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JetBlue and Qatar have been partners since 2013, but this partnership has only gotten really interesting in the past week. After teasing reciprocal award redemptions since 2021, Qatar Privilege Club finally added JetBlue award redemptions on November 6 — just to nerf the value of these awards a few days later. And now, JetBlue just added the ability to book Qatar awards using TrueBlue points.
For the first time today, AwardWallet found Qatar award flights bookable using JetBlue TrueBlue points. This rollout still seems to be in progress, as several routes aren't yet bookable.
However, what we've found so far is pretty exciting! You can book Qatar economy from the U.S. to Doha for 34,000 TrueBlue points or pay 70,000 TrueBlue points each way to book Qatar's award-winning Qsuite business class.
Here's what you need to know about this new redemption option.
Basics of Booking Qatar Awards Using JetBlue TrueBlue
- Awards are bookable through JetBlue's website. No need to browse to a special page to search awards; just start your search on the JetBlue homepage and click “use TrueBlue points”.
- Not all Qatar routes are available. For example, JetBlue isn't showing any award availability from Seattle or Los Angeles to Doha — at least yet.
- Award availability seems to match American Airlines. All Qatar awards that I found using the American Airlines website are available using JetBlue TrueBlue points. As frustrated award travelers may have noticed, American Airlines doesn't recently seem to have the same Qatar award availability as other Qatar partners — such as Virgin Australia Velocity.
- JetBlue will sell illogical routings. Want to fly from Dallas/Fort Worth to London via Doha? Well, you can do so using TrueBlue points. However, these routes cost considerably more.
JetBlue Award Chart for Qatar Flights
JetBlue hasn't published an award chart for Qatar awards yet. But here's what I've been able to piece together based on award searches so far:
| Between the U.S. and... | Economy | Business Class |
|---|---|---|
| Doha | 34,000 | 70,000 |
| Middle East (e.g. MCT, DXB) | 46,000 | 89,000 |
| India (e.g. BOM, DEL) | 53,000 | 106,000 |
| Maldives | 58,000 | 106,000 |
| Europe | 63,000 | (not found yet) |
| South Africa | 68,000 | 129,000 |
As you can see, the cheapest awards are from the U.S. nonstop to Doha, Qatar. Awards connecting beyond Doha seem to be roughly based on distance. For example, you can connect within the Middle East — such as to Dubai or Muscat, Oman — for as few as 89,000 TrueBlue points in business class:
Meanwhile, longer connecting flights — such as onward to the Maldives — cost 106,000 TrueBlue points in Qsuite business class:
Earning TrueBlue Points
JetBlue is a transfer partner of several major transferrable point programs — although not always at 1:1 transfer rates. Amex Membership Rewards points typically only transfer to JetBlue TrueBlue at a 5:4 transfer ratio. However, Amex is currently offering a 25% transfer bonus to JetBlue through November 30, 2023 that temporarily boosts this rate to 1:1.
Alternatively, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards or Citi ThankYou Points to JetBlue at a 1:1 transfer ratio.
Bottom Line
After years of teasing redemptions, Qatar and JetBlue have now rolled out reciprocal award redemptions within the past week. The Qatar Airways award rates on JetBlue Mint were appealing at first before being slashed just a couple of days later.
Now, JetBlue just rolled out some appealing award redemptions on Qatar Airways. The ability to book Qatar Qsuite business class from the U.S. to Doha for just 70,000 TrueBlue points is pretty appealing. It's worth noting that this pricing simply matches what you can book using AAdvantage miles or using the new British Airways award chart for Qatar awards.
Connecting flights aren't priced as nicely as nonstop flights. But having additional award booking options is always nice.
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