How to get Qatar Airways Privilege Club status

Most elite-status shortcuts run through flying or a status match; Qatar's fastest routes run through two credit cards instead. The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature, a US card with a $99 annual fee, comes with complimentary Silver status for your first cardmember year.

Gold works the same way, one tier up: the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite, also a US card, carries a $499 annual fee and hands you complimentary Gold for your first cardmember year. Neither card is a one-time trigger like a status match — you keep the card, you keep paying the fee — but the status itself is only guaranteed for that first year, not for as long as you hold the card.

After year one, both cards keep earning Qpoints as you spend, and in theory you could requalify through spend alone. In practice that's not realistic: Silver retention calls for 135 Qpoints in 12 months and Gold retention calls for 270 Qpoints in 12 months, which at the cards' earning rates works out to well over $100,000 in annual card spend for Gold. Most cardholders treat the complimentary year as the point of the card rather than a springboard to keep renewing. Platinum has no card or match shortcut at all right now — there's no free or conditional path onto it.