30+ Essential Qatar Airways Tips and Tricks

Updated 10 October 2019 (compiled by a Qatar Airways Platinum member)

Flying Qatar Airways? Our dedicated page lists everything you need to know to get the best fares and cheap business class and upgrades.

We've separated our list into different stages of a journey, from booking to post-travel, with a special section on maximising the perks from Qatar Airways loyalty. Have a tip that we haven't covered? Email us and let us know!

Sections:
Before You Book
During the Booking Process
Pre-Flight
In-flight
Arrival And Transit
Maximizing Loyalty Perks And Benefits

Key Highlights

Know when to book the cheapest flights to get up to 3X or 5X bonus miles
Fly Business Class from Europe to Australia, New Zealand and Asia for little more than an Economy fare
NEVER miss out on a meal when flying Business Class
Avoid paying for Qatar Airways' (very expensive) lounges in Doha and go on a free tour instead
Fly a route with the highest chance of a free upgrade to Business Class
NEVER miss out on redeeming Qcredits or Qmiles for upgrades
Redeem First Class award flights for the same miles as a Business Class ticket

Upgrades on your mind?
Our popular no-nonsense guide to airline upgrades explains everything you need to know about how upgrades work.

Before You Book

Join Privilege Club, the Qatar Airways Frequent Flyer Program

If you’re not already a member, it pays to join before booking any fares. Firstly, you’ll earn bonus miles for taking your first flight. Secondly, you will be able to register for “offers” in the membership section. Many sale airfares offer double, triple and even 5X miles, but you’ll need to register before you book. And some offers don't appear if you register after they're announced, so sign up to Privilege Club well in advance to avoid missing out.

Be Aware: Some departure cities offer much cheaper tickets than others

This is certainly the case within Europe. Qatar Airways has 20+ European destinations, but fares vary tremendously depending on where you depart from, especially in premium cabins. The known cheaper tickets apply to departures from Oslo (Norway) and Stockholm (Sweden), as well as Sofia (Bulgaria) and Brussels (Belgium). If you're flexible and don't mind half a day of extra flying to save thousands in tickets, this may work for you. This applies to both Economy and Business fares.

Wait for the right sale - book your flights during a bonus miles promotion

Qatar Airways frequently runs sales. The best tip is to wait for the better sales. Traditionally there is a “Global Boutique Sale” every January. This offers double or triple miles on tickets, as well as 30-40% reductions in Economy and Business Class airfares. After January, there will be semi-regular “Global Sales”, some are better than others. If it’s leisure travel you are booking, we highly recommend waiting for a sale that offers at least double miles. This isn’t because the miles are valuable (double miles on a discounted Economy ticket are fairly useless), but because the promotion tends to be included when the airfares are significantly discounted. Subscribe to the Qatar Airways newsletter to be alerted to sales taking place.

Travelling for leisure? Look for a new route sale to grab a bargain

Qatar Airways frequently announces new destinations, usually 5-10 per year. If you're flexible and open to new options for a holiday, you can save a lot of money by flying in the first month or two of their services. Subscribe to the Qatar Airways newsletter to be in the know when new destinations go on sale.

Flying ex Europe? Business class can be insanely cheap from certain cities

Take for example London to Sydney, Melbourne or Auckland return. Qatar Airways charges about £4,000 return year-round. However, fly from Oslo or Stockholm and you’ll pay little over £2,000. With low cost carriers covering every corner of Europe, taking a 1-2 hour flight to save a huge amount on long haul flying is worth considering. Just don’t book the connections too tight as you’ll need to account for delays getting to your departure point on Qatar Airways.

Consider a stopover in Doha; a free stop for up to 14 days is permitted on most airfares

Don’t like long haul flights? A stop over in Doha for one night will break up a journey (but it’s impossibly hot from June to September, so take that into consideration). The airport is little over 10 minutes in a taxi from downtown. You can explore the ambitious Museum of Islamic Art, Souq Wafiq and walk around the corniche. You can get a taste of the region from locals and expat favourites Parisa (Persian food) and Bandar Aden (Yemeni). Visas are free for most nationalities. Due to the current Qatar trade embargo, you won’t be able to hop over to Dubai, Abu Dhabi etc, but there is enough to see and do to break up a journey nice.

Be aware that you won’t get a hotel for layovers in Doha < 8 hours (and some fares don’t allow any free accommodation)

Qatar Airways has a strict rule – tickets with stopovers of less than 8 hours are ineligible for free hotels and food etc. If the only flight you can get has a stopover for longer than 8 hours, call Qatar Airways and ask them if you’re eligible for a free stopover. Or check the ticket rules by looking at your ticket and clicking "stopover" as per the example below.

If there are earlier connecting flights but the fares are more expensive, waiting for a cheaper flight does not make you eligible for free accommodation either. If in doubt, call Qatar Airways.

Check Flyertalk’s Specialist thread

Check the useful Flyertalk thread Qatar Airways flight deals. It gives a good overview of the latest airfare promotions departing from Europe, the USA, Asia and Australia. You can ask questions and an active community will most likely reply.

During the Booking Process

Book a flight online via Qatarairways.com and log in to your Privilege Club account first

Online travel agencies may charge 3-5% less than Qatar Airways’ website, but if you want to change a flight or cancel altogether, you’ll pay fees on top of the fees Qatar Airways charges. The online travel agent can also hold you to ransom and extort a high fee, or not offer changes at all. Some online travel agents can state the ticket you book is “non-changeable, non-refundable” even if it is. You’ll also earn bonus miles and/or Qpoints under any promotion.

Often buried in an email or sale promotion is a PROMO code. Just search a page for “code” to find them. They offer 5-20% off existing sale fares, so will save more money.

Reader Adam emailed: My parents were flying from Melbourne to Amsterdam this year. They found some descent business class fares (about $5,000 each) and I saw a code they missed, saving an extra 5% - they're now $500 better off with something that tat you could easily miss on the sale page.

Choose your seats online, but know you can ask for exit seats at check in

Qatar Airways doesn’t charge to book seats in advance, so it’s wise to pick that window or aisle seat as soon as you book. If you want a shot at an exit row seat (with free benefits such as extra leg room and being the first to get served food) then get to check in 3 hours early, as they’re available on a first come first served basis (with families travelling with babies taking priority).

Pre-Flight

Consider upgrading if you receive an email offer 3-7 days before your flight

Many airlines offer upgrade bidding, but Qatar Airways offers a fixed price with no uncertainty. The airline emails passengers a week before their flight with an offer to upgrade to Business Class if there is space available. Examples shown below include Australia to Doha for US$900 and Doha to London for US$700. We also received many more; Doha to Los Angeles for US$600 and Doha to Cape Town for US$450. We recommend considering it for ultra-long haul routes (i.e. anything over 6-7 hours) if you’re comfortable with the price. You’ll get perks like lounge access but the miles and tier points you earn will be in line with the original ticket.

Want exit row seats? You’ll need to get to the airport early

As we mentioned above, if you want a shot at an exit row seat then get to check in 3 hours early. There is no guarantee you’ll get one, but it’s worth asking. If not, ask how full the flight is – you may be able bag 2-3-4 seats to yourself if it’s a quiet day.

Pack NOT to exceed the baggage allowances

Qatar Airways offers a generous 30kg per person on most routes in Economy class, but if you're 1kg over things get very expensive. You can check in as many pieces as you want, but the limit is strict. Frequent flyers get extra allowances, but don't risk thinking you can sweet talk the check in agent - you won't be allowed to travel with overweight baggage unless you're prepared to pay the fees - a steep US$40/kg per kilogram (and more if you're travelling further).

Check your credit card for lounge access, or consider buying it

Lounge access has never been cheaper, with many banks and credit cards offering it with certain banking packages. If you don’t have access, don’t worry. A simple Google of “lounge access + your airport name” will throw up a lot of deals and offers. In the UK, prices start from £15, and throughout Europe the standard price is 25-30 Euros. Considering an airport drink and sandwich will set you back a lot more than normal, 3 hours of lounge access can be an investment worth making. You’ll be a lot more relaxed showing up for your flight.

Use the same lounge as Qatar Airways for free

If you're set on purchasing lounge access, Qatar Airways uses third party lounges for almost all of its destinations. If you want to be called when first and business passengers are, search your airport here and look for the airport you’re flying from and the Qatar Airways logo. Many of the lounges listed sell lounge access, but some don't - including all Qantas lounges.

In-Flight

Business and First Class

The service in Qatar Airways premium cabins is award-winning. We recommend letting the experience unfold. We've added a few helpful tips to make it a little bit better.

Reserve a meal in advance: Once you board and receive your menu, you do have the option of reserving a meal that you'd like to have. This prevents the risk of missing out if too many are ordered by other passengers. If you want that mezze in 12 hours time before you land, order it before you take off.
Sit back, relax: Qatar Airways offers dine-on-demand on all services, so you can decide when you eat. If you'd like less interruptions, pick seats at the back of the cabin - there tends to be far less foot traffic going past your seat.
Get changed into PJs before takeoff: For the ultimate in comfort, nip into the bathrooms before the doors close - many passengers have a habit of changing as soon as the seatbelt signs go off, which means you'll wait a little longer.

Economy Class

Again, Qatar Airways' Economy service helped the airline win the award for Skytrax's Airline of the Year in 2019. We recommend letting the experience unfold and include a few helpful tips to make it a little bit better.

All flights are better with noise cancellation headphones: Forget the brand names, you can get a working set for around US$30 from Amazon. These will reduce the aircraft noise and let you hear (and enjoy) the in-flight entertainment infinitely better.
Visit the crew for a snack and drink: Qatar Airways is fairly generous with offering snacks and drinks throughout the flight, but if you visit the galley you can help yourself. You can ask for something you'd like (chocolate bar, fruit etc) and what drink (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). It also gives you a break from your seat.
Sign up for Privilege Club: The crew are encouraged to get enrollments for the Qatar Airways frequent flyer program. If you're not a member, sign up on board.

Arrival and Transit

Avoid paying for Qatar Airways’ own lounges in Doha

So you’ve made it in Doha and see under “manage my booking” that you pay to use a Qatar Airways lounge. We recommend taking a pass – the fees charged are excessive for what’s on offer. The lounge Qatar offers its lowest level frequent flyers costs US$70, the standard Business Class lounge (Al Mourjan) costs US$120. For a 2-3 hour transit, there are far better ways to spend the money. What’s more, both lounges are usually packed at peak times (5-9am) meaning squeezing in a shower may not happen.

Eligible for a free stopover? Bring the confirmation and get on your way as quickly as possible

Upon arriving in Doha, proceed directly to the Qatar Airways Transit desk which you'll see BEFORE you go through the main security check. Make sure you have all of your documents with you and make a note of our key things to know:

In most cases, you won't have access to your checked in luggage as it is in transit. Make sure to pack what you'll need for your transit (i.e. sunscreen, spare clothes) in your hand luggage.
You'll get free meals and transfers, but if you need anything else you'll need to pay in USD, QAR (local Qatari currency) and/or by credit card.
The hotels on offer are all over Doha. If you want to see something outside of your room, ask nicely if you can go to a hotel near the Souq.
Be sure to order a wakeup call and make your transfer back - Qatar Airways won't take responsibility if you sleep in and miss your flight.

Keep on to your boarding passes

Qatar Airways is reliable in crediting frequent flyer miles and tier points automatically, but don’t discard the boarding passes just in case. If you credit miles to a partner airline, you’ll need to keep them as proof.

Long stopover in Doha? Take a free tour

The tours leave 3 times a day and is a recommended escape from Hamad International aka Doha airport. You can sign up at the counter on the ground floor of the retail area (look for the kiosk near the giant yellow bear). The tours last around 3 hours and you’ll see the Museum of Islamic Art, the Doha waterfront (corniche), the Pearl development (luxury shopping and apartments) and Souq Waqif. It's kid friendly, free to do (they offer a complimentary bottle of water) and the tour guide managers the immigration process.

Long layover with no hotel? Check out the "quiet rooms"

If you need some peace of quiet, you'll be able to find a reclining seat in the free-to-use Doha airport quiet rooms. Be aware they are separated into male and female rooms, with no exceptions. The seats are not flat but provide enough comfort for a short rest.

Gold or Platinum Privilege Club Member - Book the Al Maha Transfer Service

A little used benefit of being a Qatar Airways frequent flyer is very useful for quick transits and speedy exits into Doha. Simply email their team 24 hours before your arrival into Doha and you'll have someone waiting at your aircraft with a sign showing your name. They'll speed you through immigration (if you're staying in Doha) or security (if you're connecting to another flight) and take you to your next flight if need be. It's free and recommended if you're on a tight schedule.

You will receive an email (like the example below) when your Al Maha service is confirmed.

Maximizing Loyalty Perks and Benefits

Regular flyer? Consider making Qatar Airways you preferred airline

Qatar Airways is a member of the oneworld alliance, meaning frequent flyer benefits transfer to airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Qantas, American Airlines, Japan Airlines and British Airways. By volume of destination and fleet sizes, oneworld is the largest alliance. If you fly from a city served by a few oneworld airlines, it’s worth considering picking Qatar Airways. Most cheap airfares on oneworld airlines are eligible for Qatar miles and status credits.

Flying as family? Consider the Qatar Airways Family Program

Few frequent flyer programs allow what Qatar Airways offers under the family program, and it's especially beneficial if you're a Gold or Platinum member. In summary, a Privilege Club member can nominate up to nine family members and earn 25%-100% of the miles a family member earns on their own flight, with the % depending on the main member's tier status.

Limitations
You won't earn bonus miles from online booking promotions, nor will the family member earn their own miles. But it works well if you're an elite member of Qatar Airways and family members (Spouse, Children and Parents of main member) are flying. It's worth considering if to avoid ending up with a small number of unusable Qmiles in children's accounts for example.

Obtain and Retain oneworld Sapphire with less flights

You’ll need 300 Qpoints to achieve Sapphire, and 235 Qpoints to renew it. A return business class fare from Europe to Australia or South East Asia will earn 150 and 110 Qpoints respectively. If you fly at least a few times for work, Qatar Airways offers a wide network. Further to this, many oneworld airlines earn as many (or more) Qpoints for business class tickets. So achieving Sapphire and retaining it can be done with two long haul flights and some cheap AA or BA regional flights. You’ll need to take four Qatar flights a year to renew your membership so if you can see yourself flying via Doha at least once a year, making Privilege Club your go-to program may make sense. You’ll also get an annual allowance of 40 “Qcredits” which can be used on upgrades (a oneway USA-Doha or Australia-Doha upgrade costs 35 Qcredit for example, where as Europe-Asia one way is 40 Qcredits and covers the two flights taken).

Don’t have enough miles for an award? Paying the rest can be very cost effective

Qatar sells 1,000 top up miles for US$30, and you can part pay an airfare (50% of the award ticket to be paid by Qmiles). This can be advantageous if you have a limited number of miles and want to fly somewhere and use them all up.

Take for example a flight from Doha to Sydney or Auckland. A business class one way award is 70,000 miles. If you have 40,000 miles, you can buy 30,000 miles for US$900. Given an airfare bought in cash would cost over US$3,000 this option may be of use.

It also works well for a redemption on a new destination (see point 5. below). You may not have enough miles even with 50% off a route, but Qatar Airways lets you purchase extra miles and the time of booking so there's no waiting around to get your ticket issued.

Redeem miles on new destination services to get 50% off Economy and Business Class

In 2017, Qatar Airways launched new flights in almost every corner of the world, and 2018 has so far proven no exception to its growth plans. With every launch, Qatar Airways will usually offer 50% off miles redemptions for Economy and Business Class. Couple this deal with a connecting flight and you can save a lot on a flight, and it’s a great way to use up spare miles. You'll see offers like the one listed below on emails from Qatar Airways and on the Privilege Club website.

Book award flights in First Class and pay Business Class miles

If you're wanting an award via Doha, most Middle Eastern destinations don't offer Business Class. However, Qatar Airways lets you fly First Class for the price of Business Class mileage. This is illustrated below for a flight from Singapore to Beirut.

Standard Economy = 30875 miles, Business + First Class = 61750 miles

Upgrade with miles and/or use QCredits up to 12 months in advance with one simple trick

Upgrading with miles or Qcredits can be tricky, but with one simple hack you'll never be disappointed again. You'll need to check award availability before you book a paid ticket and be flexible if you want certainty. The process is as followed:

Log into Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Search for the route and date you are thinking about upgrading, ensure to select "Business" or "First" for the cabin.
The route will show up as either available, not available or available as a "Flexi award". If the route shows available (with no Q2 icon) then there is an award seat available, which you can redeem with your miles or Qcredits.
If the route shows "Q2" (as indicated in the second example below) then there is no possibility of an upgrade right now, but things may change closer to the flight.
You can pick other dates if your preferred date is showing "Q2".
Once you have settled on a date, you'll need to book an airfare in a suitable Economy fare class (booking classes "O", "T", and "W" won't be eligible, so book at least K, L, M, N, Q, S, or V). You'll pay more for the ticket overall but be able to upgrade as a result.
Call Qatar Airways immediately upon booking (or call them as you book to double check they can see what you see and can upgrade you to the cabin) and ask them to upgrade you.
Upgrades are usually processed within one day - once you're off the phone wait for an email to show the upgraded journey. The agent will assure you the upgrade is confirmed at the end of your call.
Don't submit it by email, award spaces/upgrade seats go fast - over the phone is the only way.
If you are not flexible with dates, the next best option is to check 3 days before a flight when Qatar Airways tends to open up more award seats. Failing that, you can ask at the airport and complete a form with the agent if an upgrade is available.

Qcredits and Qmiles upgrade redemption permitted - cabin does not show "Q2" so seat available for upgrade

Qcredits and Qmiles upgrade redemption not permitted - cabin shows as "Q2"

Want a free upgrade? Know the pecking order for frequent flyers

On certain flights, Qatar Airways will overbook the Economy cabin. When this happens, Qatar Airways upgrades in (loosely) the following order:

Qatar Airways Platinum Privilege Club members
Qatar Airways Gold Privilege Club members
Qatar Airways Silver Privilege Club members
oneworld Emerald members
oneworld Sapphire members
oneworld Ruby members

Routes with the highest chance of an operational upgrade

We've included a list where any passenger has a higher chance than normal for a free at-the-gate upgrade. They tend to be routes with a low demand for business travel, but not always. Flying Doha to Europe after Easter? There's a higher chance you'll be upgraded. Year-round common routes include:

Doha - Kochi - Doha
Doha - Maldives - Doha
Doha - Mahe (Seychelles) - Doha
Doha - Peshawar - Doha
Doha - Dhaka - Doha
Doha - New York - Doha
Doha - Manila - Doha
Doha - Istanbul - Dohs

Know something we don't?

Have a tip that we haven't covered? Email us and let us know!