Last week I wrote a post on using British Airways Avios program and Alaska Mileage Plan for our award flights to Peru and Easter Island. In it I’ve mentioned that British Airways has recently devalued its award chart, causing me to pay 17k Avios instead of 13k for Santiago-Easter island flight.
I was aware that you can use Qatar Avios for LATAM flights, but for some reason I thought that the same devaluation has affected that program as well. Wrong! Apparently, Qatar still uses the same award chart for partner flights. For now. You can use this calculator to see the mileage prices for your specific route.
Keep in mind that you can freely transfer Avios between British Airways and Qatar via this link Qatar website also indicates that you can simply link accounts without actually transferring points, though I don’t know if this will suffice in practice.
To rebook or not to rebook?
The first thing I did was get a free Qatar Privilege Club membership. After poking around the website, I’ve noticed that Easter island airport isn’t coming up. Ditto for Cuzco airport in Peru. Perhaps you can call and book it over the phone, but that’s more trouble than I’m willing to deal with.
I did find that Miami-Lima route on LATAM does come up in the search and prices at 13k Avios, as expected:
I’ve previously booked this flight via Alaska program and paid 17.5k miles+$32 per person in taxes. That included $12.5 non-refundable booking fee. As you can see, Qatar charges $47.30 in taxes for the same exact flight. Still, it’s a better deal compared to Alaska Mileage Plan, all things considered. Keep in mind that it costs $25 to cancel a Qatar partner award. On Qatar-operated flights you also have to pay a booking fee per segment, which is non-refundable.
Of course, I would lose the partner booking fee on my Alaska-issued tickets, only to pay higher taxes. On top of everything, I’ve read that you can’t actually book partner awards online (despite seeing them on the website), but have to send in a booking request. Then you have to wait for Qatar agent to get back to you. Some report being able to call and book awards over the phone, but it’s hit or miss. I haven’t had a chance to test this, as I don’t currently have any Avios in my account. Perhaps these awards are bookable online, but the system won’t let me move past this screen.
If I were starting from scratch, I would probably try to at least make an award redemption on Santiago-Easter island route by calling in. Part of it is curiosity as I’ve never dealt with Qatar program before. And of course, saving Amex MR points is always welcome. As it stands, I’ve already used BA Avios program. If I cancel my Santiago-Easter island flight, I’ll lose $20 per person in taxes only to have to call Qatar and deal with potential nuisance. It’s just not worth it at this point.
That being said, if you regularly redeem Avios points on American or Alaska flights, you should keep Qatar program in mind. Another one is Finnair Avios, which can also potentially save you points. I’ve read that they charge 13k Avios for flights to Hawaii on AA or Alaska, regardless of the number of connections. Of course, saver-level tickets have to be available.
I’ve checked and AA award flights priced at saver level do show up on Qatar website:
The easiest way to know what’s bookable is by cross-referencing it on BA.com and Alaskaair.com first. I’ve read many data points indicating that dealing with Qatar agents can be a pain, so it just depends on whether saving points is worth it to you personally. I’ve had a lot of experience dealing with British Airways Avios over the years, so I’m definitely more comfortable with it. However, all the devaluations have taken their toll, and the program is now the shell of its former self. It’s not worthless, but I would not hoard points there.
Other than using AAdvantage program, Qatar Avios will be your best bet for Qatar award flights. Imagine that!
An interesting data point on Reddit regarding JAL
I was doing some research on Qatar program and found this data point on Reddit. The gist of it is that the person was able to book JAL business-class from Japan to US 360 days before their travel date. That’s because Qatar opens up award bookings 361 days ahead, letting it access JAL as soon as the seats are bookable. That’s similar to Cathay Pacific program.
What was even more remarkable is the fact that this person didn’t pay any fuel surcharges. Now, before you get too excited, it seems that he got lucky, as other commenters mentioned that they did have to pay those. But it appears that fuel surcharges have to be added separately depending on the agent, so you may get lucky.
I was not able to find any JAL award availability on Qatar website, so it appears you have no choice but to call. I recommend searching Cathay program first and then reaching out to Qatar. But you have to be super quick, as business and first-class seats tend to go fast. Another option is what they refer to as T-14 availability, basically within the next 14 days. That’s not feasible for a family like mine, but you may have more flexibility. Of course, if you have AA or Alaska miles, you will be better off utilizing those programs instead.
Overall, Qatar program has many interesting possibilities and perhaps I’ll have a chance to use it at some point in the future. This time around the juice doesn’t appear to be worth the squeeze, but only because I don’t feel like canceling everything and starting from scratch. Plus, there is some uncertainty and rigamarole involved, and I’m a fan of keeping things simple. But if you have a chance to avoid paying fuel surcharges on JAL and need to book 4+ tickets, this is a tempting proposition indeed.
Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
@Aleks Thank you so much for taking the time to share your tips!
We are looking to base in Ollantayatambo to hopefully avoid altitude sickness. Though we will have to spend one night in Cusco before early flight to Santiago.
I’m in the beginning stages of planning this whole thing, as it’s 10 months away. But I do have a rough idea on what I want to do, as it may very well be a “once in a lifetime” kind of thing. The challenge is not to overplan, because I’m terrible at scheduling too much in one day. My husband simply doesn’t have the patience for it.
Leana – about altitude sickness: it’s recommended to get to Cusco and stay there for 1-3 days to get acclimated to heights. Most of visited places around Cusco are lower in altitude, including Machu Picchu – so it would be easier to go there after settling. We’ve started in La Paz, the highest big city in South America, and it hit us hard first night. After that it was easier and we got pills to help with that. Just know and be prepared, it will make things easier if it happens.
For kids it would be an unforgettable adventure, so do take them. Peru is by far the most culturally diverse country in America, and it’s easy to see even in daily life. We were fortunate enough to see several local festivals with costumes/dance/music – memorable experience. Lots of locals dress in traditional cloth, and even many alpacas are decorated brightly.
To save some money, find hotels that include breakfast – for large group cost adds up quickly. Also if you run across a good taxi driver in Cusco – ask him about possibility of other trips for fixed rate – they typically can accommodate for those.
@Aleks It’s definitely weird how programs add different taxes to award tickets. This Mia-Lim route prices at 17k Avios+$64 in taxes via BA, but Qatar charges $43 in taxes, and Alaska adds $32 including booking fee. Very strange, as there are no fuel surcharges to explain the discrepancy. I know you could redeem BA Avios at 0.7 cents apiece on hotels before, though I’m not sure what the rate is now.
Thanks for tips on Peru. Yes, I’ve heard about the water and plan to be very careful. I was debating on whether to take kids for that reason, but ultimately decided that seeing these exotic places is something I want them to experience. It will cost double, but I would feel bad leaving them at home. It does make me nervous reading about altitude sickness and so on, but life is full of risks. I choose to be an optimist!
I’ve read about Qatar/Finair Avios award differences vs BA, and like you mentioned – the taxes will be different, most likely higher on the former. So its give and take…
I remember when traveled in Peru 10 years ago, I was able to book a hotel in Cusco using BA Avios. It was a decent deal – 23K for 4 nights, but not sure if BA still allows you to book hotels awards with Avios. Accommodations and expenses in Peru are on the cheaper side, but every saving counts (if you can use miles/points instead of cash)!
The biggest expense would be Machu Picchu day trip: close to $300 per person for ticket and train/bus rides. Plan to spend most of day there, and hire a local guide at the gate (for couple hours) if you’d want an extra entertainment and history lesson. The place is unique and worth a visit. Read beforehand on how to get the tickets (limited capacity).
Another advise: don’t drink any tap water in Peru or order any drinks with ice, or even fresh smoothies – most likely you’ll get a stomach sickness. Only use bottled water and drinks!!
Happy travels.