I have never planned a trip to Doha. Yet that didn’t stop me from spending a recent Saturday touring its landmarks, shopping for carpets and spices in its souk, and meeting its street cats.
On my way back from Delhi, India, I had a long layover in the Qatari capital. The 14-hour pit stop could have felt like purgatory. Instead, I turned it into a bonus adventure, care of Qatar Airways.
“A long layover can be a fun way to see a destination you might not have booked on your own,” travel writer Scott Laird said. “The overall travel time increases, but it gives travelers an often welcome chance to break up their travels for some rest and recreation.”
By choosing a flight with an extended transit, travelers can tack on another country for no extra cost. In fact, my airfare was significantly less than more direct routes.
Laird said about a century ago, in the early years of commercial aviation, airlines often avoided flying at night because of limitations in aircraft design. These days, jets can stay airborne for up to 19 hours. However, a number of carriers — such as Icelandair, Cathay Pacific and Fiji Airways — continue the old tradition, promoting a lengthy layover in their home country. Some airlines, such as Turkish Airlines and Qatar, will even throw in an incentive such as a free or discounted hotel or tour.
A long layover is best for people who aren’t in a rush. It’s also an easier sell if the stop is along your route. Doha put me nearly four hours closer to Washington, D.C.
Once I committed to the extra leg, I set to work, figuring out how to experience Doha as if I had planned it all along.
Build in time for leisure
Before I booked the flight, I made sure I had enough time on the ground. My calculations included round-trip travel from the airport to downtown, plus waits at immigration and security.
At 14 hours, I had more than twice the time recommended by airlines that organize transit excursions. Many draw the line at six hours. Matt Kepnes, a budget travel expert who goes by Nomadic Matt, sets the bar at five hours minimum.
“As most airports are roughly an hour from a city center, I like to have at least five hours if I am going to leave the airport,” Kepnes said. “That gives you enough time to get back and forth to the airport and have a meal without feeling too rushed.”
I also chose a time period that would allow me to fully explore the destination — a lot of daylight hours and not a Friday, when some Muslim-owned shops might open later.
My plane landed around 11:30 a.m. and departed at 1:40 a.m., so I could visit cultural centers and markets, and grab dinner before flying home.
By comparison, my India travel mate, Esther, had a Doha layover from about 6:20 p.m. to 7:40 a.m. She passed the time drinking champagne and napping in the lounge.
Lesson learned: Make a plan for your layover time before you pick flights.
Check the visa requirements
Countries requiring a visa may allow transit travelers into the country with an entry fee or e-visa. You can often apply for it online or at a counter or kiosk.
In most cases, it’s best to apply in advance, so you don’t waste time at the airport. However, I happily discovered that the guided city tour with Discover Qatar, an affiliate of Qatar Airways, included the $21 entrance fee. Thankfully, I discovered this before I entered the customs and immigration line and not after.
Lesson learned: Purchase your entry document in advance or through the tour operator.
Stash your luggage
My luggage almost sabotaged my Doha outing.
The airport had shuttered its luggage storage lockers several years ago. I read about a facility near the airport metro station but could not confirm its status without venturing out there myself. I considered booking a cheap hotel room and using it as storage.
Fortunately, shopping in India worked in my favor. At the airline check-in counter in Delhi, the agent informed me that my carry-on, which was stuffed with souvenirs, exceeded the weight limit and I would have to check my backpack through to Washington Dulles International Airport. I have never been so thrilled to relinquish my bag.
For my remaining carry-ons, a canvas tote and a small day pack filled with essentials for the 15-hour flight home, a representative at the Discover Qatar Transit Tour desk said I could leave them in the tour bus during the excursion.
Lesson learned: Find a place to stash your heaviest bags or check them through to your final destination.
Book a tour
Kepnes said you can get a better deal by booking a tour independently, but for ease of planning, I preferred an outing that included transportation to and from the airport. I found several through Discover Qatar, the destination management company of Qatar Airways.
On the Discover Qatar site, I saw five options that matched my criteria. The choices included a three-hour city tour by coach bus, sightseeing by Cessna plane and a private excursion to an inland sea and sand dunes in a 4×4 vehicle. Prices ranged from $32 to $233.
I chose the city tour, and decided against reserving a ticket in case of a flight delay.
Upon landing, the Discover Qatar representative told me I could make the noon tour. I wasn’t in any rush, so I booked the 2 p.m. and assured her that I was not carrying alcohol, which is not allowed in the country. In my bag, I carried a set of “modest” clothing in case we visited a mosque.
Lesson learned: Familiarize yourself with the tour options so you make the best choice for your interests and time frame.
Look for attractions near the airport
With two hours before my tour, I wanted to find an attraction that was close but not inside the terminal.
At the information desk, I learned about a public mosque within walking distance from the departures hall. I sat on a bench, drinking coffee and watching the Middle Eastern sun radiating off the droplet-shaped structure.
At the appointed hour, our group of 10 followed our guide to the coach bus parked outside the airport. Katarina, who hailed from Ukraine, laid out the itinerary and handed out bottled water.
Lesson learned: Sightsee on the airport grounds before you leave.
Find a market
For the next three hours, we cruised around the city, peering at such landmarks as Stadium 974, which was built out of shipping containers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and Amiri Diwan, where palace guards paraded around the lawn on camels. We drove by a public beach, where the women covered up in black burqas, and a harbor full of wooden dhows, the traditional fishing boat now used for tourist cruises.
The bus made three stops: at the Museum of Islamic Art on the Corniche; Katara Cultural Village, home of the Blue Mosque, art galleries and an air-conditioned street; and Souk Waqif, a labyrinth of shops and restaurants in the old part of town.
Before arriving at the souk, Katarina asked each of us if we wanted to stay at the bazaar longer and catch a ride back with a later tour. With more than nine hours of my layover remaining, my answer was obvious.
For several hours, I zigzagged through the narrow lanes, buying pita straight out of the oven and loading up on za’atar and Qatari candy. I sat outside a rug vendor and waited for the cats to crawl into my lap. I watched kids play soccer in the main plaza and picked up stewed fava beans for dinner. The sky faded to black, and the lights of Doha blinked on.
I slowly made my way back to the meeting spot, joining a mother and son from Brazil. We waited for more than an hour, but the bus never came. With no urgent place to be, I wasn’t stressed. I accepted an Uber ride from the Brazilians.
Lesson learned: Take advantage of the local food vendors and shops, which are better than airport dining and duty-free.
Leave time to wind down in the airport
Hamad International frequently ranks as one of the top airports in the world with a mix of high-end shops, duty-free malls, global fast food and Middle Eastern cuisine. A crowd of people parked their wheeled luggage by a pop-up Pop Mart, which was quickly selling out of Labubus.
When I finally made it to my gate, it was close to boarding time. Soon after takeoff, I fell asleep, tuckered out from my layover.
Lesson learned: Run around so much that you sleep well on your international flight.
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