A connection in Doha Hamad: How is the transfer to another flight from the Qatari airport carried out?

Connecting is often a stressful time: will we have enough time to change planes? Will the luggage follow? Don’t panic, a connection can go smoothly at Doha Hamad Airport: all you need to do is find out in advance what to avoid doing so as not to find yourself panicked on D-Day.

Flight transfer is a necessary measure for travelers who for some reason cannot reach their destination on a direct flight. Connected flights are often chosen to save money: direct flights are generally more expensive. Connecting flights are also convenient for those who wish to make a stopover. This is the name of flights with a long transfer to see another city on the way.

How do connecting flights differ?

If the connecting flight is organized by the same airline or alliance:

– After purchase, you will receive a unique itinerary receipt, which shows the time of arrival, departure and airport for all flights. Boarding passes for all flights will be issued at the airport upon check-in.

– As a rule, you check in immediately for all one-way flights; if at the check-in counter you are not checked in for all flights, you can request it yourself;

– You will receive checked baggage upon arrival at your destination. But sometimes you have to collect your luggage after the first flight. It is best to check this at the reception.

If the connections are organized by different airlines that are not members of the alliance:

– Multiple itinerary receipts will be mailed – for each flight separately;

– Before each flight, you must check in and obtain a boarding pass for the plane. Sometimes it is possible to check-in for the entire one-way flight – check at the check-in desk.

– Luggage must usually be collected after the first flight and checked in before the next flight. For precise information on how the luggage will be transported, it is best to contact the counter.

– Those that have a flight into Hamada International Doha Airport and on a single itinerary receipt do not need to do anything special. Once you arrive at the transit airport, if necessary, go through passport and customs control and find the boarding gate number of the next flight on the online dashboard. Sometimes you have to go to another terminal: by shuttle or on foot. You can shorten the time before departure in the waiting room or lounge, in cafes and shops. Before the flight, you have to go through passport control and security check again.

– If the flight is organized by different airlines, after your arrival you must collect your luggage and go through passport and customs control. Then find the check-in counter, check-in for the next flight and drop off your bags, and go through passport control and security before departure.

– In case of departure from another airport, you must collect your luggage, go to Hamad Doha airport and complete the pre-flight formalities there.

Before flight departure

When booking your ticket, remember to calculate the time needed for your connection. The size of the terminal in which you are connecting must be taken into account. Changes of terminals as well. Plan a minimum of time to ensure your connection in the best conditions:

– Connection in the same terminal: 60 minutes

– Connection with change of terminal: 90 minutes

Check-in to final destination

If you have booked your two flights with the same airline, your baggage will be checked as for one and the same flight, that is, from the departure airport to the final destination. When you arrive at the transit airport, check the “Connections” sign for the boarding gate for your second flight. Do not worry about your luggage, the transfer is automatically carried out by the company.

In case of delay of your first flight, the second plane will wait for you to leave, otherwise, you will be – as far as possible, placed on the next flight of the same company.

Check-in to connecting airport only

If you have booked two flights with two different airlines, the baggage transfer will not be carried out automatically. This means that you must collect your baggage at the connecting airport to check it in again at the appropriate terminal on the departure of your second flight. Remember to allow enough time; the second plane will not wait for you. This practice is called self connecting, that is, the act of making correspondence independently.

In some cases, even having two flights purchased together with the same airline, it may be necessary to re-check in. This is the case for a connection between Paris-Orly and Doha-Hamad, for example, where it is necessary to change airports.

Example: you want to go to Cairo from Paris. You have chosen to book a Paris-Doha flight with Air France, then a Doha-Cairo flight with Qatar Airways. You have made two different reservations and will need to collect your baggage in the hold in Paris to drop it off at the baggage drop-off. If the Air France flight is delayed and you miss your connection, you lose the second flight.

5 Replies to “A connection in Doha Hamad: How is the transfer to another flight from the Qatari airport carried out?”

  1. Angeline Leong

    Pls help me with the process, I have to collect luggage in Doha for my flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sao Paolo, how long will it take?
    I booked in one booking, Qatar Air shared code with Malaysia Airlines, my connecting Airline is Qatar Air & my transit time is only 2 hours & 25 mins.

  2. John Norton-Doyle

    This is very misleading and worrying;
    you state: “If you have booked your two flights with the same airline, your baggage will be checked as for one and the same flight” /BUT I have a ticket booked on one itinerary LON-DOH with Qatar and then DOH-MNL with Philippine Airlines and with one booking number and one eticket number . I am assured by the booking agent that it is a “through booking” and baggage etc will be transferred at DOH BUT your information written here does not say that, You refer only to tickets arranged with “one airline” and state that “Those that have a flight into Hamada International Doha Airport and on a single itinerary receipt etc etc..” This is very confusing and not use of clear language. Also you refer to “Sometimes you have to go to another terminal:” BUT you only have ONE terminal with 5 areas ABC and D E . Again very confusing use of language

    • swee k y

      hi , on 6th oct 22 , i bought for 5pcs of round trip tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Madrid . These flight from KUL-MAD on 2023-01-23 and MAD-KUL on 2023-02-05, is under (1) booking but sharing code and same airline , and connection at Doha Hamad . About the luggage, can we check in the baggage in KUL counter and correct the baggage in last destination of Madrid ?

    • Michell m

      I have the same itinerary for my upcoming trip… did you collect your luggage and check back in again to Qatar airways? Did you go through immigration or stayed in transit area? Need help as qatar airways and philippines airlines are not clear with the intructions. thank you.

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