Doha to Birmingham 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 Birmingham

Birmingham is a popular city to visit in the United Kingdom after London. The city is growing at a fast pace and is turning into one of the most happening ones, too. It is also where scenes from Jawbone, The Girl With All The Gifts and Kingsman: The Golden Circle were shot. If you are planning a trip to the UK, make sure you add Birmingham to your itinerary as well. You can explore the neighbourhood on a cycle or on a horse, whichever seems like an adventure to you. The lush green surroundings and the old buildings give it the sort of charm that makes it a great vacation destination. The city also has an eclectic dining scene, and it won't disappoint you one bit. The city is also popular for the waterways that were built in the 1760s during the Industrial Revolution. You will also find a lot of pubs and bars in the city that spruce up the nightlife scenes in Birmingham. Not to mention, the people in the city are lovely and friendly. From recommending places to explore to make sure you have had a great party, people here will make your holiday far special.

Best Time to Visit Birmingham

June to October is considered the best months to visit Birmingham. The city experiences summer during these months, and it is also a peak season for tourists. July and August are the hottest months, with temperatures ranging from 32 to 34 degree Celsius. You should book your hotel in Birmingham well in advance to avoid any inconveniences. Make sure you also book your flight tickets to Birmingham in advance. The best part about visiting Birmingham in summer is that you can attend the music and film festivals that happen in the city during these months. Planning a trip to Birmingham is the best way to spend your summer holidays. Though you might have to bear with the heat, it is completely worth it. You might even end up making friends and meeting a lot of people from around the world since the city sees a spike in the number of tourists in summer. You can also indulge in a lot of outdoor activities in summer as compared to the other months.

September to November is fall season, and while it is not the most popular time to visit Birmingham, it's not the worst either. There are fewer tourists in the city, and the weather is pleasant. It is better as compared to the hot days of summer. Flight tickets to Birmingham are also comparatively lower than the ones in summer. Hotel prices also drop considerably. However, lesser tourists and the weather do not stop you from exploring the city in its glory. All the sightseeing options and outdoor activities are open during this season for you to explore.

December to February is winter in Birmingham, and it is a low season for the city. You will easily get cheap flight tickets to Birmingham in winter. However, a lot of sightseeing spots and outdoor activities might not be accessible during winter. If you are on a budget, this might be a good season for you to visit Birmingham, but it is not a highly recommended one. March to May is the spring season, and the weather is quite pleasant. It is neither too cold nor too hot. All the tourist attractions that were shut in winter open for tourists in spring. It is right before peak season hits Birmingham and you can avoid the crowds and enjoy exploring the city peacefully during spring.

Places to Visit in Birmingham

Birmingham has a lot of tourist attractions, and you must visit the city at the right time to explore it properly. Winterbourne House and Garden is a popular tourist attraction near the University of Birmingham where you can attend art exhibits, craft workshops, live music and even get a glimpse of how theatre works here. The house was built in 1903, and its rustic feel, large gardens and 19th-century printing presses are what attract tourists to it. The Library of Birmingham is Europe's biggest public library. It has a huge collection of books and so many genres that you will want to spend an entire day at the library if you are an avid reader. You can also take guided tours of the library if you want to know more about its inception. You can also visit the Birmingham Museum and Gallery at Chamberlain Square. If you reach at the right time, you might even get to enjoy some refreshing afternoon tea in the Edwardian Tearooms that look stunning.

You can also head to Cannon Hill Park to explore the Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Centre and Mac theatre. The park also hosts Foodies Festival annually that you cannot miss. Thinktank is a science museum and an award-winning one at that. It's a short walk from the Moor Street Station and also showcases a model of the Spitfire plane that was used during World War II. You can also check out the on-site planetarium and take a virtual tour of the universe. A visit to the Cadbury World is mandatory, especially if you love chocolates. Not only do you get a tour of all the action that goes behind preparing your favourite treat, but you can also pack a few to take back home.

Things to do in Birmingham

Whether you love history or architecture or food, Birmingham has a lot in store for you. You can go on a sightseeing tour of the castles and museums. You can also go on a historical tour of the city. Brindleyplace is one of the most happening places in the city. You get a breathtaking view of the canals from in here. You can chill with a bowl of ramen and a cocktail of your choice. The place also hosts events like Birmingham Chilli Festival, Open Air Film Festival and BP Dragonboat Race that you can attend. If you are a book lover, you can just head to the Library of Birmingham. It is one of the largest libraries in Europe, and you can spend an entire day here. Visit the Mac Theatre at Cannon Hill Park. If you are not catching a movie or gulping down a glass of beer, you can sign up for courses in digital media skills, health and wellbeing, visual and performance arts and the list goes on. It also has courses that you can take up with your entire family. Do not miss going to Cadbury World. It is like a paradise for everyone who loves chocolates. Birmingham is a city that celebrates performance arts, music and literature. You will find a lot of events here that showcase the best talents and make sure you sign up for it.

Food and Restaurants in Birmingham

Since the city is known for its food, you will find a lot of restaurants that serve traditional and culturally rich food here but also restaurants that serve other types of cuisine. For a contemporary dining experience, you can head to Purnell's. It has a Victorian-style feel to it from the outside and is quite modern and chic inside. You can also order your favourite cocktails or coffee with your meal. Turners is one of the most popular restaurants that are just outside the city centre, in the village of Harborne. It has been nominated and won several awards. You will also find a lot of Michelin-starred restaurants here like Adams, Carters of Moseley and Simpsons. You will also find a lot of food joints and restaurants that are cheaper and serve delicious food. Peach Garden is another popular restaurant and makes sure you try the 'three rice roast' here or pack some so you can eat in your hotel room. Otto is a pizza joint that is quite popular in the city. If you are craving Indian food, you can head over to The Indian Streatery. They have a separate menu for lunch and a different one during the evenings. You will definitely want to come back here.

How to reach Birmingham (Transportation)

Birmingham International Airport is only about 13 km away from the city centre. The flight connectivity to Birmingham from India is excellent. There are no direct flights to Birmingham, and most flights have a layover of a couple of hours in their base city. Lufthansa, Air France and Turkish Airlines are few airlines that frequently fly to Birmingham with layovers at Munich, Frankfurt, Paris and Istanbul. If you book in advance, you will come across decent flight deals to Birmingham online. You might even get cheap flight tickets to Birmingham. The airport has almost everything that would make things easier for the passengers. There are lounges, restaurants, cafes, shopping areas, smoking areas and restrooms at the airport. It is also quite easy to get a taxi from the airport to your hotel. If you haven't pre-booked your airport transfer, you can just get a cab outside the airport itself.

  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.