When I was 12, I was flying to Germany when I spotted Morocco on the moving map. The exoticism of the words ‘Marrakech’ and ‘Casablanca’ thrilled me. But there was a deeper, almost spiritual connection I couldn’t explain. I vowed to visit the country one day, and it’s a vow I’ve waited many years to fulfil.

So to find myself at Melbourne Airport in September 2022 en route to Marrakech is quite literally a dream come true. Of course, travelling for Point Hacks, I’m not schlepping it. Far from it. In fact, I’m flying oneworld Business Class all the way, on a ticket that retails for $4866 in cash.

Our outlay? 180,000 Qantas Points plus approximately $909 in fees and taxes one-way, rocketing my Moroccan sojourn into the realm of affordable luxury. The very best sort of luxury in my book, and something you can absolutely achieve too.

Jetting around the world up the pointy end, I’ve discovered the cliche is actually true. It’s not just the destination that counts. The journey itself can also be a thing of joy, a memorable kickoff to a longed-for holiday rather than something to be suffered through.

So let’s jump aboard Qatar’s fabled Qsuites for the Melbourne-Doha leg, the first of three flights to reach Marrakech that I’ll cover in this article. Up next, Royal Air Maroc Business Class from Doha to Casablanca – one of the newest members of the oneworld alliance and a great option for using Qantas Points. Finally, a short hop from Casablanca to Marrakech in the endearingly old-school RAM Express Business, also bookable with Qantas Points.

I should mention that when I booked this itinerary in April 2022, it was still possible to redeem Qantas Points for Business Class seats on Qatar. But this has since changed, with reward seats in premium cabins disappearing from the Qantas site. Of course, the situation is evolving all the time, and we expect Qatar reward seats to return to the Qantas site in future. Keen to be notified when they do? Then pop your email address on our exclusive mailing list and we’ll shoot you through an alert when they’re back online.

In the meantime, there are other options for booking Qatar Business Class seats on points. Have a stash of Velocity Points? Then you’re in luck, with all classes bookable on the Virgin Australia site. Other options for Qatar reward bookings include Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios, British Airways Avios, American Airlines AAdvantage and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.

But let’s return to the task at hand – jetting to Marrakech in the lap of luxury. And trust me, we’re in for one hell of a ride.

Also read: Majestic Marrakech is calling

Flight 1: Melbourne to Doha in Qatar Qsuites

I have a 10:20 pm departure from Melbourne, but I arrive at the international airport four hours early to soak up every ounce of luxe. Fellow travel lovers will recognise that familiar tug of excitement: the vast check-in counters, the money exchanges and luggage shops, the brightly-lit departures gate that holds a swathe of happy travel memories.

Speaking of check-in counters, the Qatar Economy queue is already heaving. But the priority Business lane is blissfully quiet. With just a single person ahead of me, I receive my silver-tipped boarding pass in minutes. Before bidding farewell to my mammoth suitcase (the souks of Marrakech beckon!), I can’t resist snapping a photo of my Business Class bag tag. This stuff never gets old.

Qatar uses partner lounges in Australia, so the Marhaba Lounge is my next port of call. Of course, I enjoy a leisurely swan through duty-free first, where I try on sunglasses and imagine I’m in the market for the $40,000 bottle of cognac displayed like a shrine. Best park that daydream back in its hangar.

With great tarmac views lining the floor-to-ceiling windows, the Marhaba Lounge is a comfy spot to await my flight’s departure. I settle into one of the deep armchairs with a plate of food from the buffet and a glass of Penfold’s chardonnay. I’m actually saving myself for Qatar’s feted on-demand menu and bottomless Champagne, but free food and drink have always been a weakness of mine. When in Rome.

My excitement peaks when I arrive at the gate. I stand expectantly at the front of the short Business Class queue, hungry to experience Qsuites for the very first time. The 14.5 hours that follow are simply perfection.

The suite life

Back in March 2022, I experienced my first ever international Business Class flight, flying the Qantas Dreamliner to London. After a lifetime of turning ‘right’ into the Economy Cabin, turning ‘left’ for the first time was a huge pinch-me moment. But with Qatar Airways voted the world’s best Business Class in the 2022 Skytrax Awards, turning left on the Qatar 777 is even more exciting.

I take a moment to savour the elegant Qsuites Business cabin, with its signature burgundy and rose gold accents. A crew member leads me to Suite 1K at the very front. The first things I notice are the three windows and the sense of privacy. But my senses are soon overloaded. The ginormous crystal-clear touchscreen, the plush doona and Diptyque amenity kit, the inviting seat with its resplendent burgundy pillow… Every detail reeks of quality.

My crew member interrupts my reverie. Would I perhaps like her to snap a photo of me? She’s already popped my carry-on in the overhead bin – a taste of the seamless efficiency I’ll witness many times throughout the flight – so my answer is a resounding yes. I drop into my seat with a dopey grin.

What follows is a masterclass in in-flight photography. Without prompting she begins dancing around the cabin, capturing photos of me from every angle in both portrait and landscape. She strains and stretches – at one point, she even drops to her knees. Colour me impressed.

Unruffled, she hands my phone back with a smile and offers me a choice of welcome drink. I select Taittinger Prestige Rosé, a pinot noir-heavy Champagne with impressive zest and length. Settling into my Suite, I stretch my legs into the ample footwell.

There’s still ample time before take-off, so I peruse the on-demand menu, a thrilling multi-page read. My crew member pops over to take my order, and before I know it it’s wheels up.

Doha, here we come.