The New Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite and Signature Cards

Qatar’s new Visa Infinite and Visa Signature cards

Last Updated:  May 10, 2024

Unveiling the New Qatar Airways Privilege Club Credit Cards: A Gateway to Luxury Travel

Qatar Airways, in collaboration with fintech innovator Cardless, has launched two groundbreaking credit cards in the U.S. market, promising an array of luxurious travel benefits and rewards. The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card and the Visa Signature Credit Card are now open for applications, marking a new era for U.S. travelers looking to elevate their flying experience.

Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club Visa Infinite Card Graphics

Explore the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card

For those who demand nothing but the best, the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card offers a prestigious way to travel. With an annual fee of $499, this card is not just about status; it's about enjoying a richer travel experience.

Welcome Offer

Cardholders are greeted with up to 50,000 Avios: 25,000 after the first transaction and another 25,000 plus 150 Qpoints after spending $5,000 within the first 90 days. This welcome bonus is strategically positioned to outshine the current offers by Chase’s Avios-earning cards by over 40%.

Earning Potential

  • Earn 5 Avios for every dollar spent on Qatar Airways purchases.

  • Accumulate 3 Avios per dollar on dining.

  • Receive 1 Avios per dollar on all other purchases.

Exclusive Benefits

  • Complimentary Qatar Airways Privilege Club Gold status for one year, equivalent to Oneworld Sapphire, offering perks like lounge access, priority boarding, and a 75% bonus on earning Avios.

  • Access to Visa Infinite benefits, including concierge services, the Luxury Hotel Collection, and special car rental privileges.

The Power of OneWorld Sapphire Status

What truly sets the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card apart is the automatic OneWorld Sapphire status it confers. For frequent flyers on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, this status is a game-changer. It grants access to the prestigious Flagship Lounges on American Airlines and other OneWorld lounges, even when flying domestically. This benefit significantly enhances the travel experience, offering a touch of luxury and comfort that was previously only available on international flights or to those with higher-tier status.

Learn more about the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Credit Card here

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Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club Visa Signature Card

Discover the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card

With a more accessible annual fee of $99, the Visa Signature card makes luxury travel more attainable, offering solid rewards and benefits that enhance your travel experience.

Welcome Offer

New cardholders can earn up to 40,000 Avios—20,000 after the first transaction and an additional 20,000 after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.

Earning Rewards

  • 4 Avios per dollar on Qatar Airways purchases.

  • 2 Avios per dollar on dining.

  • 1 Avios per dollar on all other purchases.

Valuable Perks

  • Automatic Silver status in the Qatar Airways Privilege Club, which includes lounge access, priority boarding, and a 25% tier bonus on Avios.

Which Card Should You Choose?

The choice between the Visa Infinite and Visa Signature cards depends largely on how frequently you travel and utilize Qatar Airways and its partners, including American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. The Visa Infinite card, with its higher fee, is tailored for those who can leverage the full spectrum of Gold status benefits effectively, potentially justifying the additional cost.

Understanding Cardless

Cardless, Inc., the fintech company behind these Qatar Airways cards, is a San Francisco-based startup specializing in launching innovative credit card products. They partner with brands to create custom card programs that enhance customer loyalty and brand engagement. Cardless has been noted for its unique approach to the credit card market, particularly its use of "lifetime language" in its terms. This means that benefits or limitations on earning bonuses are framed as once-in-a-lifetime, which is relatively rare in the credit card industry and underscores their focus on creating lasting relationships with cardholders.

The Odd Lifetime Language

The "lifetime language" typically found in Cardless's terms is an unusual but essential feature to note. It implies that once a customer has opened a Cardless card, they may not be eligible to open another Cardless product. This is somewhat atypical compared to other credit card issuers, which might restrict bonus eligibility to a certain number of years, or even American Express, which won’t offer you another welcome bonus if you’ve ever held one of the exact same cards before. Potential applicants should be aware of this as it can significantly impact the strategy for applying and maximizing benefits from multiple cards over time.

I recently learned that Cardless is considering changing this policy, but this potential change hasn’t been officially confirmed.

Credit Score Requirements

The credit score needed for these two cards is higher than most travel rewards cards. For the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card, you’ll want to have a 700-720+ credit score. For the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card, you’ll need to have a 750 or better credit score. Of course, as with all cards, many factors are taken into consideration for your approval.

Learn more about the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Credit Card here

Conclusion

Both the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite and Visa Signature credit cards offer compelling reasons to consider adding them to your wallet, especially for those who value travel perks and status. While the welcome bonuses may seem modest compared to some top credit cards, the unique benefits like automatic status upgrades and generous earning rates on airline and dining purchases set these cards apart in the competitive travel credit card market. The compelling offer here is that you’d be able to earn nearly enough Avios points for one QSuite flight from the U.S. to the Maldives. You’d also get Qatar Gold status, enabling you to enjoy OneWorld Sapphire and have access to international business class lounges while flying partner airlines such as American Airlines and Alaska Air in the U.S. If they allowed you to keep this level of status beyond the first year, this would be a no brainer card to get for anyone that flies these two airlines domestically. Even with just offering the first year of Qatar Gold status has me seriously considering adding this card to my wallet.

Please note: Cardless doesn’t have an affiliate program, so we don’t earn anything if you choose to apply with the link below:

Learn more about the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Credit Card here

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