25% off TP status threshold question + cheapest 180 TP run 10-11 / 17-18 Dec?
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Hi,
I’m still new to BAEC and airline statuses, so please bear with me!
In relation to the current offer of being able to renew/upgrade BAEC status for 25% fewer TPs than usual, does anyone know whether you actually have to have the TPs credited by 31 Dec, or do you just need to have flown the relevant flights by then?
I’m currently considering a trip on the weekend of 10th/11th or 17th/18th Dec to get me up to Silver status (I have 270 TPs), but if the points have to be credited by 31 Dec then I’m worried that if anything goes wrong with the tracking/crediting (which it has done on previous trips, having to be manually corrected), it will all be for naught.
Also, if anyone could suggest the cheapest way of getting the required 180 TPs over one of those weekends, starting from Manchester/Birmingham/London etc., I’d be grateful! Happy to consider EasyJet/Ryanair ‘positioning’ flights if e.g. Dublin to London is a good route.
Thank you very much!
The TPs ‘count’ for the dates of departure, so even if they were to post later it should eventually sort itself out. As for achieving it, it is ate in the day now to find cheaper flights so with limited time, and limiting yourself to weekends, it probably won’t be cheap.
Have you looked at “low fare finder” on ba.com? Do you need 0/2/4 BA legs to qualify as well as the TPs? There will be plenty of routes which include a domestic connection (an easy 40 TPs each way in CE), though as noted, it probably won’t be cheap, but here shouldn’t be any need to position. What is your usual starting point?
Another option to consider, given the challenge of finding cheap weekend flights at such short notice, is to look at doing a BA holiday early next year which will get you silver courtesy of the double tier points offer….you don’t say when your TP collection year ends but assuming it’s February or later then a 5 night break to any short haul plus destination eg canaries, Greece, malta. Morocco etc would get you 320 TPS to add to your 270, taking you over the standard 500 TP threshold for Silver
A 5 night all inclusive break in Marrakech with BA holidays flying in club Europe in January and in a 4* hotel could be £599 pp , so potentially cheaper than a last minute flight in december……
Hi all, thanks for the comments. Good to know that it’s the date of travel that matters, that’s a relief.
I realise it’s late in the day for trying to make use of the 25% off offer, but I didn’t realise I was this close to getting Silver until now. I don’t need any more legs, I have done plenty already this year. It is just the 180 TPs I need.
My TP collection year ends in May so I still have plenty of time to make use of the BA Holidays offer. I certainly would if I could find a good deal but the holiday finder seems not to offer any CE holidays beyond January? Similarly, I’ve looked at the low fare finder but it seems easier to use the map search on Google Flights/ITA Matrix.
I’ve found that Finnair have Business flights from LIS/AGP to OSL/ARN/CPH/RIX via HEL for ~£300 one-way on 10 Dec. LIS/AGP-HEL is a 140 TP flight so that, plus the connecting 40 TP leg, would give me the required 180 TPs. However two positioning flights would be needed, plus a night in HEL (unless I do the 00:25 flight from AGP… eek!), which would make the total cost around £450. I guess that’s probably not too bad for 180 TPs at £2.48/TP all in, but I’m just looking to see whether there are any other alternatives.
My closest airports are MAN/BHX/LPL but I don’t mind flying to/from London.
A 5 night all inclusive break in Marrakech with BA holidays flying in club Europe in January and in a 4* hotel could be £599 pp , so potentially cheaper than a last minute flight in december……
Reduced TPs need to be earned by 31/12, so O/P would need full 600 if travelling in Jan. Though if that actually works out cheaper it’s probably worth going for and have a holiday into the bargain!
Hi all, thanks for the comments. Good to know that it’s the date of travel that matters, that’s a relief.
I realise it’s late in the day for trying to make use of the 25% off offer, but I didn’t realise I was this close to getting Silver until now. I don’t need any more legs, I have done plenty already this year. It is just the 180 TPs I need.
My TP collection year ends in May so I still have plenty of time to make use of the BA Holidays offer. I certainly would if I could find a good deal but the holiday finder seems not to offer any CE holidays beyond January? Similarly, I’ve looked at the low fare finder but it seems easier to use the map search on Google Flights/ITA Matrix.
I’ve found that Finnair have Business flights from LIS/AGP to OSL/ARN/CPH/RIX via HEL for ~£300 one-way on 10 Dec. LIS/AGP-HEL is a 140 TP flight so that, plus the connecting 40 TP leg, would give me the required 180 TPs. However two positioning flights would be needed, plus a night in HEL (unless I do the 00:25 flight from AGP… eek!), which would make the total cost around £450. I guess that’s probably not too bad for 180 TPs at £2.48/TP all in, but I’m just looking to see whether there are any other alternatives.
My closest airports are MAN/BHX/LPL but I don’t mind flying to/from London.
There’s an issue with the website for searching CE holidays at the moment…..comments in another thread about workarounds, the holidays are available, it’s just BA IT making things less than easy ! Look for the No BA holidays in Business ? Thread a few hours back
You don’t say what your max budget is, but assuming money no object 😀
Very short notice but the best I could see is Glasgow starting point.
Priced up at £650+ for one person and you will need somewhere to sleep for the nights in RAK
If you add a hotel, showing as £750+ at the time of looking (Dellarosa Hotel Suites and Spa)
GLA-LGW-RAK-LGW-GLA –
240 ptsOtherwise, do as others have advised above with BA holidays with more notice, needs 5 days for the double TP (which is outside of your dates), but far less messing around with positioning.
Others may find better, but this is short notice so nothing is going to be particularly cheap.
How much is WTO to NYC these days?
Best to keep this simple and not involve positioning flights on other airlines.
Weekend travel dates also restrict your options so if an outbound on a Friday evening was possible that might give you more options and be possibly cheaper.
If MAN is suitable them MAN- HEL return in club would be 160 TP or MAN-LHR-AMS would also be 160 return
Then a MAN – LHR return the other weekend for the balance
Have not checked the cost of those though.
But since your TP year ends in May you have more flexibility on dates and routes which even though you’d need more TPs you could get them for less money than flying the two weekends before Christmas.
A 5 night all inclusive break in Marrakech with BA holidays flying in club Europe in January and in a 4* hotel could be £599 pp , so potentially cheaper than a last minute flight in December.
This was also posted yesterday but even with double TPs it won’t take the O/P to the 600 they would need for Silver in January, they would still need another 10 by my calculations!
I think as the OP’s closest airport in MAN, they would likely also have a flight MAN to LHR in the mix. If so, it would mean that they would have enough points with the Marrakech example.
This was also posted yesterday but even with double TPs it won’t take the O/P to the 600 they would need for Silver in January, they would still need another 10 by my calculations!
Your maths is better than mine!So OP would also need eg an economy domestic return to get the remains 10 TPS…..adding a domestic leg to the Marrakech holiday seems to double the price so looks like it’s more cost effective to go for the extra points separately, although could still be a ‘positioning’ leg for the holiday
That’s going to be the sticking point, MAN-LON flights are astronomical unless you book an unpopular service a long way out. And it would really need to be the day before to factor in delays and cancellations, so a night at the airport would be necessary as well.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I should have said that I have a LHR-BSL / GVA-LGW trip in ET next weekend, which will net me 15 TPs (N out, O rtn). So I actually only need 165 TPs. Still, that doesn’t help massively as CE flights are of course multiples of 40.
I guess with a 5 night holiday at least the ~£500 cost isn’t “wasted” just to get the status. So I may end up doing that – but not to Marrakesh, that’s not quite my cup of tea.
Can I ask why people advise against the positioning flights? Obviously there’s the cost, but if I leave say 4 hours between flights then the risk of a missed connection doesn’t seem too high (I accept it can happen, but it would take a serious delay to the first flight, entitling me to compensation in many cases).
If the positi0oning flight is on another aieline they have no obligation to rebook your BA flights and if you’re late BA aren’t under any obligation either which is why it’s a risk. It’s possible may be a little more leinent if it’s a delay on one of their flights (but not guarenteed)
It’s obviously lessened if you position the night before but that adds to your costs without getting you any TPs
And whilst you might get some compo (depending on the length of the delay and the cause of it) it won’t cover the cost of your lost BA trip. Insurance likely won’t cover the cost of that either.
Positioning flights will add an extra layer of cost and potential complications. You’d only get compensation for the cancelled flight, and only under qualifying circumstances. Your BA TP trip might be lost.
I think Marrakesh was suggested as the cheapest example, but people have also used Sofia as a good value destination. Madeira might also fit the bill.
Have you got an upgrade offer with your upcoming trip which would bag you some more TPs?Thanks, I see.
After a bit more research, I can find some Sofia to Bucharest/Catania options after my renewal next year, which would potentially work well as a nested trip. One option with £516 for 320 TPs. That could work quite nicely, especially if done in conjunction with the Holidays offer.
I can upgrade my upcoming trip to CE for ~£160 each way or £246 rtn. I don’t think that’s worth it for 65 TPs.
So you potentially have the option of doing one trip (a double TPS holiday to any European 80 TP destination )to get you the additional 315 TPS to reach 600 TPS between Jan and May to renew silver to May 2024 , and then maybe something else (again taking advantage of the double TPS offer on holidays) between May and September to get another 600TPs for Silver to May 2025.
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