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)
Sep 26, 2019, 9:04 am
#991
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 64
I see this mentioned previously but I had seen even further back in this thread some success in booking QR USA-DOH (in my case NYC to DOH) in J right at the 331ish/330ish days out (even though it errors out in AA website...)...With EY it also errors out but i can call AA AUS or AA SIN to book manually over the phone (they usually see it and I can book) but with QR they claim only economy so it is actual phantom space (as per above in this thread) BUT has anyone had success...i feel like it might be hit or miss...is it worth it to call say twice a day for a bit to try and snag them? thanks!
The QR flights you see 330 days out do not have inventory. Basically what happened is that QR had loaded availability for those days at one point in time but they have since removed that inventory. The AA site takes a day to register that it was removed so that is why you see the space for a day. You can view QR space that actually exists on the BA site out to 360 days. If you see availability on the BA site for days 330+, it will load into the AA site on day 330.
Don’t rely on QR for premium award travel. They have made it a habit to load multiple seats/route/day of premium inventory only to remove all of the inventory unannounced. They blacked out Nov 2019-Feb 2020 unannounced last December. They also blacked out summer 2020 a couple months ago. If you find availability, surely book it, but I wouldn’t wait for them to open space anymore when you can use EY for almost identical routings and their award inventory is predictable.
Oct 4, 2019, 11:11 pm
#992
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 790
I had a great run in 2018 and early 2019 with several redemptions of AA miles to get from Bangkok to the US. To get from Amman to the US. And to get from the US to Jakarta. It was expensive to go via the Middle East vs. the Pacific, but I didn't mind because I really enjoy QR in Business.
Has anyone been having luck lately on long-haul business class redemptions using QR? Seems pretty damn tight.
Has anyone been having luck lately on long-haul business class redemptions using QR? Seems pretty damn tight.
Oct 4, 2019, 11:37 pm
#993
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Orange County, CA, USA
Programs: AA (Life Plat), Marriott (Life Titanium) and every other US program
Posts: 6,411
I had a great run in 2018 and early 2019 with several redemptions of AA miles to get from Bangkok to the US. To get from Amman to the US. And to get from the US to Jakarta. It was expensive to go via the Middle East vs. the Pacific, but I didn't mind because I really enjoy QR in Business.
Has anyone been having luck lately on long-haul business class redemptions using QR? Seems pretty damn tight.
Has anyone been having luck lately on long-haul business class redemptions using QR? Seems pretty damn tight.
Oct 5, 2019, 12:24 am
#994
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 790
Anyways, there are endless combinations of cities and dates and I do not have time check everything, but just wanted to share as some of my North American routes definitely seem affected. Tiny bit of availability on PHL-DOH next week in Business I see.
Good luck everyone. I am using Cathay and Japan a little bit more these days. We'll see if that dries up as everyone seems to be predicting with their addition to the AA.com search engine.
Oct 5, 2019, 6:07 am
#995
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 139
I had a great run in 2018 and early 2019 with several redemptions of AA miles to get from Bangkok to the US. To get from Amman to the US. And to get from the US to Jakarta. It was expensive to go via the Middle East vs. the Pacific, but I didn't mind because I really enjoy QR in Business.
Has anyone been having luck lately on long-haul business class redemptions using QR? Seems pretty damn tight.
Has anyone been having luck lately on long-haul business class redemptions using QR? Seems pretty damn tight.
Oct 5, 2019, 10:18 am
#996
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,273
Don’t rely on QR for premium award travel. They have made it a habit to load multiple seats/route/day of premium inventory only to remove all of the inventory unannounced. They blacked out Nov 2019-Feb 2020 unannounced last December. They also blacked out summer 2020 a couple months ago. If you find availability, surely book it, but I wouldn’t wait for them to open space anymore when you can use EY for almost identical routings and their award inventory is predictable.
Oct 16, 2019, 5:59 pm
#999
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: DCA/IAD & BUF
Posts: 1,400
There was some scattered SIN-DOH availability during July this morning, if that helps. I wasn't looking at August though.
Oct 18, 2019, 11:19 am
#1000
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: DCA/IAD & BUF
Posts: 1,400
AA Award Qatar - 351 QSuites vs 388 First Cabin
Looking for recommendations on these two options:
SYD-DOH, 15.5 hour flight, 8 hour overnight layover at DOH, 80K points, Business Class Qsuites, A351, Or,
PER-DOH, 11.5 hour flight, overnight flight, 2 hour layover at DOH, 100K points, First Class, A388
I'll have to position to PER from SYD or someplace else in Australia or New Zealand. But I'll be in Australia/NZ for 3-4 weeks, so figuring in a few days in Perth to the itinerary, to position flying out from, is not a big deal. I don't mind the additional $20K on the leg from PER if the First class Hard Product is substantially better in the 388 F cabin, than QSuites business class.
My main concern if one hard product will be significantly better for me for comfort and sleeping, or if there's really no difference. I just flew out and back DFW-HNL on AA's lie-flats. They were not that comfortable to me. I'm a side-sleeper and it was hard for me to get comfortable enough to sleep much in the lie-flat. I could barely move while in the lie-flat position without contortionist extortions; the seat felt completely wedged in. Not sure how much difference the intrusive tray table made. Sitting and reclining for short periods was OK, but even that was surprisingly painful and uncomfortable after a few hours. Especially in the recline position, that wasn't really a recline. More like a "slouch and slide". (The way most F seats seem to be these days.) One of these was only a 6 hour flight with a tailwind and it was still surprisingly uncomfortable. Three years ago I did United's lie flat version HNL-IAD and it seemed a little better, even with the angle and restricted leg well. But hard to say.
I've kind of been dreading the much longer flights on this extended Feb-Mar trip ever since returning last week from HNL. What I think would be better for me is a Cabin where the lie flat is little easier and more roomy when side sleeping. I can sleep fine in recline also, but the problem with the DFW-HNL seats is that the recline and the leg elevation weren't independent and there was always a leg angle unless completely in a lie flat position. Basically I need something, if wishing made it so, between the recline and the lie-flat position for my back and knees and legs to be comfortable for a long time. But the seats (at least those) don't go there. The best way to explain what would be most comfortable to me for a 11-16 hour flight, is a hard product that will let me recline more like sitting on a couch with legs out the long way, with some pillows behind your back for incline.
The only other option I've found is Ethiad F class 388. The hard product seems maybe better, but that presents some additional logistics issues on my end with the connecting flight ending up in NBO instead of JRO. So would rather not go there yet.
I know. First world problem. And I am blessed to be able to make these trips and have it. So not complaining. Just looking for recommendations / impressions from folks who have flown QSuites or F Qatar on the 351 and 388 respectively. Both flights are on hold; I have to decide today or early tomorrow. Thanks!!!!
SYD-DOH, 15.5 hour flight, 8 hour overnight layover at DOH, 80K points, Business Class Qsuites, A351, Or,
PER-DOH, 11.5 hour flight, overnight flight, 2 hour layover at DOH, 100K points, First Class, A388
I'll have to position to PER from SYD or someplace else in Australia or New Zealand. But I'll be in Australia/NZ for 3-4 weeks, so figuring in a few days in Perth to the itinerary, to position flying out from, is not a big deal. I don't mind the additional $20K on the leg from PER if the First class Hard Product is substantially better in the 388 F cabin, than QSuites business class.
My main concern if one hard product will be significantly better for me for comfort and sleeping, or if there's really no difference. I just flew out and back DFW-HNL on AA's lie-flats. They were not that comfortable to me. I'm a side-sleeper and it was hard for me to get comfortable enough to sleep much in the lie-flat. I could barely move while in the lie-flat position without contortionist extortions; the seat felt completely wedged in. Not sure how much difference the intrusive tray table made. Sitting and reclining for short periods was OK, but even that was surprisingly painful and uncomfortable after a few hours. Especially in the recline position, that wasn't really a recline. More like a "slouch and slide". (The way most F seats seem to be these days.) One of these was only a 6 hour flight with a tailwind and it was still surprisingly uncomfortable. Three years ago I did United's lie flat version HNL-IAD and it seemed a little better, even with the angle and restricted leg well. But hard to say.
I've kind of been dreading the much longer flights on this extended Feb-Mar trip ever since returning last week from HNL. What I think would be better for me is a Cabin where the lie flat is little easier and more roomy when side sleeping. I can sleep fine in recline also, but the problem with the DFW-HNL seats is that the recline and the leg elevation weren't independent and there was always a leg angle unless completely in a lie flat position. Basically I need something, if wishing made it so, between the recline and the lie-flat position for my back and knees and legs to be comfortable for a long time. But the seats (at least those) don't go there. The best way to explain what would be most comfortable to me for a 11-16 hour flight, is a hard product that will let me recline more like sitting on a couch with legs out the long way, with some pillows behind your back for incline.
The only other option I've found is Ethiad F class 388. The hard product seems maybe better, but that presents some additional logistics issues on my end with the connecting flight ending up in NBO instead of JRO. So would rather not go there yet.
I know. First world problem. And I am blessed to be able to make these trips and have it. So not complaining. Just looking for recommendations / impressions from folks who have flown QSuites or F Qatar on the 351 and 388 respectively. Both flights are on hold; I have to decide today or early tomorrow. Thanks!!!!
Oct 18, 2019, 12:02 pm
#1001
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: HKG, BHX, MAN
Programs: Qatar Gold (OWS), Asiana Diamond (*G)
Posts: 1,493
The A380 has an onboard bar, which you may like if you enjoy that. The F class seat on the A380 is also larger than the qsuites. However AFAIK, there isn't a F class lounge in PER T1 (where QR operates from).
Oct 18, 2019, 12:42 pm
#1002
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
FYI, I merged your post into our consolidated thread on using AA miles for QR awards.
You might also want to peruse the QR forum on FlyerTalk, as there are threads specific to aircraft types there:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qata...lege-club-644/
What is your ultimate destination? You mentioned layovers at DOH, so I'm assuming you are going somewhere else?
QR has had some decent prices for travel to Southeast Asia, including ADL, and you might want to consider just buying a ticket.
You might also want to peruse the QR forum on FlyerTalk, as there are threads specific to aircraft types there:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qata...lege-club-644/
What is your ultimate destination? You mentioned layovers at DOH, so I'm assuming you are going somewhere else?
QR has had some decent prices for travel to Southeast Asia, including ADL, and you might want to consider just buying a ticket.
Oct 18, 2019, 1:02 pm
#1003
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
Both seats are very comfortable, so it's hard to make a selection on that basis. I've done the 7-8 hr layovers, and found them to be rather inconvenient. I would try to avoid them as much as possible. I also dislike transit through AUH. It's a crowded illogical airport with insane security procedures for transit pax. Thus I'd much rather go through DOH than AUH. So SYD-PER-DOH is my winner.
Oct 18, 2019, 1:25 pm
#1004
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: DCA/IAD & BUF
Posts: 1,400
Aztimm, final destination (for question in this thread), is a safari primarily in Serengeti National Park, after my Australia trip. Flying into JRO vice NBO works better with the logistics.
Earlier this year I miraculously snagged a First Class one-way Award ticket for February 2020 with Qantas, and will travel Australia/New Zealand 3-4 weeks. Since then I've been trying to find a good Awardflight home though PPT, and/or onward to Easter island (probably paid), but nothing came up at all making that combo work in the narrow return timeframe I was looking. I am not as interested in visiting Japan, Asia, etc, as am many other destinations I've never been. It's been a while since I've traveled extensively for work, so once my small remaining stockpile of miles is gone, there probably won't be more. Not enough for these kinds of trips anyway. Because of that my FF points are too valuable to me to use them just fly back the way I came with no gain of another great travel experience. So a couple weeks ago I switched gears to flying back to the states from Australia over the Pacific, to going the other direction instead. Africa, Middle East, Europe. There are more destinations in these regions I'd like to visit than I will ever have time, money, or flight points for. :-)
Using the Awards is what's making it possible for me to rationalize doing a couple of trips like this. Last month when I checked my one-way 1st class Award ticket to Melbourne was $14K+ to purchase. Not certain I could make myself pull the trigger on those kind of prices with my own cash. LoL.
Earlier this year I miraculously snagged a First Class one-way Award ticket for February 2020 with Qantas, and will travel Australia/New Zealand 3-4 weeks. Since then I've been trying to find a good Awardflight home though PPT, and/or onward to Easter island (probably paid), but nothing came up at all making that combo work in the narrow return timeframe I was looking. I am not as interested in visiting Japan, Asia, etc, as am many other destinations I've never been. It's been a while since I've traveled extensively for work, so once my small remaining stockpile of miles is gone, there probably won't be more. Not enough for these kinds of trips anyway. Because of that my FF points are too valuable to me to use them just fly back the way I came with no gain of another great travel experience. So a couple weeks ago I switched gears to flying back to the states from Australia over the Pacific, to going the other direction instead. Africa, Middle East, Europe. There are more destinations in these regions I'd like to visit than I will ever have time, money, or flight points for. :-)
Using the Awards is what's making it possible for me to rationalize doing a couple of trips like this. Last month when I checked my one-way 1st class Award ticket to Melbourne was $14K+ to purchase. Not certain I could make myself pull the trigger on those kind of prices with my own cash. LoL.
Oct 18, 2019, 1:36 pm
#1005
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: DCA/IAD & BUF
Posts: 1,400
Just to summarize, asking about these flights, both on Qatar, in relationship to hard product specific to seats, reclining & sleeping.
SYD-DOH, 15.5 hour flight, 8 hour overnight layover at DOH, 80K points, Business Class Qsuites, A351, Or,
PER-DOH, 11.5 hour flight, overnight flight, 2 hour layover at DOH, 100K points, First Class, A388
There's more details in Post #1000 above, but I'm happy to take any impressions just from this info here for anyone with time & experience with Qatar to reply. I realize many folks will be less likely to find, read, and respond to a longish post, when it's merged inside a large thread. :-) Thanks!
SYD-DOH, 15.5 hour flight, 8 hour overnight layover at DOH, 80K points, Business Class Qsuites, A351, Or,
PER-DOH, 11.5 hour flight, overnight flight, 2 hour layover at DOH, 100K points, First Class, A388
There's more details in Post #1000 above, but I'm happy to take any impressions just from this info here for anyone with time & experience with Qatar to reply. I realize many folks will be less likely to find, read, and respond to a longish post, when it's merged inside a large thread. :-) Thanks!