HIA wins World’s Best Airport Shopping and more at Skytrax
Hamad International Airport has won several awards at the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, most notably for QDF, that includes “World’s Best Airport Shopping” for the second year in a row
Qatar Duty Free (QDF) has reported that Hamad International Airport (DOH), its home and operational base, has been honored with multiple distinctions at the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, notably winning the “World’s Best Airport Shopping” title again. This marks the second consecutive year QDF has secured this award, underscoring its commitment to innovative retail solutions, outstanding customer service, and creating unique shopping experiences, reinforcing its status as a leading retail destination.
Retail operations at Hamad International Airport, managed by Qatar Duty Free, play a crucial role in enhancing the passenger experience, consistently introducing industry-first initiatives that cater to all budgets and solidifying the airport’s esteemed reputation. Over the past year, QDF has launched a variety of first-of-its-kind retail and dining establishments, increasing its offer to over 200 outlets. Notable new additions include partnerships with luxury brands including Bally, Montblanc, Ralph Lauren, and Tag Heuer, along with Souq Al Matar, a new retail and dining area designed to evoke the ambiance of a traditional Qatari souq.
Hamad International Airport won three especially prestigious awards at the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, including “World’s Best Airport” for the third time
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, stated: “It is a source of great pride for Hamad International Airport to be recognized by Skytrax with a number of awards highlighting our leadership in delivering memorable experiences across all our customer touchpoints. First-class shopping is an important element in our overall proposition and the team at Qatar Duty Free continues to push boundaries in retail that set Hamad International Airport apart and establish world-leading standards in the aviation industry.”
Qatar Duty Free Senior Vice President, Mr. Thabet Musleh, commented: “We are extremely proud to have played a central role in Hamad International Airport’s continued success at the Skytrax World Airport Awards. Being ranked by travelers as the world’s best airport for shopping validates our vision for elevating this element of the passenger journey from services to experiences. Our commitment to delivering unique retail through pioneering approaches such as ‘Transit Tourism’ has made our home a destination in its own right, and with a raft of new openings and innovations in the works we will continue to find new ways of refreshing and differentiating our offer and exceeding the expectations of customers.”
The World Airport Awards, initiated in 1999 by Skytrax through its first global airport customer satisfaction survey, serve as an independent benchmark assessing customer service and facilities across over 500 airports worldwide. In the 2024 awards ceremony held during Passenger Terminal Expo in Messe Frankfurt, Germany, Hamad International Airport achieved notable accolades:
• “World’s Best Airport” for the third time
• “World’s Best Airport Shopping” for the second consecutive year
• “Best Airport in the Middle East” for the tenth consecutive year
Following its earlier successes at the 2023 Frontier Awards and FAB Awards—key accolades in travel retail and airport food & beverage—QDF was recognized as Airport Retailer of the Year and received the Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year award, marking the first occasion a single entity has claimed both awards in the same year.
