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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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
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BA Tier Point Runs | 2018 master thread

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Old Dec 9, 2018, 10:55 am
  #5011  
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 375
Originally Posted by UKTraveller4Fun
I am looking to start a trip on the 9th January! I can find a good deal via Milan-NYC routing via HEL etc or from ARN-ORD again via HEL, getting a total of 680TP for approx 1300-1400 which while not amazing is the best and I am pretty fixed on the dates!

I would prefer to find a route to DFW or PHX but cannot find anything that comes close cost wise and just wondered if anyone has any thoughts? The other option is somewhere in Mexico but I cant find any good deals there at all!
I don't think the ARN-MIA TP run is available for those dates
Palty is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2018, 11:58 am
  #5012  
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Originally Posted by Palty
I don't think the ARN-MIA TP run is available for those dates
My mistake. In the Premium Fare deals thread there are reservations made using the ZRH & GVA business class fares to the US west coast for £1.3-1.5K. Examples of itineraries with January departures attached. Didn't have time to search for PHX using this option, but the desert normally is lower than CA coastal.
onobond is offline  
Old Dec 9, 2018, 12:06 pm
  #5013  
 
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Originally Posted by Palty
thanks ned
I actually did follow step by step instructions from TLFL but still found it very difficult for some reason maybe I did something wrong
I had powertools on bookmark but my problem was I didn't know where to copy paste it into there's no box like on bookwithmatrix
I use TamperMonkey in Chrome to run the script for me. So every time I open ITA Matrix it's there running.

There's a thread here: ITA-Matrix-PowerTools - Userscript for Orbitz/DL/UA/AA/BA/CZ/IB/LA/LH/LX/TK

I have replaced the code recently with the one Serfly posted in post #632 because I was having issues related to fare buckets.
Lefly likes this.
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Old Dec 10, 2018, 12:28 am
  #5014  
 
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Originally Posted by onobond
My mistake. In the Premium Fare deals thread there are reservations made using the ZRH & GVA business class fares to the US west coast for £1.3-1.5K. Examples of itineraries with January departures attached. Didn't have time to search for PHX using this option, but the desert normally is lower than CA coastal.
While it sounds like it would be great, I cannot find anything like that when I search, they come up around 4k!
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Old Dec 10, 2018, 5:07 am
  #5015  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Posts: 491


Hi
Really need your help here. I'm currently on a family cruise and just realised I need to spend an extra $1500 to re qualify for for EXP with AA before the end of the year. I've got the mileage just not the $1200 spend.

The problem I have is time, I can only go between 27th - 31st December from Dublin. I don't mind ex EU from other countries but I'm based in Ireland.

There are generally good J prices around for christmas/new year but I fear I have missed them. I've had a quick look with google flights but can't see much that will have me home in time for New Year.

Can anyone suggest a sweet spots I could look at - mid haul or long haul, I don't mind coming straight back or staying a night or two.

The ship is leaving port now so I'll be back tomorrow to hopefully book something. I know this is the BA board, I'm based in Ireland/UK and some of my best MR's have been inspired here.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.
circusboy is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2018, 3:14 pm
  #5016  
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
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Posts: 83
Originally Posted by circusboy


Hi
Really need your help here. I'm currently on a family cruise and just realised I need to spend an extra $1500 to re qualify for for EXP with AA before the end of the year. I've got the mileage just not the $1200 spend.

The problem I have is time, I can only go between 27th - 31st December from Dublin. I don't mind ex EU from other countries but I'm based in Ireland.

There are generally good J prices around for christmas/new year but I fear I have missed them. I've had a quick look with google flights but can't see much that will have me home in time for New Year.

Can anyone suggest a sweet spots I could look at - mid haul or long haul, I don't mind coming straight back or staying a night or two.

The ship is leaving port now so I'll be back tomorrow to hopefully book something. I know this is the BA board, I'm based in Ireland/UK and some of my best MR's have been inspired here.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Well assuming the spend works out the same for EU flying (I know it doesn't with Delta - but I'm BAEC for the BA/AA stuff so don't know how the AA side works) this kind of trip would do you for the $ anyway:

https://www.google.com/flights#flt=D...60*.GBP.128260

Since it's all business class I'm assuming that would also get you the qualifying dollars you need but I guess you'd have to check the AA programme rules and add extra hops as required...
redeyedonkey is offline  
Old Dec 10, 2018, 7:56 pm
  #5017  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Dear all,

any idea about the best way to get ca.1,000 TPs out of London?
Are HNL tier point runs still popular / existent? Planning for March/April 2019.

Thanks a lot!
81romeo is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 12:19 am
  #5018  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
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Posts: 1,091
Originally Posted by 81romeo
Dear all,

any idea about the best way to get ca.1,000 TPs out of London?
Are HNL tier point runs still popular / existent? Planning for March/April 2019.

Thanks a lot!
last time I checked, about a week ago, HNL was coming up at around £2K from AMS
Gastrocnemius is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 1:03 am
  #5019  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Originally Posted by 81romeo
Dear all,

any idea about the best way to get ca.1,000 TPs out of London?
Are HNL tier point runs still popular / existent? Planning for March/April 2019.

Thanks a lot!
What have you found yourself so far?
rossmacd is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 2:24 am
  #5020  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR; TK Elite; ITA Executive; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,551
Originally Posted by rossmacd
What have you found yourself so far?
Nothing too exciting, anything cheaper than GBP2,000 (out of DUS or DUB too) :-(
81romeo is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 2:27 am
  #5021  
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OW Emerald
Posts: 753
Originally Posted by 81romeo
Dear all,

any idea about the best way to get ca.1,000 TPs out of London?
Are HNL tier point runs still popular / existent? Planning for March/April 2019.

Thanks a lot!
HNL is still a thing but you can also do a LHR-X // X-HEL-LHR-JFK-LAX-X

That's an ex-EU to west coast cities, like LAS, SFO, etc... if you want to end up in LAX you can do LHR-JFK-SFO-LAX too.

With positioning flights in CE that would yield 960 TP.
thebigben is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 3:16 am
  #5022  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: BA Executive Club and OnBusiness
Posts: 720
Originally Posted by 81romeo
Dear all,

any idea about the best way to get ca.1,000 TPs out of London?
Are HNL tier point runs still popular / existent? Planning for March/April 2019.

Thanks a lot!
How about 1,080 TPs for £2,106 in April (can be done for £2,152 in May):



Or you can fly to the Big Island (well worth a visit) for £1,999:

alex67500 likes this.

Last edited by Ned1968; Dec 11, 2018 at 3:23 am
Ned1968 is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 6:15 am
  #5023  
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: London
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Posts: 868
Originally Posted by KARFA
Yes INV should be fine. You do have to go landside and back through security but the airport is small so shouldn't be a problem.
Just reporting back.

My trip was last weekend and the b2bs in INV went incredibly smoothly. The inbound flight on the first was delayed and an EasyJet aircraft was getting ready for departure, but all their passengers must have cleared security by the time I got there - no queue! The second one was equally smooth - a few BA stragglers going through security, but it was very fast.

Probably 10 minutes or less from stepping on to the apron to the gate.
peter h is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 6:25 am
  #5024  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: BHX
Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
Posts: 7,328
Originally Posted by 81romeo
Nothing too exciting, anything cheaper than GBP2,000 (out of DUS or DUB too) :-(
The ARN-MIA fare is still bookable for April - 680 TPs for £1060-ish.

You could likely then find a domestic US itinerary to rack up the other 300 or so TPs (or do this run twice for the same price as HNL)
Wozza2404 is offline  
Old Dec 11, 2018, 6:31 am
  #5025  
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Originally Posted by peter h
Just reporting back.

My trip was last weekend and the b2bs in INV went incredibly smoothly. The inbound flight on the first was delayed and an EasyJet aircraft was getting ready for departure, but all their passengers must have cleared security by the time I got there - no queue! The second one was equally smooth - a few BA stragglers going through security, but it was very fast.

Probably 10 minutes or less from stepping on to the apron to the gate.
Thank for the report. I also hear there is now a proper fast track lane as well for security at INV so that may help as well if there is a queue.
KARFA is offline  


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