Your Guide to Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (DOH)
Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) is easy to navigate, with reliable logistics and customer service. It’s surely one of the most comfortable international transit points. If you’re traveling through or from Doha on Qatar Airways, these tips will make your time at the airport pass by quickly and comfortably.
Urs Fischer’s ‘Lamp Bear’ takes centre stage in Qatar Airways main departures hub at Hamad International Airport.
Hamad International Airport (DOH), Qatar
Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (DOH), next to the capital city of Doha, is modern, clean, organised, and easy to get around. DOH aka Doha Hamad Intl accommodates 360,000 flights and 30 million passengers yearly. Up to 8.8 million passengers transited here during the World Cup in 2022.
According to the DOH website, the airport can have up to five planes taking off and landing every three minutes on parallel runways. I’ve passed through Hamad Intl several times this year and have always been impressed by how organized and timely it is.
Connecting at Hamad International Airport
In my experience, DOH is one of the most convenient airports for connecting flights, because your gate is never very far from where you disembark. In case you’re arriving from a different terminal, DOH’s automated train will swiftly get you where you need to be.
This efficiency is why DOH is one of the few airports where I don’t stress about shorter connection times. That said, I generally schedule myself a 2-3 hour layover at minimum, in case of delays. I recommend you do the same.
Note that at Hamad International, you go through security at your gate, which usually opens 1-2 hours before boarding. Once you go through security, you will be waiting at your gate and won’t have access to the rest of the airport (restaurants, shops, etc.).
After having gone through security, passengers wait at their gate before boarding a flight at Hamad Interenational Airport.
Tips for enjoying Hamad International Airport
If you’re traveling on a budget, don’t worry - you don’t need a lounge pass to enjoy Qatar’s main airport. DOH offers plenty of amenities that make it comfortable for everyone. (And if you do have a lounge pass, well, enjoy!)
Whether you’ll visit Hamad International Airport to attend the World Cup, or transit through for a connection elsewhere, these tips will make your time in Departures and Transfers at DOH fly by:
Connect to the WiFi
There is free wireless Internet throughout DOH. Once you’re connected, it should work throughout Terminal C and more.
Connect by selecting the “Airport-Doha” option, then wait for a prompt, and select one of three options to join using your Qatar Airways account, boarding pass, or WhatsApp. I usually opt for WhatsApp, which prompts a message on which you click “send” before it automatically connects you to WiFi.
Now you’re set for updating your loved ones, confirming details for the next leg of your journey, checking work messages, or calling an Uber to get you to your hotel.
2. Track your next flight
As always, if you’re departing, you should arrive at least three hours before your flight. If you’re connecting, make sure you’re at your gate at least one hour before take-off. All passengers on your flight will have to go through security here.
The Qatar Airways app is useful at this airport for features like check-in, electronic boarding pass, terminal maps, and connecting to WiFi. I use the apps TripIt and AwardWallet to track my flights because they send handy notifications about boarding, gate changes, delays, and more.
You should always double-check your flight status on one of the many departure boards around the terminal. Be sure that the time on your watch and/or smartphone matches the time on the bottom of the departure board!
Always check departure boards for details about your flight’s timing and gate. Tip from experience: Be sure to check that the time on the board (bottom centre here) matches the time on your phone/watch!
If you have a long layover, your flight may not appear on departure boards until closer to your departure time, so don’t worry if you don’t see it right away. You can also ask a Qatar Airways agent at a customer service desk if they know where your gate will be, but be sure to check again within two hours of your flight in case it changes.
Once you’re confident about where you need to be and when, you can plan how you want to spend your time in the terminal, like having a rest, getting some work done, walking around, or doing some duty-free shopping.
Unlike most airports, customer service is readily available in Hamad International Airport’s Qatar Airways hub.
3. Consult the Doha Airport Map
Considering its size, Qatar’s main airport is surprisingly easy to navigate. Still, you won’t regret consulting the DOH Airport Maps to help you get situated and find things you may want, like quiet areas, play areas or hotel bus stops.
The map of Concourse C in Hamad International Airport from dohahamadairport.com.
4. Enjoy some modern art
Hamad International Airport is surprisingly quirky! The building itself is a beautiful modern design by the architecture firm HOK. Inside, you can’t miss the 23-foot-tall teddy bear sculpture taking centre stage in Terminal C. According to Qatar Museums, Swiss artist Urs Fischer’s ‘Lamp Bear’ is meant to be “a playful piece that humanises the space around it and reminds travellers of childhood or precious objects from home.” It certainly captivates passersby between duty-free shopping and taking selfies with this one-of-a-kind sculpture.
If you’re traveling with kids, you’ll be happy to know that some other sculptures around the airport are, in fact, playgrounds! Created by American sculptor Tom Otterrness, you’ll find kids exploring bronze-coloured “cartoonish and cheerful” sculptures while parents relax on benches or workstations next to them. Take a closer look at these ‘Other Worlds’ sculptures to find the miniature figures he’s placed throughout!
You can’t help but smile at these pieces of art, so take advantage and stretch your legs on a walk around the terminal.
5. Plug in and catch up online
Plugs are such an important airport feature, and Hamad International Airport has plugs located between every second seat. The plugs include USB and Type G (typical in the UK and parts of Asia), so make sure you’re equipped if you need a travel converter.
On a longer layover, I love taking an hour to get some work done with a good coffee. Surprisingly, most cafes in Terminal C don’t have plugs. If you’re in the mood to sit with a counter, plug, and coffee, head to ‘Jones the Grocer Express’ near gate C1. They have about 15-20 bar-level seats with plugs where you can charge your devices and/or get some work done while enjoying a coffee and pastries. That will be at airport prices, of course, so a large latte ($6.87 USD) and chocolate croissant ($5.49 USD) will cost you about 45.00QAR ($12.36 USD).
For me, this is a worthwhile treat on a longer layover and it helps me get some work done. Just note that the WiFi signal isn’t that great at this spot, so make sure you’re already on the network before arriving, and you should be fine.
Whatever you choose to do, it’s always best to have your devices charged before your next flight. You shouldn’t have any trouble doing so at this airport.
6. Freshen up and rest up
With another flight ahead of you, you might want to freshen up a bit. The bathrooms in DOH tend to be super clean and the stalls are larger than most, with hooks to hang your bags on (talk about an underrated airport bathroom feature!).
On long transcontinental flights, I usually take advantage of this to freshen up with baby wipes, deodorant, moisturiser, and a change of clothes. You can also brush your teeth at one of many clean sinks (I use drinking water) - just please make sure to leave everything tidy for the next person.
If you need a rest, you can find dedicated “quiet rooms” throughout the airport where you can stretch out on lounge chairs and enjoy some peace. These seats are definitely comfy enough for a good nap - but don’t forget to set an alarm to catch your flight!
If you’re desperate for a shower, there is the option at ‘Be Relax Spa’, but it would set you back 75.00QAR or $20.60 USD for just 15 minutes. If you’ll be there for a longtime, you might instead consider an Oryx Lounge day pass (approx. $60 USD), which would include food, drinks, resting areas, a business centre, and showers.
These little things can help you feel so much fresher throughout your next flight!
The washrooms are reliably clean and convenient for freshening up between flights.
Besides these tips, be sure to check on requirements when it comes to:
Visas & immigration and transfers for your nationality
Researching how to get to and from the airport and city, if you’re staying in Doha
Doha’s Hamad International Airport seen from the airplane before taking off.
I genuinely appreciate Qatar’s Hamad International Airport as a transit hub that not only makes it convenient to change flights, but to do so in a place where I can feel as fresh and rested as possible for the next leg of a trip. I hope these tips help you make the best of your layover or your next visit to DOH’s Departures and Transfers areas. If you’re visiting for the World Cup, I wish you a fun experience in Qatar!
Did I miss something or get something wrong? Contact me to let me know.
