Qatar Airways To Replace Qmiles With Avios From Late March 2022

This is huge news: Qatar Airways will be replacing its Qmiles air miles currency with Avios. 

From March 2022, passengers wishing to use points to redeem flights on Qatar Airways flights will use Avios. The exact date for the switchover is yet to be confirmed.

“The transition from Qmiles to Avios marks a ground-breaking new year for Privilege Club, enabling our loyal members to participate in the most compelling loyalty network and the largest portfolio of partners in the industry,” said His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive.

While this is, indeed, big news for the industry, the extent of the impact the change will have for most travelers, including Qatar flyers, appears to be minimal for now.

Here’s what we know so far.

Qatar Airways Adopts Avios for Award Flights

It’s already possible to use Avios to redeem flights on Qatar Airways — one of the best ways is through British Airways’ website.

However, when looking to redeem flights directly through Qatar Airways’ website, passengers have only been able to use Qmiles.

Avios is owned and managed by IAG Loyalty, which sits under the wider umbrella of International Airlines Group (of which Qatar Airways holds a 25% equity stake).

Qatar Airways will join Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and Vueling as the fifth airline to use Avios as its air miles currency. 

In the coming weeks, details are likely to be announced of some exciting new benefits for Qatar Airways customers that will be introduced thanks to the airline’s new partnership with IAG Loyalty.

“Qatar Airways have recognised the power of Avios,” said Adam Daniels, CEO of IAG Loyalty. “By adopting Avios they will be able to offer their customers a wider range of benefits and support their business development ambitions.”

When the airline makes the switch from Qmiles to Avios, customers’ points will be transferred at a rate of 1:1 to the new currency.

There will be no change to the way that members of Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club are able to earn Qpoints and Qcredits.

Possible Outcomes

It’s likely that Avios will become transferrable to other membership programs, as is already the case between the British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, and Aer Lingus Aer Club.

In such a case, it would be worth your while to open a free Qatar Privilege Club account now as you’ll be rewarded with 2,000 Qmiles if you do so before March 31, 2022.

If points then do become transferrable, that’ll be 2,000 Avios that you could then transfer into your Aer Lingus, BA, or Iberia frequent flyer programs.

Hot Tip: While Amex transfer partners, Chase transfer partners, and Capital One transfer partners have had access to Qatar Airways award inventory via Oneworld transfer partners, Citi has a direct transfer partner in Qatar Airways, which we expect could give Citi ThankYou cardholders access to redemptions on the other Avios airlines.

Final Thoughts

Qatar Airways ditching its own points currency to join Avios is a big change to have made.

However, the true extent of how this might benefits flyers when the switchover happens in late March is unclear.