The Two Things Inflexible Travelers (and Others) Should Know About Scoring Qsuites for Up to 80% Off

While not cheap, Qatar Airways "Flexi" awards can save you up to 80% off a top Business Class seat, with point transfer bonuses or buying miles direct

Remember Anytime Awards?

Readers over 40 may remember that airlines used to have “
” which essentially cost you about twice as many miles to fly on any date you wanted. If you were totally inflexible on dates back then, the airlines had you over a Niagara Falls barrel. But hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. These days, “dynamic awards” have replaced them. For inflexible flyers, they’re generally ridiculously high in price. Let’s take a look at what’s replaced anytime awards on American, also known as “dynamic pricing.”

American’s Typical Flexible Traveler Cost:
340,000 One Way!

So, my interest was piqued recently when I was planning a flight from Berlin to Almaty, Kazakhstan, flying Qatar Qsuites (I know, I know, I’m collecting countries!). While searching for the lowest-cost award seat, it seemed that neither American Airlines nor British Airways had any award availability, but Iberia did (just not on my dates). Anyway, not one to be deterred, I investigated further.

Pain Points

First a note: Although I was traveling from Europe to Central Asia, most of you will want information about traveling from the U.S. to Doha and beyond, so I’ve got your back.

In a nutshell, the problem is that Qatar has Qsuite award space, but availability from the U.S. is on and off on a flash basis. Moreover, when it’s on, it’s not always at the lowest price, although close in there are more opportunities when you can find it. Qatar’s pricing structure looks like this for New York-Doha:

• The lowest cost is 70,000 one-way and 140,000 round-trip when it’s available.
• The Flexi award cost is 140,000 one-way and 280,000 round-trip, when it’s available, which is more often.
• Occasionally, we see a mid-level price for 94,500 one-way and 189,000 round-trip.

Qatar Flexi Awards
140,000 Miles One Way
(200,000 Miles Less Than American!)

No Miles? No Problem.

Buy from Qatar for as little as 1.6 cents each during their latest 80% bonus promotion. Typical bonuses are in the 30-40% range.

Or transfer from Amex to British Airways or Iberia. Or buy from Amex and transfer for 2.5 cents each — or for what amounts to 2 cents each during their latest 30% transfer bonus promotion. Typical bonuses are in the 30-50% range.

A Great Deal?

Considering the above, paying 140,000 miles (280,000 round-trip) to get into the Qsuite when you’re inflexible and that’s all the airline offers is better than nothing given that fares typically run up to $10,116 to $14,025 to the Middle East and beyond.

Especially when you’re in the air for 12+ hours and given that Qatar Airways sometimes offers flash mileage purchase bonuses of 30%, 40%, 50% and even up to 80% – all of which knocks that 280K down to as low as 156K round-trip. In other words, if you are an inflexible traveler with firm dates, this strategy makes sense when you can make it work with the purchase bonus or transfer bonus.

Example Qsuite Flexi Award Savings With the Qatar Mileage Purchase Bonus Strategy

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Still a Good Deal?

American Express sometimes has transfer bonuses with British Airways and Iberia, which you can combine with your Qatar Airways Avios that’ll save you 30%, 40%, or 50% – which knocks that 280K down to 224K. In other words, if you are an inflexible traveler with firm dates, this strategy makes sense when you can make it work with the transfer bonus.

Example Qsuite Flexi Award Savings With the Amex Points Purchase Strategy

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Making it Happen

Let’s break it down into steps.

1. First find a Qatar flight at the lowest award level for where you’re going.
2. Check for available award seats using your lowest-cost partner loyalty program currency
   1. Cathay Pacific or British Airways and Iberia miles – because they’re easier to come by with Amex transfers (BA and Iberia often offer a 30%-50% bonus transfer deal. That comes out to 2 cents each when buying from Amex).
   2. Capital One or Chase points (BA currently offers a 30% bonus transfer deal through September 22).
   3. American Airlines requires fewer miles for the award. I always buy the maximum amount each year when they’re on sale.
3. If those three options don’t work for you, check availability with Qatar Airways, which has another tier that can cost 30% to 100% more on some routes.

We don’t usually recommend these kinds of options because you’d only do it if the rack-rate fare is really high, and you’re not flexible with your dates. But Business Class fares to the Middle East can cost $10,116+.

Deep Dive on the Numbers

Qatar has 13 U.S. hubs that connect Doha to/from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC.

Flexi Qsuite Strategy #1
Qatar Mileage Purchase Bonus

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Flexi Qsuite Strategy #2 Amex Points Purchase

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Don’t Live in a Qatar Hub?

Keep in mind our Skipping Stones report. Check with the airlines to add a connecting flight from the U.S. hub city coming and/or going from any of Oneworld’s (American or Alaska) U.S. departure cities based on availability or buy a positioning flight.

Not Flying to Doha?
Take Qatar’s Deal Even Further

For 20,000 to 50,000 more miles, depending on the destination, you can explore other awesome destinations in Africa, Asia, or the Middle East.

Africa:

Egypt: Alexandria, Cairo

Ethiopia: Addis Ababa

Ghana: Accra

Kenya: Nairobi

Marrakesh: Casablanca

Nigeria:  Abuja, Lagos

Rwanda: Kigali

     Seychelles

South Africa: Cape Town, Johannesburg

Tanzania: Dar es Salaam, Mount Kilimanjaro

Tunisia: Tunis

Asia:

Indonesia: Bali, Jakarta

Kazakhstan: Almaty

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur

     Maldives: Male

     Nepal: Kathmandu

Singapore

Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket

Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City

India: Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi

Middle East:

      Bahrain

Jordan: Amman

Oman: Muscat

Saudi Arabia: Jeddah, Riyadh

U.A.E. Abu Dhabi, Dubai

The Route Network
MAP

Although these aircraft move around and flight numbers may change, here’s the trick to finding the Qsuite:

• All A350-1000s have Qsuites.
• The A350-900 can be tricky as both layouts have nine rows in Business Class. The Qsuite aircraft has row 2 A/D/G/J, while the non-Qsuite configuration has row 2 A/E/F/K.
• B777-200 and B777-300 aircraft with 11 rows in Business Class have Qsuites.
• B787-800s do NOT have Qsuites.

Where to find flights with Qsuites at the moment:

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So if you don’t have any flexibility on your dates, don’t despair. You can still save up to 80% off in Qatar’s coveted Qsuite by using point transfer bonuses or buying miles directly.

Not bad.