Timing QR release and other questions

[squid01]

Hi all,

I am looking to book ATH>DOH>MEL on QR for 2026 in business. I can work out when DOH>MEL leg is released but can’t find anything for ATH>DOH or Europe to DOH for that matter.

1. By the time QR release their ATH>DOH availability to Velocity, have they already been picked over by Qatar’s own Privilege Club members? Or are they not release any business seats between Europe and Doha at all currently?

2. Is it possible to book ATH>DOH in Y and then DOH>MEL in J? On the same booking/ticket possible? Would I need to call up to do so? Will it price at calculating the two seperate legs and adding together?

3. If I couldnt purchase the above ticket and purchased them on seperate tickets, would QR check my bags and myself all the way through?

4. If business then does pop up on ATH>DOH leg could I change my economy flight to business? Is that only possible if that segment is on its own seperate ticket? Or they can do it if it’s on a single ticket with the DOH>MEL J leg too? Or not possible to change class in any circumstances have to cancel and rebook?

5. What are the change or cancellation fees for a reward booking?

6. Will be needing to add an infant (unborn currently) to the booking later. What is the process for that and what would be the charge (any extra taxes or points)? Will that also count as a change fee which needs to be paid?

Just working out my plan of attack with this extra leg and balancing banking the economy flight with hopes J will pop. I’m more experienced with QFF program but of a newbie with Velocity really!

Thanks

 

[Warks]

Not an answer for you but I've been looking at SYD-DOH in J and months ago when it was too early to book I'd see quite a few of the 125 000 rewards seats (plus $400) available. And these were for busy times mid year. Now I'm looking daily at 11 months out (Aug 2026) as it opens and each morning it offers Y but always says J not available. There's only the one direct flight offered. But if I look at the days before there are dozens of options, mostly with other stops involved but the J reward seats are all over a million points so they are not serious.
I'm just wondering if someone is grabbing the cheap J reward seats at midnight each night if that's when they become available.

 

[RooFlyer]

Not an answer for you but I've been looking at SYD-DOH in J and months ago when it was too early to book I'd see quite a few of the 125 000 rewards seats (plus $400) available. And these were for busy times mid year. Now I'm looking daily at 11 months out (Aug 2026) as it opens and each morning it offers Y but always says J not available. There's only the one direct flight offered. But if I look at the days before there are dozens of options, mostly with other stops involved but the J reward seats are all over a million points so they are not serious.
I'm just wondering if someone is grabbing the cheap J reward seats at midnight each night if that's when they become available.

Sorry, still not helping the OP but do the J seats appear later?

I know QR stagger the release of their revenue J inventory. Most expensive first and then cheaper business categories don’t appear for maybe a week later. Could release of award inventory be even later?

 

[FlyingFiona]

I know QR stagger the release of their revenue J inventory. Most expensive first and then cheaper business categories don’t appear for maybe a week later. Could release of award inventory be even later?

That's interesting, I didn't know that (I'm new to the Velocity game and feel so green!) I've recently booked a few reward flights on QR which seemed reasonable to me. Is there a reference table somewhere?

Squid01, which months are you looking at in 2026?

 

[RooFlyer]

Having never interacted with Avios up to this point, is the QR (or general avios ecosystem) setup such that you can open an account; identify potential seat availability; buy/transfer in avios; and then make a booking in quick succession (say within a day or two)?

Pretty much. I think with Finnair transferring into BA transferring to QR I think the first step maybe overnight??

Interestingly, in your QR account, it’ll give you both your BA anbios and Qatar Avios if you have both.
.

That's interesting, I didn't know that (I'm new to the Velocity game and feel so green!) I've recently booked a few reward flights on QR which seemed reasonable to me. Is there a reference table somewhere?

Sorry, I was only talking about straight QR revenue; my travel agent can’t predict when the lower category business fares will be available. She usually talks about within a week of when the expensive ones are released.. The VA filter I don’t think the VA filter has been sorted out yet.

 

[Warks]

Sorry, still not helping the OP but do the J seats appear later?

I know QR stagger the release of their revenue J inventory. Most expensive first and then cheaper business categories don’t appear for maybe a week later. Could release of award inventory be even later?

They seem to appear the day after but it's always dozens of 400K to one million point J rewards seats going via PER and DPS or the like. Will keep an eye on it.

 

[bcworld]

They seem to appear the day after but it's always dozens of 400K to one million point J rewards seats

If they cost that number of points they're not reward seats.