Doha to Belfast Flights

  About Doha

Qatar's capital, Doha, is one of the most famous and populated cities in the Middle East. It is nestled along the coast of the Persian Gulf and has brilliant connectivity with several international cities in the world.

Best time to visit Doha

Desert nations often enjoy exquisite winters making them the peak months for tourism. Doha too enjoys the brisk winter winds as it hosts various fun events. December to January is considered the ideal months for a travel pursuit to Doha. The weather is a beautiful amalgam of warm and cold. As a desert, the winter days are pleasant while the nights are cold in Doha. It is certainly inviting as the luxurious setting of the city with expanses of scintillating brown sand would make anyone happy. So much that the hotel prices skyrocket during these months. It would be extremely difficult to find a cheap snazzy hotel in Doha during winter. Unless you make prior hotel bookings in Doha, you might not be able to find the ideal accommodation. The same goes for flights as well, so best would be to book them months in advance.

Winter might be peak season but so is fall in Doha. September through November is actually ideal weather as the city transitions from hot to cold. The experience during the fall in Doha is exquisite. What makes this very convenient is how tourism doesn't reach its peak in these months. You will be able to enjoy the pleasant weather, and at the same time, you wouldn't even have to splurge massively. Prior hotel bookings in Doha always come in handy as it would help you save more to spend in the city. Besides, the flight and hotel deals in Doha ahead of winter are aplenty. You will find many flight deals to Doha online with some room for accommodation combos too. As long as you spend enough time to find the right deal with an exquisite hotel room, your Doha trip would be a good one. Note though that many tourists start planning for a fall vacation in Doha thanks to the climate and the possibility of getting cheaper rates in Doha.

Places to visit in Doha

Doha's popularity doesn't just come with its Middle East heritage but also fancy locales and tourist attractions. To get the feel of Qatari heritage, you should start your tourist endeavours from the Museum of Islamic Art. It is an architectural delight and definitely worth the pursuit. You will be amazed by the exquisite location with its tree-covered facade. Doha Corniche is the second most important tourist attraction of Doha. The location is basically a waterfront which has a fascinating promenade forming the Doha Bay. The Corniche often sees a lot of events and festivities as being an important hub of the city of Doha. You can also make a day plan to visit Doha's artificial island, The Pearl-Qatar. It spans across four kilometres, the island is still under work as the officials wish to stretch the coastline to 32 kilometres. The National Museum of Qatar is located within the city premise and would take you through the history and cultural train of Doha and Qatar. Speaking of history, the AlKoot Fort would definitely catch your fancy as a military fortress that was built in 1927.

You can add Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in your list of places to visit in Doha. The gorgeous infrastructure has been built with modern and contemporary influences of art and creativity. The complex has been recently created and has already managed to rake in a lot of attention and the position of one of Doha's famous attractions. Aspire Park is another interesting place that you can check out. It is located in the southern district of Baaya in the city of Doha. Covering over 88 hectares of land, it is recognised as Doha's largest parks, featuring lovely fountains, green expanses and the view of the Aspire Tower.

Things to do in Doha

The city of Doha has quite a few things that you can indulge in when you visit the place. Some of the tourist attractions are aesthetically pleasing. To make your trip a little lavish, you can head to the Racing & Equestrian Club to check out and bet on horses. Since horse racing is one of the legal gambling scenes in the world, you will be able to get an idea of high-end living. You can also visit the Al Wakrah Public Garden and relish the exquisite spread of colourful flowers and green landscapes that the park boasts. It also has a waterfront, which only adds to the garden's beauty. Oxygen Park is another green spread where you can enjoy some fresh air and lovely vibe of the place. Nightclub hopping is one activity you can take up when you're in the city. Meanwhile, shopping is another fun activity that you will want to do because the city flaunts its Dior and Gucci showrooms like it flaunts the lovely waterfront.

Food and Restaurants in Doha

Doha's diversity in terms of food culture comes from its accommodation of international cuisine. The place has a plethora of international food establishments to cater to the foreign tourists that visit the city on a regular basis. However, while you do indulge in the lovely global cuisine, do not miss out the classic and Qatari food that can be found in Doha. Qatari food is recognised for its exquisite home-cooked styled stews and impeccable delicacies. Much of the Qatari food is heavily influenced by North Africa, Levant, Bedouin and flavours from the Indian subcontinent. Dishes such as Saloona, Warak enab, balaleet, majboos, to name a few, are from the authentic Qatari kitchen. They would certainly leave quite an impact on you. You can find the best of these dishes at food establishments such as Al Jasra, Walima, Al Manchab, Easair Cafe, Shisha Garden and Chai Halib.

While you're indulging in their meals, do not miss their ubiquitous savouries with luqaimat taking the cake. It is a traditional sweet dumpling that is stuffed with flavours of saffron and cardamom and is drenched in sugar syrup. Umm Ali is also a fancy dessert that you should check out when in Doha. Some of the Indian influences in their Qatari dishes include the famous rogag. It is a thin layer of batter, inspired by dosa, filled with minced meat, vegetables or egg. The dish is traditionally consumed as a breakfast item. Shay Al Shoomos in Souq Waqif serves the best rogags, you should probably write down this name in your list of culinary expeditions in Doha. Another interesting savoury by the Qatari cuisine is the kunafa, quite famous in the Middle East belt. To experience the best of Doha's culinary delights, the ideal thing to do would be to check out the Al Souq Street in the city. They are literally swamped with exquisite food joints and establishments.

How to reach Doha (Transportation)

Flight connectivity to Doha from India is excellent and very regular. The city in Qatar has a massive demand in the city with many tourists flocking over on a daily basis. Hence, the number of flights are also excessive, not to mention the connectivity and convenient duration. There are a plethora of direct flights to Doha from India. In fact, many airports have been specifically constructed in India to cater to the demand for Doha and other Middle-Eastern countries. Airlines such as IndiGo, Srilankan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Oman Air, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, to name a few, have daily flights to Doha. Even though there are many direct nonstop flights to Doha from India, many often take the international route to Doha from Muscat or Dubai. The flight duration to Doha from India is also quite decent as it takes about three hours to reach the city. This depends on the flight and airlines that you choose. Although the time duration is perfect since it leaves a lot of time in hand to explore the city, it comes with a price.

Flight tickets to Doha range from cheap and affordable to expensive. A majority of how much you spend on booking flight tickets to Doha depends on the airlines you pick and the flight duration. For cheap and inexpensive flight tickets to Doha, you will get them in the range of INR 17,000. However, you will end up spending about nine hours travelling. By adding an extra INR 1000 to the ticket expenditure, you will not just save up on flight duration to Doha but also receive better flight services. Booking flight tickets to Doha come with a plethora of online deals. You might be able to make the most of travel discounts by booking flights and hotels in Doha. Depending on the season, the hotel prices in Doha might vary and hence, to acquire cheap and affordable deals, you should make prior bookings. Interestingly, while Doha is easy and convenient to reach from India, many opt to drive down to Doha from Bahrain as the long stretch of highways in the Middle East are perfect for petrolheads to go on a driving excursion.

  About Belfast

Belfast is a city in Northern Ireland that you must visit at least once in your life. Add the City to your itinerary if you are planning a trip to Ireland. One of the major attractions in Belfast is the Titanic Studios where Game of Thrones was shot. The City is also known for its music festivals, art, lush greenery and the friendliest people in the world. No one parties harder than Irish people, and you will love every second of it. You will leave the City with a lot of friends in your phonebook. No matter what your budget is, you can book a hotel in Belfast that is luxurious, in your budget and fits all of your necessities. The City is also popular for its mighty mountains and a captivating view of the City from up top. You will also find stunning, breathtaking castles in the City. Belfast is also known for murals of the Peace Wall. You will want to extend your holiday by a few more days the moment you reach Belfast.

Best Time to Visit Belfast

Summer is considered as one of the best seasons to visit Belfast and is a high season here. It is every traveller's dream destination, especially in summer. The City experiences summer from April to June. Not only will you get to attend a lot of music festivals and events during this time, but it is also a great time to go pub crawling and make loads of friends. You can also attend the Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival in May that is quite popular here. You will come across a lot of maritime-themed restaurants, shows and activities in the City during this time. The Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon also takes place in May and is the perfect activity for all sports and fitness enthusiasts. A lot of beer festivals and outdoor pub events also happen in summer, and being a part of those will only spruce up your vacation. Booking a hotel in Belfast during this time can be quite hectic if not done in advance. Please make sure you also book your flight tickets to Belfast well in advance since it is peak season and getting tickets at an affordable price at the last moment will be difficult.

July to October is autumn season in Geneva, and the heat becomes bearable for tourists. The number of tourists does drop, but the weather remains pleasant, making it yet another ideal time for tourists to head to Belfast. Since it is the onset of winter, the weather can get a tad chilly, so make sure you pack your jacket, too, to keep you warm in the evenings. Since it is not the high tourist season, you will get cheap flight tickets to Belfast in autumn. You will get a great deal on flights to Belfast and affordable accommodation, too. August has a lot of open-air festivals in store for you and the Inn Farmers' Market, too.

Winter sets in from November to February. January and February are the coldest months in Belfast, and it is not the best time to visit the City. Even though the City does not witness heavy snowfall, the temperature drops below 0 degree Celsius, and there is mild snowfall. However, if you are in the City during winter, you will love the Christmas and New Year celebrations here. The City is also adorned with fairy lights and decorations for the festive spirit. February to April is the spring season in Belfast, and it is a pleasant time to plan a holiday here. The City looks far more beautiful in spring, and you will love it here. Make sure you also attend the Belfast Film Festival in April if you are a movie buff. Make sure you also attend the Spring Fair and Flower Show. It is a great place to take your kids to, and you will also get to binge on some great food. Flight tickets to Belfast are comparatively cheaper since it is not tourist season yet. If you want to avoid crowds, spring and autumn are the ideal seasons to plan your trip to Belfast.

Places to Visit in Belfast

If you are visiting Belfast in summer, you must go for a stroll at Victoria Park. Starting your day with a morning walk at the park is the perfect start to a great day in Belfast. Cathedral Quarter is known as Belfast's mini village and is the perfect place to experience the City's tradition. From pubs and restaurants to the cobbled street walkways and a picturesque landscape, it makes for a perfect getaway. Grand Opera House is another popular tourist attraction here. You will find yourself admiring the Victorian-styles walls along with the performances. St Anne's Cathedral is one of the main reasons behind the inception of Cathedral Quarter's name. The cathedral was constructed in 1904, and the architecture is simply marvellous. Not only will you love the view from outside the cathedral but also from inside. Crumlin Road Gaol is a historical site and had once served as a jail. You can learn all about the history of the place, the prisoners it housed and what led to its closing.

The City Hall is located in the centre of Belfast, and you can go on a guided tour here. If you have sightseeing planned for the day, make sure you also add City Hall to it. City Hall is near Queen Victoria's statue and the Titanic Memorial site. If you are in the City with your family or want to get to know the City better, head over to the five-storeyed Ulster Museum. Titanic Belfast is one of the best attractions in the City and a highly recommended one, too. The City also has botanical gardens that you cannot miss if you love nature. Queen's University and Naughton Gallery is next to Botanic Gardens and is one of the most beautiful campuses in the United Kingdom. Victoria Square is yet another tourist spot that is quite popular here. Belfast Castle is another popular tourist in the City that you must visit.

Things to do in Belfast

You can sign up for a sightseeing tour of the City, or you can explore the City on your own. Put on your fanciest outfit and head over to attend a performance at the Grand Opera House. You can either head to the opera house after dinner or go for dinner at the fanciest restaurants after catching a performance at the opera house. Put all of your photography skills to use at City Hall and the cathedrals in Belfast. The City is also known for its vibrant nightlife and going on a pub crawl is mandatory. The Irish are known for being the friendliest people, and they do know how to party. You can either try the traditional, older places in the City or head to the new clubs. Go on a hike at the Black Mountain, which is one of the most popular attractions here. You can head to Titanic Studios and take a tour of the place where Game of Thrones was shot. You can also sign up for a special Game of Thrones tour if you are a fan of the show.

Foods and Restaurants in Belfast

Not just pubs and bars but Belfast is also known for its cuisines and restaurants. Be it grilled steak, fresh seafood or a variety of vegetarian food, and you will find everything here. Molly's Yard is a popular place to try authentic Irish food. It is located near Queen's University and is almost always full. The food here is also quite affordable. Hadskis, in Cathedral Quarter, is a popular restaurant for delicious European and British delicacies. Head over to Belfast for its unique food cocktail menu. Make sure you try their fish soaked in gin. The restaurants here serve you fresh seafood, right out of the shores of Ireland. You can visit Coco for delicious salted caramel pudding and cocktail.

How to reach Belfast

Belfast International Airport and George Best Belfast City Airport are the two airports that serve the City. The flight connectivity to Belfast from India is excellent. Aer Lingus, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways are some of the airlines that fly to and from Belfast quite frequently. However, there are no direct flights to Belfast. Layover at London or a change of flight from London is one of the popular routes to Belfast. If you book in advance, you will get cheap flight tickets to Belfast. If you are planning a multi-city tour of the United Kingdom, you can also reach Belfast by rail or road. It is well-connected to the other cities in Ireland and the UK, though reaching the City by air is the most preferred and convenient way to reach. If you want to experience the lush greenery and magnificent views through your journey, you can take a taxi or train from another city to get to Belfast. Travelling within the country is quite convenient.

  About Hamad Airport

Hamad International Airport is the only international airport that caters to the state of Qatar and is situated in its capital city, Doha. The airport has replaced the former international airport, Doha International Airport, to be the principal airport that serves the city of Doha and the country Qatar. Earlier, the airport was referred to as the New Doha International Airport, the airport was renamed as Hamad International Airport. It was supposed to open for business and flight operations in 2009. However, due to some cost delays and a series of conundrums, the airport finally reopened in 2014 with a grand ceremony of Qatar Airways' flight landing from nearby Doha International. Following the same, several of Qatar Airways' aircraft and other flights functioning from the old airport were shifted to the new airport, a month after Hamad International Airport opened. The airport has been named after Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar. Since its genesis, the airport has been raking tremendous praise and accolades for being one of the best airports of the Middle East. In fact, it was voted as the Best Airport (in the category of 30-40 million passenger accommodation in a year) and Best Airport Staff in the Middle East in 2020.

Talks about constructing an all-new international airport in Doha started in 2003 with constructions commencing in 2005. Hamad International Airport is located about 5 km the east of older Doha International Airport. The airport is spread across an area of 5,500 acres of land. Initially, the airport was set to only cater to airlines that do not have lounge access to be utilised. The airport was designed to balance out the increase in passenger volume and air traffic witnessed by the city. Initially, the annual capacity of passengers as proposed was 29 million. However, upon completion of the new airport, the capacity also extended to 50 million passengers in a year. Some estimates suggest that the airport has the capacity of accommodating over 93 million passengers in a year, as opposed to the 50 million stated. With this fact, Hamad International Airport becomes the second largest in the region, following Dubai International Airport. The new airport is also set to handle over 320,000 aircraft movement along with 2 million tonnes of cargo in a year.

About Hamad International Airport Terminal

Hamad International Airport only has one terminal but is spread out in about five concourses that have been named alphabetically. These concourses have been designed by the American design, architecture, engineering and urban planning firm, HOK. Meanwhile, the contract to develop the airport was awarded to Bechtel. Here are details of the concourses at the Hamad International Airport.

Concourse A - The concourse has the ten passenger gates that are connected to jet bridges. It is located west of the check-in section of the main terminal. The two gates have been designed specifically to accommodate Airbus A380.

Concourse B - This concourse accommodates ten passenger gates which are connected to jet bridges, located at the east of the main check-in area. Out of the ten gates, two have been reserved to accommodate Airbus A380. Ten airlines operations form the old Doha International Airport has been shifted to Concourse B. Further, some facilities include smoking rooms, duty-free stores and family lounge areas.

Concourse C - The concourse consists of 13 gates which are connected to jet bridges and yet again, two of them are reserved for Airbus A380. The concourse was opened in 2014.

Concourse D - The concourse is divided into two levels, gates 1 - 4's operations being conducted on the first level while gates 18 - 24 have their operations on the ground level. This concourse is fully functional.

Concourse E - The concourse is fully functional and has a similar layout as Concourse D. It has been stated that Concourses D and E are due to be extended with talks of an additional Concourse F that is set to be installed. However, the plans haven't been finalised yet.

The terminal also has facilities of First Class and Business Class lounges installed. One of the biggest highlights of Hamad International Airport's terminal interiors is the prominent gigantic bronze statue of a teddy bear with its head inserted in a lamp. Often referred to as Lamp Bear, the sculpture is the creation of Swiss artist Urs Fischer. It has been put for display at the grand foyer and is surrounded by the airport's duty-free shopping hall. The Lamp Bear statue initially belonged to the Seagrams Building plaza in New York City. However, it was later purchased by a member of the Qatari royal family at an auction for a whopping USD 6.8 million. The structure weighs about 18-20 tonnes and is seven meters tall.

About airport authority

Hamad International Airport is owned and operated by Qatar Airways. The airline is responsible for bringing forth a whole new airport and replacing the old Doha International Airport. The airport authority has been striving to make Hamad International Airport as one of the best in the world by offering world-class amenities and aircraft perks. They aim to create new records and break many more with constant expansion plans. Qatar Airways has also initiated Hamad International Airport to be the first in the world to design structures specifically to accommodate Airbus A380.

The airport authority plans to expand the airport to accommodate the footfall of passengers who will be visiting the city to watch the FIFA 2022 World Cup. It has been speculated that the airport will need to accommodate a massive passenger capacity as the world cup would bring more passengers and travellers from around the world to Doha. Further, as part of their expansion plans, the airport authority also aims to beautify the central building by adding a tropical garden and a 268-meter tall water feature. They plan to emulate the water feature that is found at Singapore Changi Airport's Jewel complex. Qatar Airways also has proposals to expand its lounge space and make it the world's largest airport lounge.

Facilities at the Hamad International Airport

Hamad International Airport has a slew of exquisite and world-class services and facilities that make it one of the best airports in the Middle East. With various facilities such as baggage wrapping, porter services, first-class and business class lounge experience, airline-specific lounge, spas, airport hotels and more, travelling to Hamad International Airport is an experience.

Top airlines flying from the Hamad International Airport

Hamad International Airport caters to a massive number of international destinations by accommodating a slew of airlines. Apart from reserving space for the national carrier, Qatar Airways, some of the airlines that operate from Hamad International Airport include Air India, Air India Express, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, British Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, GoAir, Himalayan Airlines, IndiGo, Iran Air, Kuwait Airways, Nepal Airlines, Oman Air, Pakistan International Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Royal Jordanian, SalamAir, SriLankan Airlines, Syrian Air, Turkish Airlines and US-Bangla Airlines. These airlines operating from Hamad International Airport has flights to major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Kannur, Mangalore, Dhaka, London, Addis Ababa, Bangalore, Kuwait City, Kathmandu, Muscat, Islamabad, Manila, Paris, Venice, Seoul, Tokyo, Sydney, Zurich, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Colombo and more.

How to reach the Hamad International Airport

Hamad International Airport is blessed with a slew of connections to the main city of Doha. Travellers can take public bus services, personal taxi cabs, metro and hire car rentals and chauffer-driven limousines.

By Bus

The bus services in Doha have excellent connections to the airport. The buses are operated by Mowasalat, which is the state's transport company. Some of the routes covered by the bus services also include a route to the airport. You can catch a bus to reach Hamad International Airport at affordable rates and the comfort of an air-conditioned bus. The vehicles are clean and maintained perfectly. Not to mention details of the bus with schedules have been shared on the airport's official website.

By Metro

Hamad International Airport has a direct Metro connection. The airport has fast and frequent Metro services that are available on all seven days of a week. You can reach Hamad International Airport from any of the tourist attractions in the city of Doha. You can also use the Metro line and plan a travel itinerary to check out some of the exquisite tourist attractions of Doha. Live updates of the Metro train as well as their schedules are flashed on the station's monitors.

By Taxicab and car rentals

From booking a car rental to hailing a taxi cab, there are many such transport options that you can avail at the airport. You can even opt for airport shuttle service at the hotel you are staying in (provided they have this facility) to reach Hamad International Airport. Further, to upscale your trip, you can book a chauffer-driven limousine service also. The airport has travel booths where you can figure out the ideal transport facility for your budget.