What should be further kept in mind with respect to MD's post is routing. In the points game, to the extent that you're generating miles, and more importantly segments, from actual travel (as opposed to generating points on credit cards via sign up bonuses and spend), routing is of supreme importance for attaining status (though generating miles from actual air travel is usually third priority against the other two mentioned).
Here's what I mean.
Looking at a travel opportunity, lets say there is a ticket available from DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth) - to MAD (Madrid) (getting to learn the codes for the airport makes searching way easier, so try to get used to knowing them).
That flight, lets say, prices out in J (a business class fare) at USD2000. But there are multiple options even within one alliance, say, OneWorld, like the article is mentioning. One is a direct (I don't know if such a flight actually exists, just making an example here) between DFW and MAD. 2000 USD. Good enough. But lets say there's another that goes DFW-JFK-MAD. And yet another going DFW-JFK-LHR (London)-MAD. All for the same 2000USD or close thereto.
Your gut might tell you, hey take the direct flight, you'll get there fastest. But at the same time, what the points gamer in you should be saying is, OK, I'd like to get there fast, but how many more miles and segments do I earn from connecting. DFW-MAD is one segment. DFW-JFK-MAD is two, and DFW-JFK-LHR-MAD is three segments. That means you might have a choice on a roundtrip to get 2 segments, or 6. When you're gunning for silver, gold, or whatever status on an airline or in an alliance, and even w/ respect to earning miles, you should consider the longer routing. Its not that arduous in business class anyway (we'll get you there), and if you're in economy you need to be thinking like this even more so you can move up the food chain.
Let me give another example, this one directly oriented towards the points game. There is a flight going from Beirut, Lebanon (BEY) to Amman Jordan (AMM). Its a very short distance. However, Royal Jordanian (RJ) has a routing on this flight that goes through Aqaba, Jordan (AQJ). In business, a roundtrip would be very cheap, maybe 250USD for this short flight. But if you were collecting BA tier points (what BA calls their segments), taking the direct would yield you only half of the tier points that the indirect flight would yield. In fact, by and large, the only reason people do this flight is to cheaply earn status towards Silver, Gold, etc. The roundtrip earns 160 TPs with the connection, for 250USD (considered a very good deal in BA FF circles). Similar tier run opportunities exist in many cities, more than you can count in the USA and for great prices.
Here's a list of known tier runs which are used to earn status for OneWorld airlines without paying too much. People do these just to get status, and often don't even have a reason to visit the destination. Some never leave the airport or an airport hotel, they just turn around and go back. I'm not that extreme, but if I can build in a tier run to an existing itinerary, I will. That's why I flew from HK-BKK-AMM-CDG(Paris)-LHR-JFK, rather than just flying over the pacific to the USA. Prices were comparable, and I earned way more segments towards BA Gold then I would have had I just flown HKG - LAX.
Its from a BA thread on FlyerTalk, so its in Pounds. Divide by 1.66 currently to get USD. Keep in mind that all of this is largely useful for earning segments on most OneWorld Alliance airlines (AA, USAir). And people don't really do tier running for miles (they can buy those or get them other ways), they do them for segments = status for upgrades, lounge access, mileage bonuses, free luggage, etc.
The first column is how much you're paying on this run per TP (BA Silver is 600 TPs, BA Gold is 1500 TPs). Second is the cost of the run in pounds, third is the number of TPs earned, fourth is the routing. Fifth is the class of ticket. Most of these are business class tickets. The letters indicate the particular business class ticket (restrictions etc). Six is the carrier issuing the ticket, seventh is the Flyer poster that found it.
Looking at the first one, this is probably a Honolulu to Honduras (SAP) roundtrip, with routing through LAX and Miami. It earns 920 TPs (well more than halfway to Gold) and costs around 1000 USD. Its .75 pounds per tier point. This is an exceptional value, especially if you're in Hawaii to begin with. A lot of people will also look at the miles they earn on the run and use those miles (if they have enough before) to obtain a flight to the place from which to begin the run. So if you live in LA, and you want to do this run, and you know you'll earn 20000 miles on the run as well as the segments, you know you can use 20,000 miles perhaps to get yourself in position to begin the run, and perhaps pay for one way to Hawaii from LA with those. It lowers the cost of the run for those who aren't in the right city to begin with.
North & Central America
£0.75/TP | £685 | 920TPs | HNL-LAX-MIA-SAP-MIA-LAX-HNL | A/A/I/I/A/A | aa.com | JimmyTheJock | AA
£0.78/TP | £713 | 920TPs | HNL-LAX-MIA-SAL-MIA-LAX-HNL | A/A/I/I/A/A | aa.com | Filthy Monkey | AA (Updated 29 July '14)
£1.01/TP | £909 | 920TPs | HNL-LAX-MIA-GCM-MIA-LAX-HNL | A/A/I//I/A/A | aa.com | Pinkcat
£1.02/TP | £909 | 920TPs | HNL-LAX-MIA-BZE-MIA-LAX-HNL | A/A/I//I/A/A | aa.com | Pinkcat
£0.89/TP | £823 | 920TPs | SAL-MIA-LAX-HNL-LAX-MIA-SAL | I/A/A/A/A/I | aa.com | Filthy Monkey | Long layovers | AA (Updated 29 July '14)
£1.81/TP | £561 | 310TPs | SJU-MIA-LAX-LAS | I/A/P | aa.com | xenole | Itinerary can be reversed for same price/TPs | AA
£1.08/TP | £335 | 310TPs | PLS-MIA-LAX-SFO | I/A/A | aa.com | abitwild | AA (Updated 29 July '14)
£0.91/TP | £301 | 330TPs | TPA-MIA-LAX-LAS | P/P/P | aa.com | craigthemif | Itinerary can be reversed for same price | AA
£0.93/TP | £288 | 310TPs | SFO-LAX-MIA-PLS | A/A/I | aa.com | abitwild | AA (Updated 29 July '14)
£1.35/TP | £323 | 240TPs | SFO-PHX/LAX-LAS | A/A/A/A | various | AA
£1.56/TP | £970 | 620TPs | SFO-LAX-MIA-CUN-MIA-LAX-SFO | A/A/I/I/A/A | aa.com | chris1979/courtster | SFO can be changed to LAS for same price/TPs | AA
£1.44/TP | £534 | 370TPs | SFO - LAX - LAS - MIA - PLS | A/A/A/I | aa.com | theultimateflyer | AA (Updated 31 July '14)
£1.05/TP | £566 | 540TPs | LAX-CLT-NAS NAS-CLT-LAX | A/A/A/A | chris1979 | US
£1.20/TP | £505 | 420TPs | PBI - LAX - PBI | P | aa.com | Cymro | AA
£1.38/TP | £581 | 420TPs | SEA-MIA-SEA | P/P | aa.com | OWBA | AA
£1.44/TP | £776 | 540TPs | SEA-PHL-DCA-PHL-SEA | A/A/A/A | usairways.com | OWBA | US
£1.57/TP | £282 | 180TPs | SEA-PHX-ATL-PHX-SEA | K/K/K/K (economy) | usairways.com | OWBA | US
£1.57/TP | £282 | 180TPs | SEA-CLT-ATL-CLT-SEA | K/K/K/K (economy) | usairways.com | OWBA | US
£0.97/TP | £640 | 660TPs | LGA-BOS(or PHL)-PHX-LGB-PHX-BOS(or PHL)-LGA | A/A/A/A/A/A | usairways.com | alexbellamy | US
£1.07/TP | £640 | 600TPs | LGA-BOS(or PHL)-PHX-LGB LGB-PHX-JFK | A/A/A/A/A | chris1979 | US
£0.98/TP | £215 | 220TPs | BOS-JFK-DCA-MIA-SJU | A/A/A/I | aa.com | HPN-HRL | Itinerary can be reversed for same price/TPs | AA
£1.05/TP | £423 | | 400TPs | RIC-DFW-SJU-DFW-RIC | A/I/I/A | wenzlydale | AA
£1.51/TP | £815 | 540TPs | PDX-PHL-BOS-PHL-PDX | A/A/A/A | usairways.com | OWBA | US
£1.76/TP | £740 | 420TPs | DFW-ANC-DFW | P/P | aa.com | OWBA | AA
Europe
£1.33/TP | £319 | 240TPs | JER-LGW-MLA-LGW-JER | J/R/R/J | ba.com | skipcool3 | BA
£1.96/TP | £471 | 240TPs | JER-LGW-MLA-LGW-JER | I/I/I/I | ba.com | continentalclub | Sat Night Stay | BA
£1.62/TP | £259 | 160TPs | JER-LGW-AMS-LGW-JER | J/R/R/J | ba.com | joejet | BA
£1.66/TP | £398 | 240TPs | JER-LGW/LHR-HEL-LHR/LGW-JER | J/R/R/J | ba.com | KARFA | BA
£2.14/TP | £513 | 240TPs | BOD-LGW//LHR-HEL-LHR//LGW-BOD | I/I/I/I | ba.com | Avnu | BA
£2.35/TP | £376 | 160TPs | LHR-HEL-LHR | I/I | ba.com | lorcancoyle | BA
£2.26/TP | £181 | 80TPs | LGW-JER-LGW | R/R | ba.com | BA
£1.55/TP | £248 | 160TPs | LGW-MLA-LGW | R/R | ba.com | LDNConsultant | BA
£2.49/TP | £199 | 80TPs | LGW-AMS-LGW | R/R | ba.com | BA
£1.75/TP | £280 | 160TPs | LGW-RAK-LGW | R/R | ba.com | mfgr | BA
£2.60/TP | £104 | 40TPs | LGW-RAK-LGW | O/O | ba.com | lorcancoyle | HBO fare, only midweek, Nov-14 to Mar-15, o/w slightly cheaper at £2.45 | BA
Far East, South & Central Asia, Middle East, and Australia
£1.59/TP | £891 | 560TPs | CTS-HKG-DPS-HKG-CTS | I/I/I/I | cathaypacific.com | TEX277 | CX (overnight connections required)
£1.13/TP | £400 | 360TPs | TPE-KUL-SIN-KUL-TPE | Z/Z/Z/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | chongcao | MH
£1.27/TP | £457 | 360TPs | TPE-HKG-DPS-HKG-TPE | I/I/I/I | cathaypacific.com | TEX277 | CX
£1.32/TP | £474 | 360TPs | TPE-HKG-CGK-HKG-TPE | I/I/I/I | cathaypacific.com | TEX277 | CX
£1.39/TP | £471 | 360TPs | SIN-KUL-KTM-KUL-SIN | Z/Z/Z/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | qasr | MH
£1.41/TP | £476 | 360TPs | SIN-KUL-DEL-KUL-SIN | Z/Z/Z/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | qasr | MH
£1.49/TP | £504 | 360TPs | SIN-KUL-TPE-KUL-SIN | Z/Z/Z/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | qasr | MH
£1.50/TP | £507 | 360TPs | SIN-KUL-DXB-KUL-SIN | Z/Z/Z/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | qasr | MH
£2.12/TP | £309 | 160TPs | SIN-KUL-KCH-KUL-SIN | D/D/D/D | malaysiaairlines.com | qasr | MH
£1.80/TP | £650 | 380TPs | SIN-KUL-DXB-KUL-SIN | Z/Z/Z/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | Wozza2404 | MH
£1.85/TP | £740 | 400TPs | BKK-DOH-DWC-DOH-BKK | D/A/A/D | qatarairways.com | Wozza2404 | QR
£1.15/TP | £406 | 360TPs | DEL-KUL-BKK-KUL-DEL | Z/Z/Z/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | Seshy | MH
£1.64/TP | £901 | 560TPs | DEL-KUL-NRT-KUL-DEL | Z/Z/Z/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | Seshy | MH
£1.62/TP | £584 | 360TPs | BKK-KUL-DXB-KUL-BKK | Z/J/J/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | chiefwiggumpi | MH
£1.65/TP | £914 | 560TPs | ICN-KUL-SYD-KUL-ICN | Z/Z/Z/Z | malaysiaairlines.com | armagebedar | SYD can be changed to MEL for same price/TPs | MH
£1.59/TP | £255 | 160TPs | BEY-AMM-AQJ-AMM-BEY | D/D/D/D | rj.com | DeanB | RJ
South America
Africa
Europe<->North & South America
£1.21/TP | £1640 | 1360TPs | AMS-HEL-LHR//LCY-JFK-LAX-HNL-LAX-BOS-LHR-HEL-BRU | I/J/I/I/A/A/A/I/I/I | LHR T5 Zone E | Cerebus | AY/BA/AA
£1.86/TP | £1942 | 1040TPs | AMS-LCY-JFK-LAS-LAX-SFO-JFK-LCY-AMS | J/I/A/P/P/A/I/J | aa.com | LDNConsultant | BA/AA
£1.51/TP | £1817 | 1200TPs | BRU-LHR-BOS-LAX-HNL-LAX-BOS-LHR-BRU | I/I/A/A/A/A/I/I | aa.com | JimEddie | Sat night stay required | BA/AA
£1.78/TP | £1640 | 920TPs | BRU-LHR//LCY-JFK-SEA-JFK-LCY//LHR-BRU | I/I/A/A/I/I | BA call centre | stifle | Sat night stay required | BA/AA
£1.85/TP | £500 | 270TPs | BRU-PHL-PHX-IAH-CLT-PHL-BRU | R/R/R/R/R/R (US Airways' equivalent of BA O Class) | usairways.com | BA0197 |Sat night stay required/ other ex-EU destinations similarly priced/ Winter Holiday times | US
£1.33/TP | £1990 | 1500TPs | ARN-HEL-LHR//LCY-JFK-PHX-HNL-PHX-JFK-LCY//LHR-HEL-ARN | I/J/I/A/A/A/A/I/J/I | Agehall | ILR28AP fare | AY/BA/AA/US
£1.56/TP | £1750 | 1120TPs | DUB-PHL-PHX-HNL-LAX-CLT-DUB | I/A/A/A/A/I | BA call centre | EDIflyer/dutch_122 | US/AA
£1.56/TP | £1625 | 1040 TP | DUB-LCY-JFK-PHX-LAS-PHX-JFK-LCY//LHR-DUB | J/I/A/A/A/A/I/J | BA or AA | Calchas | Expires 23 Sept 2014
£1.43/TP | £1492 | 1040TPs | MXP-LHR/LCY-JFK-PHX-SEA-PHX-JFK-LCY/LHR-MXP | J/I/A/A/A/A/I/J | aa.com | ringingup | BA/AA
£2.18/TP | £1349 | 620TPs | PRG-LHR-LCY-JFK-ORD//DCA-JFK-LCY-LHR-PRG | J/I/A/A/I/J | BA call centre | ringingup | BA/AA
£2.61/TP | £2189 | 790TPs | IST-LHR/LCY-JFK-EZE-MIA-LHR-IST | I/I/I/I/I/I | aa.com | nth_utsera_sth_utsera | BA/AA
Europe<-> Far East, South & Central Asia, Middle East, and Australia
£2.19/TP | £1231 | 560TPs | CDG-DOH-KTM-DOH-CDG | I/I/I/I | qatarairways.com | nth_utsera_sth_utsera | QR
£2.25/TP | £1255 | 560TPs | DME-DOH-SGN-DOH-DME | I/I/I/I | qatarairways.com | continentalclub | QR
Africa<->Rest of the World
£2.19/TP | £1842 | 840TPs | CAI-LHR-JFK-EZE-JFK-LHR-CAI | D/D/D/D/D/D | aa.com | nth_utsera_sth_utsera | Transatlantic must be AA metal | BA/AA
£1.67/TP | £667 | 400TPs | CAI-DOH-BKK-DOH-CAI | qatarairways.com | Phil the Flyer | ex-CAI via DOH to MXP, FCO, ZRH, FRA all currently available for between GBP1.70 and GBP1.80/TP | QR
£2.92/TP | £1405 | 480TPs | JNB-SYD-PER-SYD-JNB | R/I/I/R | qantas.com | beardoc | Note that R is premium economy and not business
If you're one off flying an airline non-allied to any one which you're seeking status or collecting miles (something I am loathe to do, but it does happen) then you'll likely just take the short routing for the same price. Otherwise, consider your travel plans, how close to gaining status on the alliance you might be (figure you credit all flights to a single airline FF number until you hit at least silver with that airline) and think about taking the indirect routing.
Quote: (09-03-2014 09:00 PM)MaleDefined Wrote:
Some really good fares in business from the West Coast US to Europe.
http://thepointsguy.com/2014/09/amazing-...nder-2000/
Oftentimes flying a paid fare in business will net you a lot of miles that you could use towards future business class award travel, sometimes >50% of the miles needed to book that future ticket.