Do Qatar Airways Avios Expire?

Qatar Airways Privilege Club uses Avios as its currency, the same points you'd earn with British Airways, Iberia, or Finnair. But unlike some of those programs, Qatar gives you a bit more breathing room before your points disappear.

Qatar Avios expire after 36 months of inactivity.

That's three years without any earning or spending. Compare that to Flying Blue's 24-month rule or Maharaja Club's 24-month window, and Qatar looks relatively generous.

What Counts as Activity?

Almost anything resets your 36-month clock:

Earning activity:

• Flying Qatar Airways
• Crediting partner airline flights (Oneworld carriers, etc.)
• Hotel stays with partners like Hilton or Accor
• Car rentals through Avis, Hertz, or Sixt
• Transferring points from Marriott Bonvoy or credit card programs

Spending activity:

• Booking award flights
• Using Avios for upgrades or excess baggage
• Paying with Avios at Hamad International Airport outlets
• Gifting or transferring Avios to another member

The good news is that transfers count as activity. So if you're sitting on a balance and worried about expiry, a small transfer from Marriott or another program resets the clock for another three years.

The Platinum Exception

If you hold Platinum status in Qatar Privilege Club, your Avios don't expire at all. As long as you maintain that status, your balance stays safe indefinitely.

This is a nice perk on top of all the other Platinum benefits, but most people won't have status just for the expiry protection. It's more of a bonus if you happen to fly Qatar frequently.

What If Your Avios Already Expired?

Qatar offers a revalidation option to bring back expired Avios. The cost is $0.015 per Avios, which adds up quickly.

To put that in perspective:

• 10,000 Avios = $150 to revive
• 50,000 Avios = $750 to revive
• 100,000 Avios = $1,500 to revive

At those prices, prevention is clearly the better approach. A single small transaction every couple of years costs nothing compared to revalidation fees.

Watch Out for Finnair

Since Avios is a shared currency, you can move points between Qatar, British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Finnair for free. But Finnair has a stricter 18-month expiry rule compared to the 36 months everyone else gives you.

If you're holding Avios in Finnair Plus, keep that in mind. And remember that Qatar doesn't connect directly to most programs, so you'd route through British Airways first when transferring.

The Bottom Line

Qatar Avios expire after 36 months of inactivity, which is more forgiving than many airline programs. Any earning or spending resets the clock, including point transfers.

If you're an occasional traveller and not sure when you'll next fly Qatar, set a calendar reminder for 30 months after your last activity. That gives you time to do a small transfer or book something before the deadline hits.

The Magnify app tracks your points across programs and can remind you before expiry dates, so you don't have to keep mental notes on multiple loyalty accounts.