Nov 29, 2014, 6:48 pm
Last edit by: Matt4
Qatar Airways Stopover Package (STPC)
Note : STPC has not been available since COVID started and won't probably be available before the end of the year 2022 due to the World Cup. But you can book a StopOver hotel for a discounted price with Discover Qatar (starting at $14 for 4* and $20 for 5*) until 24th October 2022 (no later, again due to the Wolrd Cup)
•Passengers with a transit time of between 8 and 24 hours are eligible for a stopover package (STPC) in Doha, offered by Qatar Airways.
•An STPC request can be made as early as 361 days in advance, but no later than 72 hours prior to departure. The STPC is either offered complimentary or bookable at a fee.
•For group bookings, different rules apply.
I. STPC free of charge
•In cases where there are no immediate connections available between 8 and 24 hours.
•No exceptions can be given (7 hrs 59 minutes = not eligible, 24 hrs 1 minute = not eligible).
•N-class and above.
•Directional ticket value above USD 400 (incl. YQ tax).
•Directional ticket value is the sum of the fare paid for the journey and the Fuel surcharge (as shown on your E-ticket) divided by two.
II. STPC against a fee
•When the passenger holds a ticket in booking classes below N.
•When the passenger holds a Privilege Club redemption ticket in Economy or Business Class.
•When the directional ticket value is less than USD 400 (incl. YQ tax).
•USD 125 fee for Economy Class passengers.
•USD 150 fee for Business Class passengers.
III. STPC is not available if the booking includes flights to or from Abu Dhabi (AUH), Bahrain (BAH), Dubai (DWC), Dubai (DXB), Kuwait (KWI), Muscat (MCT), Ras Al Khaimah (RKT) and Sharjah (SHJ). .
•If the passenger holds a temporary passport/travel document.
•If the passenger holds separate tickets.
IV. STPC package includes
•Hotel room for the duration of the passenger’s stay (5-star hotel for Business Class passengers / 3-star hotel for Economy Class passengers). If there is a change in the Flight Schedule and the new connection time in Doha becomes less than 8 hours then the existing hotel confirmation will become invalid.
•Temporary entry visa fee to Doha, Qatar*.
•Transfer HIA - hotel - HIA.
•Meal voucher (depends on duration of the transit).
V. To book STPC
•Update PNR with passport number and nationality (tickets need to be issued).
•Contact Qatar Airways, providing credit card number including expire date and CVC code.
VI. Different scenarios for STPC
•QR is operating an immediate connection with seats available in the desired cabin, but the passenger has booked a connection with transit time of 8-24 hours. STPC is not permitted either complimentary or against a fee.
•QR is operating an immediate connection but no seats are available in the desired cabin. If the passenger has booked a ticket on the next available connection with a transit of between 8-24 hours, STPC against payment is permitted.
•QR is not operating an immediate connection; all the connections have a transit time of between 8-24 hours. Passenger may choose any connection and receive STPC free of charge. There are reports that this may no longer be correct.
*Confirmation of your hotel at Doha does not guarantee entry into the State of Qatar. This is entirely at the discretion of the immigration authorities.
Website: http://www.qatarairways.com/global/e...mmodation.page
Anecdote: a code-share DOH-CMN within the 8-hour window did not disqualify me from STPC. In other words it is only QR operated flights that are used for connection time calculations.
I have STPC- What do I need to Do?
This is covered in the wiki of http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...t-do-i-do.html.
How does the new Free stopover affect STPC?
QR have just launched a new free stopover policy. See http://www.qatarairways.com/english_...ease_plusqatar, http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/plusqatar.page and http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...on-2017-1.html for details.
At the moment STPC sappears to be unaffected except for 'multi city' bookings. At this very early stage there is no clear practice as to who qualifies!
Updated 21-SEP-2022.
Note : STPC has not been available since COVID started and won't probably be available before the end of the year 2022 due to the World Cup. But you can book a StopOver hotel for a discounted price with Discover Qatar (starting at $14 for 4* and $20 for 5*) until 24th October 2022 (no later, again due to the Wolrd Cup)
•Passengers with a transit time of between 8 and 24 hours are eligible for a stopover package (STPC) in Doha, offered by Qatar Airways.
•An STPC request can be made as early as 361 days in advance, but no later than 72 hours prior to departure. The STPC is either offered complimentary or bookable at a fee.
•For group bookings, different rules apply.
I. STPC free of charge
•In cases where there are no immediate connections available between 8 and 24 hours.
•No exceptions can be given (7 hrs 59 minutes = not eligible, 24 hrs 1 minute = not eligible).
•N-class and above.
•Directional ticket value above USD 400 (incl. YQ tax).
•Directional ticket value is the sum of the fare paid for the journey and the Fuel surcharge (as shown on your E-ticket) divided by two.
II. STPC against a fee
•When the passenger holds a ticket in booking classes below N.
•When the passenger holds a Privilege Club redemption ticket in Economy or Business Class.
•When the directional ticket value is less than USD 400 (incl. YQ tax).
•USD 125 fee for Economy Class passengers.
•USD 150 fee for Business Class passengers.
III. STPC is not available if the booking includes flights to or from Abu Dhabi (AUH), Bahrain (BAH), Dubai (DWC), Dubai (DXB), Kuwait (KWI), Muscat (MCT), Ras Al Khaimah (RKT) and Sharjah (SHJ). .
•If the passenger holds a temporary passport/travel document.
•If the passenger holds separate tickets.
IV. STPC package includes
•Hotel room for the duration of the passenger’s stay (5-star hotel for Business Class passengers / 3-star hotel for Economy Class passengers). If there is a change in the Flight Schedule and the new connection time in Doha becomes less than 8 hours then the existing hotel confirmation will become invalid.
•Temporary entry visa fee to Doha, Qatar*.
•Transfer HIA - hotel - HIA.
•Meal voucher (depends on duration of the transit).
V. To book STPC
•Update PNR with passport number and nationality (tickets need to be issued).
•Contact Qatar Airways, providing credit card number including expire date and CVC code.
VI. Different scenarios for STPC
•QR is operating an immediate connection with seats available in the desired cabin, but the passenger has booked a connection with transit time of 8-24 hours. STPC is not permitted either complimentary or against a fee.
•QR is operating an immediate connection but no seats are available in the desired cabin. If the passenger has booked a ticket on the next available connection with a transit of between 8-24 hours, STPC against payment is permitted.
•QR is not operating an immediate connection; all the connections have a transit time of between 8-24 hours. Passenger may choose any connection and receive STPC free of charge. There are reports that this may no longer be correct.
*Confirmation of your hotel at Doha does not guarantee entry into the State of Qatar. This is entirely at the discretion of the immigration authorities.
Website: http://www.qatarairways.com/global/e...mmodation.page
Anecdote: a code-share DOH-CMN within the 8-hour window did not disqualify me from STPC. In other words it is only QR operated flights that are used for connection time calculations.
I have STPC- What do I need to Do?
This is covered in the wiki of http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...t-do-i-do.html.
How does the new Free stopover affect STPC?
QR have just launched a new free stopover policy. See http://www.qatarairways.com/english_...ease_plusqatar, http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/plusqatar.page and http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...on-2017-1.html for details.
At the moment STPC sappears to be unaffected except for 'multi city' bookings. At this very early stage there is no clear practice as to who qualifies!
Updated 21-SEP-2022.
The QR STPC (stopover) policy?
Feb 22, 2018, 6:59 am
#706
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 160
I am answering my own questions- hope these are useful! I tried emailing the Stockholm Qatar Airways office but the email address I found bounced back, so I had to call the office directly.
I am eligible for my return flight (number 2 below), but not the outward flight (ARN to CBR), as I could have booked a flight that departed later from ARN which would have meant a connection time of 3 hours, and hence that means I am not STPC eligible. Does that make sense? I had assumed that the eligibility criterion had to be related to the choice of time for flight onwards from Doha, rather than me choosing a different time for the flight from my point of origin. Is there anyway I can argue about this, and if so, how?
I am eligible for my return flight (number 2 below), but not the outward flight (ARN to CBR), as I could have booked a flight that departed later from ARN which would have meant a connection time of 3 hours, and hence that means I am not STPC eligible. Does that make sense? I had assumed that the eligibility criterion had to be related to the choice of time for flight onwards from Doha, rather than me choosing a different time for the flight from my point of origin. Is there anyway I can argue about this, and if so, how?
Apologies for these questions, but could I check whether the following flights may be STPC eligible? Both flights are in R fare:1. QR 0170 ARN to Doha, arrive Doha at 16:05 Next day QR 0906 Doha to CBR, depart Doha at 09:20DOH
- I don’t think there are any earlier flights direct to CBR, but there are earlier connecting flights to CBR (through MEL)
2. QR 0907 CBR to Doha, arrive Doha at 23:30 Next day QR 0171 Doha to ARN, depart Doha at 15:20
There is an earlier flight that day to ARN at 07:35, but this one is also 8 hours 5 minutes connection time, so should be eligible for STPC. However, I don’t know if: a) Because of the earlier available flight to ARN, my later (cheaper flight) is ineligible for STPC b) Because I may have had an STPC on the outward journey, I am not eligible for STPC on the return journey
- I don’t think there are any earlier flights direct to CBR, but there are earlier connecting flights to CBR (through MEL)
2. QR 0907 CBR to Doha, arrive Doha at 23:30 Next day QR 0171 Doha to ARN, depart Doha at 15:20
There is an earlier flight that day to ARN at 07:35, but this one is also 8 hours 5 minutes connection time, so should be eligible for STPC. However, I don’t know if: a) Because of the earlier available flight to ARN, my later (cheaper flight) is ineligible for STPC b) Because I may have had an STPC on the outward journey, I am not eligible for STPC on the return journey
Feb 23, 2018, 6:59 am
#707
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/2MM, AA Plat, IC Diam. Amb., Peninsula regular, amanjunkie
Posts: 5,848
I had a 45 min departure time change from MNL, which was fine and did not affect my eligibility for STPC. QR MNL ticket office contacted me to verify the departure time change was acceptable. I confirmed it was and asked for new tickets. After sending my new tickets, QR ticketing office remarked on the long transit in Doha and volunteered to arrange transit accommodations. I sent our passports and had an STPC confirmation for Oryx Rotana the same day. Good service. ^
Feb 23, 2018, 1:46 pm
#708
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,916
Having an issue booking STPC - do I need to HUACA or am I ineligible?
- Booked OSL-DOH-AKL a few months ago. Depart OSL 9am-ish, arriving DOH 5pm-ish, then onwards to AKL at 3am-ish the next day. At time of booking there were no other flights departing from OSL that day to connect into the daily AKL flight (10h stopover)
- Held off booking STPC as I was due a passport renewal - done a few days ago
- Called today to book STPC, but now it turns out a later 4pm-ish flight OSL-DOH has been put in since booking (confirmed by agent) giving a 2h connection that day if it were to be booked now. This supposedly makes me ineligible for STPC, but last time I booked a similar fare, the rule was applied as 'there is no sooner connection available upon arrival at DOH direct to your destination' rather than 'you could have left your origin later to give a shorter connection' - which is correct? And if the latter, does the addition of this flight post-booking overwrite STPC eligibility at time of booking?
Feb 27, 2018, 4:08 am
#709
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Frankfurt
Programs: QR Platinum
Posts: 256
Having an issue booking STPC - do I need to HUACA or am I ineligible?
- Booked OSL-DOH-AKL a few months ago. Depart OSL 9am-ish, arriving DOH 5pm-ish, then onwards to AKL at 3am-ish the next day. At time of booking there were no other flights departing from OSL that day to connect into the daily AKL flight (10h stopover)
- Held off booking STPC as I was due a passport renewal - done a few days ago
- Called today to book STPC, but now it turns out a later 4pm-ish flight OSL-DOH has been put in since booking (confirmed by agent) giving a 2h connection that day if it were to be booked now. This supposedly makes me ineligible for STPC, but last time I booked a similar fare, the rule was applied as 'there is no sooner connection available upon arrival at DOH direct to your destination' rather than 'you could have left your origin later to give a shorter connection' - which is correct? And if the latter, does the addition of this flight post-booking overwrite STPC eligibility at time of booking?
Feb 27, 2018, 11:27 pm
#710
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: UK/Australia
Programs: BAEC Silver, UA2MM, QF Platinum, VA Platinum., Volare Executive Club
Posts: 2,512
I think I'm entitled to an STPC at DOH for an upcoming trip to CBR from OSL. There is a 9+ hour layover in DOH, and the flights to and from DOH appear to be the only ones of the day.
So OK, I try and contact my local reservations number in Australia, and guess what? No one answers, just on hold music all day.
Can anyone suggest a better number to contact QR to arrange an STPC at Doha?
So OK, I try and contact my local reservations number in Australia, and guess what? No one answers, just on hold music all day.
Can anyone suggest a better number to contact QR to arrange an STPC at Doha?
Feb 28, 2018, 1:19 am
#711
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London
Programs: BAEC bouncing from Blue to Gold to Blue VSFC Red CXGreen Club Accor Platinum Hilton Silver.
Posts: 914
I think I'm entitled to an STPC at DOH for an upcoming trip to CBR from OSL. There is a 9+ hour layover in DOH, and the flights to and from DOH appear to be the only ones of the day.
So OK, I try and contact my local reservations number in Australia, and guess what? No one answers, just on hold music all day.
Can anyone suggest a better number to contact QR to arrange an STPC at Doha?
So OK, I try and contact my local reservations number in Australia, and guess what? No one answers, just on hold music all day.
Can anyone suggest a better number to contact QR to arrange an STPC at Doha?
John
Feb 28, 2018, 5:20 am
#712
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,406
When I did mine in Dec it was done online there is a Qatar Airways web page for booking but it is not the flight details page, you have to put your PRN plus other details to get it authorised, and you should get a decision within a couple of days with no personal contact. It is due to finish soon so you may be outside the booking window but it could be extended.
John
John
Feb 28, 2018, 6:38 am
#713
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London
Programs: BAEC bouncing from Blue to Gold to Blue VSFC Red CXGreen Club Accor Platinum Hilton Silver.
Posts: 914
Feb 28, 2018, 9:37 pm
#714
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: UK/Australia
Programs: BAEC Silver, UA2MM, QF Platinum, VA Platinum., Volare Executive Club
Posts: 2,512
Postscript - I finally got through to the Australian reservations number and was helped by a kind male agent, who confirmed that I was eligible, took all the details and sent a request off to Doha.
Apparently I should hear back (by email) within 48 hours. Let's see...
Edit: Received STPC notification within 24 hours, for the Oryx Rotana. I hope I have enough time to enjoy it, with a total layover time of 9 hours.
Apparently I should hear back (by email) within 48 hours. Let's see...
Edit: Received STPC notification within 24 hours, for the Oryx Rotana. I hope I have enough time to enjoy it, with a total layover time of 9 hours.
Last edited by Grace B; Mar 1, 2018 at 1:23 pm
Mar 16, 2018, 3:42 pm
#717
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: who knows!
Programs: FB PFL, TK Gold, PC Platinum
Posts: 442
Mar 18, 2018, 10:18 am
#718
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: DAC, KTM, JFK, PBI
Programs: Qatar Platinum, One World Emerald, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 98
Interesting experience with STPC recently. I flew in from IAD to DOH with an approximately 9 hour layover and eligible STPC documentation. At the transit accommodations desk, I handed over my passport and STPC documents for visa processing and requested that I be put in the Oryx Rotana (I was flying in Y and originally not booked at the Oryx Rotana). The agent was super nice and checked availability and approved it with her supervisor and told me that they found a room at the OR and that all was good to go and the visa was being processed at the immigration counter. I have done this many times before, so I think noting of it. But my passport doesn't come up for about an hour or so. When it does, the agent is super apologetic and tells me that immigration has rejected my visa because the remaining layover is only about 6 hours (it has been almost 2 hours since I arrived because of these procedures). I was about to get really agitated when she told me she's trying to find me a hotel at the Airport Hotel inside the transit area. Music to my ears. A few minutes later, I was at the hotel and in my room. Had I gotten the STPC, it would take me another 45 mins to clear immigration and maybe half an hour more to get to the hotel, if the timing of the transport was right, leaving me a maximum of 3 hours to spend at the hotel before having to come back for my flight. So, sometimes good things do result from bad situations. Moral of the story. If your layover isn't more than 10 or 11 hours or so, and you need a visa for entry into Doha, the STPC is almost never worth it, particularly if you are flying to the US and need to be at the airport 3 hours ahead of your flight.
Mar 18, 2018, 12:56 pm
#719
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 190
We used Q-stpc last week. We were booked in the Oryx Rotana, but with only 8h15m and travelling with an infant, we did request the Airport Hotel. First they said it was full and not possible to change since she ‘only prints the vouchers’. This sounded a bit strange since customer service said I could always ask for the Airport Hotel when arriving (no guarantee off course). When I said this, the lady checked and hapilly handed the Airport Hotel voucher to us.. Very nice indeed!
Also another strange thing. Upon booking there was no shorter connection than 8h15m. However, it seemed they added another DOH-ARN rotation and therefore a 2hr connection was available.. Not sure if we made our reservation voor STPC on time when the flight didnt exist yet, but Im not sure if they would have rejected STPC should we have booked it a bit later..
Also another strange thing. Upon booking there was no shorter connection than 8h15m. However, it seemed they added another DOH-ARN rotation and therefore a 2hr connection was available.. Not sure if we made our reservation voor STPC on time when the flight didnt exist yet, but Im not sure if they would have rejected STPC should we have booked it a bit later..
Mar 19, 2018, 1:19 pm
#720
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EXP (LT Plat 2MM), Marriott Plat, IHG Plat, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat, SPG Plat75, UA1K
Posts: 1,248
I have a few trips coming up through DOH over the next few months (ORD-DOH-BKK, CMB-DOH-PHL and PHL-DOH-CMB). All of the flights have layovers of greater than 8 hours but there are connection possibilities that would yield shorter connections - but not on the same departure day. For instance, choosing to leave CMB at 8:55pm on Monday instead of 2:35am on Tuesday connecting to a Tuesday morning flight to PHL. In that case, I believe that I am not eligible for the STPC offer. My question is, would I be eligible for the +Qatar offer in effect through the end of the year?