If you’re planning to fly out of Doha in the coming week, be sure to pack some patience.

With the school year drawing to a close and Eid Al Fitr just around the corner, this is one of the busiest travel periods during the year in Qatar.

Those heading to Hamad International Airport (HIA) should expect longer lines at check-in and immigration, and busier traffic at drop-off zones and parking areas.

To try to make people’s journeys more pleasant amid the crowds, airport officials have issued some advice for passengers flying out of Doha from Friday onwards.

Travel advisory

As passenger traffic at HIA grows in leaps and bounds, travelers have complained of long lines at the airport’s immigration desks.

HIA advises that people flying over the busy period should check-in online, and aim to arrive at the airport three hours before departure.

Officials also suggested that passengers use their E-gates to avoid immigration queues – although it’s worth noting that E-gate holders traveling with kids are usually not able to use the service.

Regarding car parking arrangements, HIA said:

• Anyone dropping off or collecting passengers should use the short-term car park instead of dropping passengers off outside the terminal. The short term car park provides free parking for the first 30 minutes, and costs QR5 per hour after the 30 minutes is up.

• Passengers who need to park their car for longer periods should use the airport’s long-term car park. HIA operates a shuttle service to the terminal every 15-20 minutes. The car park costs QR45 per day.

Currently, there’s a lengthy diversion in place between the terminal and the long-term car park, so allow plenty of time if you plan to leave your car there.

More details about both the short and long-term parking options can be found here.

Qatar Duty Free discount

This year, passengers flying out of Doha for Eid are being offered an incentive to check in online and arrive early.

Those traveling with Qatar Airways are eligible for a 10 percent discount voucher at Qatar Duty Free.

The voucher will be available for passengers to download upon completion of online check-in via Qatar Airways’ website.

Are you traveling soon? Thoughts?