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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
Sep 16, 2018, 6:17 am
#3901
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: BA Executive Club and OnBusiness
Posts: 718
You did not get many responses to your query. Vanuatu is a great place to visit, and you do need to split the trip into two tickets.
Ticket #1 : Within the topic of TP Runs, you could get 920 TP (any maybe a bit more via SIN or KUL instead of HKG):
Ticket #2: You really should visit Efate (VLI) and Espiritu Santo (SON) once you are around. In order to get the domestic SON-VLI included in the ticket, Air Vanuatu (NF) will be the obvious choice. Both SON and VLI are, hmm, pretty exotic airports, contibuting to a nicely genuine Vanuatu experience. Maybe along the lines of this one (just forget business class travel in this context):
Note that NF flights from/to Australia are far from daily. In case of cancellations or schedule changes, you should have a reasonable buffer between the return flight from Vanuatu and the onward flight back home. ("Your flight to BNE is cancelled but we have booked you to our next BNE flight three days later..." )
Ticket #1 : Within the topic of TP Runs, you could get 920 TP (any maybe a bit more via SIN or KUL instead of HKG):
Ticket #2: You really should visit Efate (VLI) and Espiritu Santo (SON) once you are around. In order to get the domestic SON-VLI included in the ticket, Air Vanuatu (NF) will be the obvious choice. Both SON and VLI are, hmm, pretty exotic airports, contibuting to a nicely genuine Vanuatu experience. Maybe along the lines of this one (just forget business class travel in this context):
Note that NF flights from/to Australia are far from daily. In case of cancellations or schedule changes, you should have a reasonable buffer between the return flight from Vanuatu and the onward flight back home. ("Your flight to BNE is cancelled but we have booked you to our next BNE flight three days later..." )
Sep 16, 2018, 6:19 am
#3902
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,075
Thank you for looking. The hop via Perth for an additional 120TP is a good idea. There doesn't seem to be a list of Australian routes >2000 miles, but I guess most flights from Australia are further than 2000 miles. Now I just need a good fare, maybe 1500€? :P
Very good point, I will make sure there is enough buffer.
Very good point, I will make sure there is enough buffer.
Sep 16, 2018, 8:04 am
#3903
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Diamond, IHG Platinum, Senior Railcard & Bus Pass
Posts: 983
Last edited by WickedStepMother; Sep 16, 2018 at 8:05 am Reason: Avoid selecting Finnair flights
Sep 16, 2018, 8:16 am
#3904
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 453
I tried AMS and GIB and all only seleceted BA flights, also tried the Spanish option shown above with the exact same dates but no luck. I will have a look at AMS on 9/11.
Sep 16, 2018, 8:28 am
#3905
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Diamond, IHG Platinum, Senior Railcard & Bus Pass
Posts: 983
Sep 16, 2018, 8:40 am
#3906
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,581
The HEL shuffle fares are also available to MAN or JER as destinations for about £550 for 400 TP. For example between 22 and 24th March (the dates I've been using). You can also slide in OTP as the sandwiched destination for 480 TPs for about £680.
Obviously bear in mind the cost of two nights in HEL can be significant, but on the timings I was working to it's feasible to stay somewhere in the airport for 5 hours, shower in the lounge, and sleep on the way back.
Obviously bear in mind the cost of two nights in HEL can be significant, but on the timings I was working to it's feasible to stay somewhere in the airport for 5 hours, shower in the lounge, and sleep on the way back.
Sep 16, 2018, 8:44 am
#3907
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,581
Sep 16, 2018, 10:15 am
#3908
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,197
Sorry if I'm being stupid, but I just tried the multi-city tool and I'm getting the "more than one flight" between the same cities error.
Is there some sort of trick to getting a quote like in WickedStepMother's post above?
Is there some sort of trick to getting a quote like in WickedStepMother's post above?
Sep 16, 2018, 10:21 am
#3909
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: GGL, BA lifetime Gold, Many Hotel Sparkles
Posts: 891
don't mention London other than the start and the end. Try using Helsinki > Amsterdam
Sep 16, 2018, 10:41 am
#3910
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,197
Ahh, perfect. This worked.
Then I just pick the appropriate flights with connections.
Then I just pick the appropriate flights with connections.
Sep 16, 2018, 11:21 am
#3911
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Diamond, IHG Platinum, Senior Railcard & Bus Pass
Posts: 983
What I find annoying about the multi city tool is that when I go back to select flights again I expect my previous selections to still be in place. However they revert back to BA’s default selections. So when I think I am tweaking just one flight I end up with a whole different selection.
Sep 16, 2018, 11:47 am
#3912
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Middle of Nowhere
Programs: Lowly BAEC Bronze, VS, IHG Platinum, HHonors Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 231
Not sure if this is useful or particularly out-of-the-ordinary, but AMS-AMM can be had for £966 in J. 360 TPs (I think). Not amazing value, but for relative ease and convenience, it might interest someone.
Sep 16, 2018, 12:17 pm
#3913
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Wolverhampton
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriot Gold, Radisson Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 1,606
Do you mean MAN - HEL - MAN with a nested HEL-LHR-HEL? Almost tempted if so, its one of the few times I've seen the likes of 800tps for £1100 recently..
Sep 16, 2018, 2:25 pm
#3914
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Gold, SK EBS
Posts: 191
I don’t suppose anyone’s spotted some Helsinki shuffle dates that work in October, have they? All I can see is another poster’s Nov 9-12 dates that price at around £590
Sep 16, 2018, 2:29 pm
#3915
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 165
I need about 190 TP by the end of the year I'm planning to spend christmas in hong kong so will be doing BKK-HKG its £300 extra in business for a 3hr flight can't really justify it? Any good TP ideas to nest 190 TP before November 6th?? Also to be done over a weekend!?
Last edited by djtriggz; Sep 16, 2018 at 2:38 pm