Hamad International Airport (DOH  ^IATA) is the main airport of Doha and the busiest in Qatar. It is the main hub and central transit point of state-owned carrier Qatar Airways.

Understand

Inside Hamad International Airport

The airport was built to succeed the earlier Doha International Airport, and is quite new, with more jetbridges and space.

It consists of one big terminal, with 5 concourses - A, B, C, D, and E - and two central plazas in the middle section to connect them. The southern plaza connects A and B to the southern end of C in a T-like fashion, and the northern plaza connects D and E to the northern end of C in a Y-like fashion.

If your departing flight leaves in less that 45 minutes, then you can alert ground staff to speed up transfer formalities.

Flights

Qatar Airways operates the vast majority of connections to and from Doha

Qatar Airways is the biggest carrier at the airport, with many connecting flights. Doha is served by fewer additional carriers than Dubai, the home of Qatar Airways' arch-rival, Emirates. The major European airlines usually provide a single connection to Doha from their main hubs (e.g. Lufthansa from Frankfurt Airport, KLM from Amsterdam Schiphol), but minor ones do not. Most airlines of the Middle East, Turkey included (but not Israel), provide connections to Doha. Relatively few Asian airlines do so, however. The exception is a relatively good choice of connections to India and Pakistan, with Indian airlines such as Air India Express and IndiGo serving several cities.

Due to a diplomatic embargo, there are no flights to many Arab states.

Ground transportation

By train

The Red Line of the Doha Metro serves the airport at the "Hamad International Airport T1" station. Because the line to the airport is separate from the main line, some trains will go to the airport while others will go to the southern terminus of Al Wakra instead, so check the destination signage. In addition, this means that trains running northbound from Al Wakra will not stop at the airport, so a transfer is needed to an airport train at Oqba Ibn Naife or others stations to the north.

A one-way trip costs QR2, or QR10 (Qatari riyal) for VIP and a day pass costs QR6 (QR30 for VIP). You pay by tapping your card when you enter and exit the system. You don’t have to do anything special to get the day pass; after you pay for 3 rides the system will not charge you for the rest of the day.

By bus

Buses serve the airport on routes 109, 727, 737, 747, and 777. The 7xx routes can be remembered because they are the model numbers of famous Boeing aircraft. Your bus fare can only be paid with a Karwa Smartcard. You can purchase or top-up a Karwa Smartcard from the Mowasalat Information Desk near Baggage Claim Belt 5 & 6. There are three options to choose from:

1. QR10 Card: two inner-city trips within a 24-hour period
2. QR20 Card: unlimited trips across Qatar within a 24-hour period
3. Regular Karwa Smartcard QR30: QR10 for the card with QR20 value, available to be topped up for future journeys

• 1 Hamad Airport Bus Pavilion. All buses to and from the airport arrive/depart from this station. (updated Jan 2020)

Get around

The north and south plazas of the terminal are connected via monorail, effectively connecting concourses A/B to D/E.

Wait

Lounges

• Oryx Lounge. QR200 for a pass. (updated Mar 2018)
• 1 Al Mourjan Business Lounge (At south square (Lamp Bear exhibit) use escalator up to lounge reception). 24/7. Considered one of the most impressive business class lounges in the world it splits over 2 levels on 10.000 m². 165 US-$ for economy, free for Qatar business class passengers. (updated May 2020)
• Al Safwa Lounge. Exclusive lounge for Qatar Airways First Class passengers. (updated Mar 2018)
• Al Maha Lounges. (updated Mar 2018)
• First Class Lounge. Lounge for First Class ticketed passengers and for some QR Privilege Club and oneworld alliance members. (updated Mar 2018)
• Business Class Lounge. Lounge for First or Business class ticketed passengers and for some QR Privilege Club and Oneworld alliance members. (updated Mar 2018)
• First and Business Class Arrivals Lounges. (updated Mar 2018)
• Unaccompanied Minors Lounge. This lounge is specifically for unattended minors. As only the minors and authorized adults can enter, it is very safe. It has lots of entertainment, with video games and movies. (updated Mar 2018)
• Special Assistance Travellers’ Lounge. (updated Mar 2018)

Wellbeing

• 1 Vitality Wellbeing & Fitness Centre (4th floor above Oryx Airport Hotel. Access via the elevator near the Lamp Bear exhibit.), ☏ +974 4010 8204, spareception@oryxairporthotel.com. 24/7. Entrance fee includes access to pool, gym, hydrotherapy tubs and shower rooms. Massages, squash and a golf simulator are available at a nominal fee. Worth a consideration for passengers with a long transit stop. Might be nicer to relax/sleep in a reclining chair at the pool. 8 hours maximum stay at pool. From QR175. (updated May 2020)

Eat and drink

• 1 Red (On lower ground floor at north plaza), ☏ +966 57 115 9465. 24/7. Decent western dishes (burgers, pasta) and a bar. (updated Jan 2020)

Buy

• Qatar Duty Free. This brand covers the duty-free shops at the airport that sell a variety of goods. (updated Mar 2018)

Connect

Public Wi-Fi is provided free of charge throughout the airport.

Sleep

• 1 Oryx Airport Hotel, South Plaza (2 minutes from immigration). Hotel with good online ratings. from QR1050. (updated Apr 2018)

Nearby

• Al Wakrah
• Doha