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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
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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
May 29, 2018, 3:35 am
#2491
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Executive Club, Aeroplan
Posts: 196
Depends how much you're willing to spend, in part.
My advice would probably be to reposition away from Heathrow. Something like BUD-LHR-JFK-LAX-LAS (then drive back to LAX, or fly if you want) in business is around £1580 (and 720TP).
There's also good premium economy offers on ARN/OSL-LHR-LAX (think it can be re-routed via JFK, can't remember) for around £700. Won't yield the same TP as above by a long stretch though (maybe 220TP).
There was a JER-PDX in business (680TP, but I'm not sure if it's still around, worth exploring (JER-LHR-JFK-LAX-PDX-LAX-JFK-LHR (no JER completion, otherwise it ups the cost)).
A number of options anyway, that'll put you in a position to drive/fly back to LA and nest in flights accordingly to have a rewarding and comfortable flight(s) for a relative bargain.
My advice would probably be to reposition away from Heathrow. Something like BUD-LHR-JFK-LAX-LAS (then drive back to LAX, or fly if you want) in business is around £1580 (and 720TP).
There's also good premium economy offers on ARN/OSL-LHR-LAX (think it can be re-routed via JFK, can't remember) for around £700. Won't yield the same TP as above by a long stretch though (maybe 220TP).
There was a JER-PDX in business (680TP, but I'm not sure if it's still around, worth exploring (JER-LHR-JFK-LAX-PDX-LAX-JFK-LHR (no JER completion, otherwise it ups the cost)).
A number of options anyway, that'll put you in a position to drive/fly back to LA and nest in flights accordingly to have a rewarding and comfortable flight(s) for a relative bargain.
With ITA, am I just plugging in random options (within the guidance given above) to try and find something? I've been searching and not that much compelling is coming up so I'm curious if I'm missing a trick here.
May 29, 2018, 3:49 am
#2492
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
Give me some dates and a budget I'll have a look. DM box also open.
May 29, 2018, 4:25 am
#2493
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Executive Club, Aeroplan
Posts: 196
Thank you mmxbreaks - just sent you a DM.
James
James
May 29, 2018, 5:32 am
#2494
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
Try this:
and it should give you something like this to select:
The price is good, but there are some snags:
1. You'll need to position to Bucharest the day before and pay for overnight accommodation. Still, cheap city, that's unlikely to be a problem at a weekend.
2. The LAX arrival time means a horrid short overnight stop, so you may wish to purchase a hotel - but that'll only get you around 3hrs sleep by the time you're there.
3. Of course, there's the small fact you'll end up arriving in PHX, not LAX, the next day - so that's another cost to get back to LAX.
Nonetheless, with all that said, and otherwise workable connection times, it's a relative bargain really. LHR-LAX direct in business is closer to £5Kpp. The above I think you could do for £1,600pp including hotels and positioning flights.
Others can advise on Travel Agents that can book such an itinerary. I've used Propeller twice now and it's always worked out well, even with complex things such as this. The people there seem to understand our odd routings... Or phone the airline direct (think that price is with AA, BA is about £25 more - by which time the TA route may just be easier).
G'luck.
and it should give you something like this to select:
The price is good, but there are some snags:
1. You'll need to position to Bucharest the day before and pay for overnight accommodation. Still, cheap city, that's unlikely to be a problem at a weekend.
2. The LAX arrival time means a horrid short overnight stop, so you may wish to purchase a hotel - but that'll only get you around 3hrs sleep by the time you're there.
3. Of course, there's the small fact you'll end up arriving in PHX, not LAX, the next day - so that's another cost to get back to LAX.
Nonetheless, with all that said, and otherwise workable connection times, it's a relative bargain really. LHR-LAX direct in business is closer to £5Kpp. The above I think you could do for £1,600pp including hotels and positioning flights.
Others can advise on Travel Agents that can book such an itinerary. I've used Propeller twice now and it's always worked out well, even with complex things such as this. The people there seem to understand our odd routings... Or phone the airline direct (think that price is with AA, BA is about £25 more - by which time the TA route may just be easier).
G'luck.
May 29, 2018, 6:05 am
#2495
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Executive Club, Aeroplan
Posts: 196
Got it!!!! Thank you so much! Amazing stuff. Gonna try and get this booked today.
Thanks for taking the time - this also is really helpful for future bookings.
Thanks for taking the time - this also is really helpful for future bookings.
May 29, 2018, 6:16 am
#2496
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,076
Hi all,
I need to be in Baltimore in early August. There seem to be two good fares around: PRG-BWI and ALG-BWI both starting at around £1300. I have not been able to find a good routing from PRG: If I add HEL the flight times are not great and I seem to often exceed MPM. ALG-LGW is SH+ however, so I have build:
ALG-LGW/LHR-PHL-CLT-BWI
BWI-CLT-ORD-LHR/LGW-ALG
Which I believe is 80+140+40+40 *2 = 600 TP, so 2.17 £/TP.
I chose the PHL/CLT combination at random - are there better connection points (faster immigration/better lounges?)
On the return I would like to fly via an AA hub and visit a flagship lounge (hence ORD).
Suggestions/improvements are welcome! The dates above are approximate/can be adjusted.
EDIT: I have just realised and noticed I need a visa for Algeria - maybe a good PRG routing would be a better idea.
I need to be in Baltimore in early August. There seem to be two good fares around: PRG-BWI and ALG-BWI both starting at around £1300. I have not been able to find a good routing from PRG: If I add HEL the flight times are not great and I seem to often exceed MPM. ALG-LGW is SH+ however, so I have build:
ALG-LGW/LHR-PHL-CLT-BWI
BWI-CLT-ORD-LHR/LGW-ALG
Which I believe is 80+140+40+40 *2 = 600 TP, so 2.17 £/TP.
I chose the PHL/CLT combination at random - are there better connection points (faster immigration/better lounges?)
On the return I would like to fly via an AA hub and visit a flagship lounge (hence ORD).
Suggestions/improvements are welcome! The dates above are approximate/can be adjusted.
EDIT: I have just realised and noticed I need a visa for Algeria - maybe a good PRG routing would be a better idea.
Didn't know about a ALG-BWI fare, the ALG-JFK fare, more info here is very generous, not only being fully flexible, and lower than quoted, but also with unusual routings allowed. Using this fare for Baltimore, my preference would be the LAX-JFK lie-flat transcon both ways and connect to Baltimore by air/train/car.
On Friday, my trusted TA made a reservation for me flying ALG-MAD-LHR-LAX-JFK (18h) -LAX (stopover 10d) -LHR-MAD-ALG, fare £1109. As this is an ALG-JFK ticket, the stop in JFK (as also LAX) can be both longer and shorter, no min stay requirement.
LAX has a newly rebuilt Flagship Lounge in T4, and in TBIT there are the QF lounges.
There is a way around the Visa need - I'll be positioning to PAR. AF has a morning flight CDG-ALG, and Air Algerie (AH) , with good reviews, flies from both CDG and ORY, although the morning flight from CDG arrives 2h10 before the IB flight to MAD. Personally, when transiting in an airport unknown to me, I'd prefer more margins. Returning in the afternoon to PAR, after your final segment, you'll go TWOV on both occasions, saving time and money.
720 TP, not counting positioning flights, for £1.1K equals to 1.54£/TP, which is one of the better with European origin (Northern Africa is by IATA definitions part of Europe
)
May 29, 2018, 6:47 am
#2497
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
This is how it becomes addictive btw.
May 29, 2018, 7:16 am
#2498
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 158
Presently having issues with ITA Matrix, so very sorry for not being able to give you examples.
Didn't know about a ALG-BWI fare, the ALG-JFK fare, more info here is very generous, not only being fully flexible, and lower than quoted, but also with unusual routings allowed. Using this fare for Baltimore, my preference would be the LAX-JFK lie-flat transcon both ways and connect to Baltimore by air/train/car.
On Friday, my trusted TA made a reservation for me flying ALG-MAD-LHR-LAX-JFK (18h) -LAX (stopover 10d) -LHR-MAD-ALG, fare £1109. As this is an ALG-JFK ticket, the stop in JFK (as also LAX) can be both longer and shorter, no min stay requirement.
Didn't know about a ALG-BWI fare, the ALG-JFK fare, more info here is very generous, not only being fully flexible, and lower than quoted, but also with unusual routings allowed. Using this fare for Baltimore, my preference would be the LAX-JFK lie-flat transcon both ways and connect to Baltimore by air/train/car.
On Friday, my trusted TA made a reservation for me flying ALG-MAD-LHR-LAX-JFK (18h) -LAX (stopover 10d) -LHR-MAD-ALG, fare £1109. As this is an ALG-JFK ticket, the stop in JFK (as also LAX) can be both longer and shorter, no min stay requirement.
May 29, 2018, 10:50 am
#2499
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,076
On a train presently, only equipped with my mobile.
The fare code of my ticket is INNN3C, covering travel ALG-JFK. For my plans, the possibility to make a longer stopover in LAX was useful, especially when no minimum stay in JFK was required. The Premium Fare Deals thread, which I linked to in my previous post, have only elaborated on the west coast hub routing one way or both, IIRC.
Adding BWI, with necessitating another transfer, like CLT, into some quick searches increased the price from +55% to +350%. If BWI is a must, there must be some limitation I can't see on the mobile, that drags the price up. Without JFK, this fare does not seem to work.
Good luck in circumventing the obstacles, or maybe compromise and have a ticket to JFK (by all means, don't miss the turn-around in LAX, with/without stopover) and buy a separate ticket JFK-DCA r/t + shuttle to BWI, train NYC-WAS or a rented car JFK-BWI.
The fare code of my ticket is INNN3C, covering travel ALG-JFK. For my plans, the possibility to make a longer stopover in LAX was useful, especially when no minimum stay in JFK was required. The Premium Fare Deals thread, which I linked to in my previous post, have only elaborated on the west coast hub routing one way or both, IIRC.
Adding BWI, with necessitating another transfer, like CLT, into some quick searches increased the price from +55% to +350%. If BWI is a must, there must be some limitation I can't see on the mobile, that drags the price up. Without JFK, this fare does not seem to work.
Good luck in circumventing the obstacles, or maybe compromise and have a ticket to JFK (by all means, don't miss the turn-around in LAX, with/without stopover) and buy a separate ticket JFK-DCA r/t + shuttle to BWI, train NYC-WAS or a rented car JFK-BWI.
May 29, 2018, 12:46 pm
#2500
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 384
This is very last minute but is there any last minute affordable mileage run deals between Europe-US from June 10 that anyone knows about? Thanking you in advance.
May 29, 2018, 1:35 pm
#2501
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Executive Club, Aeroplan
Posts: 196
With the tier points, I actually made it 800 - 80, 140, 140, 40, 40, 140, 140, 80, so even better and then the positioning flights add a few more in there too. Very nice indeed.
May 29, 2018, 1:39 pm
#2502
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,759
Are the LAX-PTY or similar runs still going?
Haven't done one for a while so started looking at one in Oct. Can only seem to get a 6am departure from LAX before the prices jumps from £852 to £3k+.
Tried AA.com but that gives me proxy errors on anything more complex than a to b. Probably a website issue at present.
Haven't done one for a while so started looking at one in Oct. Can only seem to get a 6am departure from LAX before the prices jumps from £852 to £3k+.
Tried AA.com but that gives me proxy errors on anything more complex than a to b. Probably a website issue at present.
May 29, 2018, 2:28 pm
#2503
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 158
On a train presently, only equipped with my mobile.
The fare code of my ticket is INNN3C, covering travel ALG-JFK.
Adding BWI, with necessitating another transfer, like CLT, into some quick searches increased the price from +55% to +350%. If BWI is a must, there must be some limitation I can't see on the mobile, that drags the price up. Without JFK, this fare does not seem to work.
Good luck in circumventing the obstacles, or maybe compromise and have a ticket to JFK (by all means, don't miss the turn-around in LAX, with/without stopover) and buy a separate ticket JFK-DCA r/t + shuttle to BWI, train NYC-WAS or a rented car JFK-BWI.
The fare code of my ticket is INNN3C, covering travel ALG-JFK.
Adding BWI, with necessitating another transfer, like CLT, into some quick searches increased the price from +55% to +350%. If BWI is a must, there must be some limitation I can't see on the mobile, that drags the price up. Without JFK, this fare does not seem to work.
Good luck in circumventing the obstacles, or maybe compromise and have a ticket to JFK (by all means, don't miss the turn-around in LAX, with/without stopover) and buy a separate ticket JFK-DCA r/t + shuttle to BWI, train NYC-WAS or a rented car JFK-BWI.
May 29, 2018, 2:45 pm
#2504
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: GGL/CCR
Posts: 1,899
Hmm, the allowed routing that Calchas posted at https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=29579702&postcount=66 does seem to suggest that routing via WAS is OK. I think I just need to find a decent TA (hint, hint, tell me!) that could actually price this itinerary up for me. I class availability is good for the dates I want.
May 29, 2018, 3:02 pm
#2505
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Effectively grounded
Programs: BA GGL for a little while longer
Posts: 844
Presently having issues with ITA Matrix, so very sorry for not being able to give you examples.
Didn't know about a ALG-BWI fare, the ALG-JFK fare, more info here is very generous, not only being fully flexible, and lower than quoted, but also with unusual routings allowed. Using this fare for Baltimore, my preference would be the LAX-JFK lie-flat transcon both ways and connect to Baltimore by air/train/car.
On Friday, my trusted TA made a reservation for me flying ALG-MAD-LHR-LAX-JFK (18h) -LAX (stopover 10d) -LHR-MAD-ALG, fare £1109. As this is an ALG-JFK ticket, the stop in JFK (as also LAX) can be both longer and shorter, no min stay requirement.
LAX has a newly rebuilt Flagship Lounge in T4, and in TBIT there are the QF lounges.
There is a way around the Visa need - I'll be positioning to PAR. AF has a morning flight CDG-ALG, and Air Algerie (AH) , with good reviews, flies from both CDG and ORY, although the morning flight from CDG arrives 2h10 before the IB flight to MAD. Personally, when transiting in an airport unknown to me, I'd prefer more margins. Returning in the afternoon to PAR, after your final segment, you'll go TWOV on both occasions, saving time and money.
720 TP, not counting positioning flights, for £1.1K equals to 1.54£/TP, which is one of the better with European origin (Northern Africa is by IATA definitions part of Europe )
Didn't know about a ALG-BWI fare, the ALG-JFK fare, more info here is very generous, not only being fully flexible, and lower than quoted, but also with unusual routings allowed. Using this fare for Baltimore, my preference would be the LAX-JFK lie-flat transcon both ways and connect to Baltimore by air/train/car.
On Friday, my trusted TA made a reservation for me flying ALG-MAD-LHR-LAX-JFK (18h) -LAX (stopover 10d) -LHR-MAD-ALG, fare £1109. As this is an ALG-JFK ticket, the stop in JFK (as also LAX) can be both longer and shorter, no min stay requirement.
LAX has a newly rebuilt Flagship Lounge in T4, and in TBIT there are the QF lounges.
There is a way around the Visa need - I'll be positioning to PAR. AF has a morning flight CDG-ALG, and Air Algerie (AH) , with good reviews, flies from both CDG and ORY, although the morning flight from CDG arrives 2h10 before the IB flight to MAD. Personally, when transiting in an airport unknown to me, I'd prefer more margins. Returning in the afternoon to PAR, after your final segment, you'll go TWOV on both occasions, saving time and money.
720 TP, not counting positioning flights, for £1.1K equals to 1.54£/TP, which is one of the better with European origin (Northern Africa is by IATA definitions part of Europe
)Arriving pax were routed straight to passport control, no chance to "get lost neat the gate" as you never enter the departure lounge.
UK passport holders need a transit visa for ALG - TWOV is not available. The visa is quite a lot of paperwork, takes a couple of weeks and costs £85...
On the plus side, Algeria is a great destination and I will certainly go back before long.