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Buying access to Qatar's incredible Al Safwa First Lounge in Doha

Nov. 23, 2019
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4 min read
Qatar 777-300ER 77W Qsuite Review ZH
Buying access to Qatar's incredible Al Safwa First Lounge in Doha
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You've probably read all about Qatar Airways' outstanding Qsuite business class on TPG, but we rarely write about the carrier's first-class product — technically, a cabin above that enclosed biz suite.

There's a simple explanation: Qatar only offers first class on its Airbus A380, which doesn't fly to the U.S., along with some regional business cabins branded as first class for flights within the Middle East. As a result, it's historically been difficult to access the carrier's Al Safwa First Lounge in Doha (DOH), though there's a new first-class lounge for business-class flyers to buy a ticket to.

I decided to take that process for a spin on a recent eight-hour layover in Doha, during my journey from Cape Town (CPT) to New York-JFK.

Al Safwa First Lounge

As of the time of this post, business-class passengers can spend up to six hours in the lounge for 600 Qatari rials (about $165) or 650 rials ($180) with a bundled 15-minute “express” massage. I used my Chase Sapphire Reserve card to pay for the massage bundle — yes, it did code as travel for 3x points — and was promptly welcomed in. Note that other purchases similar to this may not code as travel, so be sure to check your statement to see what you've earned on the transaction.

This was my second time inside the lounge, and it was almost entirely empty again, in stark contrast to the packed Al Mourjan Business Lounge just down the hall.

Al Safwa First Lounge

With a full crew and only one guest to attend to (me!), the staff almost seemed excited when I stopped by the dining area for a very late-night bite.

Though I wasn't blown away by the cuisine, the shrimp starter tasted fine, and the desserts were interesting — aish el saraya, a Lebanese bread pudding and umm ali, an Egyptian bread pudding.

After dinner — or breakfast, maybe, since it was 3 a.m. — I wandered around the lounge for a bit. Aside from a staffer here and there, I didn't see a soul!

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I ended up spending most of my time in one of the fancy private rooms Qatar offers on a first come, first served basis.

The private room was the true highlight for me. On my last layover, I booked a room at the Oryx Airport Hotel in the transit area, which costs $260 if reserved online. Buying into Al Safwa, I saved $80, got a 15-minute massage, a nice meal, some good wine and had a far more interesting experience overall.

Al Safwa First Lounge

Each private room included a shower, too. They do sometimes fill up, but you can ask about availability before you pay for lounge access at the main check-in desk.

My massage was fantastic, too. It was so great, in fact, that I decided to add another 45 minutes for about $125 — steep, but easier to justify given the money I had just saved on a hotel room.

I ended up staying in the lounge just over my allotted six hours, from around 12:45 a.m. until 7 a.m., when it was time to head to my gate. Nobody mentioned the time limit again after I checked in, though, so it seems reasonable that they would have allowed me to stay a bit longer.

Al Safwa First Class Lounge entrance

I really hope Qatar Airways continues to sell access to the Al Safwa First Lounge. While I might otherwise argue that paid access hurts the experience for first-class flyers, there didn't seem to be anyone in the lounge to disturb until just before I left in the morning.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.