Qatar Airways Cuts Lounge Access For Select Upgraded Passengers

By: Ben Schlappig

Published: November 8, 2017

22 comments

While this policy won’t impact most of us, I think it’s worth writing about since it’s an unusual policy change for an airline to make.

Qatar Airways has some great lounges. For example, I love their Al Safwa First Class Lounge and Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge in Doha. However, the airline is also stingy when it comes to lounge access. Oneworld Emerald members don’t get access to the Al Safwa Lounge, and oneworld Sapphire members don’t get access to the Al Mourjan Lounge, as is the norm per oneworld policy. Instead they have inferior lounges that elite members get access to.

Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge Doha

Typically airlines grant you lounge access when you redeem miles to upgrade. Actually, off the top of my head I can’t think of any longhaul airlines that don’t. At least that has been the case up until now, as Qatar Airways has made an update to their lounge access policy.

As of November 6, 2017, Qatar Airways is no longer granting lounge access to passengers who upgrade using miles on the day of departure. So if you’re an elite member and use Qmiles to upgrade on the day of departure, you’ll only get lounge access based on your status (if applicable), and not based on your higher class of service.

Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Lounge Doha

Passengers who upgrade in advance will continue to receive lounge access. The important distinction is that upgrades in advance are capacity controlled, while at the airport upgrades are processed on a space available basis (meaning you can upgrade as long as there’s a seat available), which is why a lot of Privileges Club members aren’t upgrading in advance.

FlyerTalk member jbflyboy84 shares the following regarding the policy change:

According to the update received from Qatar Airways Privilege Club department, effective from the 06th of November, customers who purchase an upgrade upon departure (UoD) with Qmiles/Qcredits will be entitled to the baggage allowance and lounge access based on the actual ticketed cabin, and not the upgraded cabin.

However, frequent flyer members (i.e. platinum, gold, silver members) will continue to get their respective tier benefit when they purchase an UoD using Qmiles/Qcredits.

Rather hilariously, FlyerTalk member JC880 emailed Qatar Airways Privileges Club to inquire about whether this applied to upgrades in advance, and received the following response:

However, as per new enhancement, if you avail upgrade on departure option by redeeming Qmiles/Qcredits, you may access the lounge as per your original class of booking but you are entitle to access lounge as per your privilege club tier and eligibility.

That’s right, cutting lounge access for passengers on the day of departure is an enhancement.

Earlier this year Qatar Airways began selling access to their Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge — economy passengers can purchase access for 450QAR (~120USD). That’s not exactly a bargain…

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Fred Guest

January 6, 2020, 2:53 am

Just upgraded in BKK with Q credits. Thought I'd give the lounge a shot as I am platinum with Qatar, no dice. Really pretty sad since I was able to use the Qantas FC lounge in LA while flying Cathay. I'm not really sure how Qatar gets away with this. BTW, the food at Qantas in LA beats the first class lounge in Doha hands down.

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Melvin Taylor Guest

May 25, 2018, 9:32 pm

I must admit i was extremley miffed when I paid in 4 days advance cash sale for an upgrade Doha to Denpasar price £460 and was denied lounge access. The deal is only cabin to cabin which leaves a little sour taste.

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The Business Man Guest

April 3, 2018, 5:03 pm

Just like CPH-Dude above tells: IT IS INSANE how difficult it is to book back-to-back upgrades on Qatar these days...which translates into RIP-OFF: If you look at the cost of e.g. BA or Iberia or Finnair e.g. Copenhagen - Kuala Lumpur, and then compare the upgrade cost to Qatar....damn! Due to Qatar's crazy sector-by-sector upgrades, you suddenly end up paying as much for Copenhagen to Doha, as you would Helsinki to Cape Town (full distance). (Example only). It has become almost impossible to book the back-to-back upgrades, and Qatar is facing legal action I think, it is a total rip-off that customers' miles and credits are being down-graded by this crazy sector policy for upgrades; after-all...in the example above...Mr X is not flying Copenhagen-Doha....NO HE IS FLYING Copenhagen-CapeTown, and that is the upgrade he wants!!! Qatar is too smart here, they destroy the balance of miles/points. Too smart.

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ARRO Guest

February 6, 2018, 4:13 pm

As per 06 feb. 2018 their policy is, that buyed and upgradet to first class before oct. 2017, have access to al-safwra lounge.personell statement from the lounge suprvisor. i'm in now with an upgradet j ticket.

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thnk-2-ice-on arline Guest

January 19, 2018, 2:02 pm

Not like this comment will get anything changed by big business, but I do need to express!! Yes I have upgraded a couple times when I travel and part of the perk is the service and the lounge access. I work hard for my money and when I took a trip to Bali on the return trip I decided to upgrade in Doha on a Qatar flight to NY and my layover was long so I decided to upgrade for the long flight and utilize the lounge, but I was told I could only upgrade until a couple hours before the flight which was to me ridiculous, but I guess they wanted to try and get full price. Ok so I waited and upgraded, but I did not use points I paid for the upgrade, an extra $900 (why not that's what I work for and need to spoil myself) after the upgrade I come to find out because of the upgrade deal I don't have access to the lounge?? (WHAT?) yes but if I want I could go buy access to the lounge I was told, but I just paid $900 dollars and no access, but I could pay for access?? I was told $900 dollars was for the service on the plane that's it. Like I was going to go into the lounge and just eat and drink them out of business?? It was bad enough I had to wait to pay for the upgrade 2 hours before the flight, but was even worse that lounge access was not part of it because of the special deal I was getting. Wow Qatar is cheap and stingy and I now wonder is this the way of the airlines? I feel no matter what, if you pay for an upgrade you should still get the lounge. Why offer a separate payment lounge access? I think the $900 upgrade should cover that especially I paid for it not using points!!!!! What is this world coming too?? airlines should not be this cheap because I'll think twice now in spending the money on their airline next time..., HEAR OUR VOICE!!!

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