Qatar Airways Launches First U.S. Credit Cards

One of the most popular Middle East airlines is Qatar Airways. The airline is known for its luxurious Business Class seats and impressive airport lounge (and continues to win awards for both). As a way to introduce itself to more U.S. travelers, Qatar Airways is launching two new credit cards that include generous welcome bonus offers, automatic elite status in the first year and the ability to earn points toward free flights and elite status. Learn more about these new Qatar Airways credit cards, how to redeem Privilege Club points and two alternative travel credit cards you should consider.

Key Takeaways

• Sign up for the Qatar Airways Privilege Club waitlist to earn up to 10,000 bonus points when you apply.
• Two versions of the Qatar Airways credit card will launch in early May 2024.
• Cardholders will enjoy elite status for the first year and earn Qpoints towards retaining it.

Qatar Airways launches two credit cards in the U.S. for the first time

Qatar Airways has partnered with Cardless, a FinTech startup based in San Francisco, to launch two new credit cards in the U.S. Travelers can choose between two versions of the Qatar Airways Privilege Club credit card — Visa Signature and Visa Infinite.

While these airline credit cards are not yet available, the waitlist to apply went live on April 16, 2024. Applications are expected to go live starting in early May 2024.

Benefits of the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card

The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card is designed for frequent travelers who want to experience luxury on their trips. This premium airline credit card has an annual fee of $499, and its first-year perks justify the high price tag.

• Welcome bonus of up to 50,000 Avios and 150 Qpoints. You’ll earn 25,000 Avios after your first purchase, plus another 25,000 points after spending $5,000 within the first 90 days. After meeting the minimum spending requirement, you’ll also earn 150 Qpoints which accelerates your path to higher elite status.
• Earn up to 5x Avios. The card earns 5x points on Qatar Airways purchases, 3x on restaurants and 1x on all other purchases.
• Collect Qpoints toward elite status. For every $1,500 you spend, you’ll receive 2 Qpoints to earn, maintain or upgrade your elite status level.
• Fast-track to Gold elite status. Enjoy Gold benefits for one year after opening your account. These benefits include bonus Avios on flights, complimentary lounge access, complimentary meet and assist services at Doha airport, priority boarding, free checked bag, Oneworld Sapphire status and more.

Cardless is the first FinTech startup in the U.S. to launch a Visa Infinite credit card, and the Qatar Airways credit card is the first Visa Infinite card from an international airline loyalty program.

Benefits of the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card

For travelers who are unsure about paying the Visa Infinite’s premium annual fee, the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card is an entry-level credit card with a budget-friendly annual fee of $99. It features a two-stage welcome bonus and earns up to 4x points on purchases. New customers receive a fast track to elite status and the ability to earn Qpoints toward maintaining or upgrading status.

• Welcome bonus of up to 40,000 points. You’ll earn 20,000 Avios after your first purchase, plus another 20,000 points after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days.
• Earn up to 4x Avios. The card earns 4x points on Qatar Airways purchases, 2x on restaurants and 1x on all other purchases.
• Collect Qpoints toward elite status. For every $2,000 you spend, you’ll receive 2 Qpoints to earn, maintain or upgrade your elite status level.
• Fast-track to Silver elite status. Enjoy Silver benefits for one year after opening your account. These benefits include bonus Avios on flights, complimentary lounge access, priority boarding, free checked bag, Oneworld Ruby status and more.

How to redeem Qatar Airways Privilege Points

There are many ways Privilege Club members can redeem points, but these generally offer the most value.

• Flights on Qatar Airways. Use the calculator tool to determine how many Avios points you’ll need to purchase your award ticket. For example, you can book a flight on Qatar Airways QSuites.
• Redeem for tickets on partner airlines. As a member of the Oneworld Alliance, members can redeem points for flights with 14 different partner airlines.
• Combine points and cash to book flights. If you don’t have enough points, or want to save them for another redemption, you can combine points and cash to book your flight. Redemptions start at 1,250 Avios points.
• Upgrade your flight. Save money by upgrading your ticket to Business or First Class with your points. You can upgrade your flight online until two hours before departure or until one hour before at the check-in desk.

What is Qatar Airways Privilege Club?

Qatar Airways Privilege Club is the airline loyalty program for Qatar Airways. It is free to join this loyalty program and earn points on your flights, credit card purchases and other eligible activities. Be sure to add your Privilege Club number on all Qatar and Oneworld flights to earn points for future award redemptions.

Privilege Club has four levels (Burgundy, Silver, Gold and Platinum) with varying levels of benefits and qualification.

The airline is based in Doha, Qatar, and has received numerous awards for its “dedication to passenger satisfaction,” Business Class offering and airline lounge. It flies to nearly 170 destinations from its main hub at the Hamad International Airport. Plus, passengers can travel to more than 900 cities through its partner airlines. Qatar is a member of the Oneworld Alliance, which allows Privilege Club members to earn and redeem Avios points on 14 additional airlines.

Alternative airline credit cards to consider

If you want to earn Qatar Airways Privileges points, the airline is a transfer partner of several flexible points programs. When you earn rewards from these credit cards, you can transfer to Qatar Privilege Club, book travel, get cash back and more.

The Citi Premier Credit Card is a solid option for travelers who want to earn flexible rewards on their purchases. Cardholders earn 3x points on flights, hotels, dining, groceries and gas and 1x points on everything else. Plus, you can earn 10x points on hotels, rental cars and attractions booked through Citi Travel through June 30, 2024. While the card has a $95 annual fee, it includes a $100 hotel credit when booking a single stay of $500 or more through Citi Travel. Points earned can be redeemed for cash back, travel and more, or you can transfer them to 18 airline and hotel partners.

For travelers who want a luxury travel card, the Platinum Card from American Express has you covered. This card offers more than $1,500 in luxury travel benefits and annual credits in exchange for its premium annual fee of $695. It earns 5x points on flights booked directly or through Amex Travel, 5x on prepaid hotels through Amex Travel and 1x on all other purchases. These points can be used to book travel, transfer to airline and hotel partners and more. Cardholders also receive complimentary lounge access, Hilton and Marriott Gold elite status, exclusive perks through Fine Hotels & Resorts and premium status with Avis, Hertz and National car rentals.

Learn more about the best airline credit cards.

The Bald Thoughts about the Qatar Airways credit card

Getting a Qatar Airways credit card is a good decision if you enjoy flying on the airline. There are two Qatar Airways Privilege Club credit cards to choose from. Choosing which one is right for you depends on your budget and the perks you value the most.

This card earns Avios points for award flights and Qpoints toward elite status. Plus, you’ll receive complimentary elite status and all of the perks that come with during the first year. These perks include airport lounge access, priority boarding, free checked bags and more.

It makes sense to enjoy the elite status perks of the Qatar Airways credit cards for the first year. However, unless you fly and spend enough to maintain elite status beyond that, these cards don’t offer enough ongoing value to justify their annual fees.