Jan 4, 2019, 9:09 am
Last edit by: jfkeze
Welcome to the thread. This is a continuation of the highly popular 2018 Tier Point thread (found here). 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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.
A new guideline thread for TP meetups has been created on 31 March 2020. If you would like other members to join your TP, or if you want to organize a TP run with other members. Please visit there. From the first few posts over there you could see the active ( confirmed ) TP meetings and the links to their relevant discussion threads, connect with other members and learn the details about the run. Click here to access that thread.
Current Promotions of Interest
Sale Fares
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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.
A new guideline thread for TP meetups has been created on 31 March 2020. If you would like other members to join your TP, or if you want to organize a TP run with other members. Please visit there. From the first few posts over there you could see the active ( confirmed ) TP meetings and the links to their relevant discussion threads, connect with other members and learn the details about the run. Click here to access that thread.
Current Promotions of Interest
Sale Fares
See here in post 9 for a 2019 archive of exEU sale fare, and see this post in the 2018 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
15 Oct £0.96/TP £154 160 TPs LHR-SOF (2021 dates)
24 Feb £1.90/TP £152 80TP MAD-FRA Z/Z LA (available Feb-Mar 2019, immediate turnarounds possible)
10 Aug £2.06/TP £329 160TP LHR-MAD-RAK RAK-MAD-LHR I/I/I/I IB (available August, Sat night stay) BA.com, note hotels on offer until 26 March
3 Jul £2.99/TP £2,758.45 920TP DUB-LHR-JFK-LAX-HNL-LAX-JFK-LHR-DUB J/I/I/I/I/I/I/J Fare basis INX4C3S4 and INN4C1S4. Booked on AA via ITA Matrix Powertools script
18 Dec £1.90/TP £1370 720TP DUB-LHR-JFK-LAX-LAS-LAX-JFK-LHR-DUB All I class Flights 25 December to 31 March 2020, transatlantic Mon to Thur. Offer to 18 Dec. ITA details booked by TA Propeller
27 Apr £2.29/TP £640TP BEG-DOH-KUL-PEN-KUL-DOH-BEG I / I / I / I / I / I Fare IJR2R1RE Bookable on QR.com
From North, Central and South America
10Jan £1.52/TP £668 440tp JFK-BOS/CLT-LAX-LAS-LAX-BOS/CLT-JFK I / I / I / I / I / I HPN-HRL AA (find with ITA; probably have to book via a TA)
12Apr £0.90/TP £215 240tp DCA-ORD-CLT-RDU-CLT-ORD-DCA I/I/I/I/I/I/I AA Found with ITA, booked on the AA site with BookWithMatrix
23Apr £ 0.76/TP £ 182 240TP DCA-PHL-CLT-RDU-CLT-ORD-DCA I / I / I / I / I / I AA Found with ITA Matrix, Book on AA.com via BookWithMatrix or PowerTools
24Apr £ 1.04/TP £ 459 440TP YVR-LAX-CLT-ATL-CLT-LAX-YVR I / I / I / I / I / I AA Found with ITA Matrix, Book on AA.com via BookWithMatrix or PowerTools
23May £ 0.70/TP £ 169 240TP EWR-ORD-CLT-RDU-CLT-DFW-EWR I / I / I / I / I / I AA Found with ITA Matrix, Book on AA.com via BookWithMatrix or PowerTools
24Jun £ 0.52/TP £ 128 240TP LAX-DFW-PHX-SJC-PHX-DFW-LAX I / I / I / I / I / I AA Found with ITA Matrix, Book on AA.com via BookWithMatrix or PowerTools
From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
04/01 £0.95/TP £479 560tp AUH-CMB-CGK-CMB-AUH I / I / I / I cgtechuk UL
1FEB £1.49/TP £1,673 1,120tp PER-SYD-SIN-TYO-BKK Return (All book in I Class) timcjp BA (Ticket sold by BA, flights are on QF, BA & JL and lie flat seats available for all sectors)
23/04 £2.07/TP £2,112 1020TP CAI-LHR-JFK-LAX-HNL-DFW-ORD-LHR-CAI I/R here (All flights must be BA numbered)
From Africa
04/01 £1.80/TP £721 400tp CPT-JNB-GRU-JNB-DUR-CPT I / Z / Z / I / I ubiest LA
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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 (here), 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 BA flight out on a Saturday, airport hotel and return on 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
2018 Archive
2017 Archive
2016 Archive
2015 Archive (6 months Jul to Dec)
2015 Archive (6 months Jan to Jun)
2014 Archive
BA Tier Point Runs | 2019-20 edition
Jun 20, 2019, 5:59 am
#1981
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: OSL
Programs: BA Gold, SQ Silver, LH, AF
Posts: 147
Google Flights is a great tool if you're flexible with routings—there are over 20 return flights available from London for <£100 for a weeklong trip in July. You mentioned France—Paris is about £100, or for about £20-30 less, some southern Spanish holiday destinations; Malaga, Alicante, and Almeria.
Jun 20, 2019, 6:26 am
#1982
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 19
I've been hoping to do a run of the OTP-PHX fare that's been much discussed on this forum, but now I've gone to search in Matrix I can't find a price close to what has been discussed (showing as >£5k) at any point this year. I'm able to travel most times until Jan - is it possible this fare has dried up or am I more likely using Matrix wrong? Ideally I'd add in the HEL leg to squeeze out as many TPs as possible.
Thanks in advance if anyone is able to find this fare and point out what I'm doing wrong!
Thanks in advance if anyone is able to find this fare and point out what I'm doing wrong!
Jun 20, 2019, 6:46 am
#1983
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Somewhere in the Air
Programs: BA GGL, *A Silver, OW Emerald, HH Diamond, Karahi Express
Posts: 554
There is still availability.... Can see fares for July at GBP 1400 range
Jun 20, 2019, 6:49 am
#1984
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London
Programs: BA CCR/GGL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,483
I've been hoping to do a run of the OTP-PHX fare that's been much discussed on this forum, but now I've gone to search in Matrix I can't find a price close to what has been discussed (showing as >£5k) at any point this year. I'm able to travel most times until Jan - is it possible this fare has dried up or am I more likely using Matrix wrong? Ideally I'd add in the HEL leg to squeeze out as many TPs as possible.
Thanks in advance if anyone is able to find this fare and point out what I'm doing wrong!
Thanks in advance if anyone is able to find this fare and point out what I'm doing wrong!
INBOUND -
PERMITTED 21DEC 18 THROUGH 02JAN 19 OR 14APR 19 THROUGH
21APR 19 OR 01JUL 19 THROUGH 31AUG 19 FOR EACH
TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.
OUTBOUND -
PERMITTED 22DEC 18 THROUGH 06JAN 19 OR 14APR 19 THROUGH
22APR 19 OR 01JUL 19 THROUGH 31AUG 19 FOR EACH
TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.
Jun 20, 2019, 8:09 am
#1985
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 19
Sorry for not being clearer. I can see OTP-PHX at that price on many dates, but nothing that maximised tier points, only direct or one stop on the LHR-OTP legs
Jun 20, 2019, 8:22 am
#1986
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London
Programs: BA CCR/GGL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,483
Jun 20, 2019, 9:16 am
#1987
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Accor Live Limitless Gold, Hilton Honours Gold, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 1,806
Does anybody know of any TP runs in Malaysia on MH at the moment, it seems that a return in J to most domestic destinations near to KUL is about £150 so not bad at all £1.88/TP, but wondering if there are any better options?
In addition, does anybody know why MH domestic fares don't seem to show up in Google Flights properly? They do not show up at all on the price grid.
Date grid shows prices of £4063, but you can see prices of £153 in the background!
In addition, does anybody know why MH domestic fares don't seem to show up in Google Flights properly? They do not show up at all on the price grid.
Date grid shows prices of £4063, but you can see prices of £153 in the background!
Jun 20, 2019, 9:28 am
#1988
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,987
I'm pretty sure that most TP runners here fly that leg direct: it's the route you choose between LHR and PHX that nets you the tier points.
Jun 20, 2019, 9:49 am
#1989
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 19
Jun 20, 2019, 9:59 am
#1990
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Somewhere in the Air
Programs: BA GGL, *A Silver, OW Emerald, HH Diamond, Karahi Express
Posts: 554
In matrix
OTP
LHR, JFK, LAX
PHX
Business Class
2-7 Days
From 01/07/2019
Earns 2*(80+140+140+40) = 800 TP
Jun 20, 2019, 10:48 am
#1991
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Buckinghamshire
Programs: BAEC Gold Guest List, Hilton Honours Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 2,303
If you need around 320 TP (and don't mind planning ahead!), I'm seeing quite a lot of availability via google flights in Nov19 + Jan20 for the run LUX-DUB-LUX twice (one overnight in DUB required. Premier inn is £40) for £529 in total.
Some positioning flights would be needed.
£1.65 per TP for the headline rtn trip.
Some positioning flights would be needed.
£1.65 per TP for the headline rtn trip.
Jun 20, 2019, 4:07 pm
#1992
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: LHR/ATL
Programs: EY Gold, AS MVPG, BAEC Gold, DL PM
Posts: 821
If you need around 320 TP (and don't mind planning ahead!), I'm seeing quite a lot of availability via google flights in Nov19 + Jan20 for the run LUX-DUB-LUX twice (one overnight in DUB required. Premier inn is £40) for £529 in total.
Some positioning flights would be needed.
£1.65 per TP for the headline rtn trip.
Some positioning flights would be needed.
£1.65 per TP for the headline rtn trip.
Jun 20, 2019, 5:19 pm
#1993
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Buckinghamshire
Programs: BAEC Gold Guest List, Hilton Honours Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 2,303
Jun 20, 2019, 7:49 pm
#1994
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,026
LHR-SOF-LHR going out on a Saturday and returning the following Saturday (or whichever day is convenient for mileage running)
SOF-LHR-SOF for the same Saturday and Saturday combo
In SOF you'd be getting off the BA flight and hopping back on the same plane back to Heathrow, sleeping at home as usual...
There's no reason it wouldn't work for any of BA's 80 TP destinations that have a convenient back-to-back setup and similar or cheaper pricing ex-EU versus ex-London.
Jun 20, 2019, 8:03 pm
#1995
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kendal, Cumbria and Luzon
Programs: BA Silver, PR Elite, Avis Preferred Plus, PC Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 1,110
Google and MH = Inconsistent
Does anybody know of any TP runs in Malaysia on MH at the moment, it seems that a return in J to most domestic destinations near to KUL is about £150 so not bad at all £1.88/TP, but wondering if there are any better options?
In addition, does anybody know why MH domestic fares don't seem to show up in Google Flights properly? They do not show up at all on the price grid.
!
In addition, does anybody know why MH domestic fares don't seem to show up in Google Flights properly? They do not show up at all on the price grid.
!
The best MH fares for BA TP tend to be from places in Asia just over 2000 mile mark with wide competition on the route.
Ex Taipei can easily net 360 to the likes of DPS and BKK for about £400-600. That said CX TPE to DPS is often around £520. That too yields 360.
Ex HKG, KUL is only 40 points. So you need to got to Aus or somewhere like KTM to get 360. HKG to SIN can net 160 rtn and is often cheap - not sure about SIN to HKG.
Ex PVG had some very high yielding fares in the last MH sale.
As you note domestic J or to SIN nets 80 usually around the £150 mark. Not bad but not great.
