Qatar Airways First Class Award Space on Its A380 for 40,000 Miles

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Qatar’s A380 First Class looks fantastic. It is not the best Middle Eastern product and looks a half step behind Emirates First Class and Etihad First Class on their A380s, but overall the Qatar A380 is definitely a plane I would love to fly in First Class, especially for 40,000 or 45,000 miles.

The spacious seat/beds are not fully enclosed, but are luxurious.

You and a companion can dine at one table.

The bathrooms are large, but do not contain showers like Etihad’s and Emirates’.

The star of the Qatar A380 is the bar behind Business Class. Yes, Emirates has one also, but this one looks larger, nicer, and better designed.

Here’s a video shot in Qatar A380 First Class:

• What routes does the Qatar A380 fly?
• What are the award prices?
• What is the award space picture?
• How can you get the miles for a roundtrip in Qatar A380 First Class from one card?

Routes

Qatar flies its A380 between London, Paris, and Bangkok and Doha.

All three routes are also serviced by planes other than the A380, so look for these flight numbers, which are operated by A380s:

• London <-> Doha: QR1, QR2, QR3, QR4
• Paris <-> Doha: QR39, QR40, and most of QR41 and QR42 until September 16, 2015 when QR41 and QR42 are no longer operated by the A380
• Bangkok <-> Doha: QR830, QR831, QR833, QR836

Award Price

From anywhere in the Middle East or Indian Subcontinent to Europe in First Class is 40,000 American Airlines miles one way. To SE Asia plus China (Asia 2) is 45,000 American Airlines miles one way.

Award Space

You can search award space for Qatar flights on ba.com. (Here’s how.) Any Qatar award space on ba.com can be booked with American Airlines miles by calling American Airlines.

Click the flight number to get a pop up that confirms the operating aircraft.

Here’s a look at award space this week on the three routes in both directions. The most last minute award space appears from Paris to Doha. (Images from Award Nexus searching ba.com.)

You don’t want to go to Doha in August though. Here’s what award space looks like in February. You can see there is award space in both directions on the Paris and Bangkok routes, but no London award space in either direction.

Getting the Miles

For a limited time, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® offers 75,000 bonus American Airlines miles after spending $7,500 in the first three months. Meeting the minimum spending requirement would give you more than enough miles for a roundtrip in Qatar First Class between Europe and the Middle East or Indian Subcontinent.

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® also offers Admirals Club lounge membership, meaning you can access over 90 American Airlines Clubs in airports around the world whenever you’re flying–even if you’re not flying on American. Plus you can bring in any two guests for free OR your spouse and all children under 18 for free on each visit. This is why the card has a $450 annual fee; new membership in the Admirals Club usually costs $500.

Booking the Award

Note the date, cabin, and flight number on ba.com. Call American Airlines at 800-882-8880 and feed the agent that information.

You will pay 40,000 or 45,000 miles one way plus taxes. There are no fuel surcharges on the award, and no phone fee.

Pay the taxes with your Citi Prestige® Card.

The Citi Prestige® Card offers a $250 Air Travel Credit each calendar year that offsets your first $250 in spending on airlines with the card. Taxes on an award ticket definitely count.

The card also comes with 50,000 bonus ThankYou Points after spending $3,000 in the first three months, which can be transferred to Flying Blue miles.

Bottom Line

There is award space on the super-fancy Qatar A380 in First Class on its routes from London, Paris, and Bangkok to Doha. Awards start at 40,000 miles one way.

For a limited time, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® offers 75,000 bonus American Airlines miles after spending $7,500 in the first three months.