Qatar Airways recently introduced something new: Privilege Club Pro Plans, a subscription-based program where you can pay monthly or annually to receive a set amount of Avios each month.
At first glance, it seems like a creative way to build up your miles balance. But is it actually worth the cost?
What Does the Plan Offer?
The highest-tier plan, called the Ultimate, gives you:
- 20,000 Avios per month
- 5 Qpoints per month
If you choose the monthly option, it costs $350 per month, totaling $4,200 per year. However, if you pay annually, the total cost drops to $3,500, effectively giving you two months free.
The Math Behind It
Over 12 months, you’d receive 240,000 Avios for $3,500. That works out to about 1.46 cents per Avios.
So how does that compare to the typical value?
- Economy class redemptions usually yield 1.1 to 1.5 cents per point.
- Premium cabins like business or first class can often reach 2 to 3 cents or more in value.
If you fly internationally and can route your trips through Doha, this might seem like a smart deal on paper. But despite the numbers, I don’t think it’s a good value for most travelers.
The Problem with Qpoints
Let’s talk about those Qpoints for a moment. You’d receive 60 Qpoints annually, but Silver status with Qatar Airways requires 150 Qpoints to earn and 135 to retain.
That means you’re not even halfway to Silver, and to make matters worse, Qpoints reset every year if you don’t hit the threshold. You can’t accumulate them over years to eventually reach a higher status tier.
If you really want Silver status, there’s a better way: Qatar’s Privilege Club Signature credit card. It comes with Silver status in your first year and only costs $99 annually.
That alone tells you the Qpoints in this subscription are not worth much.
The Bigger Issue: Delayed Access to Avios
This is where the subscription really falls short.
You don’t get all 240,000 Avios upfront. Instead, you receive 20,000 Avios per month. So if you want to book a premium round-trip flight — like MIA to the Maldives via Doha in Qsuites, which costs around 170,000 Avios — you’d have to wait 9 months before you could even book it.
That’s a long time to sit on your hands.
You Can Just Buy Avios on Sale for Cheaper
Qatar frequently offers discounted Avios sales, and the prices often beat the subscription rate.
In June 2025, Qatar offered a 70% bonus on Avios purchases, bringing the cost down to 1.35 cents per point. At that rate, 240,000 Avios would have cost $3,240 — less than the subscription and available immediately.
Even better, Avios is a shared currency between several airlines:
- British Airways
- Iberia
- Aer Lingus
- Finnair
- Qatar Airways
Sometimes, the partner airlines offer even better deals than Qatar itself. For example, Finnair’s November 2024 sale priced Avios at 1.13 cents per point. That would have made 240,000 Avios cost just $2,712, though there was a cap of 200,000 Avios per person.
Final Thoughts
Qatar’s Privilege Club Pro subscription is an interesting idea, but the value just isn’t there for most travelers.
- You don’t get the miles upfront.
- The Qpoints are nearly useless.
- Better Avios sales happen regularly, and they don’t lock you into a 12-month commitment.
If you’re looking to book a big award ticket in Qsuites or elsewhere, your best move is to wait for a good Avios sale, take advantage of a partner program’s discount, and buy what you need all at once.
Bottom line: You’ll save money, skip the waiting, and still fly in luxury.
