Qatar Airways, often celebrated for its luxurious Qsuite business class product, has recently increased the surcharges on award redemptions.
This change, particularly on popular routes for us Malaysians like Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) via Doha (DOH), has caught the attention of many frequent flyers who rely on CIMB and Avios for booking these coveted seats.
The Changes: A Closer Look
Earlier this month, Qatar Airways made headlines when it drastically increased the cash component required on Avios redemptions across all cabins. While this initial hike was rolled back after a public outcry, a recalibrated and slightly less severe increase was implemented soon after.
For those booking business class on the KUL-DOH-LHR route, the surcharges have now doubled from previous levels.
For instance, where you might have previously paid around RM500 in fees when booking through Qatar Airways' Privilege Club, you’ll now be looking at around RM1100 per one-way business class ticket.
This applies whether you book directly through Qatar Airways or via British Airways Executive Club, which both impose these surcharges. The RM1100 figure aligns with reports across various frequent flyer communities, confirming that this route's total cost has significantly increased.
In the past, I was accustomed to booking Qatar Airways Business Class tickets via Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, for a very good 70,000 Miles with around HKD1,500 in fees (RM500+). While it's important to note that booking via Cathay Pacific could still result in lower fees, this isn't a fair comparison.
Cathay Pacific is known to add its own fees that can vary widely, and thus using their platform might not be indicative of the true cost-saving potential when compared directly with Qatar Airways or British Airways.
As always, when it comes to coveted seats like these, it's not really a matter of cost, but a matter of availability, and hence, you'd want to be able to book directly with Avios instead of other Oneworld partners like Cathay Pacific of Malaysia Airlines.
Why It's Still Worth It
Despite this surcharge increase, many argue that Qatar Airways' business class product remains the best in the sky. The Qsuite, known for its privacy, comfort, and service, continues to be an outstanding choice for long-haul travel. Paying RM1100 in fees on top of your Avios redemption still represents excellent value when considering the level of luxury offered.
For example, on other major carriers, similar routes could command surcharges of over RM2000 for business class. Moreover, no additional Avios are required following these changes, which means that your miles still retain their value in terms of redemption rates, even if the cash outlay has increased.
Of course, I don't have to mention that spending any money for that matter on Malaysia Airlines subpar Business Class to London is an absolute bargain if you're looking to find ways to minimize the value of your miles.
Final Thoughts
While the increased surcharges on Qatar Airways award redemptions are certainly disappointing, they don't diminish the overall value of redeeming Avios for Qsuite business class.
The product remains one of the best in the sky, and despite higher fees, it still provides a premium experience that is hard to match. As long as Qatar Airways maintains this level of service, these redemptions will likely remain a go-to choice for savvy travelers.
For CIMB credit cardholders, this change should not deter you from your strategy too much, given that we still have one of the best Avios accrual rates in the market.
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