Jan 2, 2015, 8:37 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Welcome to the thread — please read the wiki first as it contains lots of information which may answer your question. We keep track of other prices, as well as useful reference information for those planning tier point runs.

This is a community-maintained wiki post. Please add important information to it or correct outdated information by clicking the "Edit" button below!

Current Promotions of Interest

from DUB to US IJN8S4Z1 reported here, e.g. JFK - €1,074, MIA - €1,119, LAS - €1,224, LAX - €1,296, HNL - €1,623, needs to be booked by 2 February, for outbound travel over Easter and summer 2016, see linked post for details
from DUB to US ILN8S4Z1 reported here, e.g. JFK - €920, MIA - €958, LAS - €1,048, LAX - €1,110, needs to be booked by 2 February, for outbound travel over November and Christmas & New Year 2016, see linked post for details
from DUB to US ILR28AP reported here, e.g. JFK - €1,538, MIA - €1,601, LAS - €1,751, LAX - €1,854, HNL - €1,834, this is an advanced purchase fare so no book by deadline, no stopovers, see linked post for details
from DUB to US ILN8S4E1 reported here, e.g. JFK - €1,538, MIA - €1,601, LAS - €1,751, LAX - €1,854, HNL - €1,834, this is an advanced purchase fare so no book by deadline, allows stopovers for €75, see linked post for details
from CPH to US ILR21AP reported here, e.g. JFK - £890, MIA - £1,132, ORD - £942, LAX - £1,277, HNL - £1,361, this is an advanced purchase fare so no book by deadline, no stopovers, see linked post for details
from CPH to US ILN2S4E1 reported here, JFK - £890, MIA - £1,132, ORD - £942, LAX - £1,277, HNL - £1,361, this is an advanced purchase fare so no book by deadline, allows stopovers for €75, see linked post for details
ILN2S4Z1 from OSL to HNL (19.5k/21.5k NOK (£1,520/£1,675) via. LON or via. HEL & LON)
PERMITTED 23NOV 15 THROUGH 28NOV 15 OR 22DEC 15 THROUGH
01JAN 16 OR 27MAR 16 THROUGH 31MAR 16 ON THE OUTBOUND
TRANSATLANTIC SECTOR.

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This thread lists attractive tier point (TP) runs under £3 per TP grouped within different (departure) geographies

Please note the following:

Current availability is not guaranteed.
All prices include taxes.

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.

From Europe
17DEC | £0.75/TP | £909 | 1200 | DUB-LHR-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-DUB | I/I/A/A/A/A/I/I | aa.com | perthflyer | BA AA
30JUL | £0.93/TP | £335 | 360 | JER-LGW-SSH-LGW-JER | J/I/I/J | ba.com | dom462 | CE | BA
01 NOV | £0.99/TP | £1343 | 1360 | CPH-HEL-LHR-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-HEL-CPH | I/I/I/A/P/P/A/I/I/I | ITA Matrix | MrMutton
19 AUG | £1.01/TP | £1,375 (1938 EUR) | 1360 | DUB-HEL-LON-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-HEL-DUB | IIIAAAAIII | OttoMH | J/F | AY BA AA
16 AUG | £1.22/TP | £1,675 (21.5k NOK) | 1360 | OSL-HEL-LON-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-HEL-OSL | IIIAAAAIII | OttoMH | J/F | AY BA AA
16 AUG | £1.27/TP | £1,518 (19.5k NOK) | 1200 | OSL-LON-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LHR-OSL | IIAAAAII | OttoMH | J/F | BA AA
14AUG | £1.31/TP | £470 | 360 | OSL-HEL-AGP-HEL-OSL | I-I-I-I | ITA | Flythe96flag | SH J cabin + possible red-eye (!) | AY
04 SEP | £1.31/TP | £1,220 (1681 EUR) | 910 | DME-MAD-JFK-LAX-MIA-MAD-DME | all in I | iberia.com | henkybaby | J | BA AA IB | works till 6/16 so far
23AUG | £1.34/TP | £1148 | 860 | DUB-PHL-PHX-LAS-PHX-JFK-LHR,LCY-DUB | I/P/P/P/P/I/I | ticketed on aa.com | megaloman | AA & BA (UD on 747 JFK-LHR)
17AUG | £1.67/TP | £1408 |840 |BHX-JFK-PHX-LAS & back | I-A-A-A-A-I | aa.com |Swiss Tony | AA ski slope bed on TATL | AA
26JUL | £1.81/TP | £72.70 | 40 | MAD-FRA | Z | lan.com | Prospero | 787 flat bed | LA
23NOV | £1.89/TP | £377 | 200 | DUB-LHR-MAD-SVQ r/t | I-I-I-I-I-I | ITA | Lorcancoyle | IM0B IB DUB to SVQ | BA and IB flights (I2 for domestic under IB code), random dates in December available, A340 on some dates (helpfully pointed out by Temps that domestic Spain is only 20 TPs)
17 AUG | £1.89/TP | £1818 | 960 | OSL-LON-KUL//SIN-SYD/SYD-PER/PER-SYD-SIN/SIN-LHR-OSL | BugAlugs | J | BA QF | INCSALE ended 14thSep - (Applied GUF via TA (moves J to F on BA longhaul and scores 1260 TPS in total)
31 DEC | £1.91/TP | £1220 | 640 | AMS-LHR-MIA-SCL // EZE-JFK-LHR-BCN | J/I/I-I/I/J | AA.com | nufnuf77 (can also return to LHR for £20 less but 40TP less
13NOV | £2.56/TP | £410 | 160 | LHR-HEL | ? | BA.com | Lorcancoyle | wide open as flight+hotel, can reduce with TCB cash back | BA
1JAN | £1.85/TP | £444 | 240 | JER-LGW/LHR-HEL | J/I/I/J | ITA Matrix | flatlander | Available most weekends first half of 2016, fare IM0R
24NOV | £1.91/TP | £765.00 | 400 | BUD-DOH-SHJ | I/A/I/A | QR.com | Wozza2404 | A320 | QR
7DEC | £2.24/TP | £942 | 420 | MAD-MIA-SXM-CLT-JFK-LHR | I/I/I/A/I | ticketed on aa.com | megaloman | other routings possible earning more TPs could have lower the price with added LHR-CDG leg to £865 (£2.06/TP)
22JAN | £2.29/TP | £640 | 280 | FCO-CMB-FCO | I/I | book on SriLankan website | theultimateflyer

From North, Central and South America
31JUL | £0.39/TP | £484 | 1240 | HNL-LAX-BOS-MIA-BAQ-MIA-PHL-LAX-HNL | AAAIIAAA | ITA Matrix | Pawel Siewko | AA
16OCT | £0.55/TP | £298.50 | 540 | JFK-LAX-DEN-LAX-JFK | P-P-P-P | aa.com | Calum | AA A321t F seat between JFK & LAX (FARE GONE)
16JUL | £0.57/TP | £554 | 980 | LAX-LAS-PHX-PHL-CLT-TPA-MIA-PTY-MIA-PHL-PHX-LAS-LAX | PPPPPPIIPPPP | aa.com | Airprox | AA + US
27JUL | £0.80/TP | £15.94 | 20 | VVC-BOG-MDE | A | lan.com | JohnnyColombia | A is economy on LA | LA
08NOV | £0.84/TP | £772.50 | 920 | KOA-LAX-CLT-SJU-CLT-LAX-KOA | AAIIAA | aa.com | Lappe | Same day turnarounds available
30SEP | £0.87/TP | £808.00 | 920 | BOG-MIA-LAX-HNL-LAX-MIA-BOG | I-P-P-P-P-I | aa.com | JohnnyColombia | No comments
20SEP | £1.00/TP | £663.20 | 660 | LGA-BOS-LAX-PHX-LAX-BOS-LGA | P-P-P-P-P-P | americanairlines.co.uk | njf63 | TCON on 737 so not too comfortable but good availability next Mar/Apr
21AUG | £1.05 | £253 | 240 | BOS-PHL-PIT-PHL-BOS | PPPP | aa.com | Simon Schus | AA op by US
02NOV | £1.27/TP | £1250 | 980 | MCO-MIA-LAX-HNL | A | AA | Mr 1A
05AUG | £1.37/TP | £578 | 420 | LAS-PHL-LAS | A/P | aa.com | Lucanesque | First | AA op by US
28JUL | £1.43/TP | £400 | 280 | SCL-IPC-SCL | Z | lan.com - Chilean version | moonman85 | 787 flat bed | LAN
06NOV | £1.67/TP | £66.00 | 40 | JFK-YYZ | Z | tam.com.br | frb98mf | Fifth Freedom flight every Wed/Fri/Sun, 767 flat bed
13NOV | £1.06/TP | £705 | 660 | RIC-CLT-PHL-PHX-PHL-CLT-RIC | A | AA.com | wenzlydale | 2 trips this year - mixture of A320s and B757s not a lot of food offered but all the G&Ts you could wish for
07JAN|£1.24/TP | £668 | 540 | SEA-MIA-ATL-CLT-SEA | P/P/P/P | aa.com | EsherFlyer | 24h transcon bounce. All I could fit in...

From Middle East, Asia and Australasia
18AUG | £1.25/TP | £440.00 | 360 | BKK-KUL-ICN Return | Z | www.malaysiaairlines.com | Wozza2404 | A330 Angle Flat for long haul sectors | MH
12OCT | £1.68/TP | £1,546 | 920 | TLV-MAD-LHR-JFK-LAX-JFK-LHR-MAD-TLV | I/I/I/I/I/I/I | iberia.com | frb98mf | Business (bonus: A330/A340 on the TLV legs!) | IB
24NOV | £1.43/TP | £803 | 560 | CTS-HKG-DPS-HKG-CTS | I/I/I/I | cathaypacific.com | zeltergiset | One 24hr+ stopover in HKG allowed | CX
06JAN | £1.86/TP | £856 | 460 | HND-HKG-DPS-HKG-CTS | I/I/I/I | cathaypacific.com | Gastrocnemius | One 24hr+ stopover in HKG allowed | CX
11JAN | £1.26/TP | £707 | 560 | KTM-KUL-TPE-KUL-KTM | D/D/D/D | malaysiaairlines.com | zeltergiset | MH
11JAN | £1.68/TP | £940 | 560 | TPE-KUL-KTM-KUL-TPE | D/D/D/D | malaysiaairlines.com | zeltergiset | MH

From Africa
11AUG | £0.89/TP | £748 | 840 | ACC-LHR-MIA-LAX-MIA-LHR-ACC | I/I/I/I/I/I/I/I | iberia call centre | njf63 | CW / AA J | IB
15NOV | £2.00/TP | £1200 | 600 | CPT-DOH-JFK-DOH-CPT | I/I/I/I | QR Website | Calum | QR J on the B788/A350 & 46hrs of flying | QR

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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. Prospero's guide to using ITA matrix in post 3 (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 less
Club Europe return somewhere close by is best - DUB, AMS and JER usually cheapest. AMS and JER easier than DUB for an immediate turnaround. 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)

Or a slightly more interesting fun run

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 (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 last BA flight out on a Saturday, airport hotel and first return 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 VLL via HEL will get you 240 TPs, as will JER-LGW/LHR-HEL e.g. LHR-HEL-OSL for £520
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BA Tier Point Runs | 2015 master thread

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Jul 30, 2015 | 5:12 pm

#3571

skjean

Join Date: Jul 2015

Posts: 1

Hi guys,

I am new on the thread. I am Bronze with 415TP and looking to be Silver (will do a lot of short-hault on avios and want the lounge!) so I am looking for a TP run either on 22-23 August or 12 - 13 Sep (can leave Friday afternoon at around 4), London based.

I had a look at the classic JER - AMS or nesting with JER but nothing conclusive. I don't master the ITA matrix yet (particularly with stopovers).

Any good idea?

Jul 30, 2015 | 5:30 pm

#3572

Cymro

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Gloucestershire

Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, future Silver), Hilton Diamond

Posts: 6,467

You won't have time to do much except sleep at the airport Hilton, but this would give you 200 TP for £400.

Jul 30, 2015 | 7:00 pm

#3573

dom462

Join Date: Feb 2015

Location: LBA

Programs: BAEC

Posts: 41

Quote:

Originally Posted by dom462

Hi, I am new to TP runs and have been exploring lately on ITA Matrix.

I've found a very good deal, which isn't for me as i'm waiting for my new collection year and don't fancy the destination. So, thought i'd share it on here.

JER-LGW-SSH-LGW-JER (J/I/I/J) for £335, 360TP @ £0.93 per TP
Outbound 29/11/15
Inbound 7/12/15

It is a week in SSH with layovers in LGW. There are some better options up to £400.

Another build on the SSH run is possibly nesting the reverse route to LGW inside this, on the same days. This would avoid hotel stays in SSH, break it over two days and give enough TP for silver. Not sure whether the 1 hour turnaround in SSH is realistic or not though?

Current Example on ITA
JER-LGW 5/5/16 J 07:05 to 08:00 Nest 1
LGW-SSH 5/5/16 I 09:15 to 16:35 Nest 1
SSH-LGW 5/5/16 I 17:30 to 21:15 Nest 2
LGW-SSH 9/5/16 I 09:15 to 16:35 Nest 2
SSH-LGW 9/5/16 I 17:30 to 21:15 Nest 1

Nest 1 £305 40+140+140 = 320TP
Nest 2 £389 140+140 = 280TP
Total £694 600TP £1.16 per TP

I would do this if I could, but can't at the moment. Let me know if you go for it?

Jul 31, 2015 | 12:01 am

#3574

chris1979

Join Date: Apr 2005

Location: London

Programs: BA Lifetime Gold & GGL & CCR, HH Diam, Bonvoy Titanium, IHG Spire, Tastecard

Posts: 7,566

Is there a "book by" date for current OSL SYD fares? It's at 2,080 ish at the moment which is about 200 cheaper than it has been before so was just wondering if it needs to be booked by a certain date?

also, slight dilemma (and I know it's not strictly speaking TP related but you guys are "family" here and KARFA is very helpful too): BA F to SYD or QR J via DOH and HKG on way out (HKG SYD with CX which I found excellent in J earlier this year) and SIN DOH (thus new 350) on way back? I've read all the is QR J as good as BA F etc. for me, it feels like QR is more exciting and "fun" with 3 l/h's on a good mix of a/c etc though BA F will just earn more TPs (980 vs 840) and tons of Avios more (QR only earns 27k - BA probably 50k more). BA option would be £200 ish more than QR.

Thoughts? I know the answer is and should be BA F bit as said, QR feels more exciting?

Jul 31, 2015 | 12:14 am

#3575

starlight

Join Date: Aug 2006

Location: London, UK

Programs: BA Gold, Amex Cent, SPG Gold, IC Plat Amb, Hilton Diam(given it though I'd never stayed in a Hilton)

Posts: 338

Sorry for the long post but I am trying to make things simple! So - can I have a bit of help please?

For background:
We usually rack up about 2000-2500 TP each year through normal flying.
By Oct will be at 1900 and decided to do a quick TP run to get 600 to get GUF2 voucher (and for fun!)
Membership year is 8 Jan.
Have decided in 2016 to go for 5000TP - more for a laugh than anything else...I know people on this forum will understand what my colleagues think is utter madness!
I now how to use ITA matrix and I pay for KVS.
I am a bit confused about how to get the prices on AA.com but can always call a TA to book for me.
I get quite a bit of annual leave which is very flexible so I don't need to do OSL-HNL in one weekend!

So, now for the help bit:
1. Any ideas for a 600 TP run before Jan - was thinking maybe very simple like OSL to Puerto Vallerta?
2. Next Jan, I have got to be in Denver for a week so was maybe going to do HEL-HNL but stop in LAX (can you do that - one of the cheap fare bases said no stopover?) and just go LAX-DEN on a separate ticket. Would that be a good start towards the 5000?
3. This is the bit that really confuses me so I apologise: If I did HEL-HNL, is is possible to add in, for example LAX-MIA-LAX, on the same ticket (I suspect not as I am backtracking??) or do I go to HNL, stay a few days and within that few days buy a separate ticket to maybe go HNL-MIA-HNL (for example)?

I would be really grateful for any help - I have found this forum invaluable over the years so thank you!

Jul 31, 2015 | 1:21 am

#3576

flashware

Join Date: Jan 2007

Posts: 5,095

Quote:

Originally Posted by starlight

Does the recently posted nested SSH trip work at all? That's bang on 600 TP.

Jul 31, 2015 | 1:39 am

#3577

Tobias-UK

Ambassador: The British Airways Club, easyJet and Ryanair

Join Date: Sep 2011

Location: UK/Las Vegas

Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)

Posts: 17,033

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris1979

BA F for me easily over QR J. QR J is a decent business class product but you will be disappointed if you take that option and expect it to "be as good as or better than" BA F. I'm sure your butler would enjoy QR J but you sir are more used to the space, tranquility and personal service of the F cabin.

Jul 31, 2015 | 2:53 am

#3578

catharsis

Join Date: Jun 2010

Programs: IC Amb :-(, UA silver, BA Gold, SPG Plat, A-Club Plat, Marriott Plat

Posts: 913

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smiley90

You can force stopovers by writing eg "AA AA AA" in the routing code (= has to be three AA flights), but it'll pick the cheapest stopovers, not the most mile-effective ones.

Best way to do it is probably find the cheapest direct routing without stopover restrictions, then read the fare rules carefully. Usually that'll tell you the stopover rules and then pick stops based on that. No easy way to do it or everyone would be

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenole

Is there a way in ITA of optimizing routings?

I want to get from LAX to JFK but to maximise TPs for the least cost.
Have found LAX-LAS-PHX-JFK (P/P/P/P) for £426 / 330TP etc but it would be easier for me if I wasn't randomly trying combinations of airports to see where I can fly into / out of without really increasing the cost.

I'ts not a DIRECT answer to your question, but I've found the 'SORT BY CPM' feature on matrix can be useful in these circumstances in terms of identifying longer routing - if used in conjunction with 'negation' of some of the less helpful airport from a TP run perspective such as ORD and DFW.

"Show CPM/Sort by CPM" can be done by holding down the 'shift' key while clicking on the price area, or click on the following link to enable the feature.

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/?showPricePerMile=true

(I'm no longer 100% on these steps as I seem to have it permanently enabled on all of the PCs I use regularly but this used to be the method of enabling it)

Jul 31, 2015 | 2:53 am

#3579

Wozza2404

Join Date: Mar 2012

Location: BHX

Programs: BA GGL GfL, AF Plat, LH Sen, AA Plat Pro, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)

Posts: 7,786

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris1979

I can't see the 350 being much different to the 787. That 787 product is very nice, but I don't consider it as good as BA F. I found the wine list, in particular, to be lacking on QR.

That being said, the price saving, plus the better split of flights might push me to QR on this one. Not because it's "better" in terms of product, but because I'd feel less like a zombie on arrival.

Jul 31, 2015 | 3:43 am

#3580

Cymro

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Gloucestershire

Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, future Silver), Hilton Diamond

Posts: 6,467

With an extra 50k Avios (or even 30k) I'd say that BA is effectively cheaper, assuming you ever manage to spend them!

I think it would come down to the hard product for me, and while I'll take QR J all day long over CW, I'd value the extra space and privacy of BA F for a long flight like that.

Jul 31, 2015 | 3:46 am

#3581

p78

Suspended

Join Date: Apr 2014

Location: LHR

Programs: BA Silver, Aegan Gold, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 393

1240Tier for 757 USD

You coud also travel hnl-lax-san diego-mia-baq but i cound't find first calss for LAX-San Diego leg

Jul 31, 2015 | 3:47 am

#3582

Wozza2404

Join Date: Mar 2012

Location: BHX

Programs: BA GGL GfL, AF Plat, LH Sen, AA Plat Pro, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)

Posts: 7,786

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris1979

Oh, as for the price, I paid £1750 last year for an April departure this year.

Routing was OSL-LHR-SIN-SYD-PER, then PER-SYD, stop in SYD, SYD-SIN, stop in SIN, then SIN-LHR-OSL.

Jul 31, 2015 | 3:59 am

#3583

Hoch

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: East Anglia, England

Programs: BA Gold

Posts: 2,075

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pawel Siewko

1240Tier for 757 USD

You coud also travel hnl-lax-san diego-mia-baq but i cound't find first calss for LAX-San Diego leg

Now that's a good find! ^

H

Jul 31, 2015 | 4:03 am

#3584

xenole

Join Date: Jul 2009

Programs: BAC Gold, IHG Diamond, Finnair Silver, LH Senator

Posts: 9,330

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pawel Siewko

1240Tier for 757 USD

You coud also travel hnl-lax-san diego-mia-baq but i cound't find first calss for LAX-San Diego leg

I tried replicating that but couldn't get less than £1300 for any date (well, twice £1100+).
Too many overnights as well but something different if you can get it to work.

Jul 31, 2015 | 4:09 am

#3585

p78

Suspended

Join Date: Apr 2014

Location: LHR

Programs: BA Silver, Aegan Gold, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 393

Quote:

Originally Posted by xenole

I tried replicating that but couldn't get less than £1300 for any date (well, twice £1100+).
Too many overnights as well but something different if you can get it to work.

you can do it as tier run with 90minutes at BAQ and do it few times

Can any one could find option for start in SFO-OAK-SJC? I couldn't make it to have 940 TIER run

SJC-LAX-BOS-MIA-BAQ oveprized....