Old Jan 4, 2019, 9:09 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
Advanced Promotion 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









Print Wikipost

BA Tier Point Runs | 2019-20 edition

Old Jan 16, 2019, 10:55 am
  #376  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,084
Originally Posted by 81romeo


with regards to long haul short weekends I’ve done those a few times too - including JFK, MIA, HKG from LHR and LHR from SIN ��

...it would just be a bit of an overkill to fly on a TP run to SFO and then off to IAD for the weekend from there ����
I am real rookie at ITA, TP runs etc so can't really offer much advice but perhaps the usual very helpful suspects may be along to give you a few ideas. ^
PETER01 is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 10:58 am
  #377  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR; TK Elite; ITA Executive; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,546
Originally Posted by PETER01
I am real rookie at ITA, TP runs etc so can't really offer much advice but perhaps the usual very helpful suspects may be along to give you a few ideas. ^
Thanks Peter, same here!!

hoping some usual suspect will help
PETER01 likes this.
81romeo is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 11:02 am
  #378  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,261
Originally Posted by 81romeo
...it would just be a bit of an overkill to fly on a TP run to SFO and then off to IAD for the weekend from there 😬😬
I'm afraid you might be in the wrong place then, I've read a report of someone flying 6 segments (including 3 transcons) to Hawaii for a couple of hours only to fly the same itinerary back and straight home
alex67500 is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 12:16 pm
  #379  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR; TK Elite; ITA Executive; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,546
Originally Posted by alex67500
I'm afraid you might be in the wrong place then, I've read a report of someone flying 6 segments (including 3 transcons) to Hawaii for a couple of hours only to fly the same itinerary back and straight home
That was me too, done that too!
BingBongBoy likes this.
81romeo is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 1:18 pm
  #380  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,257
In 2017, I took advantage of the CAI- HNL sale fare in F for just over 3k. With the positioning flight to CA I in J, this gave me 1680 TP. Total cost with hotels in CAI (twice), HNL and LAX was in the region of 4,600. Hardly a TP mega achievement trip at 2.73 per point, but being relatively time poor and cash rich and wanting to achieve gold within 1 trip in my 7 week window at the end of my collection year, it worked for me.

In 2019, I would like to repeat a similar trip where points per pound is less important than efficiency. I have a week in October (Wed - Wed) to obtain gold in 1 trip again. I have the following questions that I cannot find the answer in the thread to date:

1. Why is September / October blacked out of almost all sale fares, where November is included? Is something happening in the world other than the Rugby World cup. I seem to remember booking the 2017 trip in May, so will these months open up later in the year?
2. Is there a way of finding out and searching fare codes to ensure that the parameters I enter into ITA are cost efficient? At the moment, I am searching daily for CAI - HNL in F and it is coming up just over 5k on the cheapest day. Not a disaster, but not the 3k it was in 2017. Add positioning flights in J and hotels would add another 1k minimum.

Apologies if these answers are out there and I am being blind.
Thanks for everyone who makes this thread what it is.
Harry
HarryHolden68 is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 2:24 pm
  #381  
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OW Emerald
Posts: 753
Originally Posted by HarryHolden68
In 2017, I took advantage of the CAI- HNL sale fare in F for just over 3k. With the positioning flight to CA I in J, this gave me 1680 TP. Total cost with hotels in CAI (twice), HNL and LAX was in the region of 4,600. Hardly a TP mega achievement trip at 2.73 per point, but being relatively time poor and cash rich and wanting to achieve gold within 1 trip in my 7 week window at the end of my collection year, it worked for me.

In 2019, I would like to repeat a similar trip where points per pound is less important than efficiency. I have a week in October (Wed - Wed) to obtain gold in 1 trip again. I have the following questions that I cannot find the answer in the thread to date:

1. Why is September / October blacked out of almost all sale fares, where November is included? Is something happening in the world other than the Rugby World cup. I seem to remember booking the 2017 trip in May, so will these months open up later in the year?
2. Is there a way of finding out and searching fare codes to ensure that the parameters I enter into ITA are cost efficient? At the moment, I am searching daily for CAI - HNL in F and it is coming up just over 5k on the cheapest day. Not a disaster, but not the 3k it was in 2017. Add positioning flights in J and hotels would add another 1k minimum.

Apologies if these answers are out there and I am being blind.
Thanks for everyone who makes this thread what it is.
Harry
A quick pointer for you: Check out Sri Lankan flights from DXB, you can position there and do two business class trips for 4x140TP each.
thebigben is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 3:54 pm
  #382  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: british airways Gold
Posts: 7
HI again folks,

I'm taking everyone's advice and holding off until my year ends on April 8th to do the tier point run, but it turns out I'm absolutely dreadful at finding cheap tier point runs. They've practically destroyed imatrix's usefulness as a search engine by only allowing one departure point.

I need a good 1,500TP - Any brilliant advice. search tools or actual trips and how to get lowest per mile for tp's.

One day i'll post something useful to others than simply asking for advice.

Thanks very much again in advance

Joseph.
joroberts is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 4:37 pm
  #383  
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Sussex, UK
Programs: BA:Gold Amex:Green :IC Platinum Elite Amb
Posts: 660
Originally Posted by HarryHolden68
In 2017, I took advantage of the CAI- HNL

1. Why is September / October blacked out of almost all sale fares, where November is included? Is something happening in the world other than the Rugby World cup. I seem to remember booking the 2017 trip in May, so will these months open up later in the year?
For November it's the lack of business travel over Thanksgiving which realizes the low fares but over the years the date window has been getting ever shorter. TP runs to the middle of the Pacific are probably not the best option after the AA change on 2 class flights. Booking that far out with AA means you are likely to get rerouted xxx-LON-LAX unless you make a stopover somewhere like MAD to force a NYC-LAX segement
UKTony is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 7:29 pm
  #384  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SIN
Posts: 196
Originally Posted by HarryHolden68
I would like to repeat a similar trip where points per pound is less important than efficiency. I have a week in October (Wed - Wed) to obtain gold in 1 trip again.
Harry - what do you mean by efficient? There is a widely shared article on TLFL - https://www.turningleftforless.com/b...ne-hit-almost/ which summarises what is generally considered the most cost effective way to get to 1,500 TP at the moment. Obviously, sale fares come and go.
SavvyTravel likes this.
CX_newbie is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 11:32 pm
  #385  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Germany
Programs: BA GGL, CCR - TK G
Posts: 805
Originally Posted by HarryHolden68
In 2017, I took advantage of the CAI- HNL sale fare in F for just over 3k. With the positioning flight to CA I in J, this gave me 1680 TP. Total cost with hotels in CAI (twice), HNL and LAX was in the region of 4,600. Hardly a TP mega achievement trip at 2.73 per point, but being relatively time poor and cash rich and wanting to achieve gold within 1 trip in my 7 week window at the end of my collection year, it worked for me.

In 2019, I would like to repeat a similar trip where points per pound is less important than efficiency. I have a week in October (Wed - Wed) to obtain gold in 1 trip again. I have the following questions that I cannot find the answer in the thread to date:

1. Why is September / October blacked out of almost all sale fares, where November is included? Is something happening in the world other than the Rugby World cup. I seem to remember booking the 2017 trip in May, so will these months open up later in the year?

I understand what you are saying tho... I do the trips I like to do and enjoy extra TPs... YOU are looking for one trip FOR the TPs... and money isnt a matter either..
so you would need another F trip on a great carrier giving you the most fun for 1500 TP :-)
2. Is there a way of finding out and searching fare codes to ensure that the parameters I enter into ITA are cost efficient? At the moment, I am searching daily for CAI - HNL in F and it is coming up just over 5k on the cheapest day. Not a disaster, but not the 3k it was in 2017. Add positioning flights in J and hotels would add another 1k minimum.

Apologies if these answers are out there and I am being blind.
Thanks for everyone who makes this thread what it is.
Harry

The OSL/ARN to HNL/OGG sale is on aug/sep/oct for 1700 EUR (i posted in prem deals) - in november its up at 2000 so still a decent deal - 820 TP if you return from hawaii in fullflat thru DFW or 920 if you sit in the first class chair thru phx :-)
Vasco Pridat is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 12:17 am
  #386  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Bali
Programs: BAEC Gold / TK e+
Posts: 502
any good ex-SE Asia TP runs anyone aware of?
Seems my wonderful CGK-CMB-DXB run is no more 😢
mfgr is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 1:49 am
  #387  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 1,257
Originally Posted by CX_newbie
Harry - what do you mean by efficient? There is a widely shared article on TLFL - https://www.turningleftforless.com/b...ne-hit-almost/ which summarises what is generally considered the most cost effective way to get to 1,500 TP at the moment. Obviously, sale fares come and go.
Thanks everyone.
By efficient, I mean earning 1500 TP in a single trip so 2-3 days in each direction.
This is a great link and very useful - thanks
HarryHolden68 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 2:02 am
  #388  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 910
Originally Posted by joroberts
HI again folks,

I'm taking everyone's advice and holding off until my year ends on April 8th to do the tier point run, but it turns out I'm absolutely dreadful at finding cheap tier point runs. They've practically destroyed imatrix's usefulness as a search engine by only allowing one departure point.

I need a good 1,500TP - Any brilliant advice. search tools or actual trips and how to get lowest per mile for tp's.

One day i'll post something useful to others than simply asking for advice.

Thanks very much again in advance

Joseph.
Really need to start by looking at the Wiki - there are multiple trips on there and detailed is the route, restrictions, cost and number of TP's that would be earned.

If looking to speculatively see what other routes might work, it's far quicker and easier to start off with Google Flights and then use that information to construct something in ITA Matrix.
David_Doyle is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 2:03 am
  #389  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL, IHG Spire Elite Ambassador, HH Diamond, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 357
Originally Posted by mfgr
any good ex-SE Asia TP runs anyone aware of?
Seems my wonderful CGK-CMB-DXB run is no more ��
AUH-CMB-CGK is still 493 return for 560TP but its not a flat bed

the cheapest one way seems to be BKK-CMB-DXB which is 444 for 280TP which isn't awful if you combined it with a couple of the AUH-CMB-CGK

Not something I would want to do but definately cheap

... also... BKK-KUL-TPE return with MH is 360TP for 520.. not great and has been cheaper but I like to add it in with an ex-EU Thailand trip because I personally love visiting Taipei

Last edited by ianfly; Jan 17, 2019 at 2:11 am
ianfly is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 2:41 am
  #390  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SXE
Programs: QF LTG, VA Gold, BA Gold, HH, SFSC
Posts: 502
Originally Posted by BingBongBoy
Is it still the case that you can do one big wadge of points in one trip and go up two tiers in one go?
Technically I did that. But it was because it took a little longer than I had planned to get the 4 BA flights. I went from bronze to gold as soon as I got that 4th one, as I had already made it past 1500 TPs.
JessicaTam is offline  

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