Qatar Airways Changes Awards Redemption Rules

Kudos to OneMileAtaTime for sharing information about a change implemented by Qatar Airways related to use of Avios.  It has been possible for individuals to book awards for others from their accounts - now Qatar Airways has introduced the following rules:

1. The member’s Privilege Club account must have been active for a minimum 30 days
2. The main member must have completed at least one qualifying activity;
   1. A flown flight accrual with Qatar Airways or any partner airline
   2. At least one eligible co-branded credit card accrual transaction

You can find more information and the article here: https://onemileatatime.com/news/qatar-airways-restricts-award-bookings-others-absurd-new-rule/

I'm disappointed since using Avios has been a great way to plan trips in business to the Middle East and Maldives.  I'll need to see whether it works to credit a flight and meet the requirement.

Spring Break 2026 Adventure: Maldives!

Less than 30 days remain before we are off again on another spring break adventure, this year going back to the Maldives with two city stops along the way.  We're using points and miles for nearly all options which will be a huge savings.  Plus almost every segment will be in Business!  Here's the map via GCMap:

The points and miles breakdown:

Park Hyatt Maldives (4 nights): 140,000 Hyatt points 

We have Globalist status again with breakfast included (as brunch) so dinner is our only expense. 

Overnight LHR and DOH (1 night each): 

We have an evening stopover in London at the T4 Hilton using 51,000 points and then one night at the Park Hyatt Doha for a very low rate.  The extra time in Doha before a 1am departure means we'll have time for the Souq and a fun dinner.

LHR-DOH: We'll be on the Qatar Airways A380 in Business from Heathrow to Doha which only required 86,000 British Airways Avios total for two.

DOH-MLE: One ticket is using 75,000 Alaska miles/Atmos for Business Class, and another ticket uses a combination of 52,500 Avios via Qatar Airways for First Class.  Availability on this route was very limited and I was fortunate to find two premium seats between both programs. 

MLE-SIN-SFO-EWR: I'm excited to be able to fly Singapore for the very first time in Business!  We'll have a brief stop at Changi before flying UA2 in Polaris back to SFO.  This was booked using United miles (395k) which is a lot though worth it to me for the Singapore segment.

Looking forward to the journey and a relaxing week!

New Terminal in MLE

I'm seeing an article from late December that Qatar Airways is now operating out of the new Terminal 1 at MLE airport.  

https://corporatemaldives.com/qatar-airways-begins-operations-from-terminal-1-at-velana-international-airport/

Can't wait to see it in March!

Time to Start Planning for Spring Break Travel!

It's mid-April, and what does that mean? Planning can commence for spring break 2026 trips! The points and miles opportunities will start to be available across airlines and hotels - I was able to confirm two business class tickets over the weekend Heathrow to Doha in Qatar Airways Business class for 86,000 Avios. Excellent value!

Thanksgiving 2024: Doha

We were off again on another Thanksgiving trip flying back to Doha!

There are a number of options to fly to Doha, however, Star Alliance does not have easy direct flights.  In order to maximize miles and points, we chose to fly through Newark on the direct United flight to Dubai (United miles) and transfer to a Qatar Airways flight (AA miles).  We still arrived in the evening the next day which helped with the time shift.  For our stay we chose to try a new Hyatt property - the Park Hyatt Doha.  The room and amenities were excellent including the breakfast which was part of our stay being a Globalist.  Airport transfers are straightforward via Karwa taxi which can be reserved from the Uber app if preferred. 

Our food choices included the following:

Sunday Dinner w/Justin and Christy: Damasca One (fantastic Syrian cuisine)

Monday Dinner: Morimoto Doha (sushi and Japanese offerings)

Tuesday Dinner: Sora Rooftop at the PH Doha

Highlights for this portion of the week included walking to Souq Waqif multiple times, dinner north of West Bay, visiting the Museum of Islamic Art, and meeting up with Justin and Christy for dinner.  The weather was warm and perfect for plenty of walking.

It was great to be back and enjoy the city along with seeing friends and trying new restaurants.  We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2024 soon: Doha and Zurich

I'm looking forward to our upcoming Thanksgiving trip which starts in a week!  (map via gcmap)

It will be great to get back to Qatar as well as see the Christmas markets in Switzerland.  United will be taking us to Dubai and then Qatar Airways to Doha and Zurich with United back to Newark.

Trip Recap: Brussels and Maldives

We just recently returned from an amazing vacation trip to Brussels and the Maldives!  Overall we didn't experience any flight challenges and had a very positive experience flying United, TAP Portugal, and Qatar Airways.

As a reminder, this was our primary initial routing:

BOS-IAD:

Very smooth flight with no issues - we stopped in at the United Lounge before departure and enjoyed some snacks.

IAD-BRU (which turned out to be IAD-LIS-BRU!):

We made it the gate after a brief lounge visit, and heard the agent asking for volunteers since the flight was oversold by 6.  This is the most I've ever heard for an international flight!  They were offering $1000 and rerouting either that night or the next day.  Initially this seemed too low so we didn't jump. However, after a second call I went to the desk and offered to help though noted the amount seemed too low.  The agent was able to increase the voucher amount and route us from Dulles to Lisbon and then on to Brussels that same evening.  Perfect!  We now had vouchers as well as a routing that wouldn't make us late for Sunday.  We went back to the Polaris lounge for a bit and then on to the later flight.  Arriving to Lisbon we went through security, passport check, and then visited the TAP lounge which was very crowded.  After a brief breakfast we walked to the gate and onward via a TAP Portugal flight (new airline!).  Arrival at Brussels was easy with a quick walk to the train which looped us downtown quickly.  

We had the evening in Brussels and once checked in to the Hilton Grand Place walked and had dinner at Mokafe.  I had visited this restaurant during my trip to ILA and it was great to stop again - the service and food were excellent.  We also walked to the main square and tried some waffle!

BRU-DOH-MLE:

The next morning after breakfast we zipped back to Brussels Airport via train, checked in with Qatar Airways, then off to the lounge for lunch before departure.  We used miles to fly Business Class to Doha and it was a very smooth flight that had amazing food/drink choices.

Arriving at Doha we had quite a walk to get to our gate though did stop and see the Orchard.  Once onboard we found our seats and I tried to sleep. Unfortunately I had an issue occur with the individual sitting behind me who decided to kick my seat forward twice while I was sleeping since apparently there wasn't room to eat.  Even though I had a right to recline, the individual kept doing this and so I ended up with poor sleep for the entire segment.

At the Park Hyatt Maldives:

Our typical transfer process went quickly (lounge/flight/boat) and soon we were onsite and could relax!

MLE-DOH-BRU-EWR-BOS:

Leaving is always the most difficult thing to do.  We ran to late brunch and then off on our standard boat ride followed by flight from Koodhoo to Male.  In Male we had a bit of a wait though soon we were off on a fairly full flight to Doha.  Arriving Doha we quickly went through security again and then visited the Business Lounge before walking again to our C gate.  We had Business Class again using miles back to Brussels so it was time to sleep!  

Arriving Brussels was fast with a quick visit to security and then off to our gate.  We were not able to visit any lounges since access is restricted to Business class only (no *A or Gold possible).  Boarding was completed quickly and we were off to Newark.  We were able to get quite a bit of work done on the flight and kudos to United for another smooth flight.  No delay for Global Entry this time and we stopped by the United Club before departing to Boston.

Recap:

It was an amazing trip.  We had multiple segments though didn't have any delays or issues on transfer.  Using points and miles was really helpful and we hope to get back to the Maldives soon!

Sad News: TAMU-Q to close in 2028

Cross-post from Linkedin:

I have different emotions reading the news today that Texas A&M in Qatar will be winding down operations by 2028. In my opinion, a sad day for the students and families in Qatar and MENA region. The opportunity for students to study engineering in this setting was meaningful and established positive connections around the world.

Personally, TAMU-Q along with the other universities present in Education City hosted by Qatar Foundation, played an instrumental role for me as I conducted my doctoral research and participated in the QF-sponsored Young Professional's Institute. Our first global study trip to the region offered insight into how we can establish new connections and build teams that support students. The loss of TAMU-Q will be felt by many over time. I hope I can return to Doha soon for additional research.

https://theeagle.com/news/a_m/texas-a-m-to-close-its-qatar-campus-by-2028/article_c8e58538-c6c3-11ee-94a7-b366bd04f334.html

Qatar Airways Adopts Avios

A recent announcement has now become reality - Qatar Airways has officially adopted Avios as its program currency.  The email announcement details this:

This fantastic new partnership opens up a world of possibilities for you and your Avios, including:

Better access to destinations worldwide - from the stunning beaches of the Maldives to even more of Australia More opportunities to book a Reward Flight with guaranteed Reward Seats on all Qatar Airways flights New ways to collect Avios with a range of new upcoming partnerships Selected routes and cabins now available with fewer Avios, so your rewards can take you further than ever before

The ability to use Avios for Qatar airways itineraries is something I'm looking forward to exploring - low fuel surcharges and the near-guarantee of at least 2 premium seats open per flight make flight options excellent (especially to locations overseas).  

Doha Food...an experience!

So many possible places, not enough time.  This is how I normally feel when traveling abroad and don't have an opportunity to visit all of the restaurants and eateries that are top-rated.  I usually do a search on Tripadvisor to see what is being highly ranked and then compare to hotel/AirBnb options and mass transit.  Usually there is a train available!  In many cases, though, walking is the best option to experience the neighborhood culture.

On this trip to Doha, I was able to add a few new places to the restaurant list.

Morimoto

One of the top-ranked restaurants in Doha, Morimoto is a sushi bar with main dining options that do not disappoint.  In fact, I would say it's one of the more memorable dining experiences I've had in my travels.

Tajine

Located in Souq Waqif, this Moroccan restaurant has traditional selections including lamb and chicken.  I tried the lamb kofta which was not too spicy with excellent flavors - the price is reasonable given the prime location.

Doha Days

It's been a bit since I was in Qatar - my last extended visit was to work on my doctoral research with the students and administrators at Education City.  So much has been happening there in between, the most recent being the blockade initiated by surrounding GCC countries.  I'm encouraged by the stance Qatar has always taken about being willing to be open to communication and discussion.  Hopefully the other GCC countries come around to talking as well and end the blockade.

No complaints for this trip...the weather was beautiful (80 and sun each day) and the opportunity to walk and visit places such as Souq Waqif and Villagio could not be passed up:

Construction is still present throughout the West Bay though it was just as easy to call or find a Karwa to get around.  Thinking back, I feel that it is easier to find a taxi then I previously remember.  And if you'd rather not find a taxi, you can also call an Uber!  In some cases the Uber is cheaper per destination...glad to have the option.

Landed Doha!

For the next few days (through Monday) I'm excited to be back in Doha.  It's been far too long, truthfully...I've had it on my list to fly back and reconnect with the schools and individuals from my research and I'm planning to do that while onsite. 

Skipped out just in time to miss the Eagles parade in Philly...congrats to them!  I'm not at all complaining about the weather either...77 and sun.

For this trip points and miles again facilitated the journey; British Airways Avios and AA miles used with business class on Qatar Airways for the way home. 

Losing another option to Qatar: Lufthansa ending flights to Doha

During a recent schedule update (via AirlineRoute), Lufthansa will be ending service to Doha, Qatar and the end of the summer season.

the airline closed bookings for Doha flight from 28OCT17. The Star Alliance member currently operates Frankfurt – Kuwait – Doha sector on daily basis, with A330-300 aircraft. 

They will continue to fly the segment to Kuwait.

Breaking News: Qatar to buy stake in American?

Just reported, Qatar Airways has expressed interest in buying up to a 10% stake in American Airlines.

More to come...

Update: An excellent article providing more analysis of this news is available here.

Travel Update: Qatar

It pains me to report on this, since Qatar is a special place for me and one where I spent time doing research for my dissertation working with students and Qataris at Education City.  In the last 24 hours relations between Qatar and many other nations in the Middle East have soured - so much so that diplomatic relations have been suspended.

In addition, many of the airlines in the region have also suspended flights.  From Doha News:

Dubai-based Emirates, Abu Dhabi’s Etihad, Air Arabia and the low-cost airline Fly Dubai all confirmed this morning that they will cease routes to Doha from tomorrow (June 6) until further notice.

Saudi’s Jeddah-based national flag carrier Saudia also joined, announcing in Arabic on Twitter this morning that it too is stopping flights to Qatar.

Stay tuned for more information. I'm holding out hope that this is a temporary halt based on recent hacking that took place on several Qatari websites and not related to anything else.

New Exit Tax at Qatar's Hamad International Airport (DOH)

If you're like most international travelers, you do your best to avoid adding any unnecessary fees or charges when buying your airfare.  London airports come to mind as the most egregious of these extra fees as the UK Air Passenger Duty can add a sizable amount to any ticket purchased.

Now another airport/country is looking to add a similar fee.

Doha's new Hamad Airport reportedly will be adding a new departure tax to purchased tickets after 8/30 and travel 12/1.  Doha News notes that the fee will be QR35 (about $10 USD).

While it isn't a large amount, it still is worth watching to see whether it increases in the future. Dubai also recently implemented a similar type of fee when going through UAE airports.

Would love your support to continue my research in Qatar!

I desperately would like to continue my dissertation research - my topic covers higher education and native student engagement at Education City in Doha, Qatar.  You can read more about my research here:

http://gradworks.umi.com/35/75/3575051.html

As you can imagine, it's not easy to get over to Qatar and stay for the time necessary to do research typically due to cost and other factors.  It's a long, expensive flight to be sure.

So, I thought it might be a fun idea to see if there are any interested souls willing to donate to my cause.  I started a page at gofundme.com, and am hoping that visitors to my blog might be interested in helping me.  You can find the information at the following link:

http://www.gofundme.com/bqw430

Here's the main gist of my plan: my dissertation research was focused on native students attending Western Universities in Doha, Qatar, and I'm looking to go back to Education City and continue the work I started in 2012.  I'm hoping you might find a similar connection with my work interviewing students and giving them a voice in describing their educational journey.  Since the cost to travel and work in that region is significant, I'm looking for your help to get back!  For those who help, I will also credit you in the final research document for publication.

Please pass the link along to family and friends that might be interested!

World's Top Airports/Airlines 2014

Travel+Leisure Magazine has released their top airports and airlines list for 2014 - not many surprises again this year between the international and domestic winners.

For airlines, Virgin and Singapore top the list (with JetBlue and Emirates close behind):

Glad to see Alaska once again on the list!  I've also flown on Qatar Airways and found the service and experience worthwhile.

Airports also fared well, including Portland, OR for domestic and Singapore for international:

I've transited Dubai, Seoul, and Zurich, and easily agree with why those are in the top five.  They are easy to navigate and relatively stress-free in my opinion.  Charlotte and Orlando are way too busy in my book...curious about their inclusion.

What are your top airports/airlines?

Unexpected triple points!

I love it when this happens - I go out to a place to eat, and without knowing it stumble upon a points bonanza. 

The most recent case of this was a trip I made up to Carlsbad for a Qatar group dinner - sad in many ways because one of my good friends is moving back to WI and so our group will be minus one for quite a while! 

I always go to Opentable to see what options are available, and in this case I found one at Fresco Trattoria - very good reviews, and I love Italian food, so what's not to like?  I made the reservation and the dinner overall went very well.  Payment was made with my Chase Sapphire Preferred card, so double points on the meal plus the Opentable...not bad.

But...I was surprised when I got a message this week from Chase Mileage Plus Dining...my meal at Fresco qualified for dining miles for United!  I never thought to check that site, since most times Opentable and the dining plans don't overlap.  But I'll take it in this case...triple!

United dropping Doha, Qatar as a Destination August 30th

I was particularly sad to read about United dropping Doha as a destination in August:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2014/05/30/united-airlines-will-end-service-to-qatar-in-august/9756127/

United got me to Doha for my dissertation research, and I must say that I've always had a fairly excellent experience flying there.  The one-stop in Dubai never was an issue for me, although I wondered if this was sustainable for United since the Dubai-Doha segment was often marginally full.  Since there are so many flights between the two cities, maybe the writing was on the wall in the first place.  But it is unfortunately to lose a 'direct' way to get to Qatar.

For my next research trip, I now have to think about other options, including connecting via Qatar Airways or FlyDubai.  It wouldn't be bad to stay in Star Alliance for the trip since OneWorld tacks on rather large fuel surcharges via British Airways and others.  Plenty of time, though, to figure this out.