Doha-based Qatar Airlines is a member of the oneworld alliance and transfer partner of the Citi ThankYou and Starwood Preferred Guest programs. While the Qatar elite program is not exactly cutting edge, the benefits are decent, and most importantly, being an elite Privilege Club member means you get elite benefits on other oneworld flights.
So the program elite benefits aren’t only valuable if you fly to the Gulf, but also for international flights on the oneworld member airlines.
Lingo
The Qatar Privilege Club program has two distinct currencies: Qmiles and Qpoints. Qmiles is the currency of the program that you earn and redeem for award flights, upgrades, or other goodies. Qpoints are the elite qualifying points that define your membership status.
There is also Qcredits, a relatively new benefit that Gold and Platinum elite members can use for upgrades, checking bags, paying award fees or getting access to lounges.
Earning the Status
- For Silver : 150 Qpoints
- For Gold: 300 Qpoints
- For Platinum: 600 Qpoints
However, there is another requirement. You must earn at least 20% of your Qpoints by flying on Qatar or fly on Qatar at least four sectors.
Upgrades
Privilege Club Gold and Platinum members receive Qcredits that can be used for upgrades, as well as other services. Gold members receive 40 credits, and Platinum members get 60 credits. Depending on your routing it can be worth 1-2 upgrades a year.
Mileage Bonus
- Silver earns 50% bonus miles
- Gold and Platinum – 100%
Fee Waivers
- Excess Baggage:
- Silver – 22 lbs.
- Gold – 33 lbs. or 1 piece
- Platinum – 44 lbs. or 1 piece
- Change and Cancellation fees: Gold and Platinum
Booking and Airport Services
- Silver and up:
- Priority check-in
- Priority boarding
- Waitlisting
- Preferred seats
- Gold and Platinum:
- Guaranteed seat on a paid fare in economy
- Access to Priority Services at contact centers
- Priority baggage handling
Lounge Access
- Silver:
- Member-only access
- Two free lounge passes at Hamad International Airport
- Gold:
- Member and one guest
- Four free lounge passes at Hamad International Airport
- Platinum:
- Member and two guests
- Five free lounge passes at Hamad International Airport
- Gold and Platinum: Al Maha arrival and departure services at Hamad International Airport
Other Notable Benefits
- Gold and Platinum:
- Better award availability
- Five percent discount for online redemptions
- Platinum: Special discount at Qatar Duty Free
Oneworld Status
- Silver – Ruby
- Gold – Sapphire
- Platinum – Emerald
See this page for a list of oneworld elite benefits.
Other Ways to Earn Status
None. The only way to earn Qpoints and status is to fly on Qatar or Qatar and oneworld partners.
Status Match/Status Challenge
Qatar doesn’t officially offer status matching, and there have not been reports that it grants status matching upon request.
Earning Qpoints on Partner Airlines
You can earn Qatar Qpoints by flying on Qatar and oneworld member airlines, but not other Qatar partner airlines. For more information, check this page.