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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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 Ł3 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 Ł0.96/TP Ł154 160 TPs LHR-SOF (2021 dates)
24 Feb Ł1.90/TP Ł152 80TP MAD-FRA Z/Z LA (available Feb-Mar 2019, immediate turnarounds possible)
10 Aug Ł2.06/TP Ł329 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 Ł2.99/TP Ł2,758.45 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 Ł1.90/TP Ł1370 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 Ł2.29/TP Ł640TP 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 Ł1.52/TP Ł668 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 Ł0.90/TP Ł215 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 Ł 0.76/TP Ł 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 Ł 1.04/TP Ł 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 Ł 0.70/TP Ł 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 Ł 0.52/TP Ł 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 Ł0.95/TP Ł479 560tp AUH-CMB-CGK-CMB-AUH I / I / I / I cgtechuk UL
1FEB Ł1.49/TP Ł1,673 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 Ł2.07/TP Ł2,112 1020TP CAI-LHR-JFK-LAX-HNL-DFW-ORD-LHR-CAI I/R here (All flights must be BA numbered)
From Africa
04/01 Ł1.80/TP Ł721 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 Ł300 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 Ł500.
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 Ł520.
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
Jan 28, 2020, 7:53 am
#3721
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
https://www.google.co.uk/flights?saf...9*2.GBP.132699
I wouldn't recommend the JFK-LGA airport change within 3hrs20mins though. But it's a starting point. The thing you want to land is LHR-JFK (777 or 747) followed by JFK-LAX (A321 Sharklets) as that's all fully flat.
Above uses the LAX-MIA return on an AA 777, which has fully flat beds (but is known as being subject to change more than some routes, I hear).
Plenty of scope to drop the Alaska (AS) segment and find slightly better routing, but it can be done at around Ł1350pp still. Which surprises me, as I brought it up on this forum ages back and these things don't usually hold for long.
Jan 28, 2020, 8:31 am
#3722
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 816
Just booked JER-LGW-MLA and back for Ł500 in CE. 240 TPs in total, so just over Ł2/TP - very good for something that isn't a TP run. Flights in late September, similarly priced most days.
Jan 28, 2020, 8:34 am
#3723
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 16
Thanks so much, sadly can't get the dates to work for me, but really appreciate all your efforts :-)
Jan 28, 2020, 8:40 am
#3724
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: BA gold
Posts: 40
I suspect that mid-week travel may be better.
INV-LHR-JFK-LAX-PDX-LAX-JFK-LHR-GLA departing 2/6 and returning 17/6 is 1,327.
https://matrix.itasoftware.com/#view...=INVPDX-PDXGLA
INV-LHR-JFK-LAX-PDX-LAX-JFK-LHR-GLA departing 2/6 and returning 17/6 is 1,327.
https://matrix.itasoftware.com/#view...=INVPDX-PDXGLA
Jan 28, 2020, 8:44 am
#3725
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 16
Thanks. I only have 28th May - 13th June to play with sadly, and wanted to try and make the most of all of those dates.
Jan 28, 2020, 1:55 pm
#3726
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 172
Indeed. And actually looking at the date the Ł198 returns to HEL are available make this a non starter. However TIA works.
For example, book LGW-TIA outbound 8/2 back 10/2. Ł208.
Amazingly, this is a fare where the reverse routing works almost as well. Ł253 TIA-LGW.
So I reckon with a bit of messing about you could nest 4 of these over a long weekend for 720TPs at sub Ł950.
For example, book LGW-TIA outbound 8/2 back 10/2. Ł208.
Amazingly, this is a fare where the reverse routing works almost as well. Ł253 TIA-LGW.
So I reckon with a bit of messing about you could nest 4 of these over a long weekend for 720TPs at sub Ł950.
Jan 29, 2020, 3:37 am
#3727
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: LHR/BHD
Programs: BAEC (Blue, usually)
Posts: 40
Apologies if this is the wrong thread to be posting about this: I'm interested in doing an INV-PDX run and was toying around with the idea of doing it in 0 days (immediate return) — It looks like the only way to achieve this is to have a ~1 hour window though as shown below!
I''m going to assume that's completely unreasonable given that I'd probably need to exit landslide and check back in (security, immigration, etc.)? Or is this actually possible (obviously discounting delays, etc.)? Amusing that it seems to be available via ITA, though whether it'd be ticketed would be another issue entirely.
I''m going to assume that's completely unreasonable given that I'd probably need to exit landslide and check back in (security, immigration, etc.)? Or is this actually possible (obviously discounting delays, etc.)? Amusing that it seems to be available via ITA, though whether it'd be ticketed would be another issue entirely.
Jan 29, 2020, 3:45 am
#3728
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Unio Europaea
Programs: BA GGL, AS, Hertz Cirque Présidentielle
Posts: 1,445
I''m going to assume that's completely unreasonable given that I'd probably need to exit landslide and check back in (security, immigration, etc.)? Or is this actually possible (obviously discounting delays, etc.)? Amusing that it seems to be available via ITA, though whether it'd be ticketed would be another issue entirely.
Jan 29, 2020, 4:13 am
#3729
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: 7,327
Jan 29, 2020, 4:16 am
#3730
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,471
Apologies if this is the wrong thread to be posting about this: I'm interested in doing an INV-PDX run and was toying around with the idea of doing it in 0 days (immediate return) — It looks like the only way to achieve this is to have a ~1 hour window though as shown below!
[SNIP]
I''m going to assume that's completely unreasonable given that I'd probably need to exit landslide and check back in (security, immigration, etc.)? Or is this actually possible (obviously discounting delays, etc.)? Amusing that it seems to be available via ITA, though whether it'd be ticketed would be another issue entirely.
[SNIP]
I''m going to assume that's completely unreasonable given that I'd probably need to exit landslide and check back in (security, immigration, etc.)? Or is this actually possible (obviously discounting delays, etc.)? Amusing that it seems to be available via ITA, though whether it'd be ticketed would be another issue entirely.
If you've been to Amsterdam it's much the same - you would walk out and past those waiting for the return, so you just join them to reboard. Indeed, this would be safer than a longer layover because it appears to be a B2B - return on the same aircraft - and thus a delay to the inbound means a delay to the outbound.
The risk is slightly bigger than with BA though, since AA have multiple hubs and could decide to switch one E75 for another - though I think you'd be protected by either the single ticket, or as a fall-back AA's more generous inter-Oneworld policy. I don't know how many hubs Compass operate from though - if it's just LAX then that would probably preclude that possible pitfall.
Jan 29, 2020, 4:31 am
#3731
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Unio Europaea
Programs: BA GGL, AS, Hertz Cirque Présidentielle
Posts: 1,445
The risk is slightly bigger than with BA though, since AA have multiple hubs and could decide to switch one E75 for another - though I think you'd be protected by either the single ticket, or as a fall-back AA's more generous inter-Oneworld policy. I don't know how many hubs Compass operate from though - if it's just LAX then that would probably preclude that possible pitfall.
Jan 29, 2020, 4:44 am
#3732
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,471
PDX isn't a base/hub for them (LAX, PHX and SEA, AFAIK). It's however risky IMO to do an immediate turnaround at the end of a such itinerary to the US. I don't know how I'd justify any reroutes to AA (taken they'd probably be my ticketing carrier), since I was anyway going to return right away.
Jan 29, 2020, 5:24 am
#3733
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, BA GGL
Posts: 237
Apologies if this is the wrong thread to be posting about this: I'm interested in doing an INV-PDX run and was toying around with the idea of doing it in 0 days (immediate return) — It looks like the only way to achieve this is to have a ~1 hour window though as shown below!
I''m going to assume that's completely unreasonable given that I'd probably need to exit landslide and check back in (security, immigration, etc.)? Or is this actually possible (obviously discounting delays, etc.)? Amusing that it seems to be available via ITA, though whether it'd be ticketed would be another issue entirely.
I''m going to assume that's completely unreasonable given that I'd probably need to exit landslide and check back in (security, immigration, etc.)? Or is this actually possible (obviously discounting delays, etc.)? Amusing that it seems to be available via ITA, though whether it'd be ticketed would be another issue entirely.
I know there is real potential for AA to mess around with the schedules, I think for my end of March TP run I am on my 6th iteration of the flights but sometimes you have to take the gamble. My assumption is that make it to LAX and the only risk is the b2b doesnt happen and you end up stranded in LAX and then you just need to start pleading with AA :-)
Lets see how many schedule changes pop up
Jan 29, 2020, 7:34 am
#3734
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,471
Funnily enough I have booked something similar - I needed a back up run this year in case my work travel doesn't work out as scheduled and I want to retain GGL - except I am going LHR / BOS / LAX on the Friday and then PDX b2b from LAX and then back via JFK.
I know there is real potential for AA to mess around with the schedules, I think for my end of March TP run I am on my 6th iteration of the flights but sometimes you have to take the gamble. My assumption is that make it to LAX and the only risk is the b2b doesnt happen and you end up stranded in LAX and then you just need to start pleading with AA :-)
Lets see how many schedule changes pop up
I know there is real potential for AA to mess around with the schedules, I think for my end of March TP run I am on my 6th iteration of the flights but sometimes you have to take the gamble. My assumption is that make it to LAX and the only risk is the b2b doesnt happen and you end up stranded in LAX and then you just need to start pleading with AA :-)
Lets see how many schedule changes pop up
Jan 29, 2020, 11:22 am
#3735
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, BA GGL
Posts: 237
Out of curiousity [and not solely aimed at you, but related to the above] - do people find that schedule changes are rare on such routes as LHR-JFK and JFK-LAX? I have something not dissimilar to the above booked - and wouldn't be upset at gaining "creative freedom" due to a schedule change - but I tend to assume that those larger[largest] hub-hub routes are pretty inflexibly scheduled? The implication being that it's only the [in my example] LAX-EUG and SFO-LAX legs that are really likely to get shifted around, with a subsequent reducion in the odds of me "suffering" a schedule change.
This has been the first time its happened to me I think I was originally flying BUD/HEL/LHR/JFK/PHX/SFO/CLT/JFK /LHR / HEL / BUD. I have now managed to wangle BUD/HEL/LHR/JFK/LAX/SFO/LAX/JFK /LHR / HEL / BUD which means transcon flights with the flat beds at no extra cost.