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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
May 31, 2018, 3:12 pm
#2551
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: NW 1MM, BD Gold, BA Gold, AA 1MM, LM, VX eleVAte, Hyatt D6, SPG Plat, Hertz President's
Posts: 304
Hi all, got this all ready to book. Just wanted to sense check one thing. I have a 43m domestic connection on the way back in LAX. Is this likely to cause any problems? If I do miss it, my next flight out of JFK isn't until 17:40 the next day so don't think it's the end of the world - if it was the last flight out would AA have a duty of care to give me a hotel overnight in LAX or is that just an EU thing? Excited to be doing my first TP run, and will get me gold in my first year of being totally obsessed by all of this stuff.
Hey All,
I wonder if I could pick some knowledge on this. I am currently sat on 790 Tier Points. I am off to SFO on Sunday in W Return. This will leave me on (if I calculate it right) 970 Points.
Now, is there any Tier Point runs available, July or First half of August which will get me over the line for Gold? My Tier point year ends 8th August, but can extend for two weeks if needed.
I fly out of LHR also.
I wonder if I could pick some knowledge on this. I am currently sat on 790 Tier Points. I am off to SFO on Sunday in W Return. This will leave me on (if I calculate it right) 970 Points.
Now, is there any Tier Point runs available, July or First half of August which will get me over the line for Gold? My Tier point year ends 8th August, but can extend for two weeks if needed.
I fly out of LHR also.
:
May 31, 2018, 3:24 pm
#2552
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
May 31, 2018, 3:29 pm
#2553
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
There appears to be an indirect one via Boston leaving at 23:55, so not great but not the end of the world either. And yes, I'm planning a day with a friend who just moved to Helsinki; soon to be new best friend...
Should I be worried about the connection time at LAX on the outbound? Apparently the American Eagle flights leave from a different terminal so that could be challenging. I think if AA are guaranteed to rebook me on some service I don't mind the risk, but if it's deemed my fault and then the whole TP run goes in the bin, that would hurt!
If that's all fine, then I think this itinerary might on the whole be better. It works out slightly cheaper and gets the A350 AY flight in there.
Should I be worried about the connection time at LAX on the outbound? Apparently the American Eagle flights leave from a different terminal so that could be challenging. I think if AA are guaranteed to rebook me on some service I don't mind the risk, but if it's deemed my fault and then the whole TP run goes in the bin, that would hurt!
If that's all fine, then I think this itinerary might on the whole be better. It works out slightly cheaper and gets the A350 AY flight in there.
Jun 1, 2018, 12:18 am
#2554
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Executive Club, Aeroplan
Posts: 196
Booked my flights!
Positioning to OTP and then to LA at the end, so in total (LHR) - OTP - LHR - JFK - LAX - PHX - (LAX) - PHX - LAX - JFK - LHR - OTP - (LHR). All in business bar the positioning flights, and got some lovely seats upstairs on the LHR-JFK flights. Cannot wait!
Positioning to OTP and then to LA at the end, so in total (LHR) - OTP - LHR - JFK - LAX - PHX - (LAX) - PHX - LAX - JFK - LHR - OTP - (LHR). All in business bar the positioning flights, and got some lovely seats upstairs on the LHR-JFK flights. Cannot wait!
Jun 1, 2018, 12:28 am
#2555
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
Just a reminder for those booking OTP/PHX fares, there is a collated list of those doing runs in the PHX do thread. Feel free to add your own run should you wish. You might find an opportunity to meet up with fellow FTers on your flights or in the lounges. There is also the airport meet up thread as well.
Jun 1, 2018, 2:24 am
#2557
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,075
Thanks, your experience would be valuable. It turned out to be many of you, with lots of BUD knowledge, responding to my humble request. The future BUD DO will merit it's own thread, will look at that during the weekend, presently on mobile.
Jun 1, 2018, 2:40 am
#2558
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
There appears to be an indirect one via Boston leaving at 23:55, so not great but not the end of the world either. And yes, I'm planning a day with a friend who just moved to Helsinki; soon to be new best friend...
Should I be worried about the connection time at LAX on the outbound? Apparently the American Eagle flights leave from a different terminal so that could be challenging. I think if AA are guaranteed to rebook me on some service I don't mind the risk, but if it's deemed my fault and then the whole TP run goes in the bin, that would hurt!
If that's all fine, then I think this itinerary might on the whole be better. It works out slightly cheaper and gets the A350 AY flight in there.
Should I be worried about the connection time at LAX on the outbound? Apparently the American Eagle flights leave from a different terminal so that could be challenging. I think if AA are guaranteed to rebook me on some service I don't mind the risk, but if it's deemed my fault and then the whole TP run goes in the bin, that would hurt!
If that's all fine, then I think this itinerary might on the whole be better. It works out slightly cheaper and gets the A350 AY flight in there.
Jun 1, 2018, 4:03 am
#2559
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 124
There isn't a question about posting in time - as an extreme case, the points for my last Gold renewal (yes, on RJ) finally arrived two days after my soft-landed Silver pack (year end 08/12, card expired 31/01, points posted 02/02), but it took all of thirty seconds on the phone to have them applied to the proper year (via the two-week extension) and get my status renewed. It's the date of the flight that counts, not the date that the points arrive in your account.
Jun 1, 2018, 10:22 am
#2560
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Surrey
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 107
Think 840? Have been told the PHX-LAX legs only earn 40 even though in first..
I tweaked the routing some more and ended up with a great itinerary which maximises sleeping on the plane (so reduced hotel costs), includes long daytime layovers in LAX and JFK, my whole day in HEL, and I took your advice and got the earlier LHR to OTP flight. Got 64K on a 747 in there too. Can't wait!
Thanks a lot for the help everyone.
I tweaked the routing some more and ended up with a great itinerary which maximises sleeping on the plane (so reduced hotel costs), includes long daytime layovers in LAX and JFK, my whole day in HEL, and I took your advice and got the earlier LHR to OTP flight. Got 64K on a 747 in there too. Can't wait!
Thanks a lot for the help everyone.
Jun 1, 2018, 10:33 am
#2561
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: PHL
Posts: 71
Have fun.
LAX to Manhattan beach is a super easy Uber ride. Fun little spot that's not too hectic to kill some layover hours if you don't go downtown.
Jun 2, 2018, 2:57 am
#2562
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,918
Jun 2, 2018, 6:09 am
#2563
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Surrey
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 107
Thanks for clarifying, yes PHX - LAX rather than PHL.
Jun 2, 2018, 6:41 am
#2564
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 305
So I've just returned from a trip to Japan where I made extensive use of JAL's "Japan Explorer Pass". Each segment is a domestic flight, priced from 5,400 JPY (£36.94) to 10,800 JPY (£73.88) depending on route. The great thing about the pass is that each sector can be upgraded to J at the airport (subject to availability) for an additional 1,000 JPY (£6.84). (F class upgrades are also available on some routes, but this is not good value from a TP run perspective -- J class is the sweet spot).
I was able to obtain a J class upgrade on every sector where the plane had a J class cabin (four out of five), earning 40 TPs each. I earned 20 TPs for the sector where there was no J class on board and had to stick with Y.
If you were to be strategic about this, I reckon there could be decent earning potential. E.g. suppose you strategically choose lightly-loaded flights between Tohoku and elsewhere on planes with a J class cabin. By default, you'll earn 20 TPs for £36.94 (£1.84/TP), with a decent likelihood of earning 40 TPs for £43.78 (£1.09/TP).
Obviously you would need to factor in a trip to Japan in the first place though -- but if you're planning a trip to Japan anyway it could be a nice little earner. It's also, in any case, a very cost effective way to travel around Japan.
I was able to obtain a J class upgrade on every sector where the plane had a J class cabin (four out of five), earning 40 TPs each. I earned 20 TPs for the sector where there was no J class on board and had to stick with Y.
If you were to be strategic about this, I reckon there could be decent earning potential. E.g. suppose you strategically choose lightly-loaded flights between Tohoku and elsewhere on planes with a J class cabin. By default, you'll earn 20 TPs for £36.94 (£1.84/TP), with a decent likelihood of earning 40 TPs for £43.78 (£1.09/TP).
Obviously you would need to factor in a trip to Japan in the first place though -- but if you're planning a trip to Japan anyway it could be a nice little earner. It's also, in any case, a very cost effective way to travel around Japan.
Jun 2, 2018, 7:00 am
#2565
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Oxford (&Western Isles )
Programs: BA GGL, CCR; RyanAir MillionMiler :( ;
Posts: 754
Is it possible to upgrade to F for some of the OTP-PHX legs (where it exists). Choosing F on the Matrix returns "no flights" probably because there are no F flights on some sectors.
How would i go about this? Should i split the MultiCity into the legs that can be in F and use "bc=" to slect F? or is there a better / easier way to do this?
Also, can UuA those sectors as an alternative?
Nearly ready to press the button
How would i go about this? Should i split the MultiCity into the legs that can be in F and use "bc=" to slect F? or is there a better / easier way to do this?
Also, can UuA those sectors as an alternative?
Nearly ready to press the button