Hamad International Airport, also known as HIA, is the main airport in Qatar. It’s in Doha, the capital city, and is about 5 kilometres from the old Doha International Airport. The airport started operating in 2014 and is named after Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, a former Emir of Qatar.
HIA is a key airport for tourists because it connects the East and the West. It’s home to Qatar Airways, a very popular, high-standard, 5-star (SKYTRAX) fast-growing airline. The airport has many things to see and do, like art installations, shops, places to eat, and even a tropical garden indoors.
HIA is big – it covers 2,200 hectares (or 5,500 acres) and can handle 29 million passengers each year at first. When it’s fully finished, it will be able to handle up to 50 million passengers each year. The airport has one terminal with five concourses (A, B, C, D, E) and 2 runways located 1.2 miles from each other, both designed for simultaneous take-offs and landings. There are clear signs in the building to help passengers find their way.
You can expect the flights to be between 6:00 AM and 2:00 AM but it is possible to stay overnight in case of a long layover.
Doha Hamad Airport Transit
Going through Doha’s Hamad International Airport (HIA) is easy. The airport has one passenger terminal, so you can arrive, transfer, and leave from the same building. After you get off your plane, you can go straight to the Transfer halls at concourses A, B, C, and D. If you need help with your next flight, like getting boarding passes, changing flights, or asking questions, you can go to one of the airport’s transfer desks.
At HIA, the shortest time between international connections on Qatar Airways is 45 minutes. But it’s a good idea to plan for at least three hours for transit at Doha Airport. This gives you time to collect your boarding pass, walk between gates, deal with any flight delays, go through security checks, and get to your gate before it closes.
Layover sightseeing
If you have a stopover of more than seven hours during the day, you could take some time to see Qatar. Check Qatar Airways' website as the airline together with the Qatar Tourism Authority offers tours of Doha for people during transit during which you can see places like the Katara Cultural Village, the Museum for Islamic Art, and the Souq Waqif.
