Reader Email: Qatar Airways Denies Lounge Access In San Francisco On Business Award Ticket?

A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question regarding lounge access on an American Airlines issued business award on Qatar Airways.

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Here’s the message from the reader:

Qatar Airways lounge access rules in SFO? On 26MAR21 I was denied lounge access in SFO while traveling to DOH on QR in J on an AA award. QR station manager said this a new rule!

Qatar Airways made changes to its fare structure last year. They excluded R-fares (lowest promotional business class fares from lounge access).

First, They indicated that this would also apply for award tickets issued in U (Oneworld’s fare bucket for award inventory) but backtracked on this decision.

Even if you travel on tickets issued in R and have Sapphire or Emerald status with any of the Oneworld Airlines, Qatar Airways need to provide you with lounge access. Still, sometimes they used third-party ones for these passengers instead of their flagship ones.

Conclusion

The Station Manager was confused, and the reader should have been granted lounge access. I would assume that accessing the lounge in Doha unless Doha was the destination wasn’t an issue.

Have any other readers have recent lounge access issues with Qatar Airways?