Jan 7, 2019, 11:06 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
The current thread can be found here.
link to QR Travel Alerts)[/quote]
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.
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.
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 / Doha Hamad International Airport, lounges as follows:
Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge (not a oneworld lounge): only accessible to those flying First Class on Qatar or oneworld airlines (not oneworld Emeralds flying other lower classes of service)
Qatar Airways Al Mourjan 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 for qualifying passengers on BA, CX, RJ, UL.
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
The archived posts from 2017 can be found here.
ARCHIVE: 2017 QR / Qatar Airways: Earn & Redeem AA Miles, Award (master thd)
Jul 6, 2017, 9:11 pm
#46
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
They are just making that up, they really don't have access to that kind of information.
Jul 6, 2017, 11:18 pm
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
So is the problem technical? Does have to do with different reservation systems? Is the reason the same as the even more pervasive issues with booking LATAM (formerly known as LAN) flights with AA miles (that are more easily bookable with BA Avios and such)?
Jul 7, 2017, 2:50 am
#48
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
The ironic thing is that every AA agent will tell you otherwise when they can't see an award seat that you found on BA. What I've found is CX and JL either release first to other OW partners (about half a day earlier) or AAs system simply doesn't refresh often enough so there's a small lag from when an award seat is opened up by one of those airlines. Still, the agents have told me dozens of times that BA has access to different availability than they do.
I know it used to be the case that CX space, especially, was difficult to book, and it was common to have one agent be unable to see it while the next agent would use a different technique and find it.
Jul 7, 2017, 6:12 am
#49
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Jul 7, 2017, 7:57 am
#50
Moderator, Amtrak & Spirit Airlines
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: EWR :rolleyes:
Programs: AC 50K, AS MVP, AA Plat Pro, DL Plat, UA Silver, IHG Spire, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 9,620
Am I totally off base in hoping to get two tickets for Feb or Mar of 2018 from either JFK or PHL to NBO on QR?
I will have the miles I need in about 2 weeks.
What are my odds on finding something?
I will have the miles I need in about 2 weeks.
What are my odds on finding something?
Jul 7, 2017, 8:16 am
#51
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: 718
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, IHG Diamond
Posts: 967
Your odds are good if you dont plan to fly weekends (Fri-sun). Usually wide open from mon-thur
Jul 7, 2017, 1:12 pm
#52
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,913
If I want to change affected QR flights to Oman Air flights that work best for my schedule. I assume I won't have any means to do that until the 72 hour mark when I have to contact QR directly to make changes to WY flights?
Jul 9, 2017, 3:12 pm
#53
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: LAX/SFO
Programs: AS 100k, BA GGL, UA 1k, DL DM, AC SE, B6 Mosaic4, Hyatt/Hilton/Wyndham/IHG Diamond, Marriot Ti
Posts: 1,248
I'm hoping to book a flight out of LAX/PHL/BOS/JFK to DOH on QR, and then connect somewhere in order to get to DXB since DOH-DXB isn't currently bookable. This is for a flight sometime mid-August. What are my best options for getting from DOH-DXB right now?
Jul 9, 2017, 10:37 pm
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
But if you have go to LHR just to get to DXB, what's the point in flying to DOH first (unless you're planning to spend time in DOH first)? Why not just fly to LHR?
Now, perhaps the situation will change by mid-August and perhaps it won't. But if it does, you'd have to wait until then to book the direct DOH-DXB if it returns to service.
Btw, you didn't explain whether this would be a piad or award flight, and the implications are a bit different (in that you can make routing changes later for free on an award trip if you keep the same origin and destination, in a way that I don't think you can do with most paid fares).
Jul 9, 2017, 10:53 pm
#55
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,586
You would be better taking EY to AUH and taking a cab
If the issue resolves and flights start again on QR, then can pay $150 and change to QR if desired ( if an award flight ) or cancel subject to any cancellation penalty and rebook if a paid ticket
Jul 10, 2017, 7:29 am
#56
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,913
No decent options and you will likely need to buy multiple tickets
You would be better taking EY to AUH and taking a cab
If the issue resolves and flights start again on QR, then can pay $150 and change to QR if desired ( if an award flight ) or cancel subject to any cancellation penalty and rebook if a paid ticket
You would be better taking EY to AUH and taking a cab
If the issue resolves and flights start again on QR, then can pay $150 and change to QR if desired ( if an award flight ) or cancel subject to any cancellation penalty and rebook if a paid ticket
Jul 10, 2017, 7:41 am
#57
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AA EXP, AA LT Gold, SPG Plat 75
Posts: 890
But like the other poster said, if you can get to AUH on Etihad, it's less than an hour's cab ride to DXB.
Jul 10, 2017, 1:05 pm
#58
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,586
Since he cannot make the booking in the 1st place, there will be no option to make changes based on the service not operating. What may be permitted to address existing bookings , does not apply to bookings not yet made
Jul 10, 2017, 4:06 pm
#59
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Southern Cali
Programs: AA ExPlat, Marriott Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,022
Wanted to book an award ticket LAX-DOH-MHD, but representative told me Qatar is blocking awards booked with AA miles. Sure enough, they found availability like it shows on BA.com, but could not hold the reservation (as well as one routed LAX-DOH-IKA) after receiving an error that the Qatar wasnt releasing the awards. Is this a new phenomenon?
Jul 10, 2017, 4:45 pm
#60
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,745
Wanted to book an award ticket LAX-DOH-MHD, but representative told me Qatar is blocking awards booked with AA miles. Sure enough, they found availability like it shows on BA.com, but could not hold the reservation (as well as one routed LAX-DOH-IKA) after receiving an error that the Qatar wasnt releasing the awards. Is this a new phenomenon?