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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
Jan 23, 2019, 4:08 am
#496
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,886
I think the way it works is that after you have taken the flights, you put your ORC claim in to BAEC. They will then contact the marketing airline concerned and verify what flights were taken and should have been taken, and if the marketing airline approves it BAEC will remove the rerouted flight credits and manually credit the original flights. It goes without saying that you should think whether an ORC is better than what you get credited for the rerouting - sometimes I have got more TPs and avios due to the reroute so I was better off not doing the ORC.
Jan 23, 2019, 4:36 am
#497
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 58
AUH to CGK B2B
I have 2 booked in March but I have a night in AUH as I didnt want to chance it, UL have a habit of wanting to see Credit Cards before BP issue as well as other quirks, AUH has a Airside Transfer / Transit but I think there is another security check according to the website.
Last edited by Gazzerg; Jan 23, 2019 at 8:19 am Reason: Forgot to include Quote to which the question was referring
Jan 23, 2019, 5:06 am
#498
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1
hi everyone,
just a quick question. I have an itinerary that i thought would get 800 tier points, its not especially cheap at 2000GBP, but i need to go to LAS.
It revolves around legs BOS-LAX (AA338) and LAS-MIA (AA2349) I thought both get credited as long haul First class, google flights is showing them as First (and i assumed 210 each leg) but BA agent saying it would be in I-class and the total tier points more like 600.
I'm not sure if this is because the agent could be ticketing the fare differently to Google Flights, or if Google Flights is wrong, or possibly the agent calculated the total wrong.
Any insights? thanks for help in advance and sorry i didnt have enough post history to provide a link to the full itinary on google flights.
just a quick question. I have an itinerary that i thought would get 800 tier points, its not especially cheap at 2000GBP, but i need to go to LAS.
It revolves around legs BOS-LAX (AA338) and LAS-MIA (AA2349) I thought both get credited as long haul First class, google flights is showing them as First (and i assumed 210 each leg) but BA agent saying it would be in I-class and the total tier points more like 600.
I'm not sure if this is because the agent could be ticketing the fare differently to Google Flights, or if Google Flights is wrong, or possibly the agent calculated the total wrong.
Any insights? thanks for help in advance and sorry i didnt have enough post history to provide a link to the full itinary on google flights.
Jan 23, 2019, 5:14 am
#499
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond, Mucci de buveur de gin
Posts: 3,060
hi everyone,
just a quick question. I have an itinerary that i thought would get 800 tier points, its not especially cheap at 2000GBP, but i need to go to LAS.
It revolves around legs BOS-LAX (AA338) and LAS-MIA (AA2349) I thought both get credited as long haul First class, google flights is showing them as First (and i assumed 210 each leg) but BA agent saying it would be in I-class and the total tier points more like 600.
I'm not sure if this is because the agent could be ticketing the fare differently to Google Flights, or if Google Flights is wrong, or possibly the agent calculated the total wrong.
Any insights? thanks for help in advance and sorry i didnt have enough post history to provide a link to the full itinary on google flights.
just a quick question. I have an itinerary that i thought would get 800 tier points, its not especially cheap at 2000GBP, but i need to go to LAS.
It revolves around legs BOS-LAX (AA338) and LAS-MIA (AA2349) I thought both get credited as long haul First class, google flights is showing them as First (and i assumed 210 each leg) but BA agent saying it would be in I-class and the total tier points more like 600.
I'm not sure if this is because the agent could be ticketing the fare differently to Google Flights, or if Google Flights is wrong, or possibly the agent calculated the total wrong.
Any insights? thanks for help in advance and sorry i didnt have enough post history to provide a link to the full itinary on google flights.
Jan 23, 2019, 5:26 am
#500
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,456
As I noted earlier AA are good in that if you have an AA reference you can call them direct to deal with schedule changes. As such I can live with OTA bookings. BA are terrible, recently I had the first 2 flights just drop off my itinerary, GGL line referred me straight back to the TA (Propeller) who were able to resolve. They have the benefit of being small scale, I would think the process would be much more painful with a major OTA.
I am intrigued as to whether anyone has successfully booked an IB fare through BA, that would be something I would definitely consider.
One final note of caution, I have spent many hours finessing an itinerary (AA not IB) in Matrix before only to find none of the above lead to a booking. Seems to be a function of married segment availability. I always think it’s worth testing the water first by dummy booking simple output from matrix before spending too much time getting best planes, desired stopovers, right codeshare flight numbers etc.
I am intrigued as to whether anyone has successfully booked an IB fare through BA, that would be something I would definitely consider.
One final note of caution, I have spent many hours finessing an itinerary (AA not IB) in Matrix before only to find none of the above lead to a booking. Seems to be a function of married segment availability. I always think it’s worth testing the water first by dummy booking simple output from matrix before spending too much time getting best planes, desired stopovers, right codeshare flight numbers etc.
ditto. Spend hours doing this recently for the IB fares, and then also time on phone to AA to try and get that and previous fares.
I actually found propeller very good: their price including fee was lower than the ITA Matrix quite - I haven’t tested them out in an interruption, but their response time on the phone was very good
I assume the airlines can ticket each other's fares [since they can be mixed] - but will they ticket if you are not using their own fares at all...? In this instance, these are only IB fares - so I have had zero luck with AA.com [it seems to throw it onto the AA fares which are ~£500 more]. Priceline seems to work for some, and the Powertools links to BA and IB are [not without precedent] useless.
I've also spent a decent amount of time on the Hawai'i fares - and have just had to check if it lands of Priceline after finding a decent itinerary. If anyone has a better way of discerning what does/doesn't acutally exist it would be most valuable!
Jan 23, 2019, 6:07 am
#501
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 172
Originally Posted by etiene;30689855th
I assume the airlines can ticket each other's fares [since they can be mixed] - but will they ticket if you are not using their own fares at all...? In this instance, these are only IB fares - so I have had zero luck with AA.com [it seems to throw it onto the AA fares which are ~£500 more]. Priceline seems to work for some, and the Powertools links to BA and IB are [not without precedent] useless.
I've also spent a decent amount of time on the Hawai'i fares - and have just had to check if it lands of Priceline after finding a decent itinerary. If anyone has a better way of discerning what does/doesn't acutally exist it would be most valuable!
I've also spent a decent amount of time on the Hawai'i fares - and have just had to check if it lands of Priceline after finding a decent itinerary. If anyone has a better way of discerning what does/doesn't acutally exist it would be most valuable!
Last edited by Fossiebear; Jan 23, 2019 at 6:13 am
Jan 23, 2019, 6:32 am
#502
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,456
Yes i mean the AA record locator. In my particular case the schedule changes impacted a mixed itinerary (some flights with BA numbers and BA operated) but adjustments were only required to the AA operated and ticketed flights so i found dealing with AA straightforward. If the situation was reversed eg on the return segment and BA operated flights were impacted i cannot say for certain the rescheduling would be as seamless.
Good to know at least that much - even though [to my disappointment] I don't think I'll be able to commit to these Hawai'i fares.
I dont know but certainly would like to know if anyone has experience with this. All i can say for the IB fares is that with the exception of Propeller every other method i tried failed, The closest i got was the fare showing as bookable on CheapoAir but falling over at the booking stage. As GGL would be great if bookable through ba but i just couldn’t picture it working.
Jan 23, 2019, 6:39 am
#503
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,886
In terms of TA bookings the default is you are suppose to deal with the TA for any changes, and depending on the TA that may not be a stress free experience! Most airlines will not help you and that certainly the case with BA. I don't know whether AA helping people on AA tickets (and I assume they would have to be AA tickets for AA to help) is a case of their explicit policy to do that or a few agents doing their own thing.
Jan 23, 2019, 10:13 am
#504
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: BA exec, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 554
Thx Fossiebear, Karfa et al...
I have just had the ticket issued via Propeller at less cost (including their fee) than the ITA Matrix fare..
only difference is leaving HNL a day later, no probs.
Ive put the booking codes into AA , Finnair and IB apps and all’s good inc seat selection. Result
Note to self - don’t call IB
I have just had the ticket issued via Propeller at less cost (including their fee) than the ITA Matrix fare..
only difference is leaving HNL a day later, no probs.
Ive put the booking codes into AA , Finnair and IB apps and all’s good inc seat selection. Result
Note to self - don’t call IB
Personally where these type of complex matrix trips are concerned my approach has always been (in order of preference)
1. Book with matrix to aa.com or for BA fares call them direct
2. Powertools to OTA eg Priceline
3. Propeller Travel
As I noted earlier AA are good in that if you have an AA reference you can call them direct to deal with schedule changes. As such I can live with OTA bookings. BA are terrible, recently I had the first 2 flights just drop off my itinerary, GGL line referred me straight back to the TA (Propeller) who were able to resolve. They have the benefit of being small scale, I would think the process would be much more painful with a major OTA.
As for Iberia just plugging in a simple return from origin to destination was throwing out a hugely increased cost vs ITA, so I am not surprised people have had no joy calling them.
I am intrigued as to whether anyone has successfully booked an IB fare through BA, that would be something I would definitely consider.
One final note of caution, I have spent many hours finessing an itinerary (AA not IB) in Matrix before only to find none of the above lead to a booking. Seems to be a function of married segment availability. I always think it’s worth testing the water first by dummy booking simple output from matrix before spending too much time getting best planes, desired stopovers, right codeshare flight numbers etc.
1. Book with matrix to aa.com or for BA fares call them direct
2. Powertools to OTA eg Priceline
3. Propeller Travel
As I noted earlier AA are good in that if you have an AA reference you can call them direct to deal with schedule changes. As such I can live with OTA bookings. BA are terrible, recently I had the first 2 flights just drop off my itinerary, GGL line referred me straight back to the TA (Propeller) who were able to resolve. They have the benefit of being small scale, I would think the process would be much more painful with a major OTA.
As for Iberia just plugging in a simple return from origin to destination was throwing out a hugely increased cost vs ITA, so I am not surprised people have had no joy calling them.
I am intrigued as to whether anyone has successfully booked an IB fare through BA, that would be something I would definitely consider.
One final note of caution, I have spent many hours finessing an itinerary (AA not IB) in Matrix before only to find none of the above lead to a booking. Seems to be a function of married segment availability. I always think it’s worth testing the water first by dummy booking simple output from matrix before spending too much time getting best planes, desired stopovers, right codeshare flight numbers etc.
Last edited by Telecasterman; Jan 23, 2019 at 1:26 pm
Jan 23, 2019, 11:00 am
#505
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: BA GOLD, IHG platinum, Hilton diamond
Posts: 11
Having booked the HEL - OTP - HEL mini trip for March suggested up thread, I'm looking for something meatier for over the Easter period. But now I'm thinking I've left it too late to jump on any established runs. Doh!
Jan 23, 2019, 1:52 pm
#506
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: british airways Gold
Posts: 7
Hi there, Can I ask what your routing is? How much did you pay? and how many tier points will you get?
Thanks Joseph
Thanks Joseph
Jan 23, 2019, 2:40 pm
#507
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: BA GOLD, IHG platinum, Hilton diamond
Posts: 11
LHR-HEL-LHR £342 (including a cheap hotel within walking distance) - 160 TP
HEL-LHR-OTP-LHR-HEL £607 (including a cheap hotel - again in walking distance) - 320 TP - bought via AMEX using £200 off £600 code that I had picked up on my Plat card - so £407.
1/2 day Friday to leave London, and arrive back Monday to work the afternoon.
I recognise these aren't a great price - but its convenient for me.
HEL-LHR-OTP-LHR-HEL £607 (including a cheap hotel - again in walking distance) - 320 TP - bought via AMEX using £200 off £600 code that I had picked up on my Plat card - so £407.
1/2 day Friday to leave London, and arrive back Monday to work the afternoon.
I recognise these aren't a great price - but its convenient for me.
Jan 23, 2019, 3:22 pm
#508
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL / GfL
Posts: 3,241
LHR-HEL-LHR can be had for a few weekends in February in CE for £296, which is a respectable £1.85/TP with early or late Friday / Saturday flights out and early or late Sunday returns.
If somebody felt like staying in the airport, a Saturday night arrival into HEL at 11.20pm and Sunday departure at 7.45am is doable.
Pilot37
If somebody felt like staying in the airport, a Saturday night arrival into HEL at 11.20pm and Sunday departure at 7.45am is doable.
Pilot37
Jan 23, 2019, 4:01 pm
#509
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: KrisFlyer, BA Executive Club
Posts: 128
Have a work trip to SEA and need to be in SEA 20th May-24th May, normal base is LHR. (have christening on 26th May so have to fly back on 24th - initial day can be flexible by 2 -days i.e to Sat). Work policy is economy but can fly better class if cost is close/can top up. Happy to travel Ex EU to get the business class fares down - any advice / routes would be much appreciated!
TIA!
TIA!
Jan 24, 2019, 12:11 am
#510
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 28
I would advise against this, if the inbound CMB flight is delayed (which it often is) you'll miss your check in deadline of 60 mins, and be denied boarding. UL almost, always likely, do a credit card verification, and therefore, online/mobile check in usually fails.
Last edited by AUHDXB; Jan 24, 2019 at 12:18 am