Doha named world’s second best city for a stopover

Doha has been named the second best city in the world for a layover, according to a study by AllClear travel insurance.

 

The Qatar capital was second only to German hub Frankfurt when it came to turning a flight connection into a short break.

 

AllClear assessed destinations on factors including walkability, affordability, distance from the airport to the city centre and distance between the top tourism attractions, the latter crucially important for short stays where time is limited.

 

Atlanta in the US, Copenhagen in Denmark and Warsaw in Poland made up the top five.

 

Doha was described as a “luxurious city well known worldwide for its opulence, and for having one of the world’s most luxurious airports”, which is Hamad International Airport.

 

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Doha scored particularly well for the cost of a 4-star hotel, with the average room rate being significantly less than all other destinations in the top 10 and only Delhi in India being cheaper out of all the cities listed in the top 25.

 

The city also scored highly for a 15-minute journey to the centre from the airport, where visitors can explore Souq Waqif or visit the Museum of Islamic Art.

 

AllClear highlighted Qatar Airways offering free or discounted stopovers aimed at encouraging transit passengers to explore the city.

 

The Discover Qatar Stopover Programme grew 165% year‑on‑year in H1 2025, selling more than 100,000 room nights, driven by strong demand from the US, UK, Australia, Germany and the Netherlands, and a record 10,500 visitors in January alone.

 

Abu Dhabi in the UAE offers travellers a similar incentive, with the Abu Dhabi Stopover Programme seeing visitors surge 76% in Q1 2025. Visitors who have a connecting flight in Abu Dhabi can get a complimentary two-night stay at one of the city’s hotels plus other benefits.

 

For more information, visit qatar-stopover and allcleartravel.co.uk