Practical tips
- If you are flying to Doha from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport—Hamad International Airport
DOH, located on the eastern coast of Qatar (adjacent to the Persian Gulf) approximately 14 km (8.5 miles) southeast of the Doha city center, and near the town of Al-Wakrah.
Hamad International Airport is a modern and spacious airport — one of the busiest airports in the Middle East — and it serves as a gateway to Qatar and the rest of the region. It is a clean, efficient and well-organized airport: the terminal buildings are modern and sleek, with a variety of shops, restaurants, and amenities. There are plenty of information desks located throughout the airport to assist visitors, and for those with long layovers or early morning flights, there are several lounges available for use. Doha airport also has free, fast Wi-Fi throughout the terminal.
In terms of transportation, several options are available for arriving travelers: taxis and ride-sharing services, shuttle bus service (that runs between the airport and major hotels in the city), and car rental companies.
DOH, located on the eastern coast of Qatar (adjacent to the Persian Gulf) approximately 14 km (8.5 miles) southeast of the Doha city center, and near the town of Al-Wakrah.
- Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of Air Arabia, Air India Express, FlyDubai, Indigo, Pegasus Airlines, and Salamair.
Flights to Doha
from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Doha. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Doha, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. There are plenty of direct flights from the US/Canada to Doha operated by Qatar Airways, Air Canada, American Airlines,Alaska Airlines, Iberia, and JetBlue. Direct flight fares start at $700 if you depart from the East Coast (~13 hours flight), and $1100 from the West Coast (~15 hours flight).
- Doha is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Doha with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. - The best airlines to fly to Doha from the US and Canada are: Air Canada, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Saudia. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.
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What is the best time to book flights to Doha?
The best time to book flights to Doha is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Doha flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Airfare prices for Doha flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales.
Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays including holidays in Qatar. If you must travel during peak times, book your flight well in advance.
Avoid last minute
Avoid booking flights to Doha less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to Doha, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. This is the “Prime Booking Window.” After some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 a.m.) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand—most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Flights to Doha from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to Doha — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Doha is well-connected with Europe with numerous direct flights to Hamad International Airport
DOH. The Doha airport serves as a major transit hub where Europeans move to their connecting flights to popular destinations in Asia. With Qatar Airways you can fly non-stop to Doha from nearly all major cities in Europe (Athens, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, and Vienna, among others). Additionally, British Airways has direct flights from London and Manchester, Finnair from Helsinki and Copenhagen, and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul. - Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Doha include Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Bulgaria Air, and Finnair.
- Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Doha from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.
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The cheapest time to fly to Doha
Middle East countries, like Qatar, have a desert climate and are extremely hot from April to September. June, July, and August – traditionally the hottest months of the year – should be avoided at all costs. It’s not unusual for the mercury to soar to 42° Celsius (!) in Doha during these months.
The cool season in Doha comes in December and lasts until February – with temperatures averaging 14°-25° C most days. However, if you plan your trip for the winter you must know that these are the best months for tourists – the country sees a sharp spike in tourist footfall, so make sure to reserve your flights, hotels, and rental car well in advance.
Oryx hotel inside the Doha airport
Airside of the Hamad International Airport in Doha there’s a conveniently located Oryx hotel, offering transiting passengers a choice of six different room types. You can make a booking for a night, but the hotel also accepts bookings by the hour – great for a little nap during the layover.
All guests are offered complimentary access to the Vitality Wellbeing and Fitness Centre during their stay, with the choice of spa, massage treatments, fitness, and squash activities.
As the rooms tend to be often fully booked (with only expensive suites left) we recommend booking in advance.
Know your time zone
When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure/arrival times on your plane ticket and boarding pass are based on the time zone of the departure/arrival airport – this also applies to the connecting (layover) airports.
Qatar has only one time zone – it observes Arabia Standard Time (AST) all year, which is GMT/UTC+3 time zone. There are no daylight saving time clock changes.
Doha is 8 hours ahead of New York, and 8 hours behind Sydney. Arabia Standard Time is also used by Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
Download a VPN app
Qatar is known for its repressive laws and censorship. There is no freedom of speech in Qatar and online content is censored – various websites and online services have been banned temporarily or permanently, including WhatsApp, Skype, FaceTime, and Telegram. There are also growing concerns regarding online surveillance.
Solution? If you want to keep access to your favorite websites and avoid being spied on while traveling to Doha, you should download a VPN app for your smartphone and laptop. By hiding your location, it will allow you to bypass government censorship and freely access all blocked content.
Make sure to install it before you arrive – VPN websites are often also blocked (however, using a VPN is not illegal).
Long waiting times when calling the helpline?
Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for Qatar Airways, Etihad, Turkish Airlines, and others).
When it comes to Twitter, there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: “@qatarairways”). The customer care team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.
Avoid currency exchange kiosks at airports
Airports are infamous for making an exuberant amount of money from their currency exchanges due to the extremely high margins, and Doha Airport are no exception. Airport kiosks usually charge higher fees which are sometimes hidden within the poorer exchange rates they offer – their business is based on charging extra for being a convenient, last-minute option.
It is always a good idea to bring cash to Doha. Plan ahead and exchange some money for Qatari riyal at home, or use one of the many ATMs at the airport and in the city.
Domestic flights from Doha
Most domestic routes in Qatar are operated by local carriers. When traveling to popular tourist destinations such as Al Rayyan, Al Wakra, Al Khor, Dukhan, Mesaieed from Doha Airport, you’ll likely fly with one of these domestic airlines: Qatar Airways, Gulf Helicopters, and Qatar Executive.
This is often the best transportation method, providing speed, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Local airlines often offer multiple daily flights to key destinations, providing flexibility in scheduling and competitive pricing. They also serve smaller regional airports, enabling access to a wider range of Qatari destinations.
Flights to Doha
from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand are well-connected with popular Asian destinations, including Doha. In addition to domestic airlines – Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand – routes from Australasia to Asia are operated by large international carriers such as ANA, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways.
Currently, there are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Doha. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia.
Currently, only Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia have direct flights from Australia to Doha. Non-stop routes connect Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide with the only international airport in Doha - Hammad International AirportDOH. There are no direct flights from New Zealand to Doha though - you’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia. - Airfare costs can vary widely depending on the route and the airline’s pricing strategy. To find the cheapest flight to Doha, compare ticket prices from various international airports in Australia – Sydney
SYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, and in New Zealand – AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, QueenstownZQN, and DunedinDUD. - For optimal savings, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a key Asian hub, then connect to Doha via a regional low-cost carrier. Among budget airlines that fly to Doha are Air Arabia, Air India Express, FlyDubai, Indigo, Pegasus Airlines, and Salamair.
For the first leg, use the budget carriers that fly out of Australian airports, leveraging sales and promotions they run frequently: AirAsia (connects with Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore), Cebu Pacific (Manila), Jetstar (Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo), Scoot (Singapore), VietJet Air (Ho Chi Minh City), Bamboo Airways (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing), and Batik Air (Jakarta, Singapore).
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Flights to Doha
from major hubs in Asia
- Doha is well-connected with other large hubs in the Asia Pacific. There are direct flights to Hamad International Airport
DOHairport from BaliDPS, BangkokBKK, BeijingPEK, ColomboCMB, Hong KongHKG, ManilaMNL, New DelhiDEL, Kuala LumpurKUL, SeoulICN, SingaporeSIN, and TokyoNRT. - Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Doha look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
- Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Doha will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
- Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting Qatar and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet, and VietJet Air. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.
Flights to Doha dataset
