Qatar Airways: fast-track to Gold, Platinum status
One business class flight with Qatar Airways is all you need to lock down Gold or Platinum status for a whole year.
By David Flynn, October 28 2019
Qatar Airways is widely regarded as being one of the world's best airlines for business travellers – especially if you're ensconced in the airline's superb Qsuite, although any business class journey still includes an extensive restaurant-style 'dine on demand' menu plus stellar service from an attentive cabin crew.
And with daily flights from Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth to one of over 160 destinations, it's not as if you need additional justification to travel with Qatar Airways.
But here's one more reason anyway: the opportunity to pocket Gold or Platinum status with just one flight under a special "fast-track your tier" promotion for Australian travellers, running through to October 31, 2019.
One business class flight is all it takes to earn Gold status for up to a full year.
That shiny status comes via Qatar Airways' Privilege Club frequent flyer program – and with Qatar Airways being a member of the Oneworld alliance, your freshly-pressed perks extend right across other Oneworld airlines including Qantas, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, JAL, Malaysia Airlines and many others.
For example, Qatar Airways' Privilege Club Gold equates to Gold with Qantas Frequent Flyer and Cathay Pacific's Marco Polo Club, under the umbrella of Oneworld Sapphire; and Privilege Club Platinum lines up alongside Qantas Platinum and Cathay Pacific Diamond as part of the top Oneworld Emerald tier.
Qatar Airways' Airbus A380 lounge: fast-tracking your status was never so enjoyable.
Practical benefits include access to business class and first class lounges, priority check-in and boarding, a more generous checked luggage allowance, and being higher up the pecking order when it comes to upgrades.
Those are definitely benefits worth having, and here's how they can be yours with a single Qatar Airways flight.
1. If you're not already a member of Qatar Airways' Privilege Club frequent flyer program, sign up here. It's fast, it's free, and even though you'll be starting at the entry-level Burgundy tier, you won't be there for long. However, note that this offer is available only to members whose country of residence, as listed in their Privilege Club account, is Australia.
2. Book a Qatar Airways flight from Australia, in either business class or first class, by 31 October 2019, for travel until 31 March 2020. That's a tight 'book by' window, so if you've been contemplating a business trip or a well-earned holiday through to the end of March next year, this could be the time to get that locked down. This can even be a one-way flight, in case your itinerary doesn't lend itself to making the return journey with Qatar Airways.
3. Register for this fast-track promotion at least 24 hours before your flight, although there's no harm in doing it as soon as you book. Log into your Privilege Club account and select My Offers, then set the 'Offers filter' to show 'New offers', and when you see the fast-track promotion come up, click the Register button.
4. Now you're set for a gratis status bump, which kicks in 30 days after the start of your trip. Privilege Club Burgundy and Silver members will automatically be gifted Gold status (equivalent to Oneworld Sapphire), and if you're currently at Privilege Club Gold you'll be upgraded to Platinum (Oneworld Emerald). If you're already Privilege Club Platinum, that status will be extended for one year beyond your tier expiry date.
Being able to rocket from zero status to Gold-plated hero status with one flight is very compelling.
Without the benefit of this fast-track promotion you'd need to make at least two return business class trips with Qatar Airways from Australia to London to earn enough Qpoints (Qatar's equivalent of status credits or tier miles) to qualify for Privilege Club Gold status – but the fast-track deal gets you Gold with just one flight, as long as you make your booking by 31 October 2019 and travel by 31 March 2020.
For more on this special promotion, visit the Qatar Airways Privilege Club web site.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
British Airways - Executive Club
28 Mar 2014
Total posts 70
Shame it's not for prebooked flights: I've got a QR flight coming up at the end of this month!
11 Mar 2012
Total posts 316
Can you cancel and rebook?
British Airways - Executive Club
28 Mar 2014
Total posts 70
Not really worth it, as I will probably make owEmerald anyway this year: (going to South America in January) but would have been nice to have a guarantee!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Sep 2015
Total posts 2
cloud-9 - the problem with owEmerald is you don't get to use the fantastic QATAR lounges - in Doha you get the OneWorld First Lounge which is a tiny space much worse than the even the QATAR Business Lounge :-(
British Airways - Executive Club
28 Mar 2014
Total posts 70
That's true but as I generally travel in a premium cabin, I have only been to the Al Safwa and Al Mourhain lounges in Doha.
OwE does generally get you access to F - rather than J - lounges though, another exception being the CCR at LHRt5, only for people flying BA F
11 Oct 2019
Total posts 1
I have just booked a business QR flight departure 30th March. I have put in my QF frequent flyer no. If I sign up to privilege club now and put in booking will this offer still be applicable to me?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jan 2012
Total posts 259
Your best bet is to join Privelige Club, add in that number to the booking then see if the offer is there. But also check if your flights will get you OWS or OWE with the QF number anyway.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
Ceecee18: yes, that should be fine. From the T&Cs for this offer, "Ensure to quote their Privilege Club number at the time of booking or check-in." So as long as you join Privilege Club at some stage and also register for this promotion (and both are best done sooner rather than later) you should be in the clear.
11 Dec 2018
Total posts 3
Just checked business class flights from MEL to LAX return on Qatar. A 34 hour flight via Doha for $8500; plus a 34 hour flight return for $8000.
Total $16500 for "free" gold membership. I would prefer five business class flights with Qf, Cx and Sg to HK, VN, Singapore, Beijing and Taipei for the same cost.
Can anyone see the value of the free GOLD membership for $16500?
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 413
Why on earth would you want to fly Melbourne to Los Angeles via Doha? Of course it's going to be super expensive and of course it's going to take a very very long time. This is an insane 'example' to use, it makes absolutely no sense. I'll give you a much more realistic example: QR Sydney-London business class return mid-November for $8,000, the cheapest I could find for that same period with Qantas was $9,500. I'd rather fly QR (Qsuites, or A380 with amazing lounge), pocket $1500 and get Gold status into the bargain.
11 Dec 2018
Total posts 3
@QFP1 - sorry mate, can't see where I actually said I wanted to fly Mel to LAX via Doha. I was using it as an extreme example. Thanks very much for your incredible insights though, greatly appreciated and I will attempt to remember your advice should I ever need it in the future. Cheers
17 Oct 2019
Total posts 5
My wife is planning a trip to Stockholm in Feb 2020, so I signed her up with Qatar Privilege Club and followed the instructions to New Offers. The reply was "There are currently no offers in this category". I contacted Qatar Sydney Office and they had no knowledge of this promotion and wanted a promotion code number which I was unable to give to them.
I have since logged into the the Qatar site and written twice to their Contact Centre but have received no reply..... days are running out! Has this promotion been stopped?
17 Oct 2019
Total posts 5
Finally after 3 days I was able to access this offer and register for the promotion.
British Airways - Executive Club
28 Mar 2014
Total posts 70
Well done! Via web site or phone call in the end?
Hope your wife enjoys her status!
17 Oct 2019
Total posts 1
Can anyone confirm whether or not you need to book direct with Qatar or can you also book via a reseller and qualify for the offer?
17 Oct 2019
Total posts 5
Cloud-9, Thanks for you post.
After trying repeatably throughout the day I finally got the page to come up on the web site at 10:30 last night and registered immediately.
Not sure what the issue was, perhaps as the Offer was limited to Australian travellers, it may be a Zone thing?
Original phone call to Sydney office was most unhelpful, so did not go back there!
Just about to book flights now and I am certain she will enjoy the Q-suite!
17 Jan 2018
Total posts 84
Perverse. OW Emerald dont get access to First class lounge but all and sundry can get it by taking a couple of flights via fast track. Surely attracting OW ff to fly Qatar should be the primary objective! Qatar management seem to have no idea.
British Airways - Executive Club
28 Mar 2014
Total posts 70
In Doha owE get access to F lounge. If you want to access the QR lounges, you need to travel in the respective F or J cabins on QR (or arrive that way)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Mar 2013
Total posts 169
Of note i have just found out I need to make a dash to Doha for a meeting and cannot access the promotion online (I believe it expires today). Could anyone confirm that it is still on, please?
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Qatar Airways: fast-track to Gold, Platinum status