Airline stopover flights: A complete guide to maximizing your flight itinerary

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, updated with new information.

Want to explore new places without spending extra? That’s what airline stopover programs are all about.

Picture this: You’re on your way to a far-off destination with Qatar Airways or Emirates. You have a layover in a place like Doha or Dubai. Instead of waiting at the airport, you can step out and see the city. And guess what? It might not even cost you much, thanks to stopover deals offered by various airlines.

You could be wandering the streets of Doha one day and then off to Bangkok another. Or, maybe you’re soaking up Lisbon, Portugal’s vibes before heading to Accra, Ghana. Have you ever considered visiting Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on your way to one of South Africa’s cities or national parks? These programs can unlock that kind of adventure.

If you’re thinking of a trip with two destinations for the price of one, you’re in the right spot. We’ve put together a no-fuss guide on airline stopover programs, focusing on the deals for paid tickets and covering the airlines that have stopover options for no additional airfare cost and those that include free or significantly discounted hotel stays in their stopover programs. If you’re using points or miles, don’t worry — there’s a guide for that, too.

Copa Airlines

With the Panama Stopover Program, you can visit Panama City for no additional airfare cost. Passengers traveling on Copa Airlines can spend between 24 hours and seven days in the nation’s capital city on either the outbound or return leg of a trip. 

While there’s no extra airfare charge to book a Panama stopover, you’ll still need to cover other expenses, like an overnight hotel, if needed. Fortunately, you can use the stopover website to find discounts for hotels, restaurants and activities. 

Related: Meet Hotel La Compania, Hyatt’s historic hit in Panama City

Emirates

If you’re flying Emirates and your itinerary’s best available connection is a long layover, you can utilize the Dubai Connect service for a free hotel booking, with meals and airport transfers included.

To qualify for Dubai Connect, your stopover time must be between eight and 26 hours for economy or premium economy bookings and six and 26 hours for first- or business-class bookings. The stopover time in Dubai has to be the shortest one available, so you can’t select an itinerary with a 20-hour layover if a shorter four-hour layover is available.

You must book the Dubai Connect service at least 24 hours before your incoming flight to Dubai. To book, enter your last name and booking reference number under the “Manage booking” tab of Emirates’ website and then choose “Dubai Connect.” When you arrive in Dubai, head to the Dubai Connect desk in Arrivals.

Etihad Airways

Etihad currently offers a stopover option in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The stopover includes a complimentary hotel stay of up to two nights at select hotels, such as the Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl and the Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi.

To book a stopover hotel, you must have a round-trip booking on Etihad with a connecting flight to Abu Dhabi. Once your flight is booked, you must enter your booking reference number and last name on the Etihad stopover website to check hotel availability. Once you’ve selected a hotel, you’ll receive a voucher to be presented at check-in.

Ethiopian Airlines

Transit times through Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) in Ethiopia can be long. So, if you’re flying Ethiopian Airlines with a layover between eight and 24 hours, you can book a complimentary one-night stay at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel that includes airport transfers and breakfast. You’ll want to make sure you have the necessary visa in advance or are eligible for a tourist visa upon arrival.

Iberia

Iberia’s Hola Madrid stopover program allows passengers to spend between one and nine nights in Madrid at no extra airfare charge. You can also obtain discounts on hotel stays with Melia, airport transfers and entrance to museums such as the Prado Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum. Plus, you’ll receive a complimentary two-day transport card.

Related: How to book Iberia flights to Spain (and beyond) using Avios

Icelandair

Icelandair offers connections through Keflavik Airport (KEF) from the U.S. to many other points in Europe. So, you might want to check out Icelandair’s stopover program, which is considered the pioneer of airline stopover packages.

When flying transatlantic on Icelandair, you can include a free stopover in Iceland for up to seven days at no additional cost. When booking, select the “Stopover in Iceland” option and input how many days you’d like to spend exploring the land of fire and ice. The stopover only includes flights — your accommodations and activities must be booked separately. 

For inspiration on what to do during your stopover, check out Iceland Travel, where you can view various excursions and activities.

Related: These are the best times to visit Iceland

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines is considered one of the world’s most stopover-friendly airlines. Passengers who want to visit Tokyo, Osaka or other major cities on their way to another Japanese destination can take advantage of Japan Airlines’ offer of complimentary domestic flights for international travelers. 

You can explore some of Japan‘s seemingly limitless wondrous sites by booking an international Japan Airlines flight and a corresponding domestic flight in the same reservation. A stopover fee of $100 applies for travelers from the U.S., Canada and Mexico and 300 Chinese yen (about $41) applies for travelers from China if the first destination stay in Japan exceeds 24 hours.

Related: The best ways to travel to Japan with points and miles

Qantas

Australia’s flagship carrier offers no-additional-cost stopover opportunities for passengers flying Qantas or its airline partners. Select the multicity booking option when arranging your flights on the Qantas website to incorporate a stopover into your itinerary.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways offers serious discounts on stopover packages for passengers whose transit through Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) is between 12 and 96 hours.

You can book stopover packages of up to four nights at four- and five-star hotels. For example, pricing for a one-night package at a four-star hotel starts at $14. Hotel packages that include beach access or breakfast are also available on the stopover website, along with options for tours and excursions through Discover Qatar. 

TAP Air Portugal

Stay in Lisbon or Porto for up to 10 days at no additional charge during a stopover in Portugal. Start by seeing if your flight is eligible for a stopover by entering your flight’s origin and destination cities with your travel dates on TAP Air Portugal’s website. If it is, a new window will pop up with the option to “Add a free Stopover” to your booking.

You’ll select which city you’d like to visit and specify how long you’ll stay. Stopovers are available for both round-trip and one-way bookings. If you are booking a round-trip itinerary, you’ll need to choose whether you’d like to schedule your stopover during your inbound or outbound journey.

Once your trip is booked, you can use TAP Air Portugal’s stopover website to find discounts on hotels and attractions, travel inspiration, guides and more.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines offers one of the best stopover programs out there, offering up to a two-night hotel stay for free. With Turkish Airlines’ stopover program, business-class passengers can stay in a five-star or boutique hotel in Turkey for up to two nights, and economy-class passengers can stay at a four-star hotel for one night. Your stopover must be at least 20 hours long to qualify for a free hotel room.

Once you’ve reserved your flights, you can enter your reservation code or ticket number and your last name on the stopover website to request your accommodation. Or, you can send an email (find the right email address based on the destination in the table on the stopover website), including your name, reservation code or ticket number, dates needed for accommodations, preferred room type (single, double or triple), telephone number and email address. You must book the stopover service at least 72 hours before your first flight.

If you have a connecting international flight with a layover in Istanbul between six and 24 hours, you can go on one of the free city tours, which include bus transportation and meals. You don’t need to reserve ahead of time — just head to the Touristanbul desk upon arrival at Istanbul Airport (IST) to register. For more information on the different tours offered, go to the airline’s Touristanbul page. 

Passengers are not allowed to receive both free accommodation and free Touristanbul outings on the same journey. As always, make sure to check visa requirements before traveling.

Bottom line

Building a stopover into your itinerary is a great cost-effective way to see another country or city during your trip. Luckily, many airlines and tourism boards are more than happy to help travelers make the most of even a short time on the ground to explore a new destination and hopefully pique their interest in another visit.

Even for airlines that don’t publish or promote a stopover program of their own, you can always explore your options by performing multicity searches and pricing out tickets before making your own hotel and transportation arrangements. If in doubt, you can always call the airline to ask what your choices might be.

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