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If you’re hoping to try out Qatar Qsuite — the winner of the 2018 TPG Awards Best International Business Class of the Year — you’re in luck! Qatar just quietly added its fifth US destination with the award-winning product, and there’s currently excellent award availability.
As a quick recap, there are four US routes currently served by Qsuite-installed aircraft with two more coming soon:
- Chicago (ORD): QR Flights 725 and 726
- Houston (IAH): QR Flights 713 and 714
- New York (JFK): QR Flights 701/703 and 702/704
- Washington Dulles (IAD): QR Flights 707 and 708
- Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): QR Flights 729 and 730 — starting January 16, 2019
- Los Angeles (LAX): QR Flights 739 and 740 — starting February 2, 2019
Starting March 31, 2019, Qatar will run a daily Boeing 777-300ER between Doha (DOH) and Boston (BOS) on the following schedule:
- QR 743 — Doha (DOH) 8:15am Departure ⇒ Boston (BOS) 2:10pm Arrival
- QR 744 — Boston (BOS) 10:59pm Departure ⇒ Doha (DOH) 5:45pm (+1) Arrival
As we find on ExpertFlyer, Qatar is already running a Boeing 777-300ER on this route. However, instead of a Qsuite version of the aircraft, flights have Qatar’s rather mediocre 2-2-2 business-class product.
However, starting March 31, 2019, the unmistakable Qatar Qsuite seat map begins.
The easiest way to search Qatar award availability is the American Airlines website. You can search Qatar award availability starting right on the homepage or the American Airlines app. If you have flexible dates, click the “Show Full Calendar” to search four weeks at a time. To see just the award availability on this route, search BOS-DOH and then select “Non-stop only” on the drop down in the search results.
When doing so, we find that award availability starts right from day one.
The end of April and May are pretty wide open as well.
Even as we get into the peak summer travel season, almost every date is still available.
Traveling as a family? There’s numerous dates that are available for 4+ passengers — even during summer school break.
If you book through AAdvantage, you don’t have to worry about onerous taxes and fees. One-way awards from the US to Doha cost 70,000 miles plus just $7.65 per person. Awards remaining in the Middle East cost 70,000 miles per person. Or, you can book an onward trip to the Indian Subcontinent for 70,000 miles each way or anywhere in Africa for just 75,000 miles each way.
Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles is an alternate way of booking Qatar awards between the US and Doha with rates running 75,000 miles one-way or 150,000 miles round-trip. You can get Asia Miles by transferring points from American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and/or Marriott Rewards.
Even if you are sitting on a stash of British Airways Avios, it’s not the way to book these flights. Not only does British Airways charge 105,000 Avios each way, but it also charges an absurd $643 in taxes and fees.
Iberia Avios isn’t any better. A round-trip nonstop flight between Boston (BOS) and Doha (DOH) runs 175,000 Avios plus an awful $1,278 in taxes and fees.
Check out this guide to learn more about Qatar Qsuite and how to book. And read TPG‘s just-published review of Qsuite on the 777-300ER — the flight review that earned Qsuite the Best International Business Class of the Year award at the 2018 TPG Awards.
This post has been updated since publishing to include other new Qsuite routes of Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles.
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Based on TPG’s most recent valuations, the 50,000 miles are worth $700. In addition, you can earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) toward elite status after spending $40,000 in a calendar year. As of July 23, 2017 this is the only card that offers Admirals Club lounge access so if you are an AA flyer this card might make sense for you. Aside from lounge access the primary cardholder will receive a Global Entry application fee credit every 5 years, first checked bag free for up to 8 travel companions on domestic itineraries and a 25% discount on eligible in-flight purchases on American Airlines flights.
- Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Admirals Club® membership for you and access for guests traveling with you
- Complimentary Admirals Club® lounge access for authorized users
- Earn 10,000 AAdvantage® Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases*
- Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases
- First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation
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