Qatar Airways / QR: Redeem AA Miles for Award (master thd)

Jul 6, 22, 9:07 pm - Wikipost

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Last edit by: friedablass
Wiki Link

Covid-19 Update:

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

link to QR Travel Alerts)

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:

Quote:

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.

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. ="1"% (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.

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Sep 6, 20, 6:55 am

#1321

whimsey21

Join Date: Jul 2006

Location: DCA

Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond

Posts: 1,270

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdubs7

bump since the next question got a bunch of replies and this one may have been missed. Thanks!

Could just be that the fare buckets they’d use for award tickets are sold out. A lot of people took advantage of the free destination change policy to buy cheap J tickets to Kiev and then reroute to MLE. That policy only held for trips this calendar year, so many people booked for the last three months of the year. Not sure about the economy situation though.

Sep 6, 20, 12:00 pm

#1322

lizakramer

Join Date: Jul 2014

Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Posts: 108

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdubs7

bump since the next question got a bunch of replies and this one may have been missed. Thanks!

I cannot answer your question regarding October, but I will share my own recent experience. I am currently en route to MLE from JFK and had the same issue as you (J award for JFK-DOH, but then economy for DOH-MLE.....only difference is that the 2nd leg was part of my J award booking, as there were Economy award seats available at the time I booked). I searched everyday for 6 weeks leading up to departure for the J awards from DOH-MLE, with no luck. Same thing for the return from MLE-DOH. And expert flyer still shows plenty of J seats for sale. My guess is that they are hoping to sell those as upgrades.

Are you aware of AwardNexus? You can set up a daily search for your QR routing and it will email you every day to let you know if it finds availability. Good luck with your planning!

bdubs7 likes this.

Sep 6, 20, 12:11 pm

#1323

JohnAx

Join Date: Jun 2000

Location: LAX

Posts: 3,617

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizakramer

I signed up for AwardNexus a few years ago when they first came on the scene and was so disappointed by what they offered that I never used the service despite having paid them. I don't remember the specific problem, just vaguely that it wasn't comprehensive and therefore not really useful.

Sep 6, 20, 3:32 pm

#1324

jamienbaker

Join Date: Jul 2004

Posts: 4,350

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnAx

To each their own, but I can point to about a half dozen awards (on CX and QR) that I probably wouldn't have gotten save for the AN email notification. EF + AN = road warrior

Sep 6, 20, 4:24 pm

#1325

cheltzel

Join Date: Apr 2010

Location: ORD

Programs: AA, UA, GE

Posts: 4,721

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnAx

AwardNexus is supported by ckpeter and I met him at one of our Chicago Do's a while back. I was a early adopter and have used it repeatedly. ckpeter actively supports his product and I would reach out to him if you have a issue with it.

jamienbaker likes this.

Sep 8, 20, 2:44 pm

#1326

maple

Join Date: Nov 2000

Posts: 1,290

Haven't been following AA much recently but with the latest changes to the program, does a QR N.A-Asia award still require booking and paying two awards N.A-DOH and DOH-Asia? (albeit on the same PNR)

Sep 8, 20, 3:34 pm

#1327

Dave Noble

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Jan 2002

Posts: 42,289

Quote:

Originally Posted by maple

Haven't been following AA much recently but with the latest changes to the program, does a QR N.A-Asia award still require booking and paying two awards N.A-DOH and DOH-Asia? (albeit on the same PNR)

Yes
North America to Asia 1 must be direct
North Amercia to Asia 2 must be direct or via Asia 1

If you want to go via Middle East, it will be 2 awards

Sep 8, 20, 5:38 pm

#1328

maple

Join Date: Nov 2000

Posts: 1,290

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Noble

Yes
If you want to go via Middle East, it will be 2 awards

Thank you! That's what I had feared... could have used Avios but no way with $400 in taxes o/w.

Sep 17, 20, 10:48 am

#1329

eel1957

Join Date: Nov 2013

Location: Tucson, AZ

Programs: AAdvantag, MileagePlus, SkyMiles

Posts: 21

JNB-TUS, August 2021 with AAdvantage miles

We are hoping to do a South Africa trip in July 2021. I am trying to get round trip Business Class flights on Qatar for TUS-JNB or PHX-JNB with miles. There is excellent availability for outbound flights on July 14. However, there is no return availability after mid-July on business class or main cabin. Should I just wait patiently or do I need to consider alternative arrangements for our return? Thanks.

Sep 17, 20, 11:42 am

#1330

joecool1885

Join Date: Jul 2014

Location: Sacramento

Programs: Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Amtrak Select

Posts: 1,154

Quote:

Originally Posted by eel1957

Don't wait forever, but I wouldn't pull the trigger on alt. arrangements this soon. Give it at least a couple months IMO.

eel1957 likes this.

Sep 18, 20, 8:14 pm

#1331

fly747first

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2004

Location: East Coast

Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY, HILTON DIAMOND

Posts: 11,125

Quote:

Originally Posted by anabolism

Personally, I enjoy them all. Qsuite, JL F, CX F, EY 777 F, EY A380 F, QF F (which I very rarely get to enjoy).

No more QF F until 2023 unless QF changes its mind and brings back the A380 before that

Sep 19, 20, 12:03 pm

#1332

wcrhkd

Join Date: May 2005

Location: East Bay, CA

Programs: AA EXP, Marriot LTP, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 291

Quote:

Originally Posted by eel1957

I'm in the same boat as you are, but I did go ahead and make alternate arrangements, just in case. I do believe DOH-CPT or DOH-JNB will open, but I get itchy not knowing when.

Sep 19, 20, 1:08 pm

#1333

fly747first

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2004

Location: East Coast

Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY, HILTON DIAMOND

Posts: 11,125

Quote:

Originally Posted by wcrhkd

I'm in the same boat as you are, but I did go ahead and make alternate arrangements, just in case. I do believe DOH-CPT or DOH-JNB will open, but I get itchy not knowing when.

You mean South Africa reopening? QR releases award seats regularly but there is no guarantee your desire date may have space.

Sep 19, 20, 1:17 pm

#1334

wcrhkd

Join Date: May 2005

Location: East Bay, CA

Programs: AA EXP, Marriot LTP, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 291

Quote:

Originally Posted by fly747first

You mean South Africa reopening? QR releases award seats regularly but there is no guarantee your desire date may have space.

I neglected to mention our trip is not until next summer, so I still believe seats will open before then. But, with a safari expense, I wanted assurance we'd have a ride booked (on VS) in the off chance my preference (QR) doesn't open.

Sep 20, 20, 1:49 am

#1335

fly747first

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2004

Location: East Coast

Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY, HILTON DIAMOND

Posts: 11,125

Quote:

Originally Posted by wcrhkd

I'm also going to CPT next summer but booked fully refundable Business Class with QR just in case South Africa doesn't allow Americans by then

wcrhkd likes this.

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