Qatar Airways, known for its exceptional service and luxurious travel experience, has partnered with Cardless, a San Francisco-based fintech company, to introduce two new credit cards for U.S. travelers.
These cards, the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card and the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card, offer a variety of benefits and rewards for frequent flyers and travel enthusiasts.
In this article, we’ll explore the details of each card, examining their welcome offers, earning categories, and cardholder benefits, to help you determine if these cards are worth adding to your wallet.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card
The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card is the premium offering in this new partnership, featuring a wealth of valuable benefits for frequent travelers. Let’s take a closer look at what this card has to offer.
Welcome Bonus
New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of up to 50,000 Qatar Airways Avios:
- Earn 25,000 Avios after making your first transaction.
- Earn an additional 25,000 Avios after spending $5,000 within the first 90 days of account opening.
Earning Avios
The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card offers a tiered rewards structure:
- Earn 5 Avios per $1 spent on Qatar Airways purchases.
- Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent at restaurants (excluding bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, and convenience stores).
- Earn 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Additionally, cardholders can earn 2 Qpoints (Qatar’s elite status metric) for every $1,500 spent on the card, making it easier to maintain or achieve higher elite status tiers.
Card Benefits
One of the most compelling benefits of the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card is the complimentary Privilege Club Gold status for the first year. This status, which is equivalent to Oneworld Sapphire, offers a range of perks, including:
- Access to Qatar Airways and partner airline lounges, even when flying domestically on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines.
- Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling.
- Extra baggage allowance.
- 75% tier bonus on earning Avios with eligible flights.
Cardholders also receive a lump sum of 150 Qpoints after meeting the minimum spending requirement, putting them well on their way to maintaining Gold status or even achieving Platinum status in the future.
Having experienced the benefits of elite status with various airlines, I can attest to the value of lounge access, priority services, and extra baggage allowance. These perks can make your travel experience more comfortable and convenient, especially during long layovers or when navigating busy airports.
In addition to the Qatar Airways-specific benefits, the card comes with a suite of Visa Infinite perks, such as:
- Access to the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection.
- Visa Infinite concierge services.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit.
- Car rental collision damage waiver insurance.
- Travel accident insurance.
- Trip cancellation or interruption reimbursement.
- Trip delay reimbursement.
These additional benefits can provide peace of mind and help you save money on travel-related expenses, such as rental car insurance and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card
For those looking for a more affordable option, the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card offers a lower annual fee of $99 while still providing valuable benefits for frequent flyers.
Welcome Bonus
New cardholders can earn up to 40,000 Qatar Airways Avios:
- Earn 20,000 Avios after making your first transaction.
- Earn an additional 20,000 Avios after spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of account opening.
Waitlist members can also earn an extra 5,000 Avios by applying within 30 days of the card’s launch and meeting the minimum spending requirement. This welcome offer could be worth up to $1,156 in travel rewards, based on AwardWallet’s valuation.
While not as substantial as the Visa Infinite Card’s welcome offer, this bonus can still help you save money on flights or upgrades, especially if you’re able to take advantage of the extra 5,000 Avios for waitlist members.
Earnings Avios
The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card offers a slightly different rewards structure compared to its Infinite counterpart:
- Earn 4 Avios per $1 spent on Qatar Airways purchases.
- Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent at restaurants (excluding bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, and convenience stores).
- Earn 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Cardholders can also earn 2 Qpoints for every $2,000 spent on the card, helping them work towards elite status with Qatar Airways.
Although the earning rates are slightly lower than the Visa Infinite Card, they still offer a decent return on your spending, particularly for Qatar Airways purchases and dining.
Card Benefits
The primary benefit of the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card is the complimentary Silver status for the first year. While not as comprehensive as Gold status, Silver still offers some valuable perks, such as:
- Discounted seat selection.
- 25% tier bonus on earning Avios.
- Access to priority services.
- Lounge access at Hamad International Airport (DOH).
As a Visa Signature card, cardholders also have access to a range of additional benefits, including:
- Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection.
- Discounted Shipt membership.
- Discounted show tickets through Sofar.
- Visa Signature rental car privileges.
- Visa Signature concierge services.
- Savings on award-winning wine and golf.
While the benefits may not be as extensive as the Visa Infinite Card, they can still help enhance your travel experience and provide savings on various travel-related expenses.
Are the Qatar Airways Visa Cards Worth It?
The value of the Qatar Airways credit cards largely depends on your travel habits and preferences. The cards can offer significant benefits for frequent Qatar Airways flyers or those who value Privilege Club elite status.
The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card, in particular, stands out for its ability to grant cardholders Oneworld Sapphire status, which includes lounge access on domestic American Airlines and Alaska Airlines flights. This perk alone can justify the $499 annual fee for many travelers, as it’s cheaper than purchasing a standalone lounge membership or obtaining status through other means.
On the other hand, the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card may be less compelling for most travelers, given its more limited benefits and lower welcome offer. While the complimentary Silver status and Visa Signature perks are still valuable, they may not be enough to warrant the $99 annual fee for everyone.
