How We Flew Qatar Airways QSuites to the Maldives — for Free
Qatar Airways QSuites are often ranked among the best business class seats in the world — and after flying them, we can absolutely see why. In this post, I’ll show you what makes QSuites so special and how we booked them for free using points!
Why Qatar Airways QSuites Are So Special
First, let’s talk about the QSuites experience itself. Each QSuite is arranged in a private 1-2-1 configuration, meaning every seat has direct aisle access and plenty of personal space. If you're traveling with your plus one, you'll want to snag the E and F seats — they're perfect for couples, as the lie-flat beds combine into a double bed. It’s as close to flying in your own mini-hotel room as you can get.
Another highlight? Qatar’s Dine On-Demand service. You can order anything from the menu whenever you want — not just when the crew comes around — making it easy to tailor your flight experience to your schedule.
If you have a layover in Doha, you’ll also get access to the Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge, one of the best business class lounges in the world. Think luxury dining, spa-like showers, and huge open spaces to relax before your next flight.
How We Booked QSuites for 85k Points Each Way
We flew roundtrip business class from New York City to the Maldives for just 85,000 American Express Membership Rewards points each way, per person. To put that in perspective, a cash ticket for the same flight can cost $5,600 one-way — giving us a redemption value of 6.6 cents per point (cpp). And if you time it with an Amex transfer bonus, you can get even more value!
Here’s exactly how we did it:
Step 1: Find Award Availability
The key is finding available award seats. Qatar Airways releases business class award seats starting 361 days in advance at 3 AM in Qatar time. These seats go by quickly, so it pays to plan early and try out the Qatar Airways search engine. We found multiple options from New York (JFK) to the Maldives (MLE) for 85,000 points next year.
Tip: Try searching ‘flexible dates’ and check ‘Book with Avios’ in the search engine if you want to access the monthly calendar to find saver availability.
Tip: Green text indicates saver availability
Step 2: Transfer Points to Qatar Airways
If you are ready to book, you’ll need to transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to Qatar Airways Avios. Transfers are usually instant, but sometimes it can take up to two days, so it’s a good idea to test it with a small transfer first before you book.
Remember: Always confirm availability before transferring, since points transfers are generally non-reversible. If you transfer points, you do so at your own risk. Be flexible and have your own back up plan.
Why Use Qatar Airways as a Transfer Partner Instead of the Amex Travel Portal?
Booking through Qatar’s website using Avios points unlocks better value than simply using your Amex points through the travel portal (where you typically get just 1–1.5 cpp). Here, we are getting about 6-7 cpp because 85k points is worth about $850 instead of the cash price of $5600 for one of the best business class seats in the world. That is an incredible bargain.