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Guides
Qatar Airways Privilege Club: How to earn and redeem Avios, elite status and more
Ben Smithson is a senior writer for TPG and is based in London. Originally from Australia and a qualified lawyer with a financial services background, he has almost a decade of experience writing about a broad range of travel and loyalty topics.
September 5, 2024 • 15 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
Qatar Airways Privilege Club uses Avios, a currency shared with several major airline loyalty programs, allowing easy transfers between them at a 1:1 ratio.
The program features three elite status tiers—Silver, Gold and Platinum—each offering escalating benefits such as lounge access, bonus Avios and priority services.
Avios can be earned through flights, partner airlines, select credit card transfers and hotel point conversions, with redemption options for flights, upgrades and more.
Award pricing varies by route, cabin and peak/off-peak dates, with notable value on long-haul business class and short-haul partner flights.
What to consider
Elite status qualification requires earning Qpoints, with a portion needing to come from Qatar Airways flights or segments within set renewal periods.
Award availability, especially in premium cabins, can be limited, so booking early is advised for best options.
Some partner and short-haul flight redemptions have recently increased in price, and not all partner awards are bookable online.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed guide to maximizing Avios transfers, elite status benefits and award booking strategies within the Qatar Airways Privilege Club program.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Qatar Airways is one of the world’s top airlines, with an excellent business-class product and great lounges at its hub in Doha’s Hafmad International Airport (DOH). The airline has a huge route network as well, with routes to major U.S. airports like Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
The Oneworld member has its own loyalty program called Qatar Airways Privilege Club and uses the increasingly popular Avios currency. With this loyalty program, you can earn and redeem Avios when flying Qatar Airways and its Oneworld partners. Plus, it has three elite status levels that give frequent flyers special privileges like entry to lounges and access to preferred seating.
New to the carrier’s Privilege Club? You’re in the right place. Here is everything you need to know about the program.
What is Avios?
QATAR AIRWAYS/FACEBOOK
Avios is the currency used by the following loyalty programs:
Avios can be transferred between any of these programs at a ratio of 1:1, so each Avios is theoretically worth the same in each program. However, there are different ways in which Avios can be redeemed in each program, meaning the savvy reader can achieve different values depending on which program they are used in ... and how.
This guide focuses on Avios earned and redeemed through the Qatar Airways Privilege Club program.
Qatar Airways has three elite status tiers beyond the entry-level Burgundy level: Silver, Gold and Platinum. You can qualify for these tiers by earning a certain number of Qpoints when flying with Qatar Airways and its partners (these are separate from Avios and only used to count toward your status). To view how many Qpoints you’ll earn with each flight, use Qatar Airways’ My Calculator.
Below is a look at how many Qpoints you’ll need to qualify for each tier. You must earn these within a single 12-month period. Once you’ve qualified for Silver, you can upgrade by earning more points within 12 months. This is considered your renewal date.
Tier
Qpoints required
Silver
150
Gold
300
Platinum
600
Fewer Qpoints are required to renew your elite status. You can either earn a smaller number of Qpoints in 12 months or a higher number in 24 months — each calculated from your renewal date.
Tier
Qpoints required (12 months from renewal date)
Qpoints required (24 months from renewal date)
Silver
135
270
Gold
270
540
Platinum
540
1,080
If you fail to meet renewal requirements, you’ll drop to the tier you did qualify for.
Additionally, you must earn at least 20% of your Qpoints on flights marketed or operated by Qatar Airways to qualify. Alternatively, you can fly four Qatar Airways segments on 12-month renewals or eight Qatar Airways segments on 24-month renewals to meet this requirement.
Elite status benefits
Silver (Oneworld Ruby) is Qatar’s lowest elite status tier and includes the following benefits:
Discounted seat reservation
25% bonus Avios
Family member bonus
Lounge access (no guests)
Two guest lounge passes
Free checked baggage
Priority boarding and check-in
Priority wait-listing
Gold status (Oneworld Sapphire) includes all Silver benefits, plus the following perks:
Preferred seating
Guaranteed economy awards
75% bonus Avios
5% discount on redemptions
Award-fee waivers
Lounge access (one guest)
Four guest lounge passes
Priority baggage handling
Extra baggage
Priority phone support
Al Maha Gold service
Qatar’s top-tier Platinum elite status is the equivalent of the valuable Oneworld Emerald status. This tier includes all Gold status benefits, plus the following perks:
100% bonus Avios
Lounge access (two guests), with first-class lounge access when flying in business class
Five guest lounge passes
How to earn Avios with Qatar Airways Privilege Club
The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card, which comes with a $499 annual fee, offers:
A welcome offer of up to 70,000 Avios: 45,000 Avios after the first transaction and an additional 25,000 Avios and 150 Qpoints after you spend $5,000 in the first 90 days; this is slightly lower than the current welcome bonuses on Chase’s three Avios-earning credit cards
5 Avios per dollar spent on Qatar Airways purchases, 3 Avios per dollar spent on restaurant purchases and 1 Avios per dollar spent on all other purchases
2 Qpoints for every 1,500 Avios earned
One year of complimentary Qatar Airways Privilege Club Gold status
Visa Infinite benefits like concierge services, access to the Luxury Hotel Collection and rental car privileges
The information for the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite and Signature cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
With this card, you can effectively buy Gold status with the program for $499 annually. Also, with the 150 Qpoints in the welcome offer, you’ll be 25% of the way to Platinum status.
The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card, the other cobranded card option, has a $99 annual fee and comes with:
A welcome offer of up to 50,000 Avios: 30,000 Avios after the first transaction and an additional 20,000 Avios after you spend $3,000 in the first 90 days
4 Avios per dollar spent on Qatar Airways purchases, 2 Avios per dollar spent on restaurant purchases and 1 Avios per dollar spent on all other purchases
2 Qpoints for every 2,000 Avios earned
Automatic Silver status with Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Note that if you’re still holding on to the Citi Prestige® Card, which is no longer open to new applicants, you can transfer ThankYou Rewards points to Privilege Club.
That said, as with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can combine your Citi ThankYou Rewards points into a single account for select products, allowing you to effectively “convert” your fixed-value earnings from cards like the Citi Strata℠ Card (see rates and fees) and the Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) into fully transferable ThankYou points.
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Transfer from other Avios programs
You can also transfer Avios from British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus or Aer Lingus AerClub at a 1:1 rate in any direction.
The following cards all currently offer strong welcome bonuses that you could easily convert to Avios in these three programs (and then transfer to Qatar Airways Privilege Club):
American Express® Gold Card: Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $12,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offer vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees): Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees): Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Transfer from Marriott Bonvoy
Alternatively, you can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Qatar Airways Privilege Club at a 3:1 ratio. As an added perk, you’ll get a 5,000-Avios bonus when you transfer 60,000 points. This means transferring 60,000 points nets you 25,000 Privilege Club Avios.
Earn Avios by flying Qatar Airways
You can also earn Avios when taking paid Qatar-operated flights around the world. The number of Avios you earn depends on your cabin and ticketed fare class. Qatar Airways Privilege Club still awards Avios based on the distance flown, but remember that most discounted fare classes will earn much lower than higher-tier fares.
Here’s a table that details how you’ll accrue Avios on Qatar flights.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club also partners with the following airlines outside of Oneworld:
Bangkok Airways
JetBlue
LATAM
Middle East Airlines
Oman Air (joining the Oneworld alliance in 2024)
RwandAir
Virgin Australia
Flights on these airlines follow Qatar Airways’ earning scheme, but you can use the calculator for more details.
Redeeming Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Booking Qatar Airways flights with Avios
Qatar Airways' award-winning Qsuite product is widely considered one of the world’s best business-class products. Even the carrier’s economy product is a solid option. Here are the prices for popular one-way itineraries per person on any date (there is now peak and off-peak pricing).
Route
Avios required via Qatar Privilege Club
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to DOH in business class
70,000 (off-peak) or 140,000 (peak) plus $99.85
JFK to DOH in economy
35,000 (off-peak) or 47,500 (peak) plus $64.85
JFK to New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in business class
80,000 (off-peak) or 160,000 (peak) plus $201.50
JFK to DEL in economy
40,000 (off-peak) or 48,000 (peak) plus $135
JFK to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in business class
95,000 (off-peak) or 190,000 (peak) plus $206.40
JFK to BKK in economy
47,500 (off-peak) or 57,000 (peak) plus $136.40
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Dubai International Airport (DXB) in economy
37,500 (off-peak) or 45,000 (peak) plus $136.40
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Bali, Indonesia’s Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in economy
40,000 (off-peak) or 48,000 (peak) plus $172
Availability can be limited, especially in premium cabins, so the further in advance you can book, the more likely you are to find one or more seats on the dates you need.
Off-peak redemption rates in business class are a great way to redeem Qatar Avios if you can find availability, given the carrier's excellent product.
Upgrading Qatar Airways flights with Avios
You can also use your Qatar Avios to upgrade paid flights operated by the airline. You must use the airline’s calculator to find the cost of upgrading a specific flight based on your route and fare class.
For example, you can upgrade the cheapest economy ticket from the East Coast to Doha to a business-class seat on the same route for 55,000 Avios one-way. This isn’t much cheaper than booking an award ticket, so we recommend steering clear of this option unless you have booked an extremely cheap cash fare.
QATARAIRWAYS.COM
Additionally, you need to find available upgrade space in order to upgrade your ticket. You can do this by calling the airline or attempting to upgrade a ticket online.
Booking partner flights with Avios
Qatar has lowered the award prices for many partner-operated flights, bringing them in line with other Avios programs. Here’s the award chart for all Qatar Airways Privilege Club partner redemptions, including Oneworld members and other carriers, except for flights 3,000 miles and under and those operated by American Airlines and Alaska Airlines:
Distance (miles)
Economy class (Avios)
Premium economy (Avios)
Business class (Avios)
First class (Avios)
0-650
6,000
9,000
12,500
24,000
651-1,151
9,000
12,500
16,500
33,000
1,152-2,000
11,000
16,500
22,000
44,000
2,001-3,000
13,000
25,250
38,750
51,500
3,001-4,000
20,750
41,250
62,000
82,500
4,001-5,500
25,750
51,500
77,250
103,000
5,501-6,500
31,000
62,000
92,750
123,750
6,501-7,000
36,250
72,250
108,250
144,250
7,001-plus
51,500
103,000
154,500
206,000
Being able to book flights from just 6,000 Avios is a terrific deal.
Following a recent devaluation, short-haul flights operated by American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are now priced as follows:
Distance (miles)
Economy class (Avios)
Business class/domestic first (Avios)
0-650
9,500
20,000
651-1,151
13,000
27,000
1,152-2,000
14,500
34,000
2,001-3,000
16,000
43,000
You can redeem many partner awards, including flights operated by American Airlines, JetBlue, British Airways and Virgin Australia, online. To redeem your Qatar Avios on a partner flight that does not appear online, you can call Qatar Airways Privilege Club at 800-988-6128. Know, though, that the call center is only open during working hours on weekdays.
You can also see partner flight schedules by selecting “Book my award flight” on Qatar’s website. You can then submit a request to book a partner flight, and a Qatar agent will process your reservation if there’s award space. We don’t recommend this option since award space can rapidly change. Instead, we suggest transferring Avios to British Airways so you have more partner flight options you can book online.
You can also use your Qatar Avios for merchandise, duty-free items, hotel stays and more. However, we generally recommend staying away from these types of redemptions, as they almost always offer less value than a free flight, often dropping the value to half a cent per Avios (or less).
Bottom line
Qatar Airways has fabulous products on the ground and in the air. If you have never flown long-haul business class, you cannot go wrong with the world-famous Qsuite to Doha and beyond.
While the program previously flew under the radar due to some uncompetitive pricing and complex booking options, adopting the already popular Avios currency in 2022 has opened up new ways to easily earn and redeem Avios in the program.
The ability to easily transfer Avios between five airline loyalty programs makes the program much more attractive, especially as Qatar Airways Privilege Club now has similar short-haul pricing that many appreciate when redeeming Avios through the British Airways Executive Club program.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
