Malaysia Airlines for Tier Point Runs

In order to maintain Silver status in the British Airways Executive club you need to collect 600 tier points in each membership year. (You also need to take four British Airways Flights). Silver Status is equivalent to sapphire One World Status and will get you lounge access across the one world network. In order to obtain BA Gold you need to earn 1500 tier points.

Flying on Malaysia Airlines is a good way to pick up cheap tier points. Ideally you are looking for flights just over 2000 miles as these pick up 140 tier points in Business Class. It is possible to find tier points runs that work out as less than £1 a tier point on Malaysia Airlines- though they can be awkward.

For example a return flight from Phuket to New Delhi via KL will earn 360 tier points (40+140+140+40) and can be purchased in June (and quite often) for approximately £351.

Perhaps you need fewer Tier Points to get you over the line to a higher status level. If this is the case then the domestic business class promotions are sometimes good value. You can often find Business Tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bharu or Langkawi for RM380, around £70. This will net you 40 tier points (80 return) for less than £2 a tier point.

People looking for Tier Point runs from Europe or Asia have spent years looking at American Airlines in the US with envy- Malaysia Airlines give us a chance to pick up those last few tier points almost as cheaply we could in the US.

Malaysia Airlines A380s for sale

The news that Malaysia Airlines has put its A380s up for sale is not unexpected, but is disappointing. The service between KL and London and Paris has been of a good standard and very convenient for a number of years. Two of the planes appear to be listed as available immediately. It is possible that some of the European routes could be axed or changed to a 777-200 soon. Perhaps London will go to one flight a day. However, I would be more disappointed (and I think it more likely) that Paris will either be served by a 777-200 or scrapped altogether.

The important point to note is that the Malaysia airlines 777s do not have flat beds in Business Class. It is a specious cabin, but it does not compare well to the A380s. It is certainly something to watch over the coming months. I fly between Europe and Kuala Lumpur regularly. It looks as though I will be travelling via the Middle East or Hong Kong before too long- as I was before the A380s arrived in Malaysia's fleet in 2012

Tim Clarke, president of Emirates airlines, calls the A380 a passenger magnet. It is a shame that Malaysia Airlines is not able to make this work.

Malaysia airlines still has much to offer travellers within and to and from ASEAN. The regional shorter routes (and domestic routes) served by 737-800s have a sound Business class product that puts many European carriers to shame. Malaysia Airlines is also a source of Tier Points (or status miles) in other one-world frequent flyer schemes.