How to book Qatar's Sydney-Doha A380 flights with Qantas points
By Chris C., March 8 2016
With Qatar Airways now flying between Sydney and Doha, the Gulf airline and Oneworld member provides a new way for Sydney-based Qantas Frequent Flyer members to use their points for travel to the Middle East and beyond to destinations across Europe including London, Paris and Rome.
(From May 2016 that opportunity will extend to Adelaide when Qatar starts Adelaide-Doha flights on its new Airbus A350, and of course Qatar is already flying daily from Melbourne and Perth.)
Booking Qatar flights via Qantas
Reward flights on Qatar are easy to book and are listed on the Qantas website alongside flight options for Qantas, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and more – although on the dates we searched, rewards that included the Sydney-Doha leg could only be found in economy, not business class:
As is the custom with newly-launched routes, airlines typically assess how many premium seats they can sell for actual cash on a regular basis before later allowing travellers to book business class seats using frequent flyer points, so expect your options to expand sooner or later.
On a typical journey from Sydney to London or other major points in Europe when reward flights are available, you’d be looking at 75,000 Qantas Points for that one-way trek in economy or 139,000 Qantas Points for business class.
That’s the same number of Qantas Points as to fly with the Roo’s broader web of partners including Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, but is certainly more than the 128,000 Qantas Points needed to book the same trip in business class with Qantas or Emirates via Dubai.
Most travellers will find it hard to justify that 11,000-point premium over Qantas or Emirates. But if award flights are available with Qatar Airways but not with Qantas or Emirates on the dates you need to travel, those extra points can make the difference between getting in the air or not travelling at all.
Qatar’s flights also give passengers a little more flexibility with their schedule, as unlike QF1 to London which currently departs Sydney at 4:45pm, QR909 pushes back at 9:50pm and allows you to get in a full day’s work plus a leisurely dinner on the ground before beginning the journey.
Also read: AusBT review of Qatar Airways Airbus A380 business class
Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT
Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 464
The fees make a large difference. I found J seats for PER-JFK on the same day with QF, CX and QR.
QF : 128,000 points, $500
CX : 139,000 points, $130
QR : 139,000 points, $680
and CX was quickest by 3 hours.
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 353
Good point GregXL, CX would easily be the pick of these and better business class than either Qantas or Qatar.
American Airlines - AAdvantage
13 Jul 2015
Total posts 273
Better business class than Qatar is debatable if you get Qantas A380 or 787/A350 - but if you get the older 777, then yes the seats are better (until they are replaced later this year).
However since this is a Sydey article, they fly the A380 with similar reverse herringbone seats to Cathay 777 planes. So I stand by my statement, CX having 'better' business class seats is highly debatable - especially when you throw in that gorgeous bar in the mix on Qatar.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 464
You can buy the extra 11000 points from QF for $360 which would balance CX and QF, but most people would consider 11000 points to be worth a lot less than that.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Oct 2014
Total posts 692
"Most travellers will find it hard to justify that 11,000-point premium over Qantas or Emirates."
However, QR is rated a Skytrax 5 star airline, where QF and EK are not.
04 May 2015
Total posts 262
Does anybody actually pay attention to Skytrax ratings? I'd take the EK A380 with 1-2-1 seating over a Qatar 777 with an old school 2-2-2 layout any day.
American Airlines - AAdvantage
13 Jul 2015
Total posts 273
Honestly I'd take a Qatar A380 in J over EY J, but I would definately prefer a 'cabin' on EY F versus the (admitedly pretty) open Qatar F seats. I am curious to see these 'Super Business' Seats Qatar is thinking of introducing later this year though on 777's.
Isn't the Qatar A380 - flying on at least during the summer to Sydney? Would hope Qatar replace BKK with SYD!
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 353
Do some research Kimshep and you'll find out that Skytrax is a scam, the more you pay the more awards you get.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Oct 2014
Total posts 692
Thanks Mal.
I've done enough research to recognise a libellous comment - and one often found on other airline-related 'chat' sites.
Your comment belies the comprehensive rating system used and the actual volume of responses by independent travellers, who are NOT paid. The volume of responses far outweigh those of other competing 'ratings' sites such as the 'Freddies', where certain airlines publicly encourage their passengers to vote for them.
Now that TripAdvisor has recently begun allowing independent ratings of airlines will you level the same charge against them?
Note: I have no affiliation with SkyTrax or their related entities, but to extrapolate on your comment, are you suggesting that QR 'paid' for their rating?
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