Qatar has one of the best business class product in the world in its ‘QSuites’ that offer doors and movable partitions that allow two and even four passengers to travel together in their own space. Their QSuite is a fantastic hard product, and service and food in the air are outstanding.
A month ago award space opened wide up. It went away, but on a handful of routes it is back in a big way as first noticed by @findflightsforme.
Specifically you’ll find at least 2 business class award seats most of May, June, and then August through end of schedule in November (for American, Alaska) or December (Avios programs) on the New York JFK and Washington Dulles to Doha routes as well as Montreal – Doha and some space from Dallas – Fort Worth as well. You can use this for travel from the U.S. to Doha and onward to the Mideast, India, the Maldives and even to Africa.
Qatar Airways has long made award space available in waves, usually booked far in advance. With the launch of Avios as their currency, they committed to release business class awards when opening their schedules. That entrenches the habit of making space available as soon as the booking window opens, for travel nearly a year out. In practice they seem to open space in waves, rather than when each flight loads, so it’s important to be on the lookout for events like this.
Credit: Qatar Airways
I’d suggest, for what it’s worth, spending a little bit of time in Doha if you haven’t ever been – just enough for a visit to the Museum of Islamic Art.
Even though Qatar Airways publishes space 355 days out, American and Alaska will only give you access to travel 331 days out. That means right now you are limited to award bookings through the beginning of November 2024 if you’re using AAdvantage (or Alaska) miles.
Credit: Qatar Airways
However you can book seats farther out using British Airways Avios (bookable on their website!) or Qatar Airways Avios. British Airways is a transfer partner of Chase, American Express, Capital One and Bilt while Qatar is a transfer partner of Amex and Citi.
Personally its hard to even consider patronagizing Qatar considering the backing they give to those who seek the annihilation and destruction of our people and state. Despite having however good of a hard/soft product they offer considering they have given financial support and hosted terror group’s leader Ismail Haniyeh and other billionaire leadership.
Personally Its akin to supporting the goverment behind the Shoah.
Qatari goverment also funds the Al Jazeera Media network.
The Hamas leadership have “abruptly fled” Qatar in the last few days.
May the Shabak and Kidon be efficient and effective in thier respective jobs.
This not intended to be a political post nor am I calling for a boycott of QA – I personally will choose to spend miles/dollars on different airlines/destinations (unless another JetBlue Award deal or errorfare that causes them a financial loss – it would be hard to consider flying QA – but considering how frequently they “Qatar’d” those who booked for the Q-suite experience but get the the inferior hard product.
How about using TrueBlue points?
@gary (or anyone else). Have you or know of anyone that has successfully got an infant lap ticket added to Qatar business class award using AA miles?
@CocernedYid would do well to consider that many people have real reservations about flying El Al, since it is the airline of another terrorist country also.
@ConcernYid to be fair (and I say this as a Zionist Jew who can’t stand Hamas supporters), a counterargument is that Qatar is a necessary evil in the region, serving as a mediator between all the different political and religious groups. They helped broker the hostage deal, and if there’s ever an Israeli-Palestinian “peace deal,” it’ll be negotiated in Doha, not Washington. Not saying I support their government or that it’s relevant to airline choices, of course, just food for thought.
@Dolphin
Egypt has also been a part recent and past ceasefire negotiations as well as controls the southernmost border.
I don’t completely disagree with the Qatari role in assisting (an honestly not sure exactly how much influence Qatar truly has over HamAS/HezbolLA).I never thought we would witness Qatar signing the Abraham accords any sooner than Iran.
I think the propaganda that AJ spreads across the Muslim world only fans the fire in the sons of the Yishmelim. I see so much off AJs footage syndicated and rebroadcast across CBC in Canada, Skynews in UK (QA is a major advertiser on Skynews) even CNN and other Media.
I will say its a real mess with no simple solution for peace. I think that the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchangein 2011 compounded the current situation.
Chag Sameach Chanukkah! May we find some joy during these difficult time and season.
British Airways is 355 days out. Qatar is 361. So if you want to be first in line, have your Avios in Qartar ready to go.
I’m just flying through Qatar on my way to Zanzibar and South Africa.
@ConcernYid fair enough, ultimately any resolution of this conflict will require the involvement of Arab countries – they’ll always have to pretend to hate Israel publicly in order to avoid revolts at home but can do more under the table.
Happy Chanukkah to you too!
Spent a week in Doha. Super boring, crazy hot (in summer) though they have some nice hotels and pools. Also not cheap. Agree with Gary – spend as little time as possible here.
Thanks for this reminder. I definitely found a “sweet spot” in their award chart — 2 seats BOS-DOH-PER, with BOS-DOH in Qsuites and DOH-PER in First, for 120k pp!
Now I just have to figure out how to get back from Australia…