What’s your idea of a great airport? Or does a great airport actually exist? To some, an airport used to be simply a place they flew to or through — an arbitrary spot on the map, a stopping point on their way to somewhere else or a necessary detour as a result of the physical limitations of their aircraft. An airport really wasn’t about the journey, or the experience but a necessary evil — an annoying and delaying interruption or in some cases, a way to waste precious time. For many, the best airport is defined as the one you don’t remember. But in one country, the airport experience has changed…dramatically. Welcome to HIA, Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar — one of the most advanced, innovative airports in the entire world. It’s also one of the biggest. But what sets this airport apart from all other airports on the planet? It was the only airport designed top to bottom, by an airline itself — Qatar Airways.
After all, it makes sense. Who better to design and build an airport than the airline responsible for flying you there? A hometown airline in a major international hub should know more than anyone about what works. And even more important, it should know what doesn’t work. And what works because it was built into the design of Hamad International from Day One when it first opened in 2014. This wasn’t by accident…but by design.
Hamad International is not just another airport, but an aerotropolis strategically positioned and created. It’s no longer just a series of concrete runways and utilitarian buildings but a living, breathing city in the desert.
At most airports around the world, check in lines are long, if not longer. And the big reason? It’s identity management. You’re going to go through one, two, sometimes three separate security checks to answer the same question: Are you really who you say you are?
At Hamad International, it’s all about being a smart airport. And that means a digital, biometric strategy. It combines your flight, passport, facial recognition information into a single electronic record.
And once you’re finished here, here’s good news. Put your passport, ticket and boarding pass away. You just show your face through every checkpoint all the way to the gate. And the best part, check in times at Hamad have been cut in half.
As a major global hub serving more than 35 million passengers, connectivity is key, especially when you consider that most of those 35 million passengers aren’t going to Doha, they’re going through it. And every single one of those transfers happens under one roof and only one terminal, the size of about 75 soccer fields.
At Hamad International, there’s been a quantum change in airport philosophy. They want waiting to be your decision and not theirs.
The airport gives you options to relax, eat, play and be inspired. And in keeping with Qatar’s culture, there’s time to pray, along with an airport mosque. Other than the calls to prayer five times a day, this airport is remarkably silent. In fact, it’s almost all too quiet.
The airport also has a world class art collection with rotating exhibits supervised by Qatar museums, as well as a 100-room hotel where you can play a round of golf or a game of squash and even swim between flights. There are quiet zones for sleeping, lounges spread across the terminal and an incredible duty-free! This is definitely not your typical duty-free experience. For starters, think 70 high-end retail stores.
And then, there’s the real secret of this airport. Inside the terminal, there’s a staggering 40,000 square meters of food, beverage and retail. In fact, there are 70 separate high-end retail outlets. Chances are you’re going to recognize most of these stores. And when you’re looking at all these well-known brands, what you don’t know is that here, it’s the airport that owns the stores. What does that mean? It means prices are kept much lower than on the street. Add in the fact that it’s also duty-free and it’s a win-win situation for anyone going to or through here.
And then there are things you don’t see — a short drive from the terminal takes you to the state of the art catering facility, which is one of the largest in the world. It’s capable of producing 150,000 meals a day. The building spans an incredible 69,000 square miles. It’s amazing! Nearly 2,000 people work here, including 350 chefs. There are chilling rooms, hot kitchens, and catering trucks. And it never closes because something is always being cooked, heated, chilled, frozen and delivered.
And the best part is that the cold food stays cold. The hot food stays hot. It needs to, because the on-time performance at the airport is perhaps the crown jewel of the entire operation.
My advice is don’t stay too long at the pool!
