Qatar Airways A380 First Class Award Space

Qatar Airways A380 First Class Award Space

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Qatar Airways first revealed their A380 schedule back in late April, when they announced that they’d inaugurate A380 service between Doha and London Heathrow as of June 17, 2014.

As soon as they updated the route to reflect the A380 they stopped releasing first and business class award seats on those flights. That trend continued when they announced A380 service to Paris, and has also continued throughout the delivery delays.

As it stands now, the Qatar Airways A380 inaugural flight to London is scheduled for October 10, 2014, while the A380 inaugural to Paris is scheduled for October 16, 2014. However, I would bet that’s not actually realistic, and would optimistically guess it will be closer to the end of the year before Qatar Airways actually starts flying the A380.

However, there’s one trend that has just recently been reversed — Qatar Airways is now releasing first and business class award space on their A380 flights.

On most A380 flights I’m now seeing two first class award seats and four business class award seats. Availability is definitely better to Paris than London, though that’s generally true of those routes for Qatar Airways. As a reminder, Qatar is planning to put the A380 on the QR003/004 London frequencies, and the QR039/040 Paris frequencies.

This isn’t just over a small period, but through the end of the schedule. It’s true in November:

Qatar-A380-Award-Availability-1

And next March:

Qatar-A380-Award-Availability-3

And next June:

Qatar-A380-Award-Availability-4

And as I said above, to London as well:

Qatar-A380-Award-Availability-5

Again, I wouldn’t count on getting an A380 this year, but if you book for travel next year, I think chances are really good that your flight would be operated by the A380.

It’s certainly nice to see this policy reversed, whether it was intentional or not.

Redeem miles for Qatar Airways A380 first & business class

In terms of redeeming miles for Qatar Airways premium cabins, your best bets are American or US Airways:

  • American charges 30,000 AAdvantage miles for one-way business class between Europe and the Middle East, and 40,000 miles for one-way first class
  • US Airways charges 60,000 Dividend Miles for roundtrip business class travel between Europe and the Middle East, and 80,000 miles for roundtrip first class

If you have top tier status with either airline, it’s especially easy to lock in seats now, since you can always cancel them later without a fee.

Qatar Airways A380 first class

Qatar Airways’ first class doesn’t actually look that spectacular, especially after we’ve seen Etihad’s plans for their A380, and Emirates has said that they’ll match. So I’d try this more for the novelty than expecting to fly the world’s best first class product.

Qatar-Airways-First-Class-1

Qatar-Airways-First-Class-2

Now, I have a sneaking suspicion that this whole A380 delay is an Akbar Al Baker ego ploy and that they’re actually totally redesigning the first class cabin. I know it’s farfetched and you can call me a conspiracy theorist, but we are talking about His Excellency here. Only time will tell, I suppose…

Bottom line

Woohoo! Another A380 first class product that can easily be checked off the list! Now I just need to hop on the Asiana A380, as I’ve done all the other A380 first class products out there:

(Tip of the hat to Naveen)

Conversations (48)
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  1. Mark New Member

    I want to try Qatar F class on the 380 and was thinking to relocate and fly from LHR on one of my upcoming trips.
    But i cant see any award space on any flights, short or long term, on F class 380 to or from LHR.

    Has their policy changed again? Or is it only available for the top tier ppl?

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Mark -- Nope, they still make some space available last minute, but it requires a lot of flexibility. Make sure you're also checking space out of CDG. You need to be very, very flexible.

  2. fauxblogger Guest

    Looks like they've reverted back to A340 and A330 for next June DOH-LHR per BA.com

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ fauxblogger -- They probably just haven't gotten around to updating the summer schedule.

  3. David New Member

    It seems for me too, that they blocked Business and First. I'm trying to take QR2 from LHR-DOH on June 3rd, but they only have economy :-P

  4. Rene Guest

    Seems like they are blocking it again, can't find the 380 flights to CDG or LHR via the BA tool for 2015. The 3-4 other LHR flights seem to have good availability though.

  5. stacey Guest

    Hi Lucky,

    I have an opportunity to fly CDG-DOH in First on either the 777 or A340 service...which do you recommend? Are these new first products? Or should I try and route from another European city to get a better plane :)

    Thanks!

    Stacey

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ stacey -- The 777s don't have first class. Just select A330s and A340s do.

    2. stacey Guest

      Thanks Lucky! How's the F product on the A340's? Is it new (like the upcoming A380's?) Or would you recommend Business on the 787 from BRU for example?

    3. lucky OMAAT

      @ stacey -- Here's the first class product:
      https://onemileatatime.com/five-star-virgin-qatar-airways-first-class-from-london-lhr-to-doha-doh/

      All else being equal I would do first over business, but comparatively 787 business class is a better business class product than A340 first class is a first class product.

  6. MattWeibo Guest

    Weird. Just contaced CX MPC and agent superisly found one seat available on Nov. 24 for QR004 by A380 F and QR938 to Singapore by B787 C.....so Luck!

  7. MattWeibo Guest

    Just checked the QR availability via BA website for flights on Nov. 24 from LHR to DOH. BA only shows four flights QR006 / 012 / 002 (Three of A340) / 016 (A319) daily but no QR004 (A380) and QR008 (B787). Contact CX Marco Polo Club and agent found some F award space, but system will reject it and provide alternative flight to QR012, even system displayed QR004 F award is available for redemption. CX...

    Just checked the QR availability via BA website for flights on Nov. 24 from LHR to DOH. BA only shows four flights QR006 / 012 / 002 (Three of A340) / 016 (A319) daily but no QR004 (A380) and QR008 (B787). Contact CX Marco Polo Club and agent found some F award space, but system will reject it and provide alternative flight to QR012, even system displayed QR004 F award is available for redemption. CX agent spent about an half hour to verify, and so far only Nov. 29 (from Nov. 10 to Nov. 30) is available and finally got a confirmed F award for me.

  8. Gustav Guest

    Tangentially related to QR A380 service, is there anything better than ba.com to search for award space?Looking to book US to Africa via DOH with AAdvantage miles but it is not showing award space on any of the direct routes that QR flies to DOH. aa.com is, of course, useless here as well...

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Gustav -- Not really anything better, as far as I know.

  9. Mo Guest

    Hi Lucky
    What the hell going with BA executive club award booking???as soon as the booking involved a foreign carrier ut kept showing the message to call executive club desk,i cant finalise any booking out of BA or AA.

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Mo -- Yeah, the website does seem to be pretty glitchy lately, unfortunately.

  10. Denis Colli Guest

    Thaaannnks Lucky!!!!
    I had QR38 (A346) booked but after your post, U$60 to jump on QR40 (A388) for next April.
    So excited 8)

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Denis Colli -- Awesome, enjoy!

  11. Tyler New Member

    Hey Lucky,

    I just noticed that the seat map on my reservation notes that the F cabin is on the top deck, arent most F cabins on the 380 on the lower deck?

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Tyler -- It goes both ways. Emirates, Etihad, Lufthansa, and Thai have first class on the upper deck, for example.

  12. Semi-Precious New Member

    Hi,
    Is this correct? as per above :
    "American charges 30,000 AAdvantage miles for one-way business class between Europe and the Middle East, and 40,000 miles for one-way first class"

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Semi-Precious -- Nope, prices are correct.

  13. Mary Guest

    Thanks and the availabilty the same as on BA site? Or do I have to call AA to know that and for booking?

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Mary -- Availability should be the same.

  14. Mary Guest

    Lucky! CDG-DOH OW fares with American Advantage 40000 points, with BA 70000 points.
    If I use AA miles is the availability and the taxes are the same as on BA website?

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Mary -- They're lower with American, since they don't impose fuel surcharges.

  15. Joey Diamond

    It's also the same cost in miles if you fly from the Indian Subcontinent to Europe. So if you want to try the 787 and the A380 on Qatar Airways, do BLR-DOH-CDG, for example.

  16. Wayne Guest

    When are you flying? got one scheduled on the 31st from ICN.

  17. Victor Guest

    Ben, thanks for this. Could you also do a post on Qatar business class availability trends?
    I do find their availability spotty (like other OW carriers) and there seem to be times where weeks and weeks are blocked out for award space availability (e.g. from 23 July to end of Aug). They do release some a few days out.

    I love their product but I'm having difficulty finding premium space.

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Victor -- Wrote about their business class trends here:
      https://onemileatatime.com/qatar-airways-award-availability-trends/

  18. Lantean Diamond

    i think it looks quite on par with world's best first class products...

  19. Luis Diamond

    seriously amazing looking product. such a shame that the flight is so short (relatively). And given that I have no desire to go to DOH, I'll probably never get to fly this plane.

  20. Chris K Guest

    But if they don't meet there dates, and there is an equipment swap, aren't you SOL?

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Chris K -- Yes, there's some risk if you're booking it solely to fly the A380. But by the middle of next year I have a hard time imagining they won't have A380s yet.

  21. naif Member

    is there a fuel surcharge on qatar redemption?

  22. RDP Member

    What about flying on the Etihad a380? ;)

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ RDP -- Hah, still working on that!

  23. Tyler New Member

    Thanks for the heads up Lucky. We had QR42 booked but just jumped on QR40 for next May. Hopefully they will have the aircraft by then ;)

  24. Lou Guest

    Hey Lucky! Does USDM charge taxes on Qatar Airways or any other OW carriers?

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Lou -- Taxes yes, but no fuel surcharges except on Iberia and British Airways.

  25. patrick Guest

    Lucky, I love how you write. You make me wanna be a better flyer.

  26. boraxo Guest

    not too useful for US readers, nobody is going to route via Doha back to Europe. however if you can snag C/F on a US flight you'll be quite happy as the product is superior to Emirates.

  27. Apu Member

    Any idea why Etihad is not releasing the SFO-AUH award space? Been waiting since they announced it!

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Apu -- No clue, it's very odd. Have been monitoring closely as well.

  28. Stuart Falk Member

    Do you have an Asiana A380 flight planned?

    1. lucky OMAAT

      @ Stuart Falk -- Yep, very soon. :)

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

lucky OMAAT

@ Mark -- Nope, they still make some space available last minute, but it requires a lot of flexibility. Make sure you're also checking space out of CDG. You need to be very, very flexible.

0
Mark New Member

I want to try Qatar F class on the 380 and was thinking to relocate and fly from LHR on one of my upcoming trips. But i cant see any award space on any flights, short or long term, on F class 380 to or from LHR. Has their policy changed again? Or is it only available for the top tier ppl?

0
lucky OMAAT

@ fauxblogger -- They probably just haven't gotten around to updating the summer schedule.

0
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