Qatar Airways is rightfully known for its great airport lounges, including the incredibly impressive Al Safwa and Al Mourjan lounges in Doha.
However, both at Doha and at other airports where Qatar Airways operates its own lounges, the airline makes multiple different lounges available. Your eligibility depends on your class of travel or frequent flyer status.
The Qatar Airways lounge access rules are sometimes confusing. This article explains them!
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Qatar Airways lounge access in Doha
Qatar Airways has plenty of lounges at its hub in Doha. But which ones you can access depend on your class of travel and frequent flyer status:
| Status/class of travel | Which lounges you can access |
|---|---|
| Qatar Airways Silver | Qatar Airways Silver Lounge |
| Oneworld Sapphire/Velocity Gold | Qatar Airways Gold Lounge South Qatar Airways Gold/Platinum Lounge North |
| Oneworld Emerald/Velocity Platinum | All lounges above Qatar Airways Platinum Lounge South |
| Oneworld/Virgin Australia wet-lease Business Class passengers (except Business Lite passengers) | All lounges above Al Mourjan Lounge South Al Mourjan Lounge North “The Garden” |
| Oneworld First Class passengers (including regional Qatar flights that are marketed as First Class) | All lounges above Al Safwa Lounge |
Note that Oneworld status will not get you any benefits when flying on the Virgin Australia wet-lease flights between Doha and Australia, unless your status is with Qatar Airways Privilege Club.
See our guide to the Qatar Airways lounges in Doha for more details.
Al Safwa Lounge access with Qatar Airways Platinum status
Passengers with Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum status get all the usual Oneworld Emerald benefits. However, if flying Qatar Airways in Business Class from Doha, Privilege Club Platinum status holders also get access to the Al Safwa Lounge. This lounge is normally reserved for passengers ticketed in First Class and is Doha’s best airport lounge.
This technically even includes Privilege Club Platinum members booked on Business Lite tickets, which normally wouldn’t even grant access to the Al Mourjan Lounge – the usual lounge for Business Class passengers.
Access to Qatar Airways Premium Lounges at outstations
There are actually different rules for each of Qatar Airways’ outstation lounges, depending on the airport you’re flying from.
Besides Doha, there are five airports with Qatar Airways-branded lounges:
- Singapore (SIN)
- Bangkok (BKK)
- Paris (CDG)
- London (LHR)
- Beirut (BEY)
All these lounges grant access to Business and First Class passengers, unless you’re on a Business Lite ticket – Qatar’s version of unbundled Business Class. You can also access any of these lounges when flying from these airports in Business or First Class on a Oneworld airline.
Qatar Airways lounges at London Heathrow
At London Heathrow, Qatar Airways operates two different lounges. Both are in Terminal 4.
The Qatar Airways Premium Lounge caters to Business and First Class only, while the Qatar Airways Frequent Flyer Lounge is for passengers with status who are flying Economy.
Eligible Oneworld frequent flyers departing from Terminal 4 at Heathrow Airport (e.g. on Malaysia Airlines) can also access these lounges, but the Premium Lounge is not available if you’re flying Economy.
Qatar Airways lounge access in Singapore Bangkok
In Singapore and Bangkok, Qatar Airways restricts access to its Premium Lounges to Business and First Class passengers on Oneworld carriers. If you’re a status holder flying on Qatar Airways, you’ll be directed to a contract lounge. In Singapore this is the much more basic SATS Lounge, while in Bangkok it’s the Miracle Lounge.
There’s a notable difference in quality between the Premium Lounges and lounges for status members. For example, the Premium Lounges have la carte dining with table service, while the other lounges have buffets. The Qatar lounges also have better drink options, and are a lot less crowded.
Paris and Beirut Qatar Airways Premium lounges
The Qatar Airways Premium Lounges in Paris and Beirut are a bit different, as they do allow lounge access to some passengers with status who are flying in Economy. This is in addition to Qatar Airways and Oneworld Business and First Class passengers.
Oneworld Sapphire and above, as well as Qatar Airways Privilege Club Silver members, can access these lounges when flying Qatar Airways. This also includes Virgin Australia’s Velocity Gold and Platinum members flying on Qatar Airways.
So if you’re flying out of Paris or Beirut, the right airline status can get you access to some great Business Class lounges even when flying Economy!
Qatar Airways lounge access at other airports
At airports where Qatar Airways does not operate its own lounge, the airline contracts a third-party lounge which is available to all passengers who are eligible for lounge access. For example, Qatar Airways uses the Air New Zealand lounge in Sydney.
You can check which lounge is available at any given airport on the Qatar Airways website.
If you have Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status, such as Qantas Gold or Platinum status, you could also choose to visit any other lounges operated by a Oneworld airline. For example, a Qantas Platinum member flying Qatar Airways from Sydney could use the Qantas First Class Lounge.
Lounge access for Velocity status members
Thanks to Virgin Australia’s partnership with Qatar Airways, Velocity Gold and Platinum members get many of the same benefits as Oneworld status holders, including lounge access.
Which lounges you can use in Doha flying on Qatar Airways is pretty straightforward: It’s the same as for frequent flyers holding Oneworld status with an airline other than Qatar Airways.
Lounge access in outstations is different though, as Velocity members can only access the designated contract lounge (or branded lounge in London Heathrow, Paris and Beirut). You won’t be eligible to access any Oneworld lounges unless specified, unlike Oneworld status holders who can freely lounge-hop to other eligible lounges.
