A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question about a long-haul flight in business on Qatar Airways that connects to a regional first-class and whether they have access to the Al Safwa First Class Lounge in Doha.
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You can access Qatar’s page for the Al Safwa First Lounge here.
Reader Question:
Hello, long time reader here but confused about the entry requirements for the Al Swafa First Class lounge at Doha.
We’re both BA silver, flying Oslo to Abu Dhabi basic business (P) to Doha and then First class (A) to AUH. Am I right to think we can access the Al Safwa
On the return, can we also access the Al Safwa having arrived on a first class service? We’re on basic business from Doha to Oslo after the first class from AUH.
Qatar Airways Lounge Access Matrix:
Lounge access in Doha is quite complicated because it depends on your status, ticketed cabin, whether you are on a light fare, and which flight you are coming from.
The matrix above is mostly correct, but I believe there are a few mistakes.
Privilege Club Platinum (Oneworld Emerald) members can access the Al Safwa First Lounge on any business class fare, but this doesn’t extend to Emerald members from other Oneworld programs.
You have access either based on the incoming flight (first) or the outgoing one (first). The other flight can be in business.
The only exception is the Light (P) fares that exclude lounge access that the reader is on.
The connecting intra-Gulf business class is booked into first class because these regional flights don’t have “business” cabins, as they are marketed as first.
If they have Privilege Club Platinum status, they can access the Al Safwa First Lounge; if they have Gold, they can access the Gold Lounge.
Oneworld Emerald members have access to the Platinum, and Sapphire members can access the Gold lounge on these light fares.
BA Silver is Oneworld Sapphire, which has access to the Gold lounge during the Doha transit.
Conclusion
Qatar Airways lounge access is a true minefield, with so many different entry conditions that they have created the matrix above (with at least two typos, as far as I can tell).
Qatar’s business and first-class lounges are only for business and first-class passengers on their own or other Oneworld flights.
You cannot generally access them based on Oneworld status, as Qatar has other lounges designated for this purpose (basically economy and business light passengers with Sapphire or Emerald status).
I am not sure how big the price difference would have been on the reader’s itinerary between the light and the other lowest fare that would have included the lounge access. You should experience Al Swafa First Class Lounge at least once, although it is not what it was when it first opened.
