Qatar Airways Dumps Qmiles for IAG Avios
Joe Cortez February 22, 2022
In a press release, the Middle East carrier announced they would dump their own Qmiles currency for the combined points program of International Airlines Group’s Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Vueling: Avios.
Qatar Airways Moves to Avios in March, Transferring Points on a 1:1 Basis
Under the plan announced by Qatar Airways, the transition will take place no later than the end of March 2022. All Qmiles will transfer to Avios at a direct 1:1 basis: if a flyer has 50,000 Qmiles, they will get 50,000 Avios in exchange.
However, aligning frequent flyer currencies between the two airlines is just the start for the Oneworld alliance partners. Both IAG Loyalty – the parent company of Avios – and Qatar Airways say they are working on adding new customer benefits in the new partnership, along with additional ways to earn Avios in the future. To ensure travelers keep their elite status through the transition, those at all tiers – Silver, Gold and Platinum – will get an extension through the end of 2022.
“The transition from Qmiles to Avios marks a ground-breaking new era for Privilege Club, enabling our loyal members to participate in the most compelling loyalty network and the largest portfolio of partners in the industry,” airline chief executive Akbar Al-Baker said in a statement. “We look forward to revealing more details of this exciting change over the coming weeks, as we explore even more ways to reward our valued members both on and off the ground.”
Although both companies anticipate the move will unlock more ways to use points and create seamless travel experiences, Qatar Airways has not announced if or how their awards will be affected by the transition. Frequent flyers can currently earn Avios through flying with the four IAG carriers and other Oneworld partners, through transferring American Express Membership Rewards points and Chase Ultimate Rewards points, or through spending at one of over 200 partners.
Loyalty Shift Latest Change Among Oneworld Carriers
Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club moving to Avios is the latest loyalty change among Oneworld carriers to take effect this year. In 2021, American Airlines announced they would shift how flyers earn elite status by changing from miles to the number of “Loyalty Points” collected in one year.
That should put some breaks on AA and AS devaluations, since their flights can be purchased as Avios awards.