On a recent Turkish Airlines flight from San Francisco to Istanbul, I noticed a surprising number of people at the gate and on board looking at guidebooks for destinations far beyond Turkey. Their endpoints ranged from Greece to Rome to Dubai. But as I chatted with other travelers, what seemed to unite them all was the excitement of adding a vacation to their vacation. As part of the airline’s stopover program, we will stop in Istanbul en route.
Turkish Airlines is not the only airline offering a stopover program. This is an extended layover program that offers the opportunity to add additional stopovers at the airline’s hub cities without additional flight fees. Icelandair, Iberia, and Emirates have similar stopover programs.
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Why is it worth considering a stopover program?
Since long-haul flights often offer stopovers, there are actually two benefits to using one. At the most practical level, booking a stopover is a chance to break a long travel day and take a break to stretch your legs and get a night’s sleep in bed on your way to your final destination. These are also a way to add a destination to your itinerary altogether, giving you an opportunity to visit the place without having to plan your entire vacation there.
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What does it cost to add a free stopover?
There are no additional charges for stops (usually between 1 and 4 days) in selected cities under the airline’s stopover program. Except in a few notable cases, you will still be responsible for hotel costs (including transportation, meals, and activities) during your stopover.
Which airlines have free stopover programs?
These are airlines that offer free stopover programs. We also look at airlines that offer mini-stopover programs that give you the chance to sightsee (or rest) during long layovers, airlines that offer stopovers on award tickets, and airlines that provide all the tools you need for DIY. I did. your own stopover.
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Stopovers at Turkish Airlines: After putting its outstanding stopover program on hiatus during the pandemic, Turkish Airlines is relaunching it and further enhancing its deal with long-term free hotel stays in Istanbul . Passengers transiting via Istanbul and with a connection time of at least 20 hours can take advantage of the stopover program in Istanbul. Through this program, economy class passengers from the United States can stay up to 2 nights free of charge in 4-star hotels (after booking, the airline provides a hotel voucher, and after purchasing the ticket, the airline provides a free night stay in a 4-star hotel). (can be redeemed on site). A business class passenger from the US can stay for his 3 nights free in a 5 star hotel. Icelandair Stopover: Icelandair’s stopover program in Iceland gives transatlantic passengers the option to add his 1-7 day stopover in Reykjavik (and other cities) doing. ) Available at no additional charge. To facilitate connections and simplify planning, airlines offer ready-made stopover itineraries arranged by length of stay. Emirates Stopover: Emirates’ Dubai Stopover program adds charm to your layover in Dubai. Under the Dubai Connect program, passengers with a layover in Dubai of up to 6 hours (for first or business class tickets) or 8 hours (for economy and premium economy tickets) of up to 26 hours receive free hotel stay and meals. will be done. For long stopovers (there is no maximum length of stay in the stopover program), the airline will arrange a 48-hour visa for him and assist him with travel planning in Dubai, Ras Al, Khaimah, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. I’ll give it to you. If you don’t have enough time to leave the airport and have a short layover, use the airline’s Dubai Stopover Airport service. Enjoy lounge access and his 6- or 12-hour hotel accommodation package at the Dubai International Hotel, located inside Terminal 3. To book a stopover package, after booking your flight, contact your airline or travel agent to select your desired package and hotel. Reservations can be made up to 48 hours in advance, but we recommend booking early to ensure hotel availability.
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Stopovers with Etihad Airways: Etihad Airways has two (previously three) stopover options for connecting flights through Abu Dhabi. Our great stopover program offers discounted 1 or 2-night stays at 3-star hotels, plus free WiFi (and 24-hour check-in). Premium Stopover Discounts include stays in 4- and 5-star hotels for 2-4 night stopovers, including daily breakfast and free WiFi. TAP Portugal Stopovers: TAP’s Portugal Stopover program allows you to add a 1-10 day stopover in Lisbon or Porto at no additional charge. As an extension of this offer, passengers wishing to visit other destinations in Portugal (and its islands) can book their domestic flights with his 25% discount. There are also discounts on hotels, restaurants, tourist passes, etc. Iberia Stopover: Iberia’s Stopover Hola Madrid program allows Iberia passengers to book a connection in Madrid at no additional cost. Stays range from 24 hours to a maximum of 6 nights, and Iberia will not cover the cost of your hotel stay, but will provide you with discounts on hotel stays, transportation, activities and restaurants in Madrid.
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Stopovers with Air Canada: Air Canada has a Toronto Stopover program that gives passengers the option of stopping for up to 48 hours in Toronto as a connection between two destinations. Stopover with Qatar Airways: Qatar Airways’ Qatar Stopover program allows passengers transiting through Doha to add a 1-4 night stopover to either their outbound or return journey. This package includes highly discounted hotel stays (from $14 per person per night for standard hotels and $81 per person per night for luxury hotels). Tours and excursions such as city tours and whale shark expeditions can also be booked. Copa Airlines Stopover: Copa’s Stopover program gives transiting passengers the option to extend their layover in Panama City by up to seven days. And of note, while most of these stopover programs only have one-way stopover programs available, Copa offers travelers both outbound and return trips for the $250 fee for his second stopover. We offer the option to do a stopover. Stopovers with Qantas: Qantas takes a more-is-more-better approach to its stopover program, offering additional fees on eligible Qantas flights and flights with oneworld partner airlines. Allows one or more stopovers without. To make a reservation, passengers use the multi-city booking tool on the airline’s website. This is a similar approach to the airlines listed in DIY Stopovers below. A feature of this program is the guarantee that stopovers are allowed on eligible flights without additional charges.
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Which airlines offer free mini-stopover programs?
Airlines with mini-stopover programs include Finnair (which offers short stay ideas for layovers of 6 to 24 hours), Air China (Beijing, Chengdu, Dalian, Hangzhou, Shanghai) (which offers free hotel stays to passengers with long layovers). , and Ethiopian Airlines (this airline offers transit passengers with connections between 8 and 24 hour hotel stays).
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Royal Jordanian’s Zwar Stopover Program offers a wide range of guided tours for passengers with a layover of 6 hours or more (or, for shorter layovers, traditional gourmet There is also some experience).
◾ Award travel stopover program
There’s another approach to finding free multi-day layovers in airline hub cities. Certain frequent flyer programs offer free stopovers on award travel. Programs that offer award tickets with stopovers include Air France and his KLM Flying Blue program, Singapore Airlines’ KrisFlyer program, Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan, and Air Canada’s Aeroplan.
◾ DIY a stopover using an airline’s multi-city booking tool
Even if an airline doesn’t have a formal stopover program, it may have multi-city booking options. This allows you to create gaps between flights in connecting cities. This option doesn’t give you the benefits of a true stopover program, such as free hotel stays, discounts on activities, and no extra charges for airfare, but it does give you the chance to add a few extra days to your destination.
Airlines with multi-city booking tools include British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Hawaiian Airlines, and Japan Airlines.
Add a vacation to your vacation: These 10 airlines offer the best free stopover programs originally posted on FamilyVacationist.com.
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