Here's What You'll Find At The Best Airports In The World | Big Business | Business Insider

The Luxury of Hamad International Airport [00:02]

• Hammad International Airport in Doha has been rated the world's best airport three times, with an immersive jungle-like atmosphere.
• Qatar spent over $16 billion on its sprawling Hamad International Airport, making it a destination in itself.
• International airports are becoming showcases of national identity and ambition, with luxury brands capitalizing on a captive audience.

The world's first Louis Vuitton lounge is located here, offering branded exclusive experiences, including monogrammed menu items.

High-End Experiences at Hamad International [03:05]

• Hammad International boasts over 200 dining and retail outlets, including the Dior Spa, offering indulgence not typically found at airports.
• The Dior Spa offers a welcome drink and treatments, with the most affordable being a $70 manicure and the most premium being a 2-hour spa treatment for $550.
• The Fendi Cafe, the first at an airport, offers breakfast, lunch, and quick bites with Fendi branding, with a cappuccino priced around $9.
• A fun fact: Fendi began as a leather and fur designer before venturing into food.

The Fendi cappuccino is probably the only Fendi item that is affordable.

Hamad International's "Orchard" and Ambition [06:02]

• The massive indoor tropical garden, "The Orchard," features 300 trees and 25,000 plants, creating a lush environment within the airport.
• This concept is compared to Singapore's Changi Airport, which also features an indoor jungle called the Jewel with the world's tallest indoor waterfall.
• Qatar's investment in Hamad International is driven by its strategic location as a major transit hub, with Qatar Airways operating on a hub-and-spoke model.

The airport feels like a nice place to suspend your reality for a second.

The Scale and Infrastructure of Hamad International [07:41]

• Hammad International Airport, which began construction in 2006 and took nearly 20 years to complete, handled nearly 53 million passengers in 2024.
• The airport's capacity allows for 100 planes to take off and land every hour, or five planes every three minutes.
• The passenger terminal is the largest building in Doha, equivalent to the size of 75 soccer fields.
• A rail link connects the north and south sides of the terminal, offering views of the terminal interior through its glass ceilings and windows.

The passenger terminal walls have a solar material that repels heat, and the ceiling is insulated to reduce the AC load.

Awards, Recognition, and Premium Passengers [10:23]

• Hammad International was named Airport of the Year by Skytrax three times (2021, 2022, 2024), considered important industry awards.
• Changi and Hamad have alternated in the top airport award spot, with Changi reclaiming its title in 2025.
• Skytrax awards are based on customer satisfaction surveys covering various aspects of the airport experience, from coffee prices to Wi-Fi speed.
• These awards help attract more customers, particularly profitable premium passengers who also spend more in airports.

The real reason these awards are valuable is the money they bring in.

Luxury Amenities at Alsafwa First Class Lounge [11:43]

• The Alsafwa lounge is Qatar Airways' first-class lounge, accessible to first-class ticket holders and some business-class passengers, with walk-in options if not full.
• The lounge offers private bedroom spaces, available for booking in 6-hour increments, with amenities comparable to high-end hotel rooms.
• This exclusive experience is considered free for passengers who paid $8,000 for their ticket.
• The lounge includes a spa, a relaxation room, and a game room with arcade games.

The restroom here is pretty nice; I think it's a little better than my hotel restroom.

Local Culture and Luxury Retail at Hamad [13:48]

• The duty-free area features "Sukal Matar," a traditional market offering a glimpse into Qatari life with items like Dhow boats, spices, and camel-themed souvenirs.
• The terminal also houses "Via D'Este," featuring Italian brands and an Emporio Armani restaurant.
• The hotel within the airport offers executive suites for $480 a night, featuring spacious bathrooms and views of the internal rail link.
• The airport swimming pool provides another leisure option.

I have to say it's pretty mind-blowing; it's definitely better than my home base of JFK or really any international US airport.

Singapore Changi Airport: The Jewel and Beyond [15:52]

• Singapore Changi Airport, crowned the world's best for the 12th time, is a destination in itself, even for those without a flight.
• The $1.3 billion Jewel complex, accessible to the public, houses the world's tallest indoor waterfall, the Rain Vortex, surrounded by tiered real vegetation.
• Canopy Park at the top of Jewel offers attractions like mirror and hedge mazes, skynets, and a glass-bottomed bridge.
• Airside amenities include hotels, a 24-hour gym and pool, a butterfly garden with 1,000 butterflies, and a free 24/7 movie theater.

You would never believe that planes are taking off on the other side of this.

Changi's Business Model and Infrastructure [21:22]

• Changi Airport has evolved from a single terminal to a multi-terminal complex, with ongoing construction of Terminal 5 to increase capacity by 50 million passengers.
• Singapore invests heavily in its airport due to its economic importance: air transport contributes over a tenth of the country's GDP and supports 375,000 jobs.
• The airport's luxury and extensive offerings reflect the promise of high standards set by the city and Singapore Airlines, influencing a trend for grand airports in Asia.

After 10 hours in Changi without a flight to catch, my final thought: add this airport to your bucket list.