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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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 Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below.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
May 11, 2019, 10:23 am
#1651
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: Executive Club
Posts: 78
As noted over in the Premium Fare Deals forum, there are currently some good prices from Budapest to the US.
The lowest fares seem to be one-stop via PHL (e.g. LAS for £1308), but longer routings are possible. Best I've found so far is BUD to LAS via LHR, JFK and LAX in each direction for £1369, or about £1.90 per TP.
Tickets must be issued before 16 May.
The lowest fares seem to be one-stop via PHL (e.g. LAS for £1308), but longer routings are possible. Best I've found so far is BUD to LAS via LHR, JFK and LAX in each direction for £1369, or about £1.90 per TP.
Tickets must be issued before 16 May.
Of interest to me, and possibly other people who get fed up with returning to a city they started in because they've already seen it, is that these fares can be combined to open jaw at the Europe end - i.e. you can start in PRG and end in BUD or vice versa.
May 11, 2019, 10:32 am
#1652
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 484
Hi bras0978 so, addressing a couple of tangential points as I can't answer the bit about stopovers.
Are you going to get an hotel in OTP for the night of 8th July? Or rough it in the airport? I haven't done it as a proper B2B but there are plenty of reports of people ding so successfully. If you can go on the morning flight from LHR then you can come straight back and be home by bedtime (extra brownie points). If you get to OTP approaching midnight and are coming back the next morning it can all be a bit unsatisfactory as next to no time at hotel and what feels like forever in the terminal.
Regarding your question of JFK-LHR. Doing that on AA metal simplifies things and I wouldn't court the aggravation of changing terminals to fly on a BA 777 (unless you are using an upgrade voucher or something).In normal circumstances there is plenty of time in your itin above.
Are you going to get an hotel in OTP for the night of 8th July? Or rough it in the airport? I haven't done it as a proper B2B but there are plenty of reports of people ding so successfully. If you can go on the morning flight from LHR then you can come straight back and be home by bedtime (extra brownie points). If you get to OTP approaching midnight and are coming back the next morning it can all be a bit unsatisfactory as next to no time at hotel and what feels like forever in the terminal.
Regarding your question of JFK-LHR. Doing that on AA metal simplifies things and I wouldn't court the aggravation of changing terminals to fly on a BA 777 (unless you are using an upgrade voucher or something).In normal circumstances there is plenty of time in your itin above.
May 11, 2019, 11:42 am
#1653
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Helsinki
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 143
I'm looking to book an OTP - PHX run, and I have only very limited availability. For a fee, you can add stopovers, so I am intending to do the first leg in July, then the transatlantic portion in early August, then the return OTP a week or so later. (This is because I have a young baby and I can't leave my wife looking after her for too long on her own!). Contrary to what Misco60 said upthread, it doesn't seem to be any more expensive to have the transatlantic outbound on Saturday (unless I'm looking at the wrong fare) - the increase in price is due to the stopovers in London, I think. This is what I'm looking at:
I wondered if anyone would mind casting their eye over it and letting me know if I'm missing a trick? Those transcons are lie-flat, aren't they? Particularly, I'm wondering whether I should try to get the JFK-LHR portion on AA metal rather than BA? It would mean not having to change terminals at JFK, I assume, but it would also mean having to change terminals at Heathrow to get back to the car! Many thanks for any comments.
I wondered if anyone would mind casting their eye over it and letting me know if I'm missing a trick? Those transcons are lie-flat, aren't they? Particularly, I'm wondering whether I should try to get the JFK-LHR portion on AA metal rather than BA? It would mean not having to change terminals at JFK, I assume, but it would also mean having to change terminals at Heathrow to get back to the car! Many thanks for any comments.
May 11, 2019, 12:31 pm
#1654
formerly mattking2000
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB
Programs: BA|AC|AZ|SPG|H|FPC
Posts: 1,187
Been playing around with the KTM fares that are floating around on the Premium Fares deal, managed to get one to work with my dates. 840 TP for £1620, just less than £2/TP.
Hope it's useful to somebody. Works to most east coast cities (NYC, BOS, WAS, etc.) however you cannot route on the comfortable transcontinental services (SFO-JFK, LAX-JFK) and it must be AA metal across the Pacific (which isn't bad, their milk tea isn't CX but it's drinkable!)
Hope it's useful to somebody. Works to most east coast cities (NYC, BOS, WAS, etc.) however you cannot route on the comfortable transcontinental services (SFO-JFK, LAX-JFK) and it must be AA metal across the Pacific (which isn't bad, their milk tea isn't CX but it's drinkable!)
May 11, 2019, 12:36 pm
#1655
formerly Guanran Wang
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: HKG, PEK, IAD/DCA, LON, BHX,
Programs: Alaska, BAEC, Asiana, Aegean, Enrich, Marriott/SPG, Hilton
Posts: 322
Been playing around with the KTM fares that are floating around on the Premium Fares deal, managed to get one to work with my dates. 840 TP for £1620, just less than £2/TP.
Hope it's useful to somebody. Works to most east coast cities (NYC, BOS, WAS, etc.) however you cannot route on the comfortable transcontinental services (SFO-JFK, LAX-JFK) and it must be AA metal across the Pacific (which isn't bad, their milk tea isn't CX but it's drinkable!)
Hope it's useful to somebody. Works to most east coast cities (NYC, BOS, WAS, etc.) however you cannot route on the comfortable transcontinental services (SFO-JFK, LAX-JFK) and it must be AA metal across the Pacific (which isn't bad, their milk tea isn't CX but it's drinkable!)
May 11, 2019, 12:43 pm
#1656
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA Executive Club, UA Mileage Plus, bmi Diamond Club
Posts: 480
Good TP Run fare from NA west coast:
YVR-SXM RT (max 2 transfer, 1 stopover allowed at gateway for mere 50CAD)
Open Jaws possible with fares on a half round trip basis. Max mileage restriction applies
Sample Routing:
YVR-LAX-MIA-SXM Direct turn (transcon on 777 Intl J, flagship lounge access) RT 440TP 2.02USD/1.55GBP per TP cost
https://matrix.itasoftware.com/#view...QnJeVIm7LeS001
Restrictions:
1. Some dates have "Only TUE/WED through the gateway cities" restrictions
2. 28 days advance rsvn required
3. Travel before 15NOV19
YVR-SXM RT (max 2 transfer, 1 stopover allowed at gateway for mere 50CAD)
Open Jaws possible with fares on a half round trip basis. Max mileage restriction applies
Sample Routing:
YVR-LAX-MIA-SXM Direct turn (transcon on 777 Intl J, flagship lounge access) RT 440TP 2.02USD/1.55GBP per TP cost
https://matrix.itasoftware.com/#view...QnJeVIm7LeS001
Restrictions:
1. Some dates have "Only TUE/WED through the gateway cities" restrictions
2. 28 days advance rsvn required
3. Travel before 15NOV19
May 11, 2019, 12:44 pm
#1657
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,256
May 11, 2019, 12:45 pm
#1658
formerly Guanran Wang
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: HKG, PEK, IAD/DCA, LON, BHX,
Programs: Alaska, BAEC, Asiana, Aegean, Enrich, Marriott/SPG, Hilton
Posts: 322
May 11, 2019, 12:58 pm
#1659
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA Executive Club, UA Mileage Plus, bmi Diamond Club
Posts: 480
May 11, 2019, 1:10 pm
#1660
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: Executive Club
Posts: 78
Hi bras0978 so, addressing a couple of tangential points as I can't answer the bit about stopovers.
Are you going to get an hotel in OTP for the night of 8th July? Or rough it in the airport? I haven't done it as a proper B2B but there are plenty of reports of people ding so successfully. If you can go on the morning flight from LHR then you can come straight back and be home by bedtime (extra brownie points). If you get to OTP approaching midnight and are coming back the next morning it can all be a bit unsatisfactory as next to no time at hotel and what feels like forever in the terminal.
Regarding your question of JFK-LHR. Doing that on AA metal simplifies things and I wouldn't court the aggravation of changing terminals to fly on a BA 777 (unless you are using an upgrade voucher or something).In normal circumstances there is plenty of time in your itin above.
Are you going to get an hotel in OTP for the night of 8th July? Or rough it in the airport? I haven't done it as a proper B2B but there are plenty of reports of people ding so successfully. If you can go on the morning flight from LHR then you can come straight back and be home by bedtime (extra brownie points). If you get to OTP approaching midnight and are coming back the next morning it can all be a bit unsatisfactory as next to no time at hotel and what feels like forever in the terminal.
Regarding your question of JFK-LHR. Doing that on AA metal simplifies things and I wouldn't court the aggravation of changing terminals to fly on a BA 777 (unless you are using an upgrade voucher or something).In normal circumstances there is plenty of time in your itin above.
If you're looking to fly out of London on a different day from your OTP-LHR leg, an option (if the timings fit for JFK-LAX) is to use the babybus from LCY so you clear CBP at Shannon. You do have to collect luggage at JFK and recheck, but a friend and I did it last month and its a lot of fun. Yes the transcon is lie-flat and a great way to get to LAX. We also did AA back from JFK as I really like the 77w, especially if you can get a seat in the small business cabin at the front (rows 3-4) but then i didn't need to get to T5 afterwards as I threw the last LHR-OTP leg.
I hadn't thought about the Babybus - I've never been on it before and it would be good. Unfortunately they only fly Mon-Thurs, apparently, and I need to go on the Saturday. Think I will switch to the AA metal from JFK to LHR, though.
May 11, 2019, 2:53 pm
#1661
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Starbucks Gold,
Posts: 624
Thanks both for the tips - to answer your questions, I was indeed going to go to OTP on the 8th and stay in a hotel (was going to get the flight that arrives at 5pm so it's not a total waste of time). I had considered the B2B but I can't seem to get it to price up with the later flight back to LHR. I only get the price I want if I use an AA code for that flight, and I can't find an AA code for the later flight. I am intending to B2B on the final run to/from OTP, though. Thought about ditching that leg but actually the TPs are worth it to me.
It is possible to do the B2B so that is a good way to minimise time away from home. Have done it before and it was pretty easy. As I said upthread, routing via MIA can also give transcontinental flatbeds and has the added bonus of arriving later to allow you to get home and then B2B the following day.
May 12, 2019, 9:37 am
#1662
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
I am after a bit of help... I am looking for an ex-EU trip to Hawaii sometime after Nov this year going into anytime next year. I have searched all the past known TP run starting points and routes I can find but the cheapest I can come up with is ARN-LHR-JFK-LAX-HNL for £1800 odd. If anyone spots anything cheaper please could you let me know. I will continue to search and hopefully something will turn up. Thanks 
May 12, 2019, 1:29 pm
#1663
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 478
Following some playing around with CAI-HNL and help upthread understanding how the current fare rules work here's an example of what's possible.
Just to note : This CANNOT be put together on ITA Matrix. I checked for various options through Expertflyer for fare availability.
This itinerary earns 1020 TP's (7*140 + 1*40) and for me is beneficial as minimises time off work. Converts to £2112 approx.
There is very little availability in I class from LAX-JFK and HNL-DFW is long-haul 777 with lie flat seats for the overnight back to mainland, which is preferable anyway.
It's possible to move the last sector out to break the journey however this incurs additional cost - typically another £160 or so.
Just to note : This CANNOT be put together on ITA Matrix. I checked for various options through Expertflyer for fare availability.
This itinerary earns 1020 TP's (7*140 + 1*40) and for me is beneficial as minimises time off work. Converts to £2112 approx.
There is very little availability in I class from LAX-JFK and HNL-DFW is long-haul 777 with lie flat seats for the overnight back to mainland, which is preferable anyway.
It's possible to move the last sector out to break the journey however this incurs additional cost - typically another £160 or so.
I was playing around with this lovely tp run. Managed to deduct cost pp to £1'950 approx. by squeezing out another 80 tp 
, so in total 1'100 tp. Bringing down ratio to £ 1.78/tp
May 12, 2019, 2:49 pm
#1664
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 910
Love the stuff you've done!! Fits perfectly my needs bc I wanna take Mrs. alp67 to Hawaii next winter. And bc there are by far more important reasons to fly around the world than simple vacationing I was playing around with this lovely tp run. Managed to deduct cost pp to £1'950 approx. by squeezing out another 80 tp , so in total 1'100 tp. Bringing down ratio to £ 1.78/tp
I was playing around with this lovely tp run. Managed to deduct cost pp to £1'950 approx. by squeezing out another 80 tp , so in total 1'100 tp. Bringing down ratio to £ 1.78/tp
May 12, 2019, 3:23 pm
#1665
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 478
you need to overnight in HEL though, something I don't really mind....
You could even get 1'240 tp if routing via MIA on the inbound but price jumps to £2'680 pp.
