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You can now use your Qatar Airways Avios to book flights on Airlink, the Middle Eastern airline’s newest partner. This development follows the announcement of a partnership between Airlink and Qatar Airways.
Interestingly, there was no major announcement about this new redemption option — it simply just went live as flagged by Head for Points. The move isn't entirely surprising, though, as Qatar Airways acquired a 25% stake in the carrier in August 2024.
Here's what you need to know about this partnership and new redemption opportunity.
What Is Airlink?
Airlink is the second-largest airline in Africa by annual flight volume. Based in Johannesburg, it operates an extensive route network across southern Africa using a fleet of Embraer aircraft.
Airlink route network
Airlink serves the following destinations in South Africa:
- Bloemfontein (BFN)
- Cape Town (CPT)
- Durban (DUR)
- East London (ELS)
- George (GRJ)
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) (PLZ)
- Hoedspruit (HDS)
- Johannesburg (JNB)
- Kimberley (KIM)
- Mthatha (UTT)
- Nelspruit (MQP)
- Pietermaritzburg (PZB)
- Polokwane (PTG)
- Richards Bay (RCB)
- Sishen (SIS)
- Skukuza (SZK)
- Upington (UTN)
The carrier also serves the following destinations outside South Africa:
- Angola: Luanda (LAD)
- Botswana: Gaborone (GBE), Kasane (BBK), Maun (MUB)
- Democratic Republic of Congo: Lubumbashi (FBM)
- Kenya: Nairobi (NBO)
- Lesotho: Maseru (MSU)
- Madagascar: Antananarivo (TNR), Nosy Be (NOS)
- Malawi: Blantyre (BLZ), Lilongwe (LLW)
- Mozambique: Beira (BEW), Maputo (MPM), Nampula (APL), Pemba (POL), Tete (TET), Vilanculos (VNX)
- Namibia: Walvis Bay (WVB), Windhoek (WDH)
- Saint Helena: Jamestown (HLE)
- Eswatini (Swaziland): Manzini (SHO)
- Tanzania: Dar es Salaam (DAR)
- Zambia: Livingstone (LVI), Lusaka (LUN), Ndola (NLA)
- Zimbabwe: Bulawayo (BUQ), Harare (HRE), Victoria Falls (VFA)
How To Book Airlink Awards With Qatar Avios
Booking Airlink flights with Qatar Airways Avios is relatively straightforward. All you need to do is follow these steps:
- Log into your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account.
- Search for award availability on your desired route.
- If available, select the flight and pay with Avios.
Interestingly, you don’t need to manually transfer Avios from British Airways Club to Qatar Airways Privilege Club. Instead, the system will automatically deduct the required Avios from your British Airways account, making the process relatively seamless.
How many Avios do you need for Airlink flights — and is it a good deal?
You can use Avios to book flights across Airlink's entire network. However, some routes (to harder to reach places) provide greater value for your Avios than others (to and from larger airports).
For example, you can book a one-way award flight between Johannesburg (JNB) and Cape Town (CPT) for 12,000 Avios plus 444.69 South African Rand ($24).
Given that this same Airlink flight is available for $115 — and there are several cheaper options — the 0.76¢ per Avios you're getting here isn't overly compelling.
But if you fly somewhere uncommon, such as from Johannesburg (JNB) to Saint Helena (HLE) — a remote island in the south Atlantic Ocean — you can unlock much greater value for your Avios. You can book this award for 18,000 Avios plus 2297.75 South African Rand ($124).
If paid in cash, these one-way tickets routinely exceed $500 per person. It's hard to argue with 2.16¢ per Avios on this niche redemption!
Related: Best Credit Cards for Earning Avios
Our Take
More award booking options are always a plus, but the real question is whether Airlink redemptions provide good value for your Avios. Turns out the answer is “sometimes.” Since Airlink’s cash fares vary widely, it’s all but necessary to compare the redemption rate to the cash price to determine if you're getting a good deal.
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