Airline Loyalty Rewards
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Loyalty Program Review
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Hamad International Airport-Doha
Qatar Airways Overview
Qatar Airways operates its main hub near other heavyweight airlines Emirates and Etihad, who also have hubs nearby.
The main airport for Qatar Airways is located in Doha and offers a number of non-stop flights to the U.S.
Joining the likes of American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and British Airways, Qatar is a member of the Oneworld Alliance. This means that Avios can be redeemed to fly on any of the other airline partners in the alliance.
Practically speaking, redeeming Avios isn’t difficult, but the amount of Avios required is high. Instead, consider an option like redeeming American Airlines miles to fly in Qatar business class.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club is the name of the frequent flyer program that proves valuable add-ons if you fly the airline or on Oneworld flights with regularity.
Elite status in the Privilege Club program is awarded when you earn a certain number of Qpoints. These points are credited based on the flight distance, the airline you’re flying, and the fare class.
Privilege Club frequent flyers earn Avios on each flight in addition to the Qpoints earned based on their elite status.
Avios can be redeemed for award flights and also for upgrades, online shopping, excess baggage, and hotel stays.
Bottom Line: In short, elite members in the Privilege Club have the opportunity to receive value for both Qatar and Oneworld Alliance partner flights, especially at the upper elite tier level.
Joining Privilege Club
As with most frequent flyer programs, Privilege Club membership is free. Those interest to join simply need to complete this application.
After acceptance into the program, members receive the ability to earn and redeem Avios through the Privilege Club.
Hot Tip: Students aged 18 to 30 may be eligible for Student Club where benefits include special fares, excess baggage allowance, date change flexibility, complimentary Super Wi-Fi, and more!
How to Sign in to Your Privilege Club Account
The email address and password that you used to create an account is all that you’ll need to log-in to your Privilege Club account.
Hot Tip: Qatar shows the number of Avios required for its own award flights, but you’ll need Avios in your account to search for award space. For partner flights, we recommend searching for award space elsewhere.
Viewing Your Account Activity
Reviewing your mileage activity is easy. Simply follow these steps:
- Log in to your account
- Click My Activities under My Account
Points Expiration
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios do not expire as long as you have at least some qualifying activity once every 36 months.
Any activity in which you earn or spend Avios will reset the expiration, giving you an additional 36 months. This includes transferring points from partners like Citi ThankYou points or Capital One Miles.
Members with Platinum status have the benefit of their Avios not expiring as long as their Platinum membership is retained.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Program
Privilege Club Elite Status
The Privilege Club program has four elite tiers that require loyalty members to earn a certain number of Qpoints to reach each tier.
As a member moves up to higher tiers, additional benefits, like lounge access and increased baggage allowance, are awarded.
Keep in mind that higher elite tiers include all of the benefits of the below tiers.
Privilege Club
Burgundy: Privilege Club’s lowest elite level provides members with these benefits:
- Priority stand-by
Silver: One of 2 middle elite tiers where members have these perks:
- 25% bonus Avios
- Priority check-in
- Excess baggage allowance
- Lounge access
- 2 guest lounge passes at Hamad International Airport
- Priority Boarding
- Travel Coordinator
- Preferred seats
Gold: The second middle elite tier that comes with the following benefits:
- 75% bonus Avios
- 40 Qcredits to be used towards award upgrades or excess baggage fees
- Additional excess baggage allowance
- Lounge access, plus 1 guest
- 4 guest lounge passes at Hamad International Airport
- Al Maha lounge access and guest pass at Hamad International Airport
- 5% discount for online redemptions
- Award fee waivers
Platinum: The highest elite tier in the program offers members these perks:
- 100% bonus Avios
- 60 Qcredits to be used towards award upgrades and excess baggage fees
- No mileage expiration
- Additional excess baggage allowance
- 5 guest lounge passes at Hamad International Airport
- Al Maha lounge access and 2 guest passes at Hamad International Airport
Head to the Privilege Club website for the full list of elite benefits.
Bottom Line: Qatar rewards members who earn top tier status. This can be valuable if you regularly fly Qatar or Oneworld Airline partners.
Value of Privilege Club Elite Status
The list of benefits at the Platinum tier is interesting, particularly because Avios don’t expire and members receive a number of lounge benefits for themselves and guests.
Gold and Platinum elite status can make sense for some flyers, but it’s best to ask yourself if the benefits offered are of value for your situation.
For those who conclude that Qatar elite status is valuable, focus your efforts on the Gold and Platinum elite tiers for the lounge and bonus mileage benefits.
Bottom Line: Privilege Club focuses on mileage bonuses, lounge access, and no mileage expiration (Platinum) as the benefits for its most frequent flyer members.
Earning Privilege Club Elite Status
Privilege Club makes it straightforward in terms of how to qualify or re-qualify for elite status in the program.
The chart above notes the points required to earn status in an elite tier. Note that you’ll need fewer Qpoints to re-qualify than you did to earn that status originally.
For example, if you earned Platinum status via 600 Qpoints in year 1, you’d need to earn 540 Qpoints in year 2 to retain that status.
It’s also important to note that members also need to earn at least 20% of the required Qpoints or fly 4 sectors (within 12 months before retaining status) or 8 sectors (within 24 months prior to retaining status) on flights either marketed or operated by Qatar Airways.
Citibank, Capital One, and Marriott are Qatar’s credit card partners. However, none of these partners, or Qatar’s co-branded credit card partners, allow you to earn elite status via credit card spend.
Bottom Line: Elite status in the Privilege Club program has to be earned the hard way — by flying with Qatar and/or its partner airlines.
How to Earn Qatar Airways Avios
The Privilege Club program partners with three transferable point programs making it extremely easy to earn Avios.
For frequent flyers transferring points to Qatar, Capital One should be your first choice as it has the quickest transfer time, relative to Citibank and Marriott.
Earning Avios Through Flying
Qatar uses an easy formula on the Avios Earn Chart page in order to calculate the number of Avios that you earn when flying.
To calculate the Avios for a flight, multiply the flight distance (use Great Circle Mapper) by the Avios Accrual shown in the chart.
For those with elite status, add in the Tier Bonus by multiplying the flight distance by the tier bonus percentage.
Partner flights must be marketed as a Qatar flight for you to earn Avios. If the flight is a Qatar marketed flight, use the Accrual Rates shown on the Avios Earn Chart page.
Privilege Club members have access not only to Oneworld partner flights, but also to Qatar’s 4 additional airline partners: Bangkok Airways, GOL, LATAM, and MEA.
Check out Qatar’s Partner Airline page for more info on all of its airline partners.
Hot Tip: Qatar Airways and JetBlue Airways entered into a strategic partnership in early 2021 that expanded codeshare offerings. The programs are expected to offer reciprocal loyalty program benefits by the end of 2021.
Earn Avios With Credit Cards
By focusing your credit card spend on the right credit card, earning Qatar Avios is easy. Earning points this way can open up a ton of award opportunities.
With Capital One’s revamped program, consider its personal and business credit cards in addition to those offered by Citibank and Marriott.
For Marriott credit cards, the points you transfer to Qatar Airways receive a 5,000-point bonus for every 60,000 points that you transfer.
Earning Bonus Avios in Other Ways
Privilege Club members should be set via credit cards, however, there are always opportunities to earn more Avios.
Qatar’s Facebook, Twitter, and offers page can be great places to keep in mind for discount or Avios-earning promotions.
Outside of social media and its offers page, Qatar has partners like hotels and rental car companies that allow you to earn Avios with your stays and rentals.
Hot Tip: If you add your airline loyalty program to other services, you typically won’t also earn status points with these franchises. For example, this partnership acts as a sort of alliance between the airline and car rental agency.
Branded and Partnered Credit Cards
Qatar offers several co-branded credit cards, but the best way to earn Avios is by spending on a transferable point credit card.
Qatar Airways partners with 3 of the 5 transferable point partners, making nearly any redemption within reach. More on this below.
Qatar Airways Credit Cards
It’s true that Qatar offers a few credit cards through different financial partners, however, it makes more sense to focus on its U.S. point-earning partners.
The reason why is because you can land larger welcome bonuses and earn more on your spend with these partners relative to spending on the Qatar credit cards.
Citibank Credit Cards
Earning Citi ThankYou points can prove to be challenging for a few reasons.
It’s primarily because Citibank simply doesn’t have that many ThankYou point earning credit cards.
With programs like Amex and Chase offering business and personal credit card products, the only Citibank cards that you want to focus on are personal credit cards.
It’s not all doom and gloom with Citibank though and here’s why. Citibank offers transfer bonuses to some of its airline partners, many of whom are unique, further increasing the value of the points that you earn.
The bank’s current lineup includes four ThankYou point earning credit cards, one that’s only for students, and a fifth card that requires a product change from an existing Citibank card. More information about the cards can be found here:
*The information regarding the Citi Premier card has expired, and the card is no longer open to applicants.
Why We Like This Card
The Citi Premier® Card is an excellent option for anyone looking for an all-around travel rewards credit card. The card helps you earn points fast with great 3x bonus categories such as restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotels. Plus, it offers access to airline and hotel transfer partners, doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, and has a reasonable annual fee!
Pros & Cons
- 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotel purchases
- Access to Citi transfer partners
- Annual hotel credit
- $95 annual fee
Card Highlights
- No welcome offer available
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 60,000 ThankYou® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
- APR: 21.24% - 29.24% variable
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
This no annual fee card rewards cardholders for everyday purchases. Earn bonus points at supermarkets and gas stations, plus your points are rounded up on every purchase.
Card Highlights
- Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
- Plus, as a special offer, earn a total of 5 Thank You® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.*
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 17.99% to 27.99%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
- The Citi Rewards+® Card – the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase – with no cap.
- No Annual Fee
- APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers and on purchases for 15 months. After that, a variable APR of 17.99% to 27.99%.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each purchase transaction in US dollars
Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!
Why We Like This Card
The Citi Double Cash® Card has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!
This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points. This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.
Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.
Pros & Cons
- Uncapped 2% for every $1 spent (1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay)
- Flexible redemption options
- No annual fee
- No bonus categories
- 3% foreign transaction fees
Card Highlights
- Bonus Offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% to 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Citi Double Cash® Card Travel Portal Special Offer
Earn a total of 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rental, and attractions, excluding air travel, when booked through the Citi Travel℠ portal via cititravel.com or by calling 1-833-737-1288 (TTY: 711). Offer is valid through 12/31/2025.
- APR: 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 18.49% to 28.49% Variable
- Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase
Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!
Why We Like This Card
The Citi Custom Cash® Card is inventive when it comes to cash-back credit cards. Instead of earning a set amount of cash-back on predetermined bonus categories, the Citi Custom Cash card earns 5% cash-back on your highest eligible spend category each billing cycle, without an annual fee.
Thanks to that unique perk, you’ll never need to worry about whether you’re using the right card for the right purchase, as your Citi Custom Cash card will always pay you 5% back on whichever category you end up spending the most on each month.
Pros & Cons
- 5% cash-back (on up to $500 each billing cycle) from your largest purchase category, including restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment
- No annual fee
- Multiple redemption options
- Your 5% category is limited to $500 in spend ($25 in cash-back) each month
- Not particularly rewarding for any purchases outside of your top 5% cash-back category
Card Highlights
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Get 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% to 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- No annual fee.
- Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.
- APR: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.49% to 28.49%.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%
Capital One Credit Cards
Capital One ended 2018 strong by revamping its award program to compete against the heavyweights Amex and Chase.
This is great news for consumers because it opened up a fifth transferable point program, a fourth by a U.S. bank.
What’s interesting with Capital One is that its business credit cards count against the Chase 5/24 number. If you’re not familiar with the 5/24 rule, we have a post covering it in detail here.
With a combination of business and personal credit cards from Capital One, you have the opportunity to earn more Capital One miles.
If you’re interested in these products, more information about the cards can be found on the tables below.
Recommended Miles-Earning Capital One Cards (Personal)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.
Why We Like This Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.
Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.
Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.
Pros & Cons
- 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
- 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
- 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
- $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
- Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
Card Highlights
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- APR: 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesGet 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!
Why We Like This Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.
Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.
Pros & Cons
- 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
- Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
- Limited elite benefits
Card Highlights
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- APR: 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.
Why We Like This Card
Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.
In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.
But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?
Pros & Cons
- No annual fee (rates & fees)
- No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
- Ability to use transfer partners
- Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
- No luxury travel or elite benefits
Card Highlights
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- APR: 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Marriott Credit Cards
Closing out our list of transferable point programs, we have an old faithful in Marriott.
For those not familiar with Marriott’s point structure, read closely because it’s unique. For every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer to most airline partners, you’ll receive a 5,000-point bonus in the form of airline miles.
The transfer ratio of Marriott points to most airlines is 3:1, so 60,000 Marriott points become 25,000 Qatar Airways Avios with the 5,000-point bonus (60,000 / 3 = 20,000 + 5,000 = 25,000).
Recommended Marriott Cards
A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Why We Like This Card
Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Pros & Cons
- Up to 14x points per $1 on Marriott purchases
- 2x points at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services
- 5 Elite Night Credits each year
- Lower point earn rate than other Marriott Bonvoy cards
- Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status is the lowest status tier
Card Highlights
- APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
- Foreign Transaction Fees:
Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual Free Night Award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.
Why We Like This Card
If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.
Pros & Cons
- Earn big when you use your card at thousands of participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- Earn big at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
- Automatic Silver Elite Status
- $95 annual fee
- Marriott Silver Elite Status is the lowest status tier
Card Highlights
- Earn 125,000 bonus points after qualifying purchases - our best points offer!
- Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
- Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
- Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
- Member FDIC
- APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.
Apply With Confidence
Know if you're approved with no credit score impact
If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Why We Like This Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.
Pros & Cons
- 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
- 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2x points)
- 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
- $250 annual fee (rates & fees)
- Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit
Card Highlights
- Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
- Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
- Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card.
- Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
- With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
- Plan It® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesA premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.
Apply With Confidence
Know if you're approved with no credit score impact
If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Why We Like This Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.
So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?
Pros & Cons
- 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program
- 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
- 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
- Steep annual fee of $650 (rates & fees)
- 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
Card Highlights
- Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
- With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
- Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
- Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
- $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
- Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
- With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Other Hotel Partner Credit Cards
You might be wondering if there are other hotel partners like Marriott which provide you with the opportunity to transfer points for Avios.
Unfortunately, brands like Hilton and Hyatt typically have horrendous transfer ratios to airlines and thus yield bad value. We don’t recommend these types of transfers for that reason.
If you’re either in a bind or are looking to top off an airline account, that’d be the only reason to transfer points from a hotel program to Qatar Airways.
How to Redeem Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios
Privilege Club offers a handful of ways to redeem Qatar Airways Avios. Using Avios for award flights will yield the best value.
Qatar keeps it simple with its redemptions by only having 2 award charts — one when flying on a Qatar flight and one when flying on a partner airline flight.
The Qatar Qcalculator is the first chart we’ll check out.
After running the calculator, you’ll notice the pricing functions like a zone chart. This means that a Qatar flight in business class from Los Angeles or Atlanta to Doha requires the same number of Avios.
The next chart to review is the partner airline award chart. Qatar is a Oneworld Alliance member and also has airline partnerships outside of Oneworld. What you should know is that all partner pricing is the same and is shown in the chart below.
Unlike the Qcalulator, the partner award chart is distance based. So use Great Circle Mapper to calculate the distance of your flight(s), and then refer to the chart below to see the number of Avios required.
Qatar isn’t a program that gets a ton of love for sweet spots. However, that doesn’t mean you should completely give up on the program — especially if you can easily earn Avios or fly the airline regularly.
With that said, 2 decent values in the partner award chart to consider are as follows:
- 70,000+ one-way American Airlines business class to Europe
- 70,000+ one-way Iberia business class to Europe
Hot Tip: Qatar doesn’t have a plethora of sweet spots, but if you’re interested in seeing your options, we have an entire post on the best ways to redeem Qatar Avios.
Oneworld Alliance and Other Partner Awards
Qatar keeps it simple, compared to some award programs, by having an award chart for Qatar flights and a separate award chart for all of its airline partner flights.
For an easy reference guide, check out the partner award chart to see what Qatar requires for your specific route.
Booking Online
British Airways and Qantas will be your go-to sites to search for Oneworld award availability. Each has its pros and cons, but you’ll be on the right track with either one.
Attempting to book award flights through the Qatar website can be a frustrating process. The reason is because you need to have Avios in your account to search for award space.
When searching for both Qatar and partner airline award space, the website will re-direct members to a new login page every time, forcing the member to the start the process over again.
If the Avios are in your account, you’ll be able to search for and book award space. If not, call Qatar at 800-988-6128 and ask them to search for award space.
As a general rule, when searching for award flights keep these things mind:
- Search the British Airways or Qantas websites for Oneworld flights
- Use the Delta or Flying Blue websites for SkyTeam flights
- Search the United or Aeroplan website for Star Alliance flights
Hot Tip: Consider using Expert Flyer if the airline you’re looking for doesn’t appear when conducting award searches using the methods above.
The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Citi Premier® Card has expired and the card is no longer open to applicants.
The information regarding the Citi Rewards+® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Citi Double Cash® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Citi Custom Cash® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® card, click here.
