Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to upgrade Qatar Airways flights with Avios
An Avios upgrade is a cabin upgrade that a Qatar Airways Privilege Club member requests on an existing Qatar Airways ticket using Avios, the programme's reward currency [5] [6]. Upgrades are subject to availability and are limited to flights marketed and operated by Qatar Airways, on tickets issued by Qatar Airways with a ticket number starting with 157 [4] [5].
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- An Avios upgrade moves a paid ticket into a higher cabin, but availability decides whether it can be confirmed, and not every Qatar Airways flight has a Business or First Class cabin [4] [5].
- Only flights marketed and operated by Qatar Airways qualify, and the ticket must be issued on a Qatar Airways document starting with 157 [4] [5].
- Economy Promo bookings in booking classes W and G cannot be upgraded with Avios or Qcredits, and redemption tickets are excluded as well [4] [5].
- Avios are blocked from your balance when you submit the request and are refunded if the upgrade cannot be processed [5].
- After an upgrade, Avios are still earned on the originally purchased booking class, and baggage and lounge benefits follow the original itinerary [4] [5].
How do you request an Avios upgrade on a Qatar Airways flight?
Log in to Privilege Club on qatarairways.com or in the Qatar Airways mobile app and open the upgrade option for a booking you already hold, which the programme lists under Spend as Upgrade with Avios and as "Upgrade an upcoming trip" [5]. The number of Avios an upgrade needs is shown in My Calculator, which prices award upgrades for bookings made on qatarairways.com or the app and applies those amounts to trips that include a transit through Doha [4]. Where the balance is short, My Calculator links to buying Avios [4].
Every request is subject to availability [4] [5]. When you request the upgrade, the required Avios are blocked from your account, and Qatar Airways refunds them if it cannot process the request [5].
Members who hold Avios in both a Privilege Club account and a British Airways Executive Club account can move them between the two linked accounts in either direction at 1:1 with no fee, which lets them pool a balance before requesting an upgrade [3]. Linking requires both accounts to be at least 30 days old, with matching personal details, and a Privilege Club account can be linked to an Executive Club account at most twice in any 50-year period [3].
Which Qatar Airways tickets and fares can be upgraded with Avios?
Eligibility turns on the operating carrier, the ticket document and the fare or booking class you bought [4] [5].
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Marketing and operating carrier | Only flights marketed and operated by Qatar Airways [4] [5] |
| Ticket document | Ticket issued by Qatar Airways, with a number starting with 157 [4] [5] |
| Economy Promo classes | Booking classes W and G are not eligible for a redemption upgrade [4] [5] |
| Promotional and special fares | Some tickets issued under promotional or special fares may not be eligible [4] [5] |
| Existing award tickets | Redemption tickets cannot be upgraded with Avios or Qcredits [5] |
| Passengers | No cabin upgrades for infants under 2 or for children travelling alone; a child needs an adult over 16 on the same booking [5] |
The cabin you want must exist on the aircraft: Business and First Class are offered on selected Qatar Airways flights only, and First Class is available on select flights [4] [5]. An Economy to First Class upgrade is only available when Business Class is not offered [4].
Because individual fares carry their own conditions, Qatar Airways directs members to check the ticket or contact a Qatar Airways office when a promotional fare is involved [5].
What does a Qatar Airways Avios upgrade cost?
The Avios amount for a specific upgrade comes from My Calculator, which covers award upgrades priced on qatarairways.com or in the mobile app [4]. Avios Plus Cash cannot be used here: it applies to award tickets on flights marketed and operated by Qatar Airways and on flights operated by partner airlines, but it is not available for upgrades [5].
For award travel priced in the same tool, the calculator's notes say taxes and carrier-imposed fees start from USD 30 and may vary with travel dates and exchange rates [4]. On the upgrade itself, the Avios required are held when the request is made and released back to the member if the upgrade cannot be confirmed [5]. Avios have no fixed or par value and cannot be exchanged for cash [3].
What do you still earn after upgrading with Avios?
An Avios upgrade does not change how the ticket earns: members who upgrade to Business or First Class with Avios or Qcredits collect Avios based on the original booking class they purchased [4] [5]. Baggage allowance and lounge access are also applied according to the itinerary originally booked, and Platinum, Gold and Silver members receive lounge access and extra baggage from their tier benefits [5].
Avios itself is the reward currency collected when a member or a nominated family member flies with Qatar Airways, oneworld airlines or airline partners, and a balance stays valid for a further 36 months every time the member earns or spends [6].
Exceptions and limits
- London A380 services. Award upgrades to First Class are not available on A380 services to or from London [4] [5].
- Missing cabins. Not all Qatar Airways flights operate a First Class or Business Class cabin, so no upgrade can be sold on an aircraft that does not have the higher cabin [4] [5].
- Children and infants. Cabin upgrades are not available for infants below 2 years or for children travelling alone, and a child must be accompanied by an adult above 16 on the same booking [5].
- Promotional fares. A special fare may make a flight ineligible, and tickets issued under certain promotional fares may not qualify for an upgrade with Avios or Qcredits [4] [5].
- Economy to First. This upgrade path opens only when Business Class is not available on the flight [4].
- Availability. An eligible ticket and a sufficient balance do not guarantee the seat; every upgrade depends on award availability in the cabin requested [4] [5].
Frequently asked questions
Can I upgrade an existing award ticket with Avios?
No. Redemption tickets are not eligible for an upgrade using Avios or Qcredits [5].
Can I pay for an upgrade with Avios plus cash?
No. Avios Plus Cash is valid for award tickets on flights marketed and operated by Qatar Airways and on flights operated by partner airlines, but it is not available for upgrades [5].
Do I still earn Avios after upgrading with Avios?
Yes. Members who upgrade to Business or First Class with Avios or Qcredits earn Avios based on the original booking class purchased, not the cabin flown [4] [5].
Can I upgrade to First Class on the A380 to or from London?
No. Award upgrades to First Class are not available on A380 services to or from London [4] [5].
What happens to my Avios if the upgrade is not confirmed?
The Avios needed are blocked from your account when the request is made, and Qatar Airways refunds them to your account if it is unable to process the request [5].
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers published Avios mileage-upgrade mechanics on flights marketed and operated by Qatar Airways only; paid upgrades, complimentary upgrades and upgrade rules on oneworld or other partner airlines are not covered here.
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios terms and conditions, including linking with British Airways Executive Club, checked 18 October 2026
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club My Calculator: award upgrades and Avios pricing, checked 18 October 2026
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club Fly with Avios, award upgrades terms and conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club Earn Avios, checked 18 October 2026