Nov 5, 2015, 11:11 am
Last edit by: CPH-Flyer
READ BEFORE COMMENTING IF YOU ARE NEW,
Hamad International Airport (HIA) offers passengers a number of different lounges.
This thread, is specifically for the Al Safwa First Class Lounge. Information on the other Lounge options at HIA, can be found here.
Does Al Safwa have a web page?
Yes: http://www.qatarairways.com/global/e...-al-safwa.page
Dining Menu
https://www.qatarairways.com/content...-dining-en.pdf
Where can I find Al Safwa Lounge?
The Lounge is located on Level 3 of the airport.
Can I use the Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge?
Access is based on your underlying fare bucket. This means that upgraded tickets, maybe except upgrades with QPoints (see post 2735), are not granted access.
Access is thus restricted to Qatar Airways First Class, and OneWorld First Class passengers :
- either holding a First Class boarding pass* for their next flight
- or holding a First Class boarding pass from their previous flight.
Additionally, Privilege Club platinum club travelling on any business-class fare are welcomed into the lounge. This is a facility introduced recently and one that could just as easily disappear.
- Guests are not permitted.
* Operational Upgrades to First do not give access. Upgrades with Qpoints may do give acces (see post 2735 - Sept 2022)
Arrival access on mid and long haul? (eg. coming from LHR in F)
YES
Ex. CAI-DOH-HEL
Arrival access regional F? (eg. coming from CAI in F)
Yes.
Caveat, if your underlying J fare is P, then the no lounge access for business light kicks in. And there is no access.
Privilege Club Platinum members are currently allowed in the lounge when travelling on any QR business-class fare: that could change. Other Oneworld Emerald members are directed to the Platinum lounge(s) when travelling in any class, and the Al Mourjan lounge when travelling on relevant business-class fares. Yup, it gets complicated.
What does the lounge look like?
Reports on the Lounge, can be found here and here. Photographs of the lounge, can be found here.
Is there a Spa?
Yes, there is a full Spa, but you will have to pay for treatments. A full list of treatments available can be found here
What about the sleeping rooms?
Stargold in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28199729-post1177.html suggests that access to sleeping rooms is as follows:
'* No reservations allowed - always first-come first-served
* Only available if the remaining time until the flight departure is more than 4 hours
* Passengers are allowed maximum six hours' usage - for any further usage, a fee of QAR 450 is payable for a second block of six hours.
* No F&B of any kind except bottled water in the sleeping rooms.'
What changes can I expect during Ramadan?
Ramadan affects QR and you in many ways so please look at ramadan to see how you are affected.
Updated: 19/11/2023
Hamad International Airport (HIA) offers passengers a number of different lounges.
This thread, is specifically for the Al Safwa First Class Lounge. Information on the other Lounge options at HIA, can be found here.
Does Al Safwa have a web page?
Yes: http://www.qatarairways.com/global/e...-al-safwa.page
Dining Menu
https://www.qatarairways.com/content...-dining-en.pdf
Where can I find Al Safwa Lounge?
The Lounge is located on Level 3 of the airport.
Can I use the Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge?
Access is based on your underlying fare bucket. This means that upgraded tickets, maybe except upgrades with QPoints (see post 2735), are not granted access.
Access is thus restricted to Qatar Airways First Class, and OneWorld First Class passengers :
- either holding a First Class boarding pass* for their next flight
- or holding a First Class boarding pass from their previous flight.
Additionally, Privilege Club platinum club travelling on any business-class fare are welcomed into the lounge. This is a facility introduced recently and one that could just as easily disappear.
- Guests are not permitted.
* Operational Upgrades to First do not give access. Upgrades with Qpoints may do give acces (see post 2735 - Sept 2022)
Arrival access on mid and long haul? (eg. coming from LHR in F)
YES
Ex. CAI-DOH-HEL
Arrival access regional F? (eg. coming from CAI in F)
Yes.
Caveat, if your underlying J fare is P, then the no lounge access for business light kicks in. And there is no access.
Privilege Club Platinum members are currently allowed in the lounge when travelling on any QR business-class fare: that could change. Other Oneworld Emerald members are directed to the Platinum lounge(s) when travelling in any class, and the Al Mourjan lounge when travelling on relevant business-class fares. Yup, it gets complicated.
What does the lounge look like?
Reports on the Lounge, can be found here and here. Photographs of the lounge, can be found here.
Is there a Spa?
Yes, there is a full Spa, but you will have to pay for treatments. A full list of treatments available can be found here
What about the sleeping rooms?
Stargold in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28199729-post1177.html suggests that access to sleeping rooms is as follows:
'* No reservations allowed - always first-come first-served
* Only available if the remaining time until the flight departure is more than 4 hours
* Passengers are allowed maximum six hours' usage - for any further usage, a fee of QAR 450 is payable for a second block of six hours.
* No F&B of any kind except bottled water in the sleeping rooms.'
What changes can I expect during Ramadan?
Ramadan affects QR and you in many ways so please look at ramadan to see how you are affected.
Updated: 19/11/2023
QR Al Safwa First Class Lounge
Aug 20, 2021, 6:51 pm
#2012
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
I will be coming here next month, and I want to buy up to AS for a long layover. I am a one world emerald I am in U class.
can someone find out if they’re accepting that?
can someone find out if they’re accepting that?
Aug 21, 2021, 8:14 am
#2013
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
Can you now buy before you arrive for a discount of 20%?
https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/lounges.html
https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/lounges.html
Aug 21, 2021, 8:35 am
#2014
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: HKG, BHX, MAN
Programs: Qatar Gold (OWS), Asiana Diamond (*G)
Posts: 1,493
Can you now buy before you arrive for a discount of 20%?
https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/lounges.html
https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/lounges.html
Aug 21, 2021, 3:51 pm
#2015
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Can you now buy before you arrive for a discount of 20%?
https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/lounges.html
https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/lounges.html
I don't see that offer in Turkey.
Aug 22, 2021, 1:10 am
#2016
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
Trying to decide between a 13hr layover or a 5hr layover in DOH. The 13 hour layover would give me a better departure date but I really don’t want to spend that much time in the airport unless I can access AS and buy up access. I am flying LAX-DOH-MUC.
Does anyone know if I could buy up and if so could I get a sleeping room? What is the latest on purchasing access?
Does anyone know if I could buy up and if so could I get a sleeping room? What is the latest on purchasing access?
Last edited by NWplatinum; Aug 22, 2021 at 1:36 am
Aug 23, 2021, 2:16 pm
#2017
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
With ALaska airlines ascension into OW, do ALaska airlines first class segments count for access to al-safwa?
So if I’m in AS F SEA-SFO,-DoH-MUC can I get Al-Safwa access during my DOH layover?
So if I’m in AS F SEA-SFO,-DoH-MUC can I get Al-Safwa access during my DOH layover?
Aug 23, 2021, 2:34 pm
#2018
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: So Cal
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 2,718
But you can do the buy up we have been discussing lately here. And also if you are flying DOH to pretty much anywhere in the ME to go onward then thats an F flight and you would get in at DOH on layover.
Aug 23, 2021, 5:43 pm
#2019
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,822
- Connecting between oneworld marketed and operated flights:
- First and Business Class customers connecting on the same day of travel, or before 6am the following day, can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul (a oneworld international long haul flight is defined as an international flight marketed and operated by any oneworld carrier with a scheduled flight time longer than 5 hours) and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa).
- Lounge access will be determined on the international long haul ticketed flight (either First of Business Class) regardless of the ticketed class of travel on the international short haul or domestic flight.
- You must be prepared to show your boarding pass or itinerary showing travel in First or Business class on the international long haul flight, in order to access the lounge before your international short haul or domestic flight.
Aug 23, 2021, 10:24 pm
#2020
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
There don't seem to have been any announcements that the rules for access have changed since it reopened.
Is al safwa nice? Well yes of course. It's not your average contract lounge. And it's a step up from the hustle and bustle of al mourjan at peak times.
Is it worth flying half way around the world on complex overlapping itineraries, gaming the system, or throwing away good points or cash on unused sectors, simply to be able to pay some more to get into it for just 6 hours? Probably not.
The hotels (airside and off airport) are more comfortable than the sleeper rooms. It is cheaper to buy a bottle of La Grand Dame downstairs than it is to pay to get into al safwa to drink a glass or two there. And ultimately on a long transit it's just a lounge. A very big, very quiet lounge with some better wines available than the lounges next door. But it's a lounge nonetheless.
Long transits are boring, even sat by the fountain of unicorns' tears in al safwa.
I would say that if it works out that you can get in during a journey you are taking anyway, either by virtue of travelling in first, having QRPC platinum, or paying on a mid length transit for the experience, then yes of course you will enjoy it. It is a very welcome perk for those that have it.
But it's not worth paying for during a 2 hour stop, and the very long overnight transits are definitely better spent in a hotel, even if you qualify for al safwa anyway.
Is al safwa nice? Well yes of course. It's not your average contract lounge. And it's a step up from the hustle and bustle of al mourjan at peak times.
Is it worth flying half way around the world on complex overlapping itineraries, gaming the system, or throwing away good points or cash on unused sectors, simply to be able to pay some more to get into it for just 6 hours? Probably not.
The hotels (airside and off airport) are more comfortable than the sleeper rooms. It is cheaper to buy a bottle of La Grand Dame downstairs than it is to pay to get into al safwa to drink a glass or two there. And ultimately on a long transit it's just a lounge. A very big, very quiet lounge with some better wines available than the lounges next door. But it's a lounge nonetheless.
Long transits are boring, even sat by the fountain of unicorns' tears in al safwa.
I would say that if it works out that you can get in during a journey you are taking anyway, either by virtue of travelling in first, having QRPC platinum, or paying on a mid length transit for the experience, then yes of course you will enjoy it. It is a very welcome perk for those that have it.
But it's not worth paying for during a 2 hour stop, and the very long overnight transits are definitely better spent in a hotel, even if you qualify for al safwa anyway.
Aug 24, 2021, 2:17 am
#2021
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 95
There don't seem to have been any announcements that the rules for access have changed since it reopened.
Is al safwa nice? Well yes of course. It's not your average contract lounge. And it's a step up from the hustle and bustle of al mourjan at peak times.
Is it worth flying half way around the world on complex overlapping itineraries, gaming the system, or throwing away good points or cash on unused sectors, simply to be able to pay some more to get into it for just 6 hours? Probably not.
The hotels (airside and off airport) are more comfortable than the sleeper rooms. It is cheaper to buy a bottle of La Grand Dame downstairs than it is to pay to get into al safwa to drink a glass or two there. And ultimately on a long transit it's just a lounge. A very big, very quiet lounge with some better wines available than the lounges next door. But it's a lounge nonetheless.
Long transits are boring, even sat by the fountain of unicorns' tears in al safwa.
I would say that if it works out that you can get in during a journey you are taking anyway, either by virtue of travelling in first, having QRPC platinum, or paying on a mid length transit for the experience, then yes of course you will enjoy it. It is a very welcome perk for those that have it.
But it's not worth paying for during a 2 hour stop, and the very long overnight transits are definitely better spent in a hotel, even if you qualify for al safwa anyway.
Is al safwa nice? Well yes of course. It's not your average contract lounge. And it's a step up from the hustle and bustle of al mourjan at peak times.
Is it worth flying half way around the world on complex overlapping itineraries, gaming the system, or throwing away good points or cash on unused sectors, simply to be able to pay some more to get into it for just 6 hours? Probably not.
The hotels (airside and off airport) are more comfortable than the sleeper rooms. It is cheaper to buy a bottle of La Grand Dame downstairs than it is to pay to get into al safwa to drink a glass or two there. And ultimately on a long transit it's just a lounge. A very big, very quiet lounge with some better wines available than the lounges next door. But it's a lounge nonetheless.
Long transits are boring, even sat by the fountain of unicorns' tears in al safwa.
I would say that if it works out that you can get in during a journey you are taking anyway, either by virtue of travelling in first, having QRPC platinum, or paying on a mid length transit for the experience, then yes of course you will enjoy it. It is a very welcome perk for those that have it.
But it's not worth paying for during a 2 hour stop, and the very long overnight transits are definitely better spent in a hotel, even if you qualify for al safwa anyway.
I’ve enjoyed being able to have some food and a drink in the quiet, but I find Al Safwa quite boring after 2 hours. And if I had an overnight transit of a decent amount of time, I would pay the extra money to get an airside hotel room.
Aug 24, 2021, 4:27 am
#2022
Join Date: May 2015
Location: SIN
Programs: LH HON, SQ TPPS, QR PLAT, EK SILVER, VN TITANIUM, HHilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 116
Do QRPC Plat in business booking class R get access to Al Safwa? or do Plats have to be in a business booking class which provides lounge access?
Aug 24, 2021, 4:59 am
#2023
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
It would be a real perk if you are denied al mourjan but allowed al safwa!
Aug 24, 2021, 4:59 am
#2024
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
There don't seem to have been any announcements that the rules for access have changed since it reopened.
Is al safwa nice? Well yes of course. It's not your average contract lounge. And it's a step up from the hustle and bustle of al mourjan at peak times.
Is it worth flying half way around the world on complex overlapping itineraries, gaming the system, or throwing away good points or cash on unused sectors, simply to be able to pay some more to get into it for just 6 hours? Probably not.
The hotels (airside and off airport) are more comfortable than the sleeper rooms. It is cheaper to buy a bottle of La Grand Dame downstairs than it is to pay to get into al safwa to drink a glass or two there. And ultimately on a long transit it's just a lounge. A very big, very quiet lounge with some better wines available than the lounges next door. But it's a lounge nonetheless.
Long transits are boring, even sat by the fountain of unicorns' tears in al safwa.
I would say that if it works out that you can get in during a journey you are taking anyway, either by virtue of travelling in first, having QRPC platinum, or paying on a mid length transit for the experience, then yes of course you will enjoy it. It is a very welcome perk for those that have it.
But it's not worth paying for during a 2 hour stop, and the very long overnight transits are definitely better spent in a hotel, even if you qualify for al safwa anyway.
Is al safwa nice? Well yes of course. It's not your average contract lounge. And it's a step up from the hustle and bustle of al mourjan at peak times.
Is it worth flying half way around the world on complex overlapping itineraries, gaming the system, or throwing away good points or cash on unused sectors, simply to be able to pay some more to get into it for just 6 hours? Probably not.
The hotels (airside and off airport) are more comfortable than the sleeper rooms. It is cheaper to buy a bottle of La Grand Dame downstairs than it is to pay to get into al safwa to drink a glass or two there. And ultimately on a long transit it's just a lounge. A very big, very quiet lounge with some better wines available than the lounges next door. But it's a lounge nonetheless.
Long transits are boring, even sat by the fountain of unicorns' tears in al safwa.
I would say that if it works out that you can get in during a journey you are taking anyway, either by virtue of travelling in first, having QRPC platinum, or paying on a mid length transit for the experience, then yes of course you will enjoy it. It is a very welcome perk for those that have it.
But it's not worth paying for during a 2 hour stop, and the very long overnight transits are definitely better spent in a hotel, even if you qualify for al safwa anyway.
So if I have the 7hr+ layover is it worth AS access, and to get one of the sleeping rooms in the AS? What I remember is the food and drink being absolutely exquisite. And with the Oryx Hotel being $300 a night, the buy up fee would totally be worth it unless I am missing something.
P.S. perhaps you fellow QR travelers can help me. When I was there last (March 2019) they had the AM, and AS. I bought access to AS on the way there and went to AM on the way back. I remember AM being packed and the food sub-par. But pictures I see of the other lounge that’s not AS with sushi bar and an eating area look totally different with better food.
did they open another lounge, add amenities to AM, or am I totally seeing the wrong rhing?
Aug 24, 2021, 5:28 am
#2025
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
So if I have the 7hr+ layover is it worth AS access, and to get one of the sleeping rooms in the AS? What I remember is the food and drink being absolutely exquisite. And with the Oryx Hotel being $300 a night, the buy up fee would totally be worth it unless I am missing something.
P.S. perhaps you fellow QR travelers can help me. When I was there last (March 2019) they had the AM, and AS. I bought access to AS on the way there and went to AM on the way back. I remember AM being packed and the food sub-par. But pictures I see of the other lounge that’s not AS with sushi bar and an eating area look totally different.
did they open another lounge or add things to AM?
P.S. perhaps you fellow QR travelers can help me. When I was there last (March 2019) they had the AM, and AS. I bought access to AS on the way there and went to AM on the way back. I remember AM being packed and the food sub-par. But pictures I see of the other lounge that’s not AS with sushi bar and an eating area look totally different.
did they open another lounge or add things to AM?
If you have been in before and remember what it is like, then really you already have all the answers you need. You know what is on offer and only you know which you would prefer.
And the sleeping rooms are subject to availability when you arrive, so there is no guarantee you will get one anyway.
I probably wouldn't pay extra personally if I already had AM access but maybe it depends on the time of day and length of transfer. AM is packed for a couple of hours twice a day but otherwise very pleasant.
You could get an off airport hotel for a lot less that the airside hotel or the al safwa buy up (which is only for 6 hours total remember) and still eat and drink in AM before and after. Off airport food probably beats anything in the lounges too. And good timing of your onboard sleeping could negate any need for a bed anyway.
In my opinion it is definitely not worth the various risks attached to any of the creative ticketing options you appear to be considering, as others have also said.