Reader Question: Where To Credit Qatar Airways Business Class Flights?

A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question about where to credit Qatar Airways flights in business.

Readers are encouraged to send us questions, comments, or opinions by email, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We’ll try to cover them here several times a week.

You can access AA here and Qatar Airways here.

Reader Question:

I am a frequent flyer with lifetime status on United, so I don’t book much on other programs or airlines.

I am travelling to Qatar in business and am wondering which frequent flyer program I should credit these to?

Possible contenders are American or Qantas. I live in the US and travel mostly to Europe and Australia. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I could consider crediting Qatar Airways flights to two Oneworld programs, and one of them is not Qantas, but either American Airlines AAdvantage or British Airways Executive Club.

Qatar’s Privilege Club could be an option IF the reader would have other flights with the airline in the future, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

British Airways Executive Club could be an option, too, if the reader had some flights with BA. They offer straightforward status qualification for members who take long-haul flights (more than 2,000 miles) in business. I would NOT credit them to Qantas, however, under any circumstance.

I am not a huge fan of miles that are on random accounts, and the fact that the reader is based in the US, I would choose to credit them to AAdvantage because:

1. The reader can always top the account easily

2. AAdvantage is, overall, a reasonable frequent flier program (if you redeem for partner flights)

Conclusion

I am juggling between American Airlines, British Airways, and Finnair frequent flier accounts (status with all), but then I fly quite a bit with the alliance.

Concentrating on one of the more prominent programs makes sense if you only have a few flights with the alliance. There are many ways to earn AAdvantage miles, especially if you are based in the US. There really isn’t any other option for the reader.