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Nearly a month ago, Qatar Airways and Cardless teased the launch of two Privilege Club credit cards for U.S. applicants — due to debut in May 2024. This announcement was undoubtedly a big deal for Avios collectors and Qatar Airways flyers. And true to schedule, Qatar Airways' two Cardless credit cards are now open for applications.
Here's everything you need to know about the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card and the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card
We'll start from the top and introduce you to the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card first. This matte metal card is Qatar's most premium product, commanding a $499 annual fee.
Welcome offer
New applicants can take advantage of a two-tiered welcome bonus worth up to 50,000 Qatar Airways Avios: 25,000 Avios after the first transaction and an additional 25,000 Avios after spending $5,000 in the first 90 days. Cardholders will also receive 150 Qpoints after meeting the minimum spending requirements.
Based on recent redemptions, AwardWallet users have enjoyed 2.56¢ apiece from their Avios. In other words, this 50,000-Avios offer is worth $1,285 toward award travel.
Earning categories
The Qatar Visa Infinite Card features two bonused earning categories and one catch-all. Unless you frequently book travel through Qatar Airways or dine out, earning a substantial number of Avios on everyday spending will be rather difficult.
The categories are broken down as follows:
- 5X Avios per $1 spent at Qatar Airways.
- 3X Avios per $1 spent at restaurants (excluding bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, and convenience stores).
- 1X Avios per $1 spent on everything else.
Additionally, cardholders will earn two Qpoints (Qatar’s status-earning metric) for every $1,500 spent on the card. More on this shortly.
Related: Best Cards for Earning Avios
Cardholder benefits
Like most premium credit cards or travel rewards cards, the Qatar Visa Infinite Card offers several perks in an effort to justify the steep price tag.
Visa Infinite benefits temporarily excluded, the Qatar Visa Infinite Card offers three main perks for cardholders: complimentary Privilege Club Gold status for the first year, earning two Qpoints per $1,500 spent, and a lump sum of Qpoints to help you requalify for status next year.
Complimentary Oneworld Sapphire-equivalent Gold status is a valuable benefit for travelers. Aside from several perks on Qatar Airways flights such as free preferred seating, 75% tier bonus on flights, and access to priority services, but you'll also enjoy lounge access. And as a Oneworld Sapphire, you can access American Airlines Admirals Clubs — even on wholly domestic U.S. itineraries.
Plus, after meeting the minimum spending requirements, you'll also collect a lump sum of 150 Qpoints. This means you'll automatically unlock Privilege Club Silver status for next year (assuming you don't requalify for Gold) and earn over half the 270 Qpoints necessary for Gold status.
When considering the Visa Infinite benefits built into the card, the value proposition gets a little better. Just for carrying the Qatar Visa Infinite Card, you're entitled to the following (plus a lot more):
- Access the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection.
- Visa Infinite concierge services.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit to offset your application fee.
- Car rental collision damage waiver insurance.
- Travel accident insurance.
- Trip cancellation or interruption reimbursement.
- Trip delay reimbursement.
Card providers can elect to offer additional Visa Infinite perks, such as airport lounge access through Priority Pass. Unfortunately, we haven't seen anything from Cardless stating that it's going to offer this.
Related: Premium Credit Card Perks That Are Great for Families
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card
The second installment to the Qatar Airways credit card portfolio for U.S. applicants is the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card. This card is lighter on benefits and carries a more reasonable $99 annual fee.
Welcome offer
Like its more expensive stablemate, the Qatar Visa Signature Card features a two-tiered welcome offer. New applicants can earn up to 40,000 Avios: 20,000 Avios after the first transaction and an additional 20,000 Avios after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days. Based on what AwardWallet users redeem Avios for, the full bonus is worth $1,028.
Earning categories
The Qatar Visa Signature Card is valuable for spending on Qatar Airways, fair for using at restaurants, and mediocre for everything else, as made evident by the following earning categories:
- 4X Avios per $1 spent at Qatar Airways.
- 2X Avios per $1 spent at restaurants (excluding bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, and convenience stores).
- 1X Avios per $1 spent on everything else.
For every $2,000 you spend on the card, you'll also collect two Qpoints.
Related: The Best Credit Cards for Dining and Restaurants
Cardholder benefits
The biggest disappointment with the Qatar Visa Signature Card is the limited benefits. Cardholders can take advantage of two primary benefits: complimentary Silver status for the first year and earning two Qpoints per $2,000 spent on the card.
Silver status is marginally valuable, courtesy of discounted seat selection, a 25% tier bonus, access to priority services, plus lounge access at Hamad International Airport (DOH). Thus, unless you fly Qatar Airways through its hub in Doha, Oneworld Ruby-equivalent Privilege Club Silver status won't offer much by way of benefits.
But for those who value Privilege Club elite status, the spending perk can help you inch incrementally closer to Qatar Airways elite status. If you are trying to earn Privilege Club elite status or are considering shifting your loyalty to Privilege Club, the bonus Qpoints can come in handy. However, earning status from spending alone presents poor value.
Plus, as a Visa Signature product, cardholders can access the following benefits (plus a lot more):
- Book stays through the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection.
- Discounted Shipt membership.
- Discounted show tickets through Sofar.
- Visa Signature rental car privileges.
- Visa Signature concierge services.
- Savings on award-winning wine and golf.
Who Is Eligible for a Qatar Airways Credit Card?
Cardless has developed its own risk model internally. Thus, you may or may not be eligible for either of the Qatar Airways credit cards based on several factors that issuers don't normally take into account.
Additionally, based on the language on the Cardless website, there may be a one-card-per-lifetime rule. Bear this in mind before you apply for any of its cards in case you're ineligible to apply for another.
However, ensure that if you do apply and receive approval, you keep your credit card active. According to a spokesperson for Cardless, the issuer “endeavor[s] to approve customers that show repeated engagement with their brand partners.” In other words, Cardless is leaving the door open to future approvals if you don't neglect your cards. But then again, this statement is very vague.
Our Take
General excitement of a new way to earn Avios aside, the Qatar Airways credit cards leave a bit to be desired — unless you value Privilege Club elite status and plan to use either card to expedite your path to it.
Let's start with the Qatar Visa Infinite Card. The card's benefits are primarily defined by Privilege Club elite status. Simply, unless you retain Gold status after your complimentary year expires, or keep Silver status, you won't enjoy any benefits on Qatar Airways or its Oneworld partners. Outside of that, the card's main suite of ancillary benefits comes courtesy of its Visa Infinite designation. Remember, the card carries a $499 annual fee.
The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card has an annual fee that's $400 lighter and offers a smaller array of benefits. Complimentary year of Silver status aside, the card presents few reasons to warrant keeping in your wallet. Like its more expensive counterpart, cardholders can leverage Visa benefits afforded by the Visa Signature program, but that's about it unless you requalify for status.
Even worse, neither card offers an outsized welcome bonus. Compared to other Avios earning cards, such as the British Airways Visa Signature® Card, it's clear there are greener pastures elsewhere. Not only will you earn 75,000 bonus Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening on the British Airways Visa Card, but you'll also enjoy Visa Signature benefits and more for a $95 annual fee. Then, you can move those Avios freely and instantly to your Qatar account if that's where you want to use them.
Thus, unless you're serious about earning and retaining Qatar Airways Privilege Club status and you spend heavily on Qatar flights (netting the high earning rates), it's likely worth passing on the new Qatar Airways credit cards. It's simply a function of comparatively mediocre welcome offers and limited long-term benefits that fail to justify the annual fee. There exist other cards at the same price point offering more benefits and/or better earning structures.
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