Nov 19, 2013, 3:20 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
Covid-19 Update:
For further information on AA awards see:
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Help, Assistance & Discussion
and
AA oneworld and Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (2015 on)
N.B. Upgrades on QR book into fares not granted EQD/EQM by AA. If you're upgraded on QR, be prepared for pushback from some AA agents. You may have to submit a formal request with accompanying documentation reflecting you purchased an eligible fare class.
NOTE:AA has removed most EY and QR award access from aa.com due to a glitch booking these:
If you experience difficulties with the AA reservations system, you may be able to book by calling AA Australia (+61 2-9101-1948 ) then press 4 - or the New Zealand number (+64 09-308-4014) as an alternative - although the call center is actually in Suva, Fiji (South African agency Mindpearl) - as they can often see the inventory more reliably, and you can book.
NOTE: USA Canada travel on QR will earn EQ miles etc. in accordance with the fare class purchased.
Links:
Link to AA.com Qatar miles earning etc.
AA miles earning on QR changed 1 May 2016 (Link):
Minimum miles guarantee applies.
Checking QR award availability:
You can check QR availability on AA's site, BA's site, QF's site, www.awardnexus.com (which pulls from BA and/or QF), or the KVS tool. (A certain number of searches are free to FlyerTalk members at AwardNexus; click the "more signup options" link under the green Purchase button to sign up as a FlyerTalk member.)
When checking QR award availability, you have to check each segment individually. Both BA and QF can generate very misleading information if you try to check QR award availability all the way through [xxx-(DOH)-yyy] in one step. Be aware AA can only book 330 days out, even if you see availability farther out.
Awards on QR may not be visible to AA agents if a multi-segment itinerary is requested; broken into individual segments will generally reveal availability, however.
As well, AA Australia or New Zealand (actually MindPearl in Fiji) can often see and book AA awards on QR US-based ones might not be able to.
From danger: For AA awards, Economy is X, Business is U, First is Z. NOTE: Those with Z (First) awards may see "Z (Business Class)" shown on the QR website; this is a known glitch.
As well, QR sells intra gulf two class service as First and Economy, as AA does domestically. This can cause some issues with a Business flight including a Gulf "First" flight potentially incurring an F award redemption.
From hotelmotel: "Got my QR PNR from AA. Popped over to QR and selected seats." (AAdvantage award.)
Days of the week: To/from the USA, especially in business class, Qatar often only offers awards seats for Mon..Thu departures, not Fri..Sun departures. So makes sure you check different parts of the week, and not just always weekends (if you're not finding anything on weekends).
NOTE: At DOH / Hamad International Airport, lounges as follows:
Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Lounge (not a oneworld lounge): only accessible to those flying First Class on Qatar or oneworld airlines and QRPC Platniums flying in ticketed Business (not oneworld Emeralds flying other lower classes of service)
Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge (not a oneworld lounge): only accessible to those flying Business Class on Qatar or oneworld (not oneworld Sapphire flying lower classes of service)
Oryx Lounge: Third party lounge.
Qatar Airways HIA First Class Lounge (oneworld lounge): First Class ticketed customers, Emerald members, as well as their accompanying guests, travelling on Qatar Airways and other oneworld member flights.
Qatar Airways HIA Business Class Lounge (oneworld lounge): First and Business Class ticketed customers, Emerald and Sapphire members, as well as their accompanying guests, travelling on Qatar Airways and other oneworld member flights.
Arrivals Lounges (not oneworld lounges): only accessible to those arriving in First or Business Class on Qatar Airways (not oneworld Sapphire flying other oneworld airlines or other classes of service)
See FT: QR Lounges at HIA
Selecting Qatar Airways Seats
If you want to assign a seat after booking an award, you should first try the Qatar website or app. If you experience issues, please try a partner site like Royal Jordanian, Malaysia Airlines, or Sri-Lankan. You can also reach out to the QR Twitter team to fix your record in order to be able to select seats on their own site.
- Sapphire+ status pax are temporarily allowed to use the Al Mourjan Business Lounge
- Only tickets issued on QR 157 stock are eligible for the Extending Our Commitment (EOC) rebooking policy
For further information on AA awards see:
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Help, Assistance & Discussion
and
AA oneworld and Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (2015 on)
N.B. Upgrades on QR book into fares not granted EQD/EQM by AA. If you're upgraded on QR, be prepared for pushback from some AA agents. You may have to submit a formal request with accompanying documentation reflecting you purchased an eligible fare class.
NOTE:AA has removed most EY and QR award access from aa.com due to a glitch booking these:
From One Mile at a Time (link)
Bottom Line
For the time being you’ll have to call American if you want to ticket AAdvantage awards on Etihad & Qatar that aren’t for travel to & from the US or Canada. It makes sense that American took these awards “offline,” and now it also makes sense why so many passengers have been having issues with checked bags on awards.
Bottom Line
For the time being you’ll have to call American if you want to ticket AAdvantage awards on Etihad & Qatar that aren’t for travel to & from the US or Canada. It makes sense that American took these awards “offline,” and now it also makes sense why so many passengers have been having issues with checked bags on awards.
NOTE: USA Canada travel on QR will earn EQ miles etc. in accordance with the fare class purchased.
Links:
Link to AA.com Qatar miles earning etc.
AA miles earning on QR changed 1 May 2016 (Link):
Minimum miles guarantee applies.
Checking QR award availability:
You can check QR availability on AA's site, BA's site, QF's site, www.awardnexus.com (which pulls from BA and/or QF), or the KVS tool. (A certain number of searches are free to FlyerTalk members at AwardNexus; click the "more signup options" link under the green Purchase button to sign up as a FlyerTalk member.)
When checking QR award availability, you have to check each segment individually. Both BA and QF can generate very misleading information if you try to check QR award availability all the way through [xxx-(DOH)-yyy] in one step. Be aware AA can only book 330 days out, even if you see availability farther out.
Awards on QR may not be visible to AA agents if a multi-segment itinerary is requested; broken into individual segments will generally reveal availability, however.
As well, AA Australia or New Zealand (actually MindPearl in Fiji) can often see and book AA awards on QR US-based ones might not be able to.
From danger: For AA awards, Economy is X, Business is U, First is Z. NOTE: Those with Z (First) awards may see "Z (Business Class)" shown on the QR website; this is a known glitch.
As well, QR sells intra gulf two class service as First and Economy, as AA does domestically. This can cause some issues with a Business flight including a Gulf "First" flight potentially incurring an F award redemption.
From hotelmotel: "Got my QR PNR from AA. Popped over to QR and selected seats." (AAdvantage award.)
Days of the week: To/from the USA, especially in business class, Qatar often only offers awards seats for Mon..Thu departures, not Fri..Sun departures. So makes sure you check different parts of the week, and not just always weekends (if you're not finding anything on weekends).
NOTE: At DOH / Hamad International Airport, lounges as follows:
Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Lounge (not a oneworld lounge): only accessible to those flying First Class on Qatar or oneworld airlines and QRPC Platniums flying in ticketed Business (not oneworld Emeralds flying other lower classes of service)
Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge (not a oneworld lounge): only accessible to those flying Business Class on Qatar or oneworld (not oneworld Sapphire flying lower classes of service)
Oryx Lounge: Third party lounge.
Qatar Airways HIA First Class Lounge (oneworld lounge): First Class ticketed customers, Emerald members, as well as their accompanying guests, travelling on Qatar Airways and other oneworld member flights.
Qatar Airways HIA Business Class Lounge (oneworld lounge): First and Business Class ticketed customers, Emerald and Sapphire members, as well as their accompanying guests, travelling on Qatar Airways and other oneworld member flights.
Arrivals Lounges (not oneworld lounges): only accessible to those arriving in First or Business Class on Qatar Airways (not oneworld Sapphire flying other oneworld airlines or other classes of service)
See FT: QR Lounges at HIA
Selecting Qatar Airways Seats
If you want to assign a seat after booking an award, you should first try the Qatar website or app. If you experience issues, please try a partner site like Royal Jordanian, Malaysia Airlines, or Sri-Lankan. You can also reach out to the QR Twitter team to fix your record in order to be able to select seats on their own site.
Qatar Airways / QR: Redeem AA Miles for Award (master thd)
Jul 21, 2022, 9:44 pm
#2566
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: Marriott LT Plat; WoH Exp; AS Gold; AA Plat
Posts: 369
I have a couple AA award reservations with QR this fall and I simply check them on the QR website. I wrote down all the ticket numbers and make sure they haven't changed, or note the new ones if they have. I assume if it's showing OK on the QR site using their record locator, then all is well. Our reservations have gone through some schedule changes but I'm not sure all of them resulted in a new ticket number. One odd thing that happened early on is that QR split one of our 2 person reservations into separate ones for my wife and I, but I was able to track down the new locator codes and simply monitor two reservations instead of one for that particular award. The other reservation remains a two person reservation.
Jul 24, 2022, 8:45 pm
#2567
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: PHL/LAX/MAD (for now)
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, AmEx Membership Rewards
Posts: 872
So now I'm trying to go East Cost to DFW to DOH to CAI booked through AA. I can find CITY-DFW-DOH no issue with favorable starting points and favorable connection times. The issue arises when I try to add that DOH-CAI segment. Is there a way to call and book LGA-DFW-DOH-CAI all on one ticket for 70k miles, even if that option is available on the site?
Jul 24, 2022, 9:06 pm
#2568
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
So now I'm trying to go East Cost to DFW to DOH to CAI booked through AA. I can find CITY-DFW-DOH no issue with favorable starting points and favorable connection times. The issue arises when I try to add that DOH-CAI segment. Is there a way to call and book LGA-DFW-DOH-CAI all on one ticket for 70k miles, even if that option is available on the site?
Jul 24, 2022, 10:44 pm
#2569
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,584
So now I'm trying to go East Cost to DFW to DOH to CAI booked through AA. I can find CITY-DFW-DOH no issue with favorable starting points and favorable connection times. The issue arises when I try to add that DOH-CAI segment. Is there a way to call and book LGA-DFW-DOH-CAI all on one ticket for 70k miles, even if that option is available on the site?
The award-booking engine will undoubtedly price the itinerary as two separate awards. Note the record locator when you put the itinerary on hold. Then call AA, provide the record locator, and ask the agent if (s)he can reprice the itinerary as a single award.
Jul 25, 2022, 6:57 am
#2570
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: New England
Programs: UA 1P, Hyatt Diamond, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,502
So now I'm trying to go East Cost to DFW to DOH to CAI booked through AA. I can find CITY-DFW-DOH no issue with favorable starting points and favorable connection times. The issue arises when I try to add that DOH-CAI segment. Is there a way to call and book LGA-DFW-DOH-CAI all on one ticket for 70k miles, even if that option is available on the site?
Jul 25, 2022, 12:18 pm
#2571
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 313
This is a separate question from the one above, but how does one go about finding MPMs without an ExpertFlyer subscription? I'm looking to potentially add a domestic segment to an AAdvantage QR award flight, but before I call I wanted to check if it's even allowed. Yes, I know about married segments and all of that so it may not work even if it comes in under MPM, but I'd still like to check that before I even try, if possible.
Jul 25, 2022, 12:35 pm
#2572
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,478
This is a separate question from the one above, but how does one go about finding MPMs without an ExpertFlyer subscription? I'm looking to potentially add a domestic segment to an AAdvantage QR award flight, but before I call I wanted to check if it's even allowed. Yes, I know about married segments and all of that so it may not work even if it comes in under MPM, but I'd still like to check that before I even try, if possible.
Also, you're going about this wrong, if you want to add a segment then call AA and just try to add it first, look up routing rules later to troubleshoot if they can't add it.
There have been tons of examples of routings that have been allowed on single awards that don't necessarily conform to published fare rules.
Jul 25, 2022, 2:05 pm
#2573
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
the routing rules of the governing carrier normally apply. QR doesn't use mileage on any fares that I have seen but has defined permitted routes
Jul 25, 2022, 2:06 pm
#2574
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 313
Jul 25, 2022, 6:22 pm
#2575
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,760
So now I'm trying to go East Cost to DFW to DOH to CAI booked through AA. I can find CITY-DFW-DOH no issue with favorable starting points and favorable connection times. The issue arises when I try to add that DOH-CAI segment. Is there a way to call and book LGA-DFW-DOH-CAI all on one ticket for 70k miles, even if that option is available on the site?
Note - AA awards now can be canceled without redeposit fee.
I know the Multi-City approach would also work but after using that approach and the call to add a domestic segment approach, I have found calling to add the domestic segment is MUCH EASIER.
This was what I did a few months ago. I put IAD-DOH-AMM on hold. Then called to add MIA-IAD a day earlier to the reservation. Agent only commented that you knew there was a change of airport so you had to make your way from DCA to IAD the next day. The award was priced correctly. Just a day after ticketing, MIA-DOH had availability departing 2 days later. I put the reservation MIA-DOH-AMM on hold. Went to cancel the ticketed one. Then 2 days after that ticketed the new reservation.
Hope the above would help you on how to go about it.
Last edited by Happy; Jul 25, 2022 at 6:31 pm
Jul 25, 2022, 6:37 pm
#2576
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,760
It was reported in BA forum and blog sites IIRC
Both QR and IB see more availability of their own metals than BA from what I read. Therefore transfer Avios from BA to the native program that you want the flight is still necessary. Also reported in BA forum when there are glitches in online transfer, going thru Avios.com with phone agent work wonders.
Jul 28, 2022, 4:07 am
#2577
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,756
Both QR and IB see more availability of their own metals than BA from what I read. Therefore transfer Avios from BA to the native program that you want the flight is still necessary. Also reported in BA forum when there are glitches in online transfer, going thru Avios.com with phone agent work wonders.
Jul 28, 2022, 8:07 am
#2578
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Minnesota
Programs: AA EXP; United 1K, Delta, IHG Plat Amb, PE, Marriott/Hilton Gold
Posts: 749
we do this all the time. Quite often our home airport to DOH US departure airport isn't available when we book. I watch for availability and add it later. Never an issue. We've done this to HKT, CAI, JRO. Our most recent booking to NBO had availability when we booked - MSP>DFW>DOH>NBO.
If availability never comes up, I just do the separate positioning flight in the US with miles or book when I see a good sale price. With enough connection time, that hasn't been an issue. The records are linked by an agent but not sure that would make much difference if there was a major schedule snafu.
I will add - that generally the AA agents at checkin have been willing to check our bags through as well. Coming home, this doesnt bother me since we have to get our bags and can recheck just outside immigration but on the outbound it has been welcome
If availability never comes up, I just do the separate positioning flight in the US with miles or book when I see a good sale price. With enough connection time, that hasn't been an issue. The records are linked by an agent but not sure that would make much difference if there was a major schedule snafu.
I will add - that generally the AA agents at checkin have been willing to check our bags through as well. Coming home, this doesnt bother me since we have to get our bags and can recheck just outside immigration but on the outbound it has been welcome
Aug 4, 2022, 2:03 am
#2579
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 222
I have an award ticket IAD-DOH currently on Hold. Is it possible to call and have ZNZ added though and still post correctly at 75K? With IAD-DOH-ZNZ being a different region (75K) than IAD-DOH-MLE (70K). Or do I need to cancel the IAD-DOH segment and start over from scratch? (Hoping the award is put back out?)
Also wanted to check if it's possible to put DOH→CPT on hold and have the agent later add it to the LAX→DOH segment? It sounds like people just call in straight away, so I imagine there's a reason this won't work. With the frequent long hold times lately, wanted to try this just in case the space disappears while waiting for an agent.
Aug 4, 2022, 4:32 pm
#2580
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,347
Checking that this order of operations from Happy is still the best practices for a similar itinerary (LAX→DOH→CPT)?
Also wanted to check if it's possible to put DOH→CPT on hold and have the agent later add it to the LAX→DOH segment? It sounds like people just call in straight away, so I imagine there's a reason this won't work. With the frequent long hold times lately, wanted to try this just in case the space disappears while waiting for an agent.
Also wanted to check if it's possible to put DOH→CPT on hold and have the agent later add it to the LAX→DOH segment? It sounds like people just call in straight away, so I imagine there's a reason this won't work. With the frequent long hold times lately, wanted to try this just in case the space disappears while waiting for an agent.