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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
Print Wikipost

BA Tier Point Runs | 2018 master thread

Old Sep 7, 2018, 1:55 pm
  #3676  
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: 38,000 feet
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Posts: 6,423
Originally Posted by thebigben
Alright, I've wanted to visit Japan for a bit, but I can't find anything better than AMS-LHR-NRT at ~1775 GBP for 400 TP return. Any way to make it better? If not I guess I will just put that on the list of things I'm keeping a 241 for.
TXL-ICN is cheaper usually and can be routed via japan - worth having a look.
Also CAI-IST-SIN-HND on SQ is only about 1300
thebigben likes this.
nufnuf77 is offline  
Old Sep 7, 2018, 2:54 pm
  #3677  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 22
Found a great fare yesterday-AMS-LHR-CPT 1140/1030 return, 400 tier points, 26,078 Avios Travelling January/February 2019

Last edited by geminigirl789; Sep 7, 2018 at 2:55 pm Reason: Forgot to translate currency
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Old Sep 7, 2018, 3:07 pm
  #3678  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 22
Anyone have a brilliant suggestion for a 415 point tier run in late September or October? I'm not great at this and am struggling.

Last edited by geminigirl789; Sep 7, 2018 at 3:14 pm Reason: Correct error
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Old Sep 7, 2018, 3:54 pm
  #3679  
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 832
Originally Posted by David_Doyle
That fare is no longer available. The fare rules for INN9E6S4 now specifically exclude travel to Hawaii.

THE FARE COMPONENT MUST INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN EUROPE AND LON/MAD ON ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING ANY AA FLIGHT ANY BA FLIGHT ANY IB FLIGHT ANY AY FLIGHT. AND THE FARE COMPONENT MUST INCLUDE TRAVEL VIA EACH TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR ON ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING ANY AA FLIGHT OPERATED BY AA ANY AA FLIGHT OPERATED BY BA ANY AA FLIGHT OPERATED BY IB ANY AA FLIGHT OPERATED BY AY. AND THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES/CANADA AND HAWAII/ALASKA.

Shame as I was trying to price it up also and failed to book it in time....
Yup - I can no longer price it up at those rates - comes in around 2,600 now
zen100 is offline  
Old Sep 7, 2018, 8:12 pm
  #3680  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 127

Any good runs from Europe to NYC? My dates are pretty specific October 15th - Dec 22nd. Best I could find is MAD-LHR-BOS-LGA // JFK-BOS-LHR-DUB (details below).

Is there a way to add any extra stops on the East Coast or within Europe? And any way to avoid having to spend the night in MAD the night before the first flight?

Thanks for help!
Cheapskate22 is offline  
Old Sep 8, 2018, 1:24 am
  #3681  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 136
The DXB <<->> CGK with UL has returned to normal prices. Booked Biz Class at 650 providing 560 TP.
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Old Sep 8, 2018, 2:18 am
  #3682  
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,520
Originally Posted by Kkp0897
The DXB <<->> CGK with UL has returned to normal prices. Booked Biz Class at 650 providing 560 TP.
Is this also available from Doha too? Last year it was the case that DOH->PVG was the cheapest option (if you have a China visa, which I do).
bisonrav is offline  
Old Sep 8, 2018, 2:30 am
  #3683  
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 832
Originally Posted by Cheapskate22

Any good runs from Europe to NYC? My dates are pretty specific October 15th - Dec 22nd. Best I could find is MAD-LHR-BOS-LGA // JFK-BOS-LHR-DUB (details below).

Is there a way to add any extra stops on the East Coast or within Europe? And any way to avoid having to spend the night in MAD the night before the first flight?

Thanks for help!
I haven't been doing this for as long as many on here, but I've generally seen that the east coast isn't very efficient for TP runs. The total cost tends to be roughly the same as west coast or Hawaii, but with far fewer TPs - and the gap between the direct-price and the TP-run price is a lot smaller, or even negative.

BA are currently selling direct J class flights to NYC for ~1350 (although not if starting from October).

You could do a west coast run and then double-back under a separate ticket, which is what I did when I made a holiday out of my TP-run. But that involved holiday time on the west coast as well.

If I *had* to go east coast *only*, with no need to go to the west coast at all, I'd probably just book in Y and use the Gold card benefits to take the edge off being in Y - it's only a 5-6 hour flight. Even if I needed the TPs, there are probably cheaper ways of getting the TPs

Hope that helps
zen100 is offline  
Old Sep 8, 2018, 2:35 am
  #3684  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 136
Originally Posted by bisonrav
Is this also available from Doha too? Last year it was the case that DOH->PVG was the cheapest option (if you have a China visa, which I do).
Afraid not, no. Just checked using google flights.
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Old Sep 8, 2018, 2:52 am
  #3685  
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sydney
Programs: NH AMC, EY Guest Silver,MPC GO
Posts: 210
Originally Posted by David_Doyle


Best to call AA directly.

When calling up also detail the flight you want as it was displayed on Matrix - this is important. So if flight 2 was entered as LHR-LAX via JFK then ask the agent for LHR-LAX and then detail the flights you want. There is a limit to the number of individual flights that can be entered into the AA system.

And of course Point Of Sale is Luxembourg.
any chance to waive the reservation fee?
sydneyguy1234 is offline  
Old Sep 8, 2018, 2:59 am
  #3686  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,958
Originally Posted by sydneyguy1234
any chance to waive the reservation fee?
If you make it very clear it's impossible to do online you should have success. If they won't, make a claim to get it refunded afterwards.
Schwann is online now  
Old Sep 8, 2018, 3:27 am
  #3687  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: BCN
Programs: BA GGL, IB, LH, IHG Gold
Posts: 582
Originally Posted by Cheapskate22

Any good runs from Europe to NYC? My dates are pretty specific October 15th - Dec 22nd. Best I could find is MAD-LHR-BOS-LGA // JFK-BOS-LHR-DUB (details below).

Is there a way to add any extra stops on the East Coast or within Europe? And any way to avoid having to spend the night in MAD the night before the first flight?

Thanks for help!
Theres a deal ex-DME to the US East Coast at least 560 TPs.
Position from exEU to DME on IB or S7 to avoid the Moscow B2B without a visa conundrum.
ubiest is offline  
Old Sep 8, 2018, 3:37 am
  #3688  
TSE
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: BA, LH, AF, TK
Posts: 212
Originally Posted by ubiest


Theres a deal ex-DME to the US East Coast at least 560 TPs.
Position from exEU to DME on IB or S7 to avoid the Moscow B2B without a visa conundrum.
I managed to stretch this out to 1080 TP: DME-LHR-JFK-LAX-SJC-LAX-JFK-LHR-HEL-LHR-DME for 1630GBP, 40000+Avios and 8 lie flat sectors. Losing the HEL shuffle will save 130GBP.
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Old Sep 8, 2018, 6:55 am
  #3689  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 127
Ok thanks for the advice - but I'd rather not go to DME or the West Coast, I'm really just trying to optimise existing travel.

I added in a few extra east coast legs, but when I called BA they said the "I" class showing on Matrix wasn't real. Is that common for Matrix to mis-price? Or is there a way to get it booked?

15th Oct:
MAD-LHR (IB3162)
LHR-BOS (IB4638)
BOS-PHL (AA2019)
PHL - LGA (AA1655)

22nd Dec:
LGA-PHL (AA 1791)
PHL-BOS (AA2769)
BOS-LHR (AA6163)
LHR-DUB (AA6764)

Last edited by Cheapskate22; Sep 8, 2018 at 7:02 am
Cheapskate22 is offline  
Old Sep 8, 2018, 7:38 am
  #3690  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: BCN
Programs: BA GGL, IB, LH, IHG Gold
Posts: 582
Originally Posted by Cheapskate22
Ok thanks for the advice - but I'd rather not go to DME or the West Coast, I'm really just trying to optimise existing travel.

I added in a few extra east coast legs, but when I called BA they said the "I" class showing on Matrix wasn't real. Is that common for Matrix to mis-price? Or is there a way to get it booked?

15th Oct:
MAD-LHR (IB3162)
LHR-BOS (IB4638)
BOS-PHL (AA2019)
PHL - LGA (AA1655)

22nd Dec:
LGA-PHL (AA 1791)
PHL-BOS (AA2769)
BOS-LHR (AA6163)
LHR-DUB (AA6764)
On Matrix check the carrier and fare basis, as its not BA youll have to call IB or AA to get this ticketed.
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