They’re Finally Back: Excellent Qatar Airways Business Class Fares From Europe To Asia

Happy Holidays from Slovenia. I’m still traveling, but took a few days ‘off’ writing for Christmas.

A few years ago, Qatar Airways seemed to publish legitimate very cheap business class fares from Europe to Asia regularly. Oslo seemed to be almost constantly on sale, and where they launched new destinations, there would often be very good prices from either major cities to new destinations, or even better prices between two new destinations (such as Prague to Penang).

I’ve written before about what I consider to be great fares between the two continents.

But then earlier this year, the cheap fares stopped.

I have no idea why. I’m not sure if it was due to increased demand for their business class, or due to increased financial pressure, which caused them to try a more aggressive pricing strategy.

But I’m happy to report that a cheap deal is back and it’s between two popular, non-obscure cities!

Right now, Qatar Airways has return business class flights from Milan to Bangkok for as low as €1,259 / $1,443 per person, available almost every day from the start of January until the end of schedule.

Qatar has three flights per day from Milan, two are served by an A330 which features fully flat seats, but arguably their ‘worst’ fully flat seats, as they are 2-2-2 configuration…

However their afternoon departure (QR128/127 on the return) is a Boeing 777 with their better, more spacious 2-2-2 configuration. And some QR117/118 flights are operated by an A350 as you can see from the screenshot above.

They also have a massive seven flights per day to Bangkok, so you could choose their A380 for their reverse herringbone seats and on board bar.

Or, until (at least) the end of March, Qatar Airways has QSuites on the QR830/831 flights to and from Bangkok.

Given Qatar is rapidly adding planes with QSuites installed, I would not be surprised to see either the product on this route extended beyond March, or other Bangkok frequencies receive their newest and best product.

This is the world’s best business class.

As with almost all Qatar business sale fares, these book into R class, which earn 100% in programs like American Airlines AAdvantage, and 125% in British Airways Executive Club and Japan Airlines Mileage Bank.

Remember also if crediting to BAEC that each flight will earn 140 Tier Points, so a return flight will be (4 x 140) 560. This is just 40 short of the 600 needed to reach Executive Club Silver, which is Oneworld Sapphire status. You will still need 4 BA operated sectors, which you can fly to reach the missing 40 TPs anyway.

This itinerary is around 6,000 miles flown each way.

Bottom line

I’m very excited to see a deal like this come back after such a long absence. I certainly hope they will become regular like they used to be.

I don’t have an end date for my four month trip and have a few weeks spare at the end of January so I’m very tempted to book this fare.

Anyone have any suggestions for a destination for some winter warmth?

By the way, Qatar’s biggest sale of the year happens each January. In the past there have been some astonishingly good prices during this sale, however their 2018 January sale was really disappointing. I’ll be keeping a very close eye on their 2019 sale next month (assuming they have it).

My instinct tells me the sale will be along the lines of the 2018 sale, rather than the better 2016 and 2017 sales, given their lack of excellent deals otherwise in 2018, but I will let you know!

Are you excited to see the return of excellent Qatar Airways deals from Europe to Asia?

(Tip of the hat to God Save the Points)