Qatar Airways Privilege Club - Routing help seeked: USA-Doha-Tel Aviv

Hi Qatar Flyers!

I have United miles and I would like to use them to book a trip on Qatar Business before the agreement ends Sept 15.

I plan to go to Tel Aviv next July 2013.

My plan would be to fly Houston, USA -> Doha. Spend a night. Then fly from Doha to Tel Aviv on another Star Alliance partner.

I have been told I may have a hard time at Israel immigration flying from Doha, and there are no direct routes anyway.

So I was thinking Doha-Istambul on Qatar. And then maybe stay a day in Instanbul. Then Istambul to Tel Aviv on Turkish Airways.

Can anyone suggest a better routing?

Or I could fly to USA-> London on United, then London-> in First on Qatar. Then another connection.

Or if the Isreali immigration thing is an issue - I could fly United to Tel Avivm then go through Doha / Qatar on way back?

Any advice appreciated!!!

Yeah, TK trough IST or RJ though AMM (not Star Alliance of course) are the two closest routings. With QR awards, you're paying by the segment (i.e., it's not as if they have JFK-IST [transiting in DOH] for fewer miles), so, you'll have to go through DOH both ways anyway.

I haven't been to Israel, but I doubt that they would care if you had passed through DOH. Nor would Qatar care if you have an Israel stamp in your passport, according to most reports on FlyerTalk.

As an alternative to your suggestion via LHR, you could do a mini-RTW, with something like one Star Alliance award to IST or AMM, a side trip to TLV and back, then a QR award from there to DOH to NRT/PVG/SYD/BKK/etc., then another Star Alliance award from there back home. One benefit on QR would be to redeem a C award on the two-class B777, which is an excellent product at C prices -- I think that they use this on most Asian routes.

Stamps wouldn't be much of a big deal as Qatar & Israel have better relations than you'd think. Traveling via AMM is the best option is possible

Stamps wouldn't be much of a big deal as Qatar & Israel have better relations than you'd think. Traveling via AMM is the best option is possible

Thank you both for your info and suggestions!

I just read the 787 will be flying LHR-DOH later this year - So I could try and get on the new business class on that!

These markets are crying out for some direct service; a PrivatAir type service would be appropriate. Just in the gem trade alone.

+1.

Anyone who's been to the Royal Jordanian lounge in AMM on A Sunday has seen exactly why.

Would never happen due to the politics though.

These markets are crying out for some direct service; a PrivatAir type service would be appropriate. Just in the gem trade alone.

What? Between DOH and TLV? No way for a Gulf State to have friendly ties to Israel yet. Better chance forUS-Cuba flights to resume than this!

What? Between DOH and TLV? No way for a Gulf State to have friendly ties to Israel yet. Better chance forUS-Cuba flights to resume than this!
You'd be surprised how close the ties are between Qatar and Israel. Lots of trade though most of it happens through back channels

Yeah, TK trough IST or RJ though AMM (not Star Alliance of course) are the two closest routings. With QR awards, you're paying by the segment (i.e., it's not as if they have JFK-IST [transiting in DOH] for fewer miles), so, you'll have to go through DOH both ways anyway.



OP was going to use United miles so Qatar Airways spending chart doesn't apply here.

The main question is, whether backtracking DOH-IST-TLV is allowed using United Mileage Plus. Maybe US-DOH-AMM and then separate paid AMM-BEY RT on RJ as others have suggested.

Few years ago I was ticketing RTW that had both TLV and BEY. This was a no no from a ticketing point of view. They didn't budge even after I said that I have two passports exactly for this purpose.

Few years ago I was ticketing RTW that had both TLV and BEY. This was a no no from a ticketing point of view. They didn't budge even after I said that I have two passports exactly for this purpose.

Really? You're saying that you can't include TLV and BEY on one RTW ticket? I find that hard to believe; one doesn't need two passports to visit both of these countries. So can one also not include DAM, RUH, JED, SAH, KRT, maybe others if TLV is included? This seems capricious. I wonder if this rule is written down in the RTW T&C or where else it came from.

OP was going to use United miles so Qatar Airways spending chart doesn't apply here.

Good point, sorry. So I guess the question is about the routing rules, whether one can "backtrack" and go U.S.-DOH-IST-TLV. Maybe the easiest would be an open jaw IAH-DOH, returning TLV-IST-(XXX)-IAH. Of course then you'd have to take either RJ or another two flights to get from DOH to TLV. Or drive from Amman.

Really? You're saying that you can't include TLV and BEY on one RTW ticket? I find that hard to believe; one doesn't need two passports to visit both of these countries. So can one also not include DAM, RUH, JED, SAH, KRT, maybe others if TLV is included? This seems capricious. I wonder if this rule is written down in the RTW T&C or where else it came from.



Good point, sorry. So I guess the question is about the routing rules, whether one can "backtrack" and go U.S.-DOH-IST-TLV. Maybe the easiest would be an open jaw IAH-DOH, returning TLV-IST-(XXX)-IAH. Of course then you'd have to take either RJ or another two flights to get from DOH to TLV. Or drive from Amman.
Yes, One can do TLV-IST-DOH using UA miles. I've seen TLV-IST-BEY-DOH as well.

Even come up as an option when searching the route online.