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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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 Nov 16, 2018, 10:17 am
  #4621  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Cirencester
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 234
Originally Posted by H2L
Following on from Cazziebee and Ned above, I've added some flights to reach 520 TP for £1070 and mostly over one weekend. I think! As this also includes the babybus I really want to do it: https://tinyurl.com/y9ceegce

Can anybody critique this?

And in return perhaps tell me how I can get Google Flights to add a 12 hour stopover? Thank you.
Excellent find - do you know what the date restrictions are - as you have booked for July - is the fare available any sooner - have run a quick search and it is £3000 or so out to March 2019...
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 11:27 am
  #4622  
H2L
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Oxford
Programs: BAEC GGL
Posts: 79
I can tell you the fare basis is ILN2T8S6 but the only conditions I can find on the AA site are that there's no changes, no cancellations and that return travel must be after 7th July.
But experimenting with the dates shows prices in June for around £1476.
I'll try putting the same through matrix as the fare conditions seem much more transparent there usually.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 12:40 pm
  #4623  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Cirencester
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 234
Perfect thanks.

AAF
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 1:48 pm
  #4624  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: BA exec, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 554
I’ve got the DXB-CMB-JAK return and nested a JAK-KUL-PEN . Great deal - struggling to make the UK / EU DXB connection at descent cost. I am Avios rich and getting £550 using Avios 48k for WT+ Outbound 22/3 ret 31/3 . appreciate any thoughts.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 3:56 pm
  #4625  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: PHL
Posts: 71
Not the best, but, not terrible. Saw this in the Oneworld/AA mileage run help thread.

EWR-CLT-SBN-DFW-EWR in Biz on Dec 7 is $527 reference: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30433994-post1804.html

Note, the CLT-SBN does not earn any TP according to the calculator. You can play with that airport and also the DFW-EWR leg for extra segments. Should be 40 TP a pop.
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 3:57 pm
  #4626  
H2L
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Oxford
Programs: BAEC GGL
Posts: 79
Originally Posted by all ahead full
Excellent find - do you know what the date restrictions are - as you have booked for July - is the fare available any sooner - have run a quick search and it is £3000 or so out to March 2019...
ITA Matrix has given me the following details for the GOT/ARN fare:American (AA) ILN2T8S6 GOT to MIA PERMITTED 27JUN THROUGH 04SEP OR 18NOV THROUGH 22NOV OR
22DEC THROUGH 01JAN OR 15APR THROUGH 26APR FOR EACH
TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.Category 5: Advanced reservation/ticketing restrictions
RESERVATIONS FOR ALL SECTORS ARE REQUIRED AT LEAST 21 DAYS
BEFORE DEPARTURE.Category 6: Minimum stay requirements TRAVEL FROM INBOUND TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR MUST COMMENCE NO
EARLIER THAN 6 DAYS AFTER ARRIVAL AT TURNAROUND
OR - TRAVEL FROM INBOUND TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR MUST
COMMENCE NO EARLIER THAN THE FIRST SUN AFTER ARRIVAL
AT TURNAROUND.Category 7: Maximum stay requirements TRAVEL FROM LAST STOPOVER MUST COMMENCE NO LATER THAN 12
MONTHS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM FARE ORIGIN.Category 8: Stopover restrictions
STOPOVERS NOT PERMITTED ON THE FARE COMPONENT.Category 9: Transfer restrictions 2 TRANSFERS PERMITTED IN EACH DIRECTION FREE
1 PERMITTED FREE BETWEEN AA AND VY IN BCN/ROM IN EACH
DIRECTION
NONE PERMITTED FREE BETWEEN AA AND VY IN EACH
DIRECTION
2 PERMITTED FREE IN EUROPE IN EACH DIRECTION.
AND - 2 TRANSFERS PERMITTED IN EACH DIRECTION FREE
1 FREE BETWEEN BA/IB AND B6 IN BOS/JFK IN EACH
DIRECTION
1 FREE BETWEEN AA/AY/BA/IB/US AND AS IN LAX/PDX/
SEA IN EACH DIRECTION
1 FREE BETWEEN AA/AY/BA/IB/US AND AM IN MEXICO
IN EACH DIRECTION
1 FREE BETWEEN AA/AY/BA/IB/US AND AC IN CANADA
IN EACH DIRECTION
1 FREE BETWEEN AA/AY/BA/IB/US AND HA IN HAWAII
IN EACH DIRECTION
2 FREE ON AA/AY/BA/IB/US ONLY IN EACH DIRECTION
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 4:23 pm
  #4627  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,527
Silver Card for a Grand

I have been tracking this for several days and trying to get the better half to let me go. Got the all clear earlier today and booked via American Airlines telephone sales. Simply outstanding service and simply better than anything BA provides.

I have 4 x $225 vouchers given for service recovery so I have paid just $440 for my round trip to MIA which I will attempt over a weekend. I just want to re qualify for gold so I am not doing the itinerary below but this shows that silver card is available for grand! ( assuming I have added it up right and you get 40 tier points for ARN HEL). I have dropped HEL so just 440 tier points on my route but the fare was just £1004. A very good buy and I just wish I could have extended it into a few days in the warmth of Florida.

AA all the way or at least on the sectors than count for comfort and better still JFK MIA JFK is on 767 and 777 aircraft so flat beds which should help with sleep. I am not planning to take a hotel in New York but thought I might be able to see the city at night.




Silver for a Grand!
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Old Nov 16, 2018, 5:46 pm
  #4628  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: oneworld, * Alliance, Marriott Bonvoy, HHonors, WoH
Posts: 2,113
Originally Posted by binman
I have been tracking this for several days and trying to get the better half to let me go. Got the all clear earlier today and booked via American Airlines telephone sales. Simply outstanding service and simply better than anything BA provides.

I have 4 x $225 vouchers given for service recovery so I have paid just $440 for my round trip to MIA which I will attempt over a weekend. I just want to re qualify for gold so I am not doing the itinerary below but this shows that silver card is available for grand! ( assuming I have added it up right and you get 40 tier points for ARN HEL). I have dropped HEL so just 440 tier points on my route but the fare was just £1004. A very good buy and I just wish I could have extended it into a few days in the warmth of Florida.

AA all the way or at least on the sectors than count for comfort and better still JFK MIA JFK is on 767 and 777 aircraft so flat beds which should help with sleep. I am not planning to take a hotel in New York but thought I might be able to see the city at night.




Silver for a Grand!
Not quite. Still 3 segments with BA would be needed but the fare is good.
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 3:38 am
  #4629  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,680
Originally Posted by cazziebee
i booked yesterday

arn – hel 09/07
hel – lhr 09/07
lcy – nyc 10/07
nyc – clt 10/07
clt – mco 11/07

same journey returning 18/07 over 2 days for just over £1100 and 560 tp

680tp? 40+80+140+40+40

Sorry, think by same journey returning you were referencing another post, not a reversal of outbound.

Last edited by dougzz; Nov 17, 2018 at 3:44 am Reason: Correct my misunderstanding
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 3:52 am
  #4630  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: Seigneur des Tarifs Utils First Class Mucci with Honours :) - BA GGL / CCR
Posts: 1,551
Originally Posted by Jaenks
Not quite. Still 3 segments with BA would be needed but the fare is good.
Book it on BA codes, take BA across the pond both ways and you are sorted, Especially if you are positioning
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 4:43 am
  #4631  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: BAEC Silver, Avis Preferred, Hilton Gold
Posts: 521
Originally Posted by Telecasterman
I’ve got the DXB-CMB-JAK return and nested a JAK-KUL-PEN . Great deal - struggling to make the UK / EU DXB connection at descent cost. I am Avios rich and getting £550 using Avios 48k for WT+ Outbound 22/3 ret 31/3 . appreciate any thoughts.
So I make this £752 for WTP ex-LHR without using any Avios:

https://www.google.com/flights?channel=fs&lite=0#flt=LHR./m/01f08r.2019-03-22.LHRDXB0BA107*/m/01f08r.LHR.2019-03-31.DXBLHR0BA106;c:GBP;e:1;a:ONEWORLD;sc;sd:1;t:f ;tt:m;sp:.GBP.75122*.GBP.75122

You can get this down to around £630 by doing an open jaw (OSL/GOT/ARN/CPH)-LHR-DXB-LHR:

https://www.google.com/flights?channel=fs&lite=0#flt=GOT,ARN,/m/01lfy,/m/05l64./m/01f08r.2019-03-22*/m/01f08r.LHR.2019-03-31;c:GBP;e:1;a:ONEWORLD;sc;so:1;sd:1;t:f;tt:m

Still not sure it's worth the faff of positioning though.

Another, contoversial option if you don't need the TPs from positioning to DXB: Do you have any AMEX MR points? If so then you could consider transferring 50k to SQ and using them to book LH/LX for a round trip in J to DXB. AFAIK there aren't any YQ surcharges on this either - you only get charged APD + airport passenger fees.
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Last edited by mickeyjaw; Nov 17, 2018 at 4:49 am Reason: clarified it's 50k r/t not o/w
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 4:49 am
  #4632  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,527
Originally Posted by cgtechuk
Book it on BA codes, take BA across the pond both ways and you are sorted, Especially if you are positioning
Or book on BA codes but AA metal for a far better experience.
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 4:57 am
  #4633  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,527
Originally Posted by Telecasterman
I’ve got the DXB-CMB-JAK return and nested a JAK-KUL-PEN . Great deal - struggling to make the UK / EU DXB connection at descent cost. I am Avios rich and getting £550 using Avios 48k for WT+ Outbound 22/3 ret 31/3 . appreciate any thoughts.
Given the effort your are putting in there are business class offers ex ARN on AY which would net you a further 360 tier points


If price is the priority then there are seriously good deals ex ARN on Norwegian. In both cases the fares also available from GOT and the latter is just 4500 miles one way. I would never consider £550 for WT+ plus so many miles in order for BA to be treat you like cattle. Keep you avois for either 241 F or flights on other carriers.

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Old Nov 17, 2018, 6:41 am
  #4634  
H2L
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Oxford
Programs: BAEC GGL
Posts: 79
Good work Binman! I have also booked mine now. BA phone sales were also great but initially quoted £1500. Once I gave them the fare class it priced exactly as below and happy days all round. Have booked the babybus - seems beautifully empty so far though the Friday after US Independence Day I guess is a good day to try this.
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Old Nov 17, 2018, 9:22 am
  #4635  
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: LON
Programs: BA GFL, OW Gold, CX/MP Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 258
Originally Posted by squawk
Fantastic, thank you @jp_fin - if anyone else is interested, here is an example of OTP-LHR-HEL-LHR-JFK-PHX for just shy of £1600 yielding (I think) 1040TP. For comfort I've chosen the A350 8am departure from HEL both times, which includes nearly a full 24 hours on the way back, so if you were on a tight timescale you could optimise this.

The connections coming back from PHX are rather tight, which could get interesting if there are IRROPS or schedule changes (though the latter might enable some creative TP rerouting via the west coast), and obviously means you don't get much time to stretch legs in between.

Matrix multi city search:



Matrix output:




Code:
Fare 1: Carrier AA ILX8C8S6 BUH to PHX (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code J, I
Covers OTP-LHR (Business), LHR-HEL (Business), HEL-LHR (Business), LHR-JFK (Business), JFK-PHX (First) £575.25
Fare 2: Carrier AA ILX8C8S6 PHX to BUH (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code I, J
Covers PHX-JFK (First), JFK-LHR (Business), LHR-HEL (Business), HEL-LHR (Business), LHR-OTP (Business) £575.25
United Kingdom Passenger Service Charge Departures (UB)£97.83
Romania Security Charge (DC)£6.10
Romania Airport Departure Tax (RO)£12.50
US September 11th Security Fee (AY)£8.60
United States Immigration User Fee (XY)£5.40
United States Customs User Fee (YC) £4.50
United States APHIS Passenger Fee Passengers (XA)£3.10
Carrier-imposed surcharge (YR)£264.20
US International Arrival Tax (US)£28.20
Finland Air Transport Supervision Charge (XU)£2.00
Finland Passenger Fee International Transfer (WL)£7.40
US Passenger Facility Charge (XF) £3.50
Subtotal per passenger £1,594.33
Number of passengers x1
Subtotal For 1 adult £1,594.33
This ticket is non-refundable.
No changes may be made to this ticket after purchase.
Fare Construction (can be useful to travel agents)
BUH BA X/LON AY X/HEL AY X/LON AA X/NYC AA PHX 20M 756.55ILX8C8S6 AA X/NYC AA X/LON AA X/HEL AY X/LON BA BUH 20M 756.55ILX8C8S6 NUC 1513.10 END ROE 0.869193 XT 6.10DC 12.50RO 97.83UB 7.40WL 2.00XU 4.50YC 5.40XY 3.10XA 28.20US 8.60AY 264.20YR 3.50XF JFK4.50
Total Airfare & Taxes £1,594.33
LHR - JFK on a 747... Ouch :L
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