Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > American Airlines | AAdvantage
Reload this Page >

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

Old Nov 19, 2013, 3:20 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Prospero
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:

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. (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.
Print Wikipost

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

Old Apr 23, 2018, 7:29 am
  #181  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,425
Originally Posted by seaskybound
I am looking to fly LHR-DOH and using AA miles because of a strong chance of last minute cancellation. As an EXP most of my miles flights seem to be fully refundable (even in Y) is it the same on QR?
As an EXP the award ticket cancel/redeposit fee is always waived for any award ticket where the miles are pulled from your account. This is true for AA and all partner airlines.
JJeffrey is online now  
Old Apr 23, 2018, 3:31 pm
  #182  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Louisiana, MSY
Programs: Hyatt Plat, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 139
I am looking to book a segment DOH-BOM in mid-November. I am currently routing through CMB which is adding a significant amount of time to my itinerary (ATL-DOH-CMB-BOM). I booked this as a placeholder in the hopes that the DOH-BOM segment will eventually open up. Been checking everyday. Unfortunately, QR doesn't show up on EF. Although I am booked in J, I will take either J or Y for this short(er) segment.

To those familiar with QR award release patterns, could you please shed some light as to whether or not there is fair amount of hope that this flight will ever open up?

TIA!

Last edited by AmeriKop45; Apr 23, 2018 at 3:33 pm Reason: Grammar
AmeriKop45 is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2018, 8:47 am
  #183  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
Is there an issue with Phantom availability? I'm seeing 4 J award seats on DOH-ORD/PHL (on BA) but AA agent can't see the availability. They can see Y, though.

I've called two agents, both in the DFW office. Neither can see the space.
grandgourmand is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2018, 8:52 am
  #184  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
Could be phantom. Make sure if u are looking on BA that you are searching sector by sector and not anything that involves a connection.
AAExecPlatFlier is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2018, 9:21 am
  #185  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
Originally Posted by AAExecPlatFlier
Could be phantom. Make sure if u are looking on BA that you are searching sector by sector and not anything that involves a connection.
Yeah, I read that earlier in the thread. Still no dice. And when I called back, I just looked at a DOH-USA leg only, to avoid confusing the agent.

This is annoying. Might have to look at JL.
grandgourmand is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2018, 3:22 pm
  #186  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ADL
Programs: QFF, AAdvantage, All
Posts: 1,137
Originally Posted by grandgourmand
Might have to look at JL.
JL is much better than BA for J, but can you go that direction with only 1 award?
LukeO9 is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2018, 3:29 pm
  #187  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,543
Originally Posted by grandgourmand
Is there an issue with Phantom availability? I'm seeing 4 J award seats on DOH-ORD/PHL (on BA) but AA agent can't see the availability. They can see Y, though.

I've called two agents, both in the DFW office. Neither can see the space.
Are you originating in DOH or just connecting in DOH? if the latter , it could be a married segment availabilty issue rather than an error on BA website or error by AA staff
Dave Noble is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2018, 7:26 pm
  #188  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: PNW WA state, USA
Programs: AA PP (1MM), Admirals Club, HH Diamond
Posts: 86
We paid for an upgrade that was offered on DOH-MLE from purchased coach to business. It doesn't appear that we got any more EQM or EQD through AA for that flight. Is that usually the case?
IvanCU is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2018, 8:17 pm
  #189  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,543
Originally Posted by IvanCU
We paid for an upgrade that was offered on DOH-MLE from purchased coach to business. It doesn't appear that we got any more EQM or EQD through AA for that flight. Is that usually the case?
sounds right
Dave Noble is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2018, 9:21 pm
  #190  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,716
Is there currently a problem booking QR awards in Business Class using AAdvantage miles? Whenever I call it seems no award seats are ever available from / to Doha. I recall there was a similar issue with Etihad sometime ago, when you had to call Fiji to make an award booking; wonder whether QR has caught the same disease?
puchong is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2018, 9:48 pm
  #191  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,629
Originally Posted by puchong
Is there currently a problem booking QR awards in Business Class using AAdvantage miles? Whenever I call it seems no award seats are ever available from / to Doha. I recall there was a similar issue with Etihad sometime ago, when you had to call Fiji to make an award booking; wonder whether QR has caught the same disease?
QR releases very few seats, so if you call and ask for a few dates, there is a very high probability that the answer will always be no. You can check more dates faster using the newfangled internet---see wiki. But don't get your hopes up, and plan to fly midweek.

Or are you saying you see availability but AA doesn't see it? That's a different issue.

Last edited by SeeBuyFly; Apr 27, 2018 at 10:00 pm
SeeBuyFly is offline  
Old Apr 28, 2018, 7:58 am
  #192  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
Originally Posted by LukeO9
JL is much better than BA for J, but can you go that direction with only 1 award?
Doing Asia 2 region to US. I wouldn't do BA regardless.

Originally Posted by Dave Noble
Are you originating in DOH or just connecting in DOH? if the latter , it could be a married segment availabilty issue rather than an error on BA website or error by AA staff
i don't know how married segments work. But i looked at the doh-ord availability. No connection. BA shows space...AA can't see it.
grandgourmand is offline  
Old Apr 28, 2018, 8:13 am
  #193  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ADL
Programs: QFF, AAdvantage, All
Posts: 1,137
Originally Posted by grandgourmand
I wouldn't do BA regardless.
So why are you?
LukeO9 is offline  
Old Apr 28, 2018, 9:40 am
  #194  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
Originally Posted by LukeO9
So why are you?
i'm not. my reference to BA is to the program I'm using to search for availability. AA doesn't show QR award space.

i re-read my first post and "on BA" meant "on the BA Executive Club award search".
grandgourmand is offline  
Old Apr 28, 2018, 10:01 am
  #195  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
Originally Posted by LukeO9
So why are you?
to further add to the confusion I just remembered that you can't do Asia 2 to US on QR with one award. My bad, sorry. We were previously planning a trip to Sri Lanka, where I believe you can go from there to the US on one award.

damn...back to the drawing table.

as an aside...QR availability (using BA site) was showing to PHL, and AA could actually see it this time. but not to ORD...guess QR is not as eager to release space on the Qsuites...
grandgourmand is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.