Jan 1, 2018, 5:20 am
Last edit by: OWBA
Welcome to the thread. This is a continuation of the highly popular 2017 Tier Point thread. We keep track of other prices, as well as useful reference information for those planning tier point runs.
Please read the first few posts in this thread first as it contains lots of information which may answer your question.
This is a community-maintained wiki post. Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.
Current Promotions of Interest
Sale Fares
Advanced Promotion Fares
See here in post #9 for a 2018 archive of exEU sale fare, and see this post in the 2017 thread for last years’ archive of exEU sale fares.
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This thread lists attractive tier point (TP) runs under £3 per TP grouped within different (departure) geographies
Please note that current availability is not guaranteed and all prices include taxes. Please use the following convention when adding tier point runs to this wiki post:
Date fare checked Price per Tier Point Total Price Total Tier Points Route Booking Classes Booking Channel Credit Notes (if applicable) Airlines
Please remember to:
Please see the links at the bottom of the wiki for archives of runs from previous years.
From Europe
From North, Central and South America
23Sep £1.48/TP £650 (US$853) 440 TPs JFK-CLT/BOS-LAX-LAS and return all I class aa.com
6Sep £1.50/TP US$457 240TPs RIC-CLT-DCA-BOS, BOS-LGA/PHL-CLT-RIC all I class aa.com
Jan/Feb wide open £1.94/TP £700(US$883) 360 TPs SEA-CLT-MCO-PHX-SEA all I class aa.com
From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
18Jan £1.58/TP £883 560 CMB-xHKG-CGK return I cathaypacific.com ermen CX
28Feb £1.44/TP £575 400 MCT-DOH-BKK-DOH-MCT A/R/R/A travel.americanexpress.co.uk QR
21Feb £1.53/TP £860 560 HKG-CMB-MEL return I Expedia.com.hk Firemin UL
16Mar £1.22/TP £687 560 CGK-CMB-DXB return I srilankan.com Firemin UL
01Apr £0.87/TP £314 360 PEN-KUL-KTM return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr £1.19/TP £335 280 KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr £1.28/TP £335 360 PEN-KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
05Apr £2.00/TP £320 160 CAN-HKG-TPE return CathayPacific.com littlevoices CX/KA (flexible fare, bookable up to 24 hours in advance, allows stopovers, book with CX directly)
From Africa
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Need a year-end TP run (ex-LON) to make / retain status?
Some tips for searching for the year-end TP run for newcomers, the below is indicative only, but hopefully provides a bit of guidance for relatively straightforward runs ex-LON. Some information on how to use ITA matrix is in post #4 of this thread (or just click here) along with these ideas, might come in handy. Feel free to share results, problems or general questions in the thread as these may not always work and there might be better deals out there...
For overnight trips remember to check BA and Iberia for their flights and hotel option as well, can get hotel for almost no extra cost at times
Need 80 TPs or fewer
Club Europe return somewhere close by is best - DUB, AMS and JER usually cheapest along with UK domestic returns. Additionally you may find that trips in to mainland Europe require a one night stay whereas the cheapest domestic CE returns do not have any minimum stay so can be booked as a same day return. If doing a back to back AMS and JER can be easier than DUB for an immediate turnaround - more information can be found in the back to back thread listed in the forum dashboard. The BA.com low fare finder can be very useful.
If you need as few as 45 TPs you might consider booking economy flights and hoping for a proactive online upgrade offer - but they're not guaranteed to materialise (so not one if you have no more time left in your TP collection year). Alternatively, booking a return to one of the 40 tier point destinations with one way in CE and the return in ET (or vice versa if cheaper). UK domestic route, Bilbao, Jersey and Amsterdam seem the most cost effective for this.
Need 85-120 TPs
Iberia flights via MAD to regional Spanish airports will get you 120 TPs as the domestic Spanish flights are 20 TPs in business. Under £300 including hotel can be available. Check BIO, GRX, VLC, BCN, SVQ etc. Example here
Need 125-160 TPs
Take a look at the shorthaul plus routes earning 80 TPs each way in business listed in the first post of this thread, MLA, IST, HEL and RAK are usually available. If time sensitive take a look at BA flight and hotel option to HEL, where you can usually get the last BA flight out on a Saturday, airport hotel and first return Sunday for well under £500.
Alternative options include positioning to JER and flying JER-LGW-XXX (AMS usually works well and avoids switching airports).
Need more than 160 TPs
You'll most likely be heading north then - OSL or VNO via HEL will get you 240 TPs, as will JER-LGW/LHR-HEL e.g. LHR-HEL-OSL for £520.
DUB-LHR-HEL return (or return to LHR) is currently a very efficient way of hitting 200-240 TPs
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Historic information
2017 Archive
2016 Archive
2015 Archive (6 months Jul to Dec)
2015 Archive (6 months Jan to Jun)
2014 Archive
Please read the first few posts in this thread first as it contains lots of information which may answer your question.
This is a community-maintained wiki post. Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.
Current Promotions of Interest
Sale Fares
- from JER to PDX IKN8T1S6 reported in this post, e.g. PDX £1,082, needs to be booked by 8 May, see linked post for details
Advanced Promotion Fares
- from OTP to PHX ILN8C8S4 reported here, e.g. PHX - £1,296, see linked post for details
- from AMS to BKK INCEU60 reported here, e.g. BKK - £1,340, see linked post for details
See here in post #9 for a 2018 archive of exEU sale fare, and see this post in the 2017 thread for last years’ archive of exEU sale fares.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This thread lists attractive tier point (TP) runs under £3 per TP grouped within different (departure) geographies
Please note that current availability is not guaranteed and all prices include taxes. Please use the following convention when adding tier point runs to this wiki post:
Date fare checked Price per Tier Point Total Price Total Tier Points Route Booking Classes Booking Channel Credit Notes (if applicable) Airlines
Please remember to:
- Convert currencies to GBP, rounding to the nearest pound.
- Post full routes and full booking classes.
- Note any restrictions on booking in the Notes section.
- List in order of price per tier point within the relevant departure area.
Please see the links at the bottom of the wiki for archives of runs from previous years.
From Europe
Code:
3Feb 200TPs DUB-LHR-HEL/HEL-LHR all I class ba.com
23Sep £1.48/TP £650 (US$853) 440 TPs JFK-CLT/BOS-LAX-LAS and return all I class aa.com
6Sep £1.50/TP US$457 240TPs RIC-CLT-DCA-BOS, BOS-LGA/PHL-CLT-RIC all I class aa.com
Jan/Feb wide open £1.94/TP £700(US$883) 360 TPs SEA-CLT-MCO-PHX-SEA all I class aa.com
From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
18Jan £1.58/TP £883 560 CMB-xHKG-CGK return I cathaypacific.com ermen CX
28Feb £1.44/TP £575 400 MCT-DOH-BKK-DOH-MCT A/R/R/A travel.americanexpress.co.uk QR
21Feb £1.53/TP £860 560 HKG-CMB-MEL return I Expedia.com.hk Firemin UL
16Mar £1.22/TP £687 560 CGK-CMB-DXB return I srilankan.com Firemin UL
01Apr £0.87/TP £314 360 PEN-KUL-KTM return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr £1.19/TP £335 280 KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
01Apr £1.28/TP £335 360 PEN-KUL-PER return Malaysian.com cgtechuk MH
05Apr £2.00/TP £320 160 CAN-HKG-TPE return CathayPacific.com littlevoices CX/KA (flexible fare, bookable up to 24 hours in advance, allows stopovers, book with CX directly)
From Africa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Need a year-end TP run (ex-LON) to make / retain status?
Some tips for searching for the year-end TP run for newcomers, the below is indicative only, but hopefully provides a bit of guidance for relatively straightforward runs ex-LON. Some information on how to use ITA matrix is in post #4 of this thread (or just click here) along with these ideas, might come in handy. Feel free to share results, problems or general questions in the thread as these may not always work and there might be better deals out there...
For overnight trips remember to check BA and Iberia for their flights and hotel option as well, can get hotel for almost no extra cost at times
Need 80 TPs or fewer
Club Europe return somewhere close by is best - DUB, AMS and JER usually cheapest along with UK domestic returns. Additionally you may find that trips in to mainland Europe require a one night stay whereas the cheapest domestic CE returns do not have any minimum stay so can be booked as a same day return. If doing a back to back AMS and JER can be easier than DUB for an immediate turnaround - more information can be found in the back to back thread listed in the forum dashboard. The BA.com low fare finder can be very useful.
If you need as few as 45 TPs you might consider booking economy flights and hoping for a proactive online upgrade offer - but they're not guaranteed to materialise (so not one if you have no more time left in your TP collection year). Alternatively, booking a return to one of the 40 tier point destinations with one way in CE and the return in ET (or vice versa if cheaper). UK domestic route, Bilbao, Jersey and Amsterdam seem the most cost effective for this.
Need 85-120 TPs
Iberia flights via MAD to regional Spanish airports will get you 120 TPs as the domestic Spanish flights are 20 TPs in business. Under £300 including hotel can be available. Check BIO, GRX, VLC, BCN, SVQ etc. Example here
Need 125-160 TPs
Take a look at the shorthaul plus routes earning 80 TPs each way in business listed in the first post of this thread, MLA, IST, HEL and RAK are usually available. If time sensitive take a look at BA flight and hotel option to HEL, where you can usually get the last BA flight out on a Saturday, airport hotel and first return Sunday for well under £500.
Alternative options include positioning to JER and flying JER-LGW-XXX (AMS usually works well and avoids switching airports).
Need more than 160 TPs
You'll most likely be heading north then - OSL or VNO via HEL will get you 240 TPs, as will JER-LGW/LHR-HEL e.g. LHR-HEL-OSL for £520.
DUB-LHR-HEL return (or return to LHR) is currently a very efficient way of hitting 200-240 TPs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Historic information
2017 Archive
2016 Archive
2015 Archive (6 months Jul to Dec)
2015 Archive (6 months Jan to Jun)
2014 Archive
BA Tier Point Runs | 2018 master thread
Jun 29, 2018, 12:57 pm
#2806
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: Seigneur des Tarifs Utils First Class Mucci with Honours :) - BA GGL / CCR
Posts: 1,551
Thanks for the tip, ITA didn’t like it at all. Booking it through BA multi city site seemed to work
I managed to get edi - lhr - jfk - ogg - lax - mia - lhr - edi for £1590 for 920tp which I’m happy with for a post Christmas holiday and no positioning needed!
Interestingly they’re all on BA code shares and the only BA metal is edi - lhr and lhr - edi
Jun 29, 2018, 4:46 pm
#2807
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,944
Yous should be able to check prices on itamatix or google flights. I think I actually priced them up and booked using the multi city tool on ba.com - on the first one I am doing an overnight at ABZ and LUX, and the second one I am overnight in LUX. I think if you want to book with a b2b you would have to call since as you say multi-city tends to not allow connections less than 120 minutes.
Jul 1, 2018, 9:07 am
#2808
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: SYD, YYZ, Southwest UK, a beach somewhere in the world
Programs: AC Prestige, BA Gold, SPG Platinum
Posts: 311
YYZ -HNL ~£950-1000 640TP’s
for those of us stuck with YYZ as our home base, a decent run available at about £1.50/TP. Same day turnaround available, but all on older business class seats. Trying to force YYZ-JFK-LAX-HNL drives price up significantly. Plenty of YYZ-CLT-LAX/PHX-HNL available throughout summer dates.
Jul 1, 2018, 9:19 am
#2809
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: near Heathrow
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL (OWE), SA LifePlat (*G), BD Gold to the end, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,911
for those of us stuck with YYZ as our home base, a decent run available at about £1.50/TP. Same day turnaround available, but all on older business class seats. Trying to force YYZ-JFK-LAX-HNL drives price up significantly. Plenty of YYZ-CLT-LAX/PHX-HNL available throughout summer dates.
Jul 2, 2018, 8:36 am
#2810
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: SYD, YYZ, Southwest UK, a beach somewhere in the world
Programs: AC Prestige, BA Gold, SPG Platinum
Posts: 311
Jul 3, 2018, 12:29 am
#2811
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 12
Hi,
First of all I appreciate any help on this question.
It's the first time I've ever tried to build up a loyalty scheme. My renewal date is 8th Aug and I'm sitting at Bronze with 530 tier points. I'm going to do HRW-AMS flights to pick up the last 80 to go to silver.
I'm going to do a lot of flying the next points year as I'll be travelling a lot due to be smarting a new company.
Because I can carry the silver over is it worth me trying to do a final rush tier run or is the step from Silver to Gold too big to try achieve in such a short time? I just wanted the benefits in gold for next year if I could.
Thanks
First of all I appreciate any help on this question.
It's the first time I've ever tried to build up a loyalty scheme. My renewal date is 8th Aug and I'm sitting at Bronze with 530 tier points. I'm going to do HRW-AMS flights to pick up the last 80 to go to silver.
I'm going to do a lot of flying the next points year as I'll be travelling a lot due to be smarting a new company.
Because I can carry the silver over is it worth me trying to do a final rush tier run or is the step from Silver to Gold too big to try achieve in such a short time? I just wanted the benefits in gold for next year if I could.
Thanks
Jul 3, 2018, 12:33 am
#2812
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
Hi,
First of all I appreciate any help on this question.
It's the first time I've ever tried to build up a loyalty scheme. My renewal date is 8th Aug and I'm sitting at Bronze with 530 tier points. I'm going to do HRW-AMS flights to pick up the last 80 to go to silver.
I'm going to do a lot of flying the next points year as I'll be travelling a lot due to be smarting a new company.
Because I can carry the silver over is it worth me trying to do a final rush tier run or is the step from Silver to Gold too big to try achieve in such a short time? I just wanted the benefits in gold for next year if I could.
Thanks
First of all I appreciate any help on this question.
It's the first time I've ever tried to build up a loyalty scheme. My renewal date is 8th Aug and I'm sitting at Bronze with 530 tier points. I'm going to do HRW-AMS flights to pick up the last 80 to go to silver.
I'm going to do a lot of flying the next points year as I'll be travelling a lot due to be smarting a new company.
Because I can carry the silver over is it worth me trying to do a final rush tier run or is the step from Silver to Gold too big to try achieve in such a short time? I just wanted the benefits in gold for next year if I could.
Thanks
You can do OTP/PHX for £1400 and earn 800TPs or add in the HEL dogleg and take that up to 1120TPs.
Jul 3, 2018, 12:38 am
#2813
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,844
Hi Badge,
I think only you can make that judgement call. The cheapest way of getting Gold - another 900 TP or so - would easily set you back another £1500+ (OTP-PHX if that is still available for those dates, I know there are restrictions), I imagine. That’s in addition to the time involved, so at least 3-5 days. If that isn’t available it might be something like a couple of returns via QR to the Far East - probably £2500-3000, plus the time.
If you feel that is worth it for you, then go for it. My personal instinct would instead be to gain silver, and then go for gold in your new TP year. You say you’ll be travelling more anyhow, so perhaps a combination of organic earning, strategic upgrades, and maybe a TP run or two. But that depends on your forthcoming travel patterns.
Edit: beaten to it by madfish with some excellent advice.
I think only you can make that judgement call. The cheapest way of getting Gold - another 900 TP or so - would easily set you back another £1500+ (OTP-PHX if that is still available for those dates, I know there are restrictions), I imagine. That’s in addition to the time involved, so at least 3-5 days. If that isn’t available it might be something like a couple of returns via QR to the Far East - probably £2500-3000, plus the time.
If you feel that is worth it for you, then go for it. My personal instinct would instead be to gain silver, and then go for gold in your new TP year. You say you’ll be travelling more anyhow, so perhaps a combination of organic earning, strategic upgrades, and maybe a TP run or two. But that depends on your forthcoming travel patterns.
Edit: beaten to it by madfish with some excellent advice.
Last edited by squawk; Jul 3, 2018 at 1:02 am
Jul 3, 2018, 1:41 am
#2814
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
The maximum you can book (including the HEL shuffle) is 1,040 TPs based on the fare rules, but of course if(/when!) you get a reschedule, you can ask to go via LAX instead of JFK-PHL direct, taking it to 1,120 TPs. Although, I wouldn't rely/guarantee this nor would I be giving it as advice.
Jul 3, 2018, 2:06 am
#2815
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
The maximum you can book (including the HEL shuffle) is 1,040 TPs based on the fare rules, but of course if(/when!) you get a reschedule, you can ask to go via LAX instead of JFK-PHL direct, taking it to 1,120 TPs. Although, I wouldn't rely/guarantee this nor would I be giving it as advice.
Although probably not going to get one for August now.
Jul 3, 2018, 3:13 am
#2817
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 32
The maximum you can book (including the HEL shuffle) is 1,040 TPs based on the fare rules, but of course if(/when!) you get a reschedule, you can ask to go via LAX instead of JFK-PHL direct, taking it to 1,120 TPs. Although, I wouldn't rely/guarantee this nor would I be giving it as advice.
How do you get to 1,040 TPs. I see how you can get to 960 TP going OTP-LHR-HEL-JFK-LAX-PHX return. Where do extra 80 TPs come from?
Jul 3, 2018, 3:29 am
#2819
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 32
Thank you. It is the shuffle part I can't seem to get to price in ITA Matrix. It tells me no flights found -- I thought it was because I was back tracking to the same airport (LHR).
Jul 3, 2018, 5:37 am
#2820
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: Seigneur des Tarifs Utils First Class Mucci with Honours :) - BA GGL / CCR
Posts: 1,551
This is likely how you have laid it out,
You need to do
Flight one OTP LHR HEL
Flight two HEL LHR JFK
Flight three JFK PHX
Then same idea on return you cant put lhr twice in the same flight search that is what is giving you the error