Qatar Airways just launched two new U.S. credit cards and they are really interesting since just getting the premium card gives you oneworld status that includes lounge access when flying American Airlines and Alaska Airlines domestically – for less than buying a lounge membership – and even includes access to American Airlines business class Flagship lounges.
Qatar Airways Airbus A380 Business Class Bar
What’s more you have the opportunity to re-earn status based on card spend (though of course you can credit flights, including American and Alaska flights, to be combined to earn this status). There’s no cap on this – spending alone can reach Qatar’s Platinum status, which is oneworld emerald and includes access to partner first class lounges like Cathay Pacific’s The Wing and Pier and the Qantas first class lounges in Sydney and Melbourne even if you’re flying coach.
Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card metal card, $499 annual fee, there’s a bonus of 50,000 Avios: 25,000 after first transaction and 25,000 more after $5,000 spend within 90 days.
Cardmembers receive Gold status the first year, plus 150 Qpoints after earning the initial bonus (it takes 270 Qpoints to re-earn Gold, and also helps towards platinum). Furthermore, you can spend on the card towards status – 2 qpoints for every $1500 spend – so card spend alone can earn your status with minimum Qatar flight segments.
Earning is 5x on Qatar Airways; 3x on restaurants; 1x on everything else.
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card $99 annual fee, there’s a bonus of 40,000 Avios: 20,000 after first transaction and 20,000 more after $3,000 spend within 90 days.
The card comes with Qatar silver for a year and earns 2 Qpoints towards status for every $2,000 spent. Silver gets you airport priority, Qatar lounge access and 2 guest passes annually plus extra baggage allowance.
Earning is 4x on Qatar Airways; 2x on restaurants; 1x on everything else.
Those of you who joined the waitlist earn an extra 5,000 Avios for the Signature product and 10,000 for the Infinite product when approved within 30 days of card launch and meeting minimum spend requirement.
Qatar Privilege Club has become really useful. You can freely transfer points back and forth with other Avios programs like BA. And often their awards are less expensive – for instance if you redeem American Airlines transatlantic business class BA hits you with huge surcharges while redeeming through Qatar does not.
The Signature card comes with 1 year automatic silver status and the Infinite card comes with 1 year of automatic gold. Qatar Airways does soft downgrades, so even if you don’t requalify you’d just drop to silver).
But requalifying is made easy because the Infinite card has 150 Qpoints as part of Sign up bonus. That’s a majority of the points needed for Gold status in your second year.
What’s more you can spend to achieve status with no caps.
- Signature gives 2 qpoints per $2000 spend
- Infinite give 2 qpoints for every $1500 spend
Gold status is oneworld sapphire which gets American Airlines and Alaska Airlines lounge access as well as American Airlines business class Flagship lounge access even on domestic itineraries. This is the simplest way of ‘buying oneworld sapphire’ and it’s cheaper than an Admirals Club membership, and cheaper than the Citi co-brand that comes with membership, plus it’s Flagship access.
American Airlines Flagship Lounge, Dallas – Fort Worth
Qatar Gold also comes with 75% tier bonus on earning Avios with eligible flights; priority stand-by, check-in, boarding and baggage handling; complimentary access to Qatar lounges in airports and 4 guest lounge passes every year; extra baggage allowance of 1 piece or 20 kg (44 lbs) and complimentary preferred seat selection; complimentary meet and assist services from Al Maha Services while traveling through Hamad international Airport in Doha.
The airline of course has one of the best premium products in the world, from its QSuites business class to its first class al Safwa lounge.
I don’t really see the case for the Visa Signature. But the Visa Infinite product is huge. It unlocks oneworld sapphire, and the card’s initial bonus more than covers its cost in year one. It’s a way to spend towards status, Qatar Gold is worthwhile in its own right, and you can even spend for oneworld emerald if you wish (though straight spending through American would be easier).
Interestingly, while American Express is an investor in Cardless and they’ve introduced Amex cards, these new Qatar cards are Visas (including their first Visa Infinite).
If only CLT had a Flagship Lounge…
Maybe I’m missing it, but I just looked at the card site and it mentions spend in the first year for Gold, not automatic. And, even if so, not a very useful ongoing product as it requires diverting spend from more useful cards for status. May work for some, though.
Cheers.
Thanks Gary. Is there a link we should use to apply for this card?
Expect access rules to change. No way One World will allow access to lounges for anyone with a credit card. One thing for AA to allow access to their lounges w Citi card but not across entire One World system.
Also assume for this to work you would have to book ticket w Qatar number (instead of AA or Alaska). No one should think just flashing the card will get them access
Here is the link to the application for the Infinite version of the card:
https://app2.cardless.com/apply/qatar-premium/welcome?utm_source=QR-LandingPage&utm_campaign=default&utm_medium=brandpartner&utm_content=Standard-Inf&utm_term=
brp should know the card marketing site for the card says:
“ Fast-track to the Gold Tier
• Enjoy Gold tier benefits instantly after being accepted for this credit card**
• Plus, all benefits of oneworld Sapphire tier”
What is the actual spend in dollars to reearn gold ? If you get 150 Qpoints and need 270 QPoints to reearn gold, you still need 120 QPoints. At 2 QPoints for $1500 of spend, that is 90000 dollar spend required to reearn the Gold status. Pass!
So with this card if I’m flying AA I get flagship lounge regardless of class?
How would that work to access Admiral’s Clubs? Just by purchasing an AA flight with the Qatar card and then presenting boarding pass and card at a Club?
Based on my quick math, you’ll need to spend over $202,000 per year on the Infinite card to get enough qpoints to requalify for Gold status. Is that right?
Can someone check my math? Requires $200k+ spend per year, for Gold status? If so, no thanks! I’ll take my $4k with 2% rebate card.
The Qatar Gold (Oneworld Sapphire) status is on offer for card approval, but to retain the status requires hitting the spend or flying requirements to retain it beyond the initial period.
Upon getting Qatar Gold from credit card approval, to get. the Oneworld Sapphire status benefits — including lounge access when flying American or Alaska airlines domestically — will be as easy as having the Qatar frequent flyer number loaded in the AA or AS bookings and showing on the boarding passes.
@Gary, do you get guesting privileges as a One World Sapphire?
@Gary: And if this is Cardless they have an incomprehensible policy: Only one Cardless card of any type LIFETIME. So, if you had a Penguin’s or Man. Utd. card no Qatar, TAP or Avianca – ever!
I wonder what agencies they pull credit from?
Alex,
Yes. Oneworld Sapphire status entitles the status holder to access the Oneworld airlines’ lounges along with a guest when both are flying out on a Oneworld-operated flight.
@Jimmy, Gary can check my math too: It sounds like in Year 1 (once you have the Infinity Card), Qatar Gold is automatic. To re-qualify for Qatar Gold in Year 2 sounds like it takes 120 Qpoints (Qatar is granting you 150 of the 270 qualifying points as part of the year 1 promo). So, in Year 1 (while enjoying Qatar Gold), you’ll need to spend $ 90,000 in order to re-qualify for Qatar Gold in Year 2. Then in Year 2 (as you continue to enjoy Qatar Gold), you’ll need to spend $ 202,500 in order to re-qualify for Qatar Gold in Year 3 (and of course every year thereafter). You’re $ 200,000+ sounds right to me beginning in Year 2. Gary, is this right ?
@L3: The wording for the SUB that I see is “…you must be a new cardholder with no other open Cardless credit card accounts”. I don’t read that as meaning you can’t have previously had Cardless accounts that are now closed. Unless there’s another provision I’ve overlooked in the T&Cs, which is possible.
But it is indeed odd that they even preclude any other open Cardless credit card accounts. Other issuers limit total credit and/or total number of cards – that much I understand. But how does Cardless expect to really expand their footprint by limiting to one at a time? Especially with so many non-overlapping affinity brands.
Gary , is the one Cardless card per lifetime true?
50k points seems like a yawner. Am I missing something?
50K is a yawner. BTW, I tested both and when I clicked on the $99 card the Terms said the spend was $5K in 3 months but the ad showed $3K. The Terms seem more authoritative.
Sounds like having this card in year two is not going to be attractive/doable for most people.
Consider that both of these cards offer one year of AA lounge access:
1) Qatar Visa Infinite – 50K Avios for 5K spend and a $499 AF
2) Citi Executive Card – 70K Avios for 7K spend and a $595 AF
Unless I’m missing something, if I were interested in this Qatar card (which I’m not), I’d think Citi Executive is a stronger option.
@bo what you’re missing is that the Citi Executive Card earns AAdvantage miles, not Avios. Different currencies, different use cases. If you want ongoing Admirals Club access, Citi is of course the better long-term option for that particular benefit.
Not understanding the math for qualifying for Gold.
(1) Who the heck is Cardless and First Electric Bank? Are they reputable and provide decent customer service? I’m a bit wary of dealing with the non-major players though I made exceptions for the (now-defunct) JCB Marukai and X1 (soon-to-be Robinhood).
(2) Personally I don’t want anything to do with the flagship carrier of a country that is hosting Hamas leadership, spreading lies through Al Jizz and spending billions to foment unrest and hatred on US college campuses. But I guess some people will do anything for lounge access.
I am mercenary when it comes to airline loyalty programs. And if upset that Qatar was still giving Hamas money because Netanyahu wanted that, then why not be among the Qatari airline’s most costly loyalty program customers? Better that the government subsidizes frequent flyers’ lounge access for a year than use that same money to subsidize violent monsters of the state or non-state actor terrorist sorts.
Would be more compelling if having the card waived the 4 QR operated/marketed sectors per 12 months requirement to retain status.
@Gary useful post thanks, but I have the same question others have, and it also applies to the BA status match to silver and gold you wrote about a few weeks ago: To avail yourself of the lounge access I assume you MUST book using your BA or Qatar # so status shows on your boarding pass. Since very few airlines actually give out real membership cards any more, it’s the only way I see this works, and I’ve never seen that question answered.
On Cardless: I have a TP Amex cr card via Cardless. Works OK, my only major dislike is that it seems all business inc. paying them has to be done via the phone app. It maybe a generational thing but I *HATE* working phone apps, much prefer my desktop. Anyway, looks like having the TAP card disqualifies me for this opportunity.
The OW Sapphire access lounge is lovely: I’ve gotten drunk there several times. The bathroom does get backed up. The bouncers at the better DOH lounges have no sense of humor. I just attained OW Emerald, and hope soon to try to get drunk at a better DOH lounge, soon. Earlier this month
I imbibed too many long-stemmed glasses of self-serve rosé champagne at the LHR First Wing Lounge–the one next to the Concorde Room. Yeah, it’s worth it. I would say that it’s better than the Air France lounge @ CDG, despite the plentiful vats of champagne, there.
In my experience you can enter a lounge by showing your card, even a digital membership card and without having the number attached to your reservation. And if you happen to run into an agent who insists on it, it can be added and then removed.
While you’re required to use, say, your AAdvantage number for crediting the flight if you received an upgrade benefit (for instance) from that number, I have never seen this enforced regarding lounge access.
@Robert Duke – I wouldn’t be surprised to see that go away, though maybe not right away, it was a oneworld rule that is no longer enforced (note that neither American nor Alaska require own-metal segments any longer)
@Gary – Alaska will not admit you to their lounge unless your non-AA/AS OWE/OWS FF# is on the boarding pass they scan. They won’t accept a FF Card from another program for entry if your boarding pass contains a AA/AS number for domestic itineraries. They will insist on changing the number, and if they do, there goes your upgrade. I see this coming to AA soon if they start seeing enough of these types of situations with all of the recent OW status match activity going on.
How did it become this easy to support a country & airline that supports Hamas?
Hamas have American Hostage as well as hostages from around the world.
Fly Emirates. At least they have some humanity.
Dave is correct regarding Alaska. Your Qatar FF number would have to be on the reservation and AS does not allow use of the two fields anymore so you can get AS points and if you have status with AS you won’t get the use of that for upgrades or the earning multiplier.
I sort of agree with @GUWonder for once. QR loses money on most every flyer and will certainly lose money if you cancel the card after the first year. While it does lend prestige to a Kingdom that harms the interests of peace in the Middle East against the interests of all other Gulf States, flying QR helps the Qatari Royal Family vastly less than paying US taxes does by propping them up through maintaining Al Udeid Air Base. One day Qatar will be a free country run by the South Asian majority who resides there, but until then QR really does a nice job and provides a very useful service and it’s not worth cutting off your nose to spite your face to avoid them in my opinion. I did find their program far more useful before adopting Avios though and find AA still the best way to redeem.
I think people got it, but yes, you must credit your AA & AK flights to Qatar program in order to have domestic access to their respective lounges. So, given neither program offers comp upgrades to Qatar’s elite tiers, you are swapping/sacrificing MCE seats and change for upgrade for lounge access. Decisions/decisions – depends on what you value you more.
I mean if you aren’t Platinum Pro or MVP Gold (and flying Alaska), you likely don’t have much of a chance for upgrade anyways. I dropped to MVP Gold last year and have an upgrade rate of 1 of 20 on American (last was AUS – DFW, whoo hoo!)