Qatar Airways made a seismic shift in the world of points last year when it adopted the Avios currency from IAG Loyalty to fuel its rewards program. Now, it appears that the next major iteration of Qatar Airways expansion into global credit card markets is here.
Details are virtually non existent, except for one key detail: Qatar Airways just signed a 10 year worldwide exclusive deal with Visa, the payments giant.
Basically, there’s going to be a lot of Qatar Airways co-branded credit cards hitting the markets, and likely, one near you. With the major move, a new era of opportunity to earn Avios and elite status with Qatar Airways Privilege Club is imminent.
Qatar Airways Launching New Credit Cards
There’s no need to read between the lines with the news from Doha today. Qatar Airways is spelling out an ambitious plan to offer credit cards all over the world, all of which will reward customers with Avios, similar to British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and others using the currency.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club has signed a global strategic agreement with Visa, world’s leader in digital payments, part of a new 10-year exclusive partnership. This latest collaboration enables Privilege Club to enhance and expand its portfolio of co-branded payment initiatives with key financial partners across key markets worldwide.
Qatar Airways
Currently, the Qatar Airways Privilege Club offers limited cards in very few markets, but has slowly become a transfer partner of various banking programs.
The ability to move Avios from British Airways into Qatar, and vice versa opens up endless routes, thanks to British Airways being a transfer partner of Chase, Amex and Capital One.
Who, What And When?
The prospect of new Qatar Airways cards coming to market is an exciting one. The airline enjoys a halo for its Qsuite business class cabin, which revolutionized the flat bed space with privacy doors as standard.
“The roll-out of the Visa co-branded payment cards means members can look forward to enjoying several new features, such as complimentary worldwide airport lounge access, travel insurance, premium concierge service and much more.”
Qatar Airways
Could Chase carry on the Avios tradition in the US, with a new co-branded card from Qatar? Could Barclays pick up another Visa card issuing Avios for Qatar in the UK? It’s impossible to know what’s next, but one thing is for certain — new cards are coming.
