Qatar Airways switches to Avios (combine your miles with British Airways Executive Club)

Updated May 31, 2024
qatar airways featured
To the point Qatar Airways replaced its Qmiles currency with Avios on March 22, 2022. Great news for Canadians!

Until March 22, 2022, Qatar Airways – a Oneworld Alliance airline – used Qmiles currency in its own Qatar Airways Privilege Club rewards program.

Since March 22, 2022, Qatar Airways has been using the Avios currency.

Avios is now used by these airlines:

Qmiles have been converted at a 1:1 ratio to Avios miles.

qatar airways qsuite cabine

Combine your Avios accounts

In Canada, we know Avios as the currency for the British Airways Executive Club. And these are already transferable between British Airways and Iberia through the “Combine my Avios” function (even if the process remains a little complex).

Avios miles can now be transferred from the British Airways Executive Club to the Qatar Airways Privilege Club program. With a process that takes 2 minutes!

ba qatar link

Once you are in your Qatar Airways Privilege Club online account, you will be asked to link your account with British Airways Executive Club in 3 steps:

  1. Select the “Link Accounts” option (you will be directed to British Airways Executive Club)
  2. Login to your British Airways Executive Club account
  3. Use your Avios miles!
ba qatar link etape
ba qatar complete

The link was made instantly and my 282,048 Avios Miles available on the British Airways Executive Club appeared on the Qatar Airways Privilege Club portal!

ba qatar miles summary

Then simply click on the “Combine Avios” option to transfer Avios miles from British Airways Executive Club to Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

ba qatar combine

Then choose the number of Avios miles to transfer. I chose to transfer 100,000.

ba qatar combine total

You will be redirected to British Airways Executive Club for confirmation. And in a matter of seconds, Avios miles were transferred from British Airways Executive Club to Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

ba qatar combines confirmation

Earn Avios Miles

The Qatar Airways Privilege Club program remains the same (and therefore does not adopt the distance-based fare structure we know from the British Airways Executive Club).

A one-way ticket between Montreal (YUL) and Doha (DOH) costs :

  • 35,000 Avios miles in economy class
  • 70,000 Avios miles in business class (subject to availability)
  • 140,000 Avios miles in business class (flexible: “Flexi Awards”)
yul doh qatar Avios business

This especially gives more power to the Avios currency, now used by five airlines.

In addition, in Canada, American Express, HSBC and RBC are transfer partners with British Airways Executive Club. And therefore indirectly with Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

Usually, you can convert:

  • 70,000 American Express Membership Rewards points into 70,000 Avios miles
  • 70,000 RBC Rewards points into 70,000 Avios miles
  • 175,000 HSBC Rewards points into 70,000 Avios miles

But regular transfer promotions allow you to get a 30-50% bonus on your points transfers between these programs (HSBC, RBC) and British Airways Executive Club. Wait for these moments to transfer!

For example, it is common for HSBC to run a points transfer promotion to British Airways Executive Club during the summer.

If you took advantage of the exceptional welcome offer of 130,000 HSBC Rewards points from the HSBC World EliteMD Mastercard®, and a 50% transfer bonus kicks in, you could earn 75,000 Avios Miles by converting 125,000 HSBC Rewards points.

That’s enough to get a one-way ticket in a QSuite flight between Montreal and Doha! Discover our Qsuite reviews on board the A350 and the B777-300ER.

qatar airways qsuite couple

And knowing that Avios miles can be earned in many ways (travel, credit cards, hotels, car rentals, retail), it’s worth looking into the Qatar Airways Privilege Club program. Check out our ultimate guide to this program.

Here are all the cards earning Avios miles in Canada:

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
Jean-Maximilien Voisine

Jean-Maximilien Voisine

Jean-Maximilien Voisine
Jean-Maximilien, President and Founder of Milesopedia, is a recognized expert in rewards programs, credit cards, and travel in Canada and France. Approaching forty and a father of two, he has travelled to over 100 countries, half of them with his children and his wife, Audrey. Specializing in top loyalty programs like Aeroplan, American Express Membership Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy, he guides travellers to maximize their benefits across North America and Europe.
All posts by Jean-Maximilien Voisine

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