tim lai points to be made photo © kevin marshall

Advanced AviosTim Lai

Points to be Made www.pointstobemade.com

Photo © Kevin Marshall

Total beginners

Basic BAEC knowledge

Advanced knowledge

Opening Survey

Hopefully everyone learns something today!

Explanation of Tier Point system

Collecting Tier Points

Use of Avios on British Airways

Other uses◦ LHR-DME in First Class◦ CX around Asia

What Anders covered yesterday

“Give a man a fish, feed him for a day…Teach the man to fish, feed him for a lifetime”

You get some fish, but also learn how to do it!

Advanced Tier Point running (20 mins)

Taxes, Fees and Surcharges (15 mins)

Maximum Permissible Mileage (5-10 mins)

Free form discussion (15 mins)

Feel free to ask questions any time!

Contents

Relies on combination of “Instant Upgrade” and cheap business class fares.

ALWAYS consider auxiliary cost.◦ Hotels/accommodation◦ Food◦ Opportunity cost – annual leave, time with family.

Keep referring to Flyertalk. ◦ Bit.ly/BATPruns

Advanced Tier Point Running

4 key regions for TP running

American Airlines and US Airways

Best origins are big cities that aren’t hubs, but close to one.◦ [ Removed. For participants only ]

Best destinations to look for… Anywhere with bad safety!: ◦ [ Removed. For participants only ]

TP running – Americas

If East to West coast (and v.v.), ignore flights stopping in DFW.

VERY short Minimum Connection Time◦ AA does not have to give you First Class if re-

booked.◦ You can request fares and Tier Points from original

routing though!

What to watch out for

2000+ miles routes ex-DFW

2000+ miles routes ex-JFK

American Airlines main hubs◦ DFW, LAX, JFK, MIA, ORD

And so on!

US Airways main hubs◦ CLT, PHX, PHL

Buy during Premium Fare sales ex-Europe (Easily 1000+ TP for around €1500-2000).◦ Ask Kevin about his DUB-LCY-SNN-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-

JFK-LCY-DUB adventure. 1340TP for £1368 = £1.02/TP.

Find your itinerary on ITA Matrix and book by phone. You’ll go crazy booking it online.

Watch out for AA/BA/IB/AY/US codeshares on domestic USA flights. VERY important to put it into AA/US marketed flight.

Top Tips

Prices more stable and easier to find than Americas

Cathay Pacific◦ [ Removed. For participants only ]

Malaysia Airlines – Kuala Lumpur◦ [ Removed. For participants only ]

TP Running – Asia

CX/MH business class service is FAR superior to AA/US.

Each destination in Asia is interesting in its own right. Can’t say the same about USA.

Why Asia over Americas?

◦ [ Removed. For participants only ]

Malaysia Airlines

Most TP Runs in Europe go through LGW, and often through JER.◦ JER-LGW-AMS-LGW-JER◦ JER-LGW-MLA-LGW-JER◦ AMS-LGW-AMS

Airports like JER, AMS and FRA do not separate inbound and outbound passengers at gate. Very easy turnaround

TP Running - Europe

Not as lucrative as America, Asia and Europe.

British Airways 5th Freedom DOH – BAH in First class

Qatar Airways◦ [ Removed. For participants only ]

TP Running – Middle East

Next topic…

Anywhere between 5-99% of the airfare!

Most people call YQ or YR “Fuel Surcharge”, but it’s called “Carrier Imposed Fee” by BA.

You have to pay them if redeeming Avios.◦ Some notable exceptions…

Taxes, Fees and Surcharges

Intra-Americas journeys◦ New York to Toronto◦ Any flight under 650 miles.

Intra-Asia◦ HKG to most of Far East Asia is max 10,000 Avios each way in Y.

Domestic Japan◦ No Taxes!!!

Free positioning flight to Jersey, UK◦ No Air Passenger Duty payable ex-JER

Aer Lingus and Air Berlin for TATL◦ AB is £1 in tax!

Air Berlin for Germany -> Abu Dhabi

Good uses of Avios

Raised by price of fuel, hardly ever lowered.

Still some regions or cities where YQ is low

Fuel Surcharges

No specific pattern, but in general…

Europe <-> North America◦ AB and EI ◦ IB no surcharge! Transfer BA Avios to IB.

Europe <-> South America ◦ IB no surcharge! Transfer BA Avios to IB.

North America <-> South America◦ No YQ

Redeeming Avios - Low YQ

Europe <-> AsiaMH, CX, QR usually lower than BA

Intra - Middle East ◦ Nearly all routes low YQ (under €100 for r/t)

Europe <-> Middle East ◦ QR and BA usually lowest

Next topic…

In a nutshell, how far you’re allowed to fly on a single ticket.

MPM exists because not everywhere has non-stop flights between 2 cities.

Easy to understand and exploit.

Good place to start “travel hacking”.

Maximum Permissible Mileage

Economy class sales!◦ Typically base fare is <€100. I have seen £1

before!

◦ MPM does not affect YQ, but might add extra government/airport charges.

◦ Best to do as many transfers in USA as possible.

◦ Limit EU transfers. (Taxes too high)

When to exploit MPM?

Find the routing rule of your fare

Ticketed Point Mileage = Great Circle distance between two cities.

E.g. AMS-SFO 5473 miles

Calculating TPM

Maximum Permissible Mileage = TPM + 20%.

MPM of AMS-SFO = 5473 x 1.2 = 6568.

IB/BA/AA/US/AY Europe <-> USA flights governed by MPM Rules.

Use KVS tool or Expert Flyer to find routing rules

Calculating MPM

MPM of AMS-SFO = 6568 MPM+5% = 6896 MPM+10% = 7225 MPM+15% = 7553 MPM+20% = 7881 MPM+25% = 8210

Just pay additional X% to the BASE FARE E.g. if Base Fare is £50, and you fly

MPM+25%, you pay an extra 0.25*£50 = £12.5

You can extend MPM up to 25%

Total 8085 miles <1.25*MPM Valid routing!

If you enjoyed the talks today, or even my blog, please consider using the affiliate links

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Final word…

Any questions?

Feedback always welcome

Contact me any time: info@pointstobemade.com

Thank you!