685 RDU AA2231 PHL AA668,AA436 PHX AA1826 LAS AA421
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
Hope this works for you.
Last edited by rossmacd; Jan 29, 2018 at 2:23 pm
Jan 29, 2018, 1:57 pm
#888
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
well, okay, if you insist.
I have to be in LA for the 21st of April, and rested since I'm volunteering at a fund raising event. Though thinking this through, perhaps I should position to PTY from WAS, then have a stop over in LA for the needed date, and nest the run between the WAS-PTY (this doesn't need to be a TP run but optimized if possible) flight. So WAS-PTY//PTY-LAX stopover-PTY//PTY-WAS. Hope I correctly typed what I was trying to explain.
So far, I cannot get matrix to show me anything for any date (LAX-PTY) for April, but May and later comes up fine.
ETA: apologies for not answering your exact queries.
1) either direction but explained a bit about timing
2) date of where I need to be to schedule around
3) the routing you showed in your original post is fine. I don't want to do myself in. LOL!
4) prefer to not stay if I don't have to, but won't rule it 100% out of the mix.
Thanks!
I have to be in LA for the 21st of April, and rested since I'm volunteering at a fund raising event. Though thinking this through, perhaps I should position to PTY from WAS, then have a stop over in LA for the needed date, and nest the run between the WAS-PTY (this doesn't need to be a TP run but optimized if possible) flight. So WAS-PTY//PTY-LAX stopover-PTY//PTY-WAS. Hope I correctly typed what I was trying to explain.
So far, I cannot get matrix to show me anything for any date (LAX-PTY) for April, but May and later comes up fine.
ETA: apologies for not answering your exact queries.
1) either direction but explained a bit about timing
2) date of where I need to be to schedule around
3) the routing you showed in your original post is fine. I don't want to do myself in. LOL!
4) prefer to not stay if I don't have to, but won't rule it 100% out of the mix.
Thanks!
LAX - 18-Apr-18
Routing codes: AA960 MIA AA1113,AA1061 MCO,TPA AA1938,AA691 CLT AA685 RDU AA2231 PHL AA668,AA436 PHX AA1826 LAS AA421
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
PTY - 22-Apri-18
Routing codes: AA421 LAS AA1754 PHX AA513 PHL AA2009 RDU AA2765 CLT AA1849,AA691 JAX,MCO AA4697,AA1565 MIA AA959
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
There is a way of not staying in PTY, if that would be more useful for you?
Jan 29, 2018, 2:02 pm
#889
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 57
Easy
How about this:
LAX - 21-Apr-18
Routing codes: AA421 LAS AA1754 PHX AA513 PHL AA2009 RDU AA2765 CLT AA5411 JAX AA4697 MIA AA959
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
PTY - 23-Apri-18
Routing codes: AA960 MIA AA1113,AA1061 MCO,TPA AA1938,AA691 CLT AA685 RDU AA2231 PHL AA668,AA436 PHX AA1826 LAS AA421
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
Hope this works for you.
How about this:
LAX - 21-Apr-18
Routing codes: AA421 LAS AA1754 PHX AA513 PHL AA2009 RDU AA2765 CLT AA5411 JAX AA4697 MIA AA959
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
PTY - 23-Apri-18
Routing codes: AA960 MIA AA1113,AA1061 MCO,TPA AA1938,AA691 CLT AA685 RDU AA2231 PHL AA668,AA436 PHX AA1826 LAS AA421
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
Hope this works for you.
Jan 29, 2018, 2:22 pm
#892
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 192
15 flights in 4 days, close to a FT record?
Jan 29, 2018, 2:50 pm
#893
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 57
Just trying to book now. In Matrix i get quoted £734.20, but at AA.com (using bookwithmatrix) i am quoted $2,017.91 or ~£1,433. Might be because I started to reserve seats, but found that the last leg was in Y and wanted to doble check (so I closed the window). I tried a day later (which works better for me), but I'm not able to find quotes using your excellent setup. Any ideas?
Jan 29, 2018, 9:34 pm
#894
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: BA Gold, HH
Posts: 673
Your version is essentially the reverse of the run above, albeit with a couple of different flight numbers:
LAX - 18-Apr-18
Routing codes: AA960 MIA AA1113,AA1061 MCO,TPA AA1938,AA691 CLT AA685 RDU AA2231 PHL AA668,AA436 PHX AA1826 LAS AA421
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
PTY - 22-Apri-18
Routing codes: AA421 LAS AA1754 PHX AA513 PHL AA2009 RDU AA2765 CLT AA1849,AA691 JAX,MCO AA4697,AA1565 MIA AA959
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
There is a way of not staying in PTY, if that would be more useful for you?
LAX - 18-Apr-18
Routing codes: AA960 MIA AA1113,AA1061 MCO,TPA AA1938,AA691 CLT AA685 RDU AA2231 PHL AA668,AA436 PHX AA1826 LAS AA421
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
PTY - 22-Apri-18
Routing codes: AA421 LAS AA1754 PHX AA513 PHL AA2009 RDU AA2765 CLT AA1849,AA691 JAX,MCO AA4697,AA1565 MIA AA959
Extension codes: MAXCONNECT 1000; F BC=I
There is a way of not staying in PTY, if that would be more useful for you?
Is there a proper tutorial on how to get the flight numbers, as well as specific language to put into the different fields in ITA Matrix? I've poked around a bit with matrix but I've never found workable explanations, like "if this, then do that" type things. I understand the coding when I read something like what you've posted, but I'd really like to be able to do this myself. That said, I really appreciate your help in this thread that I've been reading for several years now. It has been inspiring seeing all the awesome TP runs.
Jan 29, 2018, 11:57 pm
#895
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland / Estonia
Programs: AY+ Platinum, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, HH Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 6,525
Jan 30, 2018, 12:27 am
#896
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Just trying to book now. In Matrix i get quoted £734.20, but at AA.com (using bookwithmatrix) i am quoted $2,017.91 or ~£1,433. Might be because I started to reserve seats, but found that the last leg was in Y and wanted to doble check (so I closed the window). I tried a day later (which works better for me), but I'm not able to find quotes using your excellent setup. Any ideas?
I, personally, do not find bookwithmatrix.com the best tool for tickets with so many sectors (4-6 sectors are usually fine, but 16 and it will struggle).
Edit: also works for the day after, but a quick glance shows me that the return CLT-RDU flight is knocked into Y for some reason. I don't have time at the moment to investigate why, but send me a PM if you have troubles.
Jan 30, 2018, 12:32 am
#897
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Oh wow! Thank you! Now to decide if I can actually do this.
Is there a proper tutorial on how to get the flight numbers, as well as specific language to put into the different fields in ITA Matrix? I've poked around a bit with matrix but I've never found workable explanations, like "if this, then do that" type things. I understand the coding when I read something like what you've posted, but I'd really like to be able to do this myself. That said, I really appreciate your help in this thread that I've been reading for several years now. It has been inspiring seeing all the awesome TP runs.
Is there a proper tutorial on how to get the flight numbers, as well as specific language to put into the different fields in ITA Matrix? I've poked around a bit with matrix but I've never found workable explanations, like "if this, then do that" type things. I understand the coding when I read something like what you've posted, but I'd really like to be able to do this myself. That said, I really appreciate your help in this thread that I've been reading for several years now. It has been inspiring seeing all the awesome TP runs.
Jan 30, 2018, 3:55 am
#898
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: London
Programs: Newbie BA Gold
Posts: 570
Hiya, my membership year finishes on 8th Mar and I need 50TP to get to gold so one CE flight will do it. The cheapest seems to be LHR-LUX but the only sat-sun flight available at £157 is for 10th Mar. If I go ahead and book it anyway, is the year end 2 week extension guaranteed or do I risk not making gold? Or is there another cheap flight available from LHR to somewhere in Europe? I don't want to risk not making gold for the first time!
Jan 30, 2018, 3:58 am
#899
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Sapporo, Japan
Programs: Junior Jet Club, Nando's Card 1 Red Chilli, Tesco Clubcard, BAEC Gold, TK M&S Elite
Posts: 520
Hiya, my membership year finishes on 8th Mar and I need 50TP to get to gold so one CE flight will do it. The cheapest seems to be LHR-LUX but the only sat-sun flight available at £157 is for 10th Mar. If I go ahead and book it anyway, is the year end 2 week extension guaranteed or do I risk not making gold? Or is there another cheap flight available from LHR to somewhere in Europe? I don't want to risk not making gold for the first time!
Jan 30, 2018, 3:58 am
#900
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
Hiya, my membership year finishes on 8th Mar and I need 50TP to get to gold so one CE flight will do it. The cheapest seems to be LHR-LUX but the only sat-sun flight available at £157 is for 10th Mar. If I go ahead and book it anyway, is the year end 2 week extension guaranteed or do I risk not making gold? Or is there another cheap flight available from LHR to somewhere in Europe? I don't want to risk not making gold for the first time!
