There's no doubt that international airfares have gotten more expensive. One way to stretch your travel budget further? Airlines with free stopovers, which can be turned into a mini-vacation within your existing trip. Essentially, a free stopover is an extended layover that allows you to leave the airport and explore the city, usually where an airline heads its operations. Stopovers can range from as short as 24 hours to as long as 10 days, with no added cost to your airline ticket, depending on the program.
To get the most out of a stopover, look for a program that offers other complimentary perks, too. The best stopovers include free or discounted hotel stays, savings on sightseeing tours, museums, restaurants, and more.
Here are six of the best airline stopover programs to book this summer – they'll help you explore destinations like Lisbon and Abu Dhabi.
TAP Air Portugal
As the only airline to offer free stopovers in two cities, TAP Air Portugal has one of the most flexible programs out there. Plus, it allows travellers to stay in either city for up to 10 days. The stopover booking process is super simple, as TAP has integrated it into its standard booking field. All you need to do is choose your travel dates, departure city, and destination as usual, then click the “Add Stopover” button. This will open a pop-up window where you can input the details of your stopover, including whether you'd like to visit Porto or Lisbon and for how long.
When your flights are squared away, you can book a discounted hotel stay by browsing TAP's list of hotel partners. The list offers booking codes with average savings of 10, 15, or 20 per cent off your stay. You'll also have access to discounts for restaurants, museums, and walking tours. Browse the airline's stopover offers page to see the full list. And once you wrap up your stopover, you also get a 25 per cent discount on airfare to a second destination in Portugal, like the Azores archipelago.
Turkish Airlines
Travellers on Turkish Airlines with a connection in Istanbul of at least 20 hours can qualify for the carrier's Stopover in Istanbul offering. As part of the program, all fliers get a free hotel stay: Passengers flying in economy class can stay one night in a four-star hotel free of charge, and business class passengers get two free nights in a five-star hotel.
Booking the stopover is a bit more complicated compared with other airlines. At least 72 hours before their flight, passengers can apply for the free stopover hotel stay by emailing a designated program representative. Each country of departure has its own email address, and the airline's stopover page lists contact information for each.
Send an email to the correct email address with your first and last name, reservation code (PNR) and ticket number, desired accommodation dates, preferred room type, telephone number, and e-mail address. The voucher required for the free hotel stay will then be issued over email.
Iberia
With its Stopover Hola Madrid program, Iberia allows travellers to stay in the Spanish capital for as little as 24 hours, all the way up to seven days and six nights at no extra cost in airfare. Passengers can add a stopover to either their outbound or return flight and select the length of their stay on the airline's booking page. Stopover customers are also afforded a host of discounts, including 20 per cent off tickets to the Prado museum, a free public transportation card valid for two days that can be picked up at the airport, and reduced hotel stays through the airline's partners.
IcelandAir
If you're interested in adding a few days in Reykjavik to your next vacation, book with IcelandAir, which offers free Reykjavik stopovers from one to seven days for its transatlantic passengers. When booking your flights, simply click the “Stopover in Iceland” button and choose how many days you'd like to stay. While there's no additional airfare required, IcelandAir's program does not include a free or discounted hotel stay in Iceland, so passengers will need to factor that in as an extra cost. However, the airline's stopover page does offer suggestions for a wide range of affordable sightseeing tours, like an abbreviated tour of the Golden Circle, a Reykjavik walking tour, and a Blue Lagoon experience.
Qatar Airways
One of the best airlines with free stopovers is Qatar Airways, which offers a valuable hotel bundle. The carrier offers stays of up to four days in Doha, with bundle rates for four-star hotels starting at around £12 per person per night. If you want to upgrade to a luxury five-star hotel, the fee jumps to around £62 per person per night, which is still a deep discount. And of course, the stopover will cost you nothing in terms of extra airfare fees.
To score the bundle, book your stopover through Qatar Airways' dedicated page, which allows you to select the leg of the journey you'd like to stop in Doha and for how many days. Once your flights are booked, visit the airline's stopover hotel booking page to browse options for your stay. Choose your hotel and input your flight information during the booking process to receive the discount.
Also available during your time in Doha are discounted tour packages that range from activities like kitesurfing lessons, a private Bedouin dinner in the desert, souq tours, and many more.
Etihad
With its “Stopover on Us” package, Etihad is offering free stopovers in Abu Dhabi through Saturday 30 December 2023. The one- or two-night packages include free stays at either a three-star or four-star hotel in the city, plus perks including 24-hour check-in and free in-room wifi. Among the hotel partners are the Centro Al Manhal, Ramada by Wyndham Abu Dhabi Downtown, and the Traders Hotel Qaryat Al Beri.
Looking for more luxurious accommodations? Etihad has you covered there, too. Passengers can instead choose the “Best of Abu Dhabi” stopover package, which offers up to 40 per cent off stays in four- or five-star hotels for up to four nights. These properties include the likes of the Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, the Anantara Eastern Mangroves Abu Dhabi Hotel, and the Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi.
To add on either stopover, simply book a flight connecting through Abu Dhabi in any cabin class. Then select your stopover package and check hotel availability on the airline's stopover page. The hotel bookings must be made at least 72 hours before travel.