Qatar Airways Avios U-Turn: controversial redemption rule binned

We love a u-turn. The British government are especially good at this cheeky little move. When the publish outcry is heard in the upper echelons of any organisation, occasionally we get some sensible decisions.

Well, good on you Qatar Airways for deciding your most recent policy was a mistake. We'll forgive you this time, but perhaps in future, just don't do it!

Back in July 2026, we brought you this news that the Qatar Airways' Privilege Club loyalty programme had brought in some tough new limits on redeeming Avios for other people. It was a change that frustrated a lot of Avios holders across the transferable points world, us included.

The good news is, it's very quietly been binned.

What were Qatar Airways' new Avios redemption restrictions?

When the July changes landed, Privilege Club made it much harder to book award flights for anyone other than yourself. If you wanted to redeem Avios for a friend, family member, or travel companion, you first had to add them to your account under "My List" or "Friends & Family." But then they told us that you could only do this once you had completed one of two qualifying activities.

Qualifying activity	What it involved
Crediting a flight to your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account	Earning Avios by flying Qatar Airways or a partner airline
Co-brand card spend	Making at least one eligible transaction on a Qatar Airways co-branded credit card (not available in the UK)

For anyone who had transferred points into Privilege Club from either a credit card programme or another Avios airline without ever flying Qatar Airways, this effectively locked them out of booking for anyone but themselves.

What has changed now?

Qatar Airways hasn't made any formal announcement, but the rules on its website tell the story.

The "My List" and "Friends & Family" terms now list only one requirement: your Privilege Club account needs to be at least 30 days old.

The flight crediting and co-brand card conditions have disappeared entirely, which suggests members can once again book for a companion without having to jump through these hoops.

What does this mean for Avios holders?

This is wonderful news for anyone who is looking to book an Avios redemption with Qatar Airways.

It means you can go back to using Qatar Airways Privilege Club to book award seats using your Avios for family and friends without needing to fly the airline first. Just make sure to create your accounts well ahead of time!

It's a reminder that loyalty programme rules do shift, sometimes quickly, so it's always worth checking the current terms before you plan a redemption around them.

Bottom line

Qatar Airways has scrapped its short-lived rule requiring flight credits or co-brand card spend before you could redeem Avios for someone else. The only condition left is that your Privilege Club account must be at least 30 days old. It looks like the restrictions did more harm than good for Qatar Airways' own numbers, and for now, Avios holders can go back to booking award flights for others with far less hassle.

Helena

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