Qatar Airways Deepens African Footprint With New Air Algérie Codeshare
ID 168990658 | Air Algerie © Lukas Wunderlich | Dreamstime.com
Qatar Airways is adding yet another African partner to its network, this time via a new codeshare agreement with Algeria’s flag carrier, Air Algérie. The move tightens links between Algeria, the Middle East, and Asia, and builds on an existing interline relationship between the two airlines.
The basics of the Qatar–Air Algérie partnership
Qatar Airways and Air Algérie have signed a codeshare agreement, upgrading what had previously been a simple interline deal.
-
Qatar Airways will place its code on select Air Algérie flights, giving its customers easier access to Algiers (ALG) and other points in the Algerian carrier’s network.
-
In return, Air Algérie will gain better access to Qatar’s long-haul network via Doha (DOH) and be able to sell more seamless itineraries into the Gulf and Asia.
Qatar Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer Thierry Antinori framed it as a classic hub-and-spoke win:
This collaboration will offer travelers greater choice and seamless connectivity to the Middle East and Asia… and deepen strategic partnerships that enhance global connectivity from and to Africa via Doha.
So while no single new route is being launched here, the way passengers can use existing flights becomes much more flexible.
What it means for passengers
For travelers, the practical impact is about one-stop options and simpler bookings, rather than brand-new city pairs.
From Algeria and North Africa, Air Algérie customers gain easier access (on a single ticket, with protected connections and through-checked bags) to destinations such as:
-
Muscat (MCT) – via Doha
-
Hong Kong (HKG) – via Doha
-
Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – via Doha
-
Other key Qatar Airways destinations across the Middle East and Asia
On the Qatar Airways side, the carrier can:
-
Offer more convenient access to Algiers (ALG) and secondary Algerian destinations served by Air Algérie
-
Market Algeria more effectively as part of its broader Africa network
-
Provide smoother connections over Hamad International Airport (DOH), with coordinated schedules and through-fares
For frequent flyers, codeshares usually mean:
-
Easier mileage earning and redemption on itineraries that mix both airlines
-
Better protection in case of delays or misconnects
-
More integrated schedules and check-in, rather than juggling separate tickets
Details like exact routes carrying each other’s codes will roll out progressively as the agreement is implemented.
Qatar Airways’ growing presence in Africa
This deal fits neatly into Qatar Airways’ long-running strategy of building strong, localized partnerships across Africa rather than trying to do everything alone.
According to the airline’s own figures, Qatar Airways currently has:
-
30 interline agreements and six codeshare partnerships with African carriers
-
213 weekly flights to 30 cities in 21 African countries, all funneled through Doha (DOH)
Adding Air Algérie as a codeshare partner:
-
Strengthens its coverage in Northwest Africa and the Maghreb
-
Helps feed more traffic into its long-haul network to Asia and the Gulf
-
Supports its positioning as a major transfer hub for Africa–Asia and Africa–Middle East flows
For Air Algérie, this is also strategically useful: instead of building its own long-haul network to Asia or the Gulf at scale, it can piggyback on Qatar’s connectivity while keeping its own metal focused on regional and medium-haul flying.
Bottom line
Qatar Airways and Air Algérie have upgraded their relationship to a full codeshare partnership, improving connectivity between Algeria, Doha, the Middle East, and Asia.
Qatar Airways customers will gain smoother access to Algiers and other Air Algérie destinations, while Air Algérie passengers get easier one-stop options to places like Muscat, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur via Doha.
For Qatar Airways, it’s another piece in a growing African puzzle; for Air Algérie, it’s a way to plug into a global network without having to build one from scratch.
