Emirates Skywards vs Qatar Privilege Club — compared in 2026
The two big Gulf programmes head to head: Skywards Miles versus Qatar Avios — transfers, fees, surcharges and market value per 1,000 points.
| Feature | Skywards | Privilege Club (Avios) |
|---|---|---|
| Official transfer | ja | ja |
| Family pooling | ja | ja |
| Gift points | ja | ja |
| Award for others | ja | ja |
| Processing time | Mostly instant to 24 hours. | Mostly instant, up to 48 hours. |
| Transfer fees | Skywards allows transferring miles to another member for a fee (indicative: around USD 15 per 1,000 miles). The Family program pools miles for free. | Privilege Club offers paid Avios sharing/gifting and free 1:1 combining with BA, Iberia, Finnair and Aer Lingus. |
| Minimum transfer | 1,000 miles | 1,000 Avios (indicative) |
| Expiry rules | Miles expire 3 years after crediting (end of month). | Avios expire after 36 months without qualifying activity. |
| Currency | Miles | Avios |
| Region | Middle East | Middle East |
Our verdict
Since moving to Avios, Qatar offers a transparent, poolable ecosystem; Emirates keeps its own Skywards Miles with higher surcharges but strong A380 routes.