Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club: What Are The Hidden Perks?

Privilege Club is the loyalty program of Qatar Airways. It allows frequent travelers to earn and redeem Avios on flights with Qatar Airways and many other partner airlines. Privilege Club joins several other loyalty programs in using Avios, but has some major differences in Avios use and elite status.

This guide looks at some of the perks and highlights of the Privilege Club program, arranged around the key areas of earning points, spending points, and holding elite status.

Earning Avios with Privilege Club

Earning is still distance-based. Avios are earned on all Qatar Airways and partner airline flights based on the flight distance and booking class of the ticket. Many other loyalty programs (including Avios-based British Airways and Iberia) have changed to a revenue-based earning system. These systems are generally considered less lucrative except for the higher premium cabin spenders.

Earn more from premium cabins. With a traditional distance and fare class earning program such as Privilege Club, you can get much higher earnings from premium cabins. These cabins mostly earn 100% or more, whereas discount economy booking classes can be down to 25%. When premium economy (with partner airlines) or business class tickets are purchased at a good rate or sale price, earnings can be much higher. This is worth considering when comparing the value over economy class fares.

Photo: British Airways.

You can choose to earn in any Avios program. Flights with Qatar Airways or any other oneworld airline can be credited to any oneworld loyalty program. It is worth checking the earning rates as some programs could be more lucrative than others. This is especially the case for programs that earn based on ticket price (such as British Airways and Iberia). Of course, if you aim to earn elite status with any one program, this should also be considered.

Related

British Airways Executive Club Frequent Flyer Program: The Simple Flying Guide

The Executive Club is a well-known name in the points and miles industry thanks to its currency, Avios.

With the distance-based earning of Privilege Club and the ability to transfer Avios 1:1 to other programs, crediting Privilege Club is an attractive alternative for British Airways and Iberia users. These programs will award Avios based on the ticket price, so low-priced tickets could earn more with Privilege Club (especially for discount premium cabin tickets).

Spending Avios with Privilege Club

Remember that Avios is a currency shared by several loyalty programs. This opens up all Avios programs as an option for spending. Once Avios are earned in Privilege Club, they can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio into the other programs and spent there. This opens up the different spending methods and means you can take advantage of any sweet spots there.

Photo: rafapress | Shutterstock

For example, British Airways Executive Club offers particularly good rates on short flights (with British Airways or any oneworld airline). There are also attractive Reward Flight Saver options on European British Airways flights with reduced taxes (only for active Executive Club members).

Read more about the sweet spots and good value in British Airways Executive Club

Use Avios for premium cabins. In general, you will get more value out of awards in premium cabins. Especially when taxes and other charges are taken into account, the rates in economy class can be poor. Qatar Airways Qsuite is one of the best business class products around, and redeeming for this is an excellent choice. Many oneworld partner airlines have aspirational premium products as well. Business or first class with Cathay Pacific is exceptional, and the new QSuite product from British Airways is a great improvement on the previous Club World cabin.

Photo: Qatar Airways

Elite status with Privilege Club

Status is shared across the oneworld alliance. As Qatar Airways is a member of the oneworld alliance, many benefits are also offered when flying with other member airlines. This includes valuable benefits such as lounge access and additional luggage allowance.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Privilege Club offers good access to higher level status. The highest level of Platinum required twice as many Qpoints as Gold (600 compared to 300). This is a lower increment than most other oneworld programs, making top-level oneworld Emerald slightly easier to attain for the more frequent traveler. British Airways Executive Club, for example, requires 1,500 Tier Points for the higher Gold level, up from 600 for mid-level Silver status.

Privilege Club offers lower rates to maintain elite status. Unusually among loyalty programs, Privilege Club has a 10% lower Qpoint threshold to maintain status for those who have already earned it. This is worth considering for long-term oneworld status.

Photo: rafapress | Shutterstock

Gold and Platinum level award discount. Privilege Club members with Gold or Platinum level elite status receive a 5% discount on award tickets with Qatar Airways. This may seem trivial, but it is a decent and quantifiable saving for elite members of the program. Such discounts are not common with other oneworld loyalty programs. Gold or Platinum members can also change or cancel award reservations for free up to three hours before departure (this saves up to $100 per ticket).

Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Simple Flying

Upgrades on Qatar Airways for Gold and Platinum levels. Qcredits are awarded for Gold and Platinum members, with Gold members receiving 40 per year and Platinum members receiving 60. These Qcredits can be used for cabin upgrades, additional baggage, lounge access, or to cover change fees. Upgrades are particularly good value. The rates can vary (and need to be checked for each flight), but the longest Europe to Australia routes should cost around 55 Qcredits to upgrade from economy to business class.

Do you regularly use Qatar Airways Privilege Club? What do you think are the best features and areas of good value in the program? Feel free to discuss further in the comments section below.