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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
Dec 22, 2019, 12:32 pm
#3376
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,899
Furthermore, I'm getting the impression that INV is a good place to fly to? Are there reasonably priced fare in Y or even W from YVR/SEA/SFO/LAX to INV via LHR to make this worthwhile? Are CX E-fares to KUL/SIN via HKG any good?
So the benchmark is £2/TP to get good value out of any Tier Points Runs?
Dec 22, 2019, 1:09 pm
#3377
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
I'm looking for more comments to better help me understand how to do tier runs from the US west coast. I think it's been mentioned that segments matter a lot. I'll keep that in mind.
Furthermore, I'm getting the impression that INV is a good place to fly to? Are there reasonably priced fare in Y or even W from YVR/SEA/SFO/LAX to INV via LHR to make this worthwhile? Are CX E-fares to KUL/SIN via HKG any good?
So the benchmark is £2/TP to get good value out of any Tier Points Runs?
Furthermore, I'm getting the impression that INV is a good place to fly to? Are there reasonably priced fare in Y or even W from YVR/SEA/SFO/LAX to INV via LHR to make this worthwhile? Are CX E-fares to KUL/SIN via HKG any good?
So the benchmark is £2/TP to get good value out of any Tier Points Runs?
Also, I'm not sure how easy it is to get an effective TP run done in Y or W... most TP runs (on this forum at least) seem to be done in J or F.
Maybe this should be approached from a different direction. Why do you want TPs? How many do you need? By when do you need them? Otherwise it appears that all you are really asking is how long is a piece of string. (Unless I am misunderstanding something, which is quite possible!)
rb211.
Dec 22, 2019, 1:14 pm
#3378
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,899
I'm not sure INV is so much of a good place to fly to, rather than from. There have been good deals from INV recently, but I don't know about to (unless you go to, to do a from, and then return to INV, then return from INV.)
Also, I'm not sure how easy it is to get an effective TP run done in Y or W... most TP runs (on this forum at least) seem to be done in J or F.
Maybe this should be approached from a different direction. Why do you want TPs? How many do you need? By when do you need them? Otherwise it appears that all you are really asking is how long is a piece of string. (Unless I am misunderstanding something, which is quite possible!)
rb211.
Also, I'm not sure how easy it is to get an effective TP run done in Y or W... most TP runs (on this forum at least) seem to be done in J or F.
Maybe this should be approached from a different direction. Why do you want TPs? How many do you need? By when do you need them? Otherwise it appears that all you are really asking is how long is a piece of string. (Unless I am misunderstanding something, which is quite possible!)
rb211.
To be clear, I'm currently fully invested in *A and ST. I'm just trying to learn and understand how to do this should I ever need to move over to OW. It doesn't hurt to ask and learn. Why would I want TP? Get status and at a minimum, achieve BAEC Silver to get OW Sapphire status.
Dec 22, 2019, 1:43 pm
#3379
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
Oh? I had no idea that the TP runs have been done in J or F. If so, again, where do I go and what the route should look like to maximize my TP accrual?
To be clear, I'm currently fully invested in *A and ST. I'm just trying to learn and understand how to do this should I ever need to move over to OW. It doesn't hurt to ask and learn. Why would I want TP? Get status and at a minimum, achieve BAEC Silver to get OW Sapphire status.
To be clear, I'm currently fully invested in *A and ST. I'm just trying to learn and understand how to do this should I ever need to move over to OW. It doesn't hurt to ask and learn. Why would I want TP? Get status and at a minimum, achieve BAEC Silver to get OW Sapphire status.
Dec 22, 2019, 1:43 pm
#3380
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC | qantas | IHG | Hilton Honors | Priority Pass | Nandos
Posts: 868
Oh? I had no idea that the TP runs have been done in J or F. If so, again, where do I go and what the route should look like to maximize my TP accrual?
To be clear, I'm currently fully invested in *A and ST. I'm just trying to learn and understand how to do this should I ever need to move over to OW. It doesn't hurt to ask and learn. Why would I want TP? Get status and at a minimum, achieve BAEC Silver to get OW Sapphire status.
To be clear, I'm currently fully invested in *A and ST. I'm just trying to learn and understand how to do this should I ever need to move over to OW. It doesn't hurt to ask and learn. Why would I want TP? Get status and at a minimum, achieve BAEC Silver to get OW Sapphire status.
As far as west coast US runs go though, it's a question of keeping an eye out for sales mentioned here (or other OneWorld threads), or on some of the blogs who are aimed at status seekers. For instance, there was a BA promotion in the autumn for US trips starting in France - so I'm doing CDG-LAX in early January, which will net 720 TP (before positioning from the UK).
As well as sales, it seems that there are some common recurrent TP runs which aren't ticketed by BA, but are OW - like AUH/DXB-CGK on Sri Lankan, or OTP-PHX on AA.
Edit: as Madfish says, the Wiki is a great place to start!
Last edited by peter h; Dec 22, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Dec 22, 2019, 3:09 pm
#3381
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
Oh? I had no idea that the TP runs have been done in J or F. If so, again, where do I go and what the route should look like to maximize my TP accrual?
To be clear, I'm currently fully invested in *A and ST. I'm just trying to learn and understand how to do this should I ever need to move over to OW. It doesn't hurt to ask and learn. Why would I want TP? Get status and at a minimum, achieve BAEC Silver to get OW Sapphire status.
To be clear, I'm currently fully invested in *A and ST. I'm just trying to learn and understand how to do this should I ever need to move over to OW. It doesn't hurt to ask and learn. Why would I want TP? Get status and at a minimum, achieve BAEC Silver to get OW Sapphire status.
As has been said, the wiki is a great place to start. And, as has been said, TP runs do not have to be done in J or F, just that seems to be how efficient TP runs are done. I'm sure there are some that work, but slogging around in an economy or e+ seat for hours just to earn TPs doesn't seem very popular, here, at least.
I suggest you peruse the wiki. If you end up needing BAEC Silver, then post back with your current TPs, future itineraries, other info, and what you have found so far, and I'm sure folks will be happy to help. To make Silver you'll need 4 qualifying flights, which basically means 4 TATLs. In W that would give you 360 TPs, so if that were the case you'd only be looking for 240 TPs which should be relatively easy within North America (although may not be that efficient.)
rb211.
Dec 22, 2019, 3:28 pm
#3382
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,899
This seems to be an academic exercise then? One that you're not executing immediately, so I don't think many people are going to invest their time into helping you devise TP runs that may be invalid in the next week/month/year... certainly before you may need to execute on them, but I could be wrong. Effective TP runs are usually very dependent upon deals at the time... as well as current TP earning rates (which don't change that often, but it has been known.)
As has been said, the wiki is a great place to start. And, as has been said, TP runs do not have to be done in J or F, just that seems to be how efficient TP runs are done. I'm sure there are some that work, but slogging around in an economy or e+ seat for hours just to earn TPs doesn't seem very popular, here, at least.
I suggest you peruse the wiki. If you end up needing BAEC Silver, then post back with your current TPs, future itineraries, other info, and what you have found so far, and I'm sure folks will be happy to help. To make Silver you'll need 4 qualifying flights, which basically means 4 TATLs. In W that would give you 360 TPs, so if that were the case you'd only be looking for 240 TPs which should be relatively easy within North America (although may not be that efficient.)
rb211.
As has been said, the wiki is a great place to start. And, as has been said, TP runs do not have to be done in J or F, just that seems to be how efficient TP runs are done. I'm sure there are some that work, but slogging around in an economy or e+ seat for hours just to earn TPs doesn't seem very popular, here, at least.
I suggest you peruse the wiki. If you end up needing BAEC Silver, then post back with your current TPs, future itineraries, other info, and what you have found so far, and I'm sure folks will be happy to help. To make Silver you'll need 4 qualifying flights, which basically means 4 TATLs. In W that would give you 360 TPs, so if that were the case you'd only be looking for 240 TPs which should be relatively easy within North America (although may not be that efficient.)
rb211.
Dec 22, 2019, 3:39 pm
#3383
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,899
I don't think that they *have* to be done in business or first, it's just that, for a given flight/route, you'll build up the TPs faster, even if the £ per TP is the same as in Y or W. The sub £2 per TP seems like a standard benchmark though.
As far as west coast US runs go though, it's a question of keeping an eye out for sales mentioned here (or other OneWorld threads), or on some of the blogs who are aimed at status seekers. For instance, there was a BA promotion in the autumn for US trips starting in France - so I'm doing CDG-LAX in early January, which will net 720 TP (before positioning from the UK).
As well as sales, it seems that there are some common recurrent TP runs which aren't ticketed by BA, but are OW - like AUH/DXB-CGK on Sri Lankan, or OTP-PHX on AA.
Edit: as Madfish says, the Wiki is a great place to start!
As far as west coast US runs go though, it's a question of keeping an eye out for sales mentioned here (or other OneWorld threads), or on some of the blogs who are aimed at status seekers. For instance, there was a BA promotion in the autumn for US trips starting in France - so I'm doing CDG-LAX in early January, which will net 720 TP (before positioning from the UK).
As well as sales, it seems that there are some common recurrent TP runs which aren't ticketed by BA, but are OW - like AUH/DXB-CGK on Sri Lankan, or OTP-PHX on AA.
Edit: as Madfish says, the Wiki is a great place to start!
Dec 22, 2019, 3:56 pm
#3384
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR
Posts: 791
The calculator asks for your BAEC status as it calculates Avios and TPs. TPs don't vary with status but the amount of Avios earned does.
Dec 22, 2019, 8:06 pm
#3385
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC | qantas | IHG | Hilton Honors | Priority Pass | Nandos
Posts: 868
The other thing about TP runs is that they are often not direct flights. For instance, my trip to the US west coast includes transfers on the east coast which effectively double the TPs earned for the Atlantic crossing part - eg LHR-LAX in J would be 140 TP, whereas LHR-JFK-LAX would be 140 + 140.
Last edited by peter h; Dec 23, 2019 at 4:07 am
Dec 22, 2019, 9:56 pm
#3386
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,899
Yes, it looks like you'd get 210+240 each way - as well as the 4 BA flights that are also required. As for the price, at US$5k, it would be more than £4 per TP, but it would be up to you to say whether it's good value.
The other thing about TP runs is that they are often not direct flights. For instance, my trip to the US west coast includes transfers on the east coast which effectively double the TPs earned for the Atlantic crossing part - eg LHR-LAX in J would be 140 TP, whereas LHR-JFK-LAX would be 140 + 140.
The other thing about TP runs is that they are often not direct flights. For instance, my trip to the US west coast includes transfers on the east coast which effectively double the TPs earned for the Atlantic crossing part - eg LHR-LAX in J would be 140 TP, whereas LHR-JFK-LAX would be 140 + 140.
Dec 23, 2019, 4:30 am
#3387
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: LHR, SAN
Programs: BA GGL, AA PLT, VS-curious
Posts: 1,487
Definitely start with the sticky wikis. You'll find pretty much everything you've asked. Watch the Premium Deals thread as well, keeping in mind that sometimes you'll have to position yourself to take advantage of some deals. From the west coast I see a lot more runs toward Asia, but you will of course still have to make the requisite BA metal flights.
Dec 23, 2019, 5:21 am
#3388
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,899
I don't think that they *have* to be done in business or first, it's just that, for a given flight/route, you'll build up the TPs faster, even if the £ per TP is the same as in Y or W. The sub £2 per TP seems like a standard benchmark though.
As far as west coast US runs go though, it's a question of keeping an eye out for sales mentioned here (or other OneWorld threads), or on some of the blogs who are aimed at status seekers. For instance, there was a BA promotion in the autumn for US trips starting in France - so I'm doing CDG-LAX in early January, which will net 720 TP (before positioning from the UK).
As well as sales, it seems that there are some common recurrent TP runs which aren't ticketed by BA, but are OW - like AUH/DXB-CGK on Sri Lankan, or OTP-PHX on AA.
Edit: as Madfish says, the Wiki is a great place to start!
As far as west coast US runs go though, it's a question of keeping an eye out for sales mentioned here (or other OneWorld threads), or on some of the blogs who are aimed at status seekers. For instance, there was a BA promotion in the autumn for US trips starting in France - so I'm doing CDG-LAX in early January, which will net 720 TP (before positioning from the UK).
As well as sales, it seems that there are some common recurrent TP runs which aren't ticketed by BA, but are OW - like AUH/DXB-CGK on Sri Lankan, or OTP-PHX on AA.
Edit: as Madfish says, the Wiki is a great place to start!
Definitely start with the sticky wikis. You'll find pretty much everything you've asked. Watch the Premium Deals thread as well, keeping in mind that sometimes you'll have to position yourself to take advantage of some deals. From the west coast I see a lot more runs toward Asia, but you will of course still have to make the requisite BA metal flights.
Have anyone here though about doing TP runs between KUL and PEN? Possible to be done same day for about £138 and get 80TP.
Doing that won't get me the 4 BA flights that I'll need. I acknowledge that every sale will be different, but in general, which destination in Europe does BA typically flies the cheapest to either in Y, W, or J?
Dec 23, 2019, 6:09 am
#3389
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: LHR, SAN
Programs: BA GGL, AA PLT, VS-curious
Posts: 1,487
I don't know if there's one right now off the top of my head, but I frequently see OW TPAC offerings in the various mileage run threads. I do't know of one particular "best" place because fares vary.
I'm guessing that as you're new to this forum, you have a lot you want to get your head around. At the top of the BA forum, you will find several "stickies." The first two bolded ones tell you the program basics. The one called the Dashboard will direct you to the answers to all your more complex questions about the program and how to best maximise your options, and more. The TP Run thread (this one) and the Premium Sale thread (and the Mileage Run thread, if you're looking at Y) are the best place to find current runs, read through them. If you’re on a phone or struggling with the FT search function, you can google any of those thread titles with the word Flyertalk, possibly adding BA or OW, and they will come right up.
I'm guessing that as you're new to this forum, you have a lot you want to get your head around. At the top of the BA forum, you will find several "stickies." The first two bolded ones tell you the program basics. The one called the Dashboard will direct you to the answers to all your more complex questions about the program and how to best maximise your options, and more. The TP Run thread (this one) and the Premium Sale thread (and the Mileage Run thread, if you're looking at Y) are the best place to find current runs, read through them. If you’re on a phone or struggling with the FT search function, you can google any of those thread titles with the word Flyertalk, possibly adding BA or OW, and they will come right up.
Dec 23, 2019, 6:31 am
#3390
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Unio Europaea
Programs: BA GGL, AS, Hertz Cirque Présidentielle
Posts: 1,445