Qatar is jumping on the subscription bandwagon, but with a twist
BA and Finnair already allow you to subscribe to buy Avios each month, and at a lower price. Now Qatar is joining them. The options are affordable, and the most expensive includes a small number of Qpoints, but is it worth it?
What has Qatar launched?
“Privilege Club Pro” is their new subscription service, run by Plusgrade. If that name sounds familiar, it’s the same company that runs BA’s “bid for upgrades” service.
The subscription service allows you to buy Qpoints, which could help you move up the Qatar tiers.
You will not earn enough to move from even the most basic (Burgundy) level using this scheme, but it could be helpful if you want to top up the tier points you have earned from flying. Combining points and tier points is a first for a oneworld airline.
What is the price, and the options?
You can pay on a monthly, rolling basis, or you can subscribe for an entire year.
By default Qatar will quote the price in dollars. Once you start the checkout process they will convert it to GBP, although the rate is a little poorer than the market rate.
For example the “Ultimate” package is £270 GBP per month, which at market rate is $364. The actual USD rate they offer is $350 per month, meaning if you can pay in USD then you will make a marginal saving.
Here are the numbers for the monthly options
| Package Name | Cost | Avios (/month) | Avios Cost | Qpoints (/month) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access | £39 | 2,500 | 1.6p | 0 |
| Select | £100 | 7,500 | 1.3p | 0 |
| Exclusive | £185 | 15,000 | 1.2p | 0 |
| Ultimate | £270 | 20,000 | 1.4p | 5 |
You’ll also notice that the cost per Avios point goes up on the Ultimate plan. That means that Qatar is applying a premium to that package for the 5 Qpoints per month.
Here are the numbers for the annual subscription.
| Package Name | Cost | Avios | Avios Cost | Qpoints |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access | £385 | 2,500 | 1.3p | 0 |
| Select | £1002 | 7,500 | 1.1p | 0 |
| Exclusive | £1850 | 15,000 | 1p | 0 |
| Ultimate | £2698 | 20,000 | 1.1p | 60 |
With the Annual plan you are effectively getting two months for free, which lowers the price per Avios to a better level. It is still not a great price per point.
How does the Qpoints subscription element work?
Only the Ultimate package will give you Qpoints, and they will be given to you on a monthly basis at the same time as your Avios points. Earning 60 extra points per year won’t do much for the average traveller, especially one focused on points rather than cash.
For corporate travellers who don’t quite have enough Qpoints to move up, or retain, a tier level then this could be helpful.
Is this a good value for money?
All of the subscription levels offer either a worse price or the same per point than both the BA and the Finnair subscription services. If you want to subscribe to earn Avios points then they are a better option.
You may see value in the Ultimate package and the Qpoints, but I believe you will be in the minority if you do.
Why have Qatar launched this?
Revenue. As part of oneworld, and as the largest shareholder in IAG (BA, Iberia and Aer Lingus’ parent company), Qatar will be privy to the data around the BA subscription model. Their commitment to this and the launch of the Privilege Club Pro will have been based on the numbers that BA is doing.
Subscriptions are genuinely helpful mechanisms to increase the number of points you have, especially for travellers who struggle to earn points elsewhere. It’s also one of the simplest ways to earn points, and that itself has an inherent value to it.
For the airlines, they’re able to sell points to consumers, knowing that most people who subscribe will not have enough points to book today, or even in the next three months. Points can be sold and then sat on their balance sheet (potentially earning some level of interest), which makes the scheme even more profitable.
What are the T&Cs around the subscription?
- Like other oneworld airlines’ subscription services, there’s a three-month minimum term on the monthly rolling plan. You can cancel at any point after that if you’re on the rolling monthly package.
- If you take the annual package then you’ll be charged on a monthly basis, but you’re tied in for a full year of payments.
- The standard terms and conditions apply to the Avios you earn and also the Qpoints. For the Avios, that means the points will expire after 36 months of inactivity. Moving a single point into your Qatar Privilege Club account will reset the clock on that.
How to subscribe to the Privilege Club Pro
- Visit the dedicated page on Qatar and click on one of the monthly or annual options.
- You’ll then be asked to login using your Qatar Airways username and password. As always it will send you an SMS and email with a code.
- Once logged in, you’ll be able to choose from the packages.
- Select a package to be taken to the payments page. This confirms the pricing and the number of Avios and Qpoints that you will get.
- Finally, the payments box will fold down once you click. They accept Amex, Visa, Mastercard and Discover cards.
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