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)
Jan 10, 2019, 12:55 pm
#616
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,541
Yes, J on the ORD-DOH flight was available when booking opened on Jan 4 for Dec 1. Since then, all Nov/Dec nonstop J availability has completely vanished in both directions.
Oct and earlier nonstops are still available in J on some dates; and it is still possible to go via LHR in Nov/Dec. Plus, nonstop economy is available..
Oct and earlier nonstops are still available in J on some dates; and it is still possible to go via LHR in Nov/Dec. Plus, nonstop economy is available..
Jan 10, 2019, 5:04 pm
#617
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,632
Further, I'd rather travel EY than have to change planes in JFK; and indeed I have the option to do so. I would also fly CX but that option is gone.
The more general question is why QR J availability switches on and off like this. It's not the first time. What are they trying to achieve? From ORD they had abundant availability in Nov, and then it vanished suddenly...it can't have all been booked one day, it was just withdrawn. Yet it isn't all flights---Oct remains widely available for ORD-DOH.
Jan 11, 2019, 8:37 am
#618
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 20
This instant loss of reward availability from all other US hubs than JFK has also been a huge hit for me. Already had 5 nights hotel locked in (can easily get points refunded, but that's not the point) and was really hoping to take Qsuites. Had been looking and saw so much availability a week ago. One odd thing, I did see that there is availability now on Dec 8th DFW to DOH that wasn't there yesterday. So it's very random what has been removed. Hoping it returns soon!
Jan 11, 2019, 8:49 am
#619
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,632
The way it is working right now, there is phantom availability on the last day. It wasn't there yesterday because booking hasn't opened for 12/8. It appears to be there today, but you won't be able to book it. Tomorrow it won't show at all, but there will be phantom availability for 12/9.
Jan 11, 2019, 10:51 am
#620
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 20
The way it is working right now, there is phantom availability on the last day. It wasn't there yesterday because booking hasn't opened for 12/8. It appears to be there today, but you won't be able to book it. Tomorrow it won't show at all, but there will be phantom availability for 12/9.
Jan 12, 2019, 3:17 pm
#623
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
I had a QR award itinerary on hold with AA. I had to purchase it today, and it was showing up on the AA website correctly. But the purchase function was down today, so it had to be done over the phone. The phone agent said there was no record that my itinerary ever had the QR segments, just the AA connecting flight. She could not reconstruct the itin either, as she saw no QR availability at all. There were routes still available on AA website, but she could not see any of them.
Jan 12, 2019, 5:51 pm
#624
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
I had a QR award itinerary on hold with AA. I had to purchase it today, and it was showing up on the AA website correctly. But the purchase function was down today, so it had to be done over the phone. The phone agent said there was no record that my itinerary ever had the QR segments, just the AA connecting flight. She could not reconstruct the itin either, as she saw no QR availability at all. There were routes still available on AA website, but she could not see any of them.
Jan 15, 2019, 3:17 am
#627
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Rockville, MD, USA
Posts: 157
I have an IAD-DOH-MLE segment booked in J for 70k miles that I'm very happy about! It's an almost perfect itinerary except for the 14-hour layover in DOH and 5:20am flight from DOH to MLE. I see that QR also operates an earlier flight (QR 672) that departs at 2am and arrives at 9am in MLE, but I seldom see any award availability on this segment. Any idea if space will open up closer to departure? Will AA be able to open space on this route?
Miz
Jan 15, 2019, 9:14 am
#628
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: New York City
Programs: SPG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Platinum
Posts: 96
Have the exact same routing. For me, 2 business seats on QR672 opened up 10 days prior to departure, but one at a time over the span of about 1 day. Availability on AA lagged behind and appeared about 7 hrs after it showed available on the qantas website for each seat.
Miz
Miz
Jan 17, 2019, 10:06 am
#629
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 11
Definitely hoping availability returns soon; I'm trying to book for a wedding in India at the end of December (sub-optimal timing, obviously). Been keeping an eye on availability trends for the past few months and just noticed most 331 day availability disappeared a couple of days ago. Debating booking something else with a different currency as a backup — or EY, if I can find space when I need it.
Jan 19, 2019, 12:35 pm
#630
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Dallas, TX, USA AA Plat
Posts: 1,342
Earning EQMs and EQDs on Qatar
I thought that as of Jan 2019 there were new rates for earning AA EQMs and EQDs on Qatar. When I look at aa.com it still shows as of Jan 2016.
I'd like to know - flying Business (R) DFW - DOH - BKK and back - the new chart showed 35% for R, the current chart shows 25%.
Secondary issue - Going Jan 22 - back on Feb 12th -- I will have access to AA and Qatar lounges correct?
I'd like to know - flying Business (R) DFW - DOH - BKK and back - the new chart showed 35% for R, the current chart shows 25%.
Secondary issue - Going Jan 22 - back on Feb 12th -- I will have access to AA and Qatar lounges correct?