One of the best things about going to a far-flung destination is the opportunity to make use of a free stopover. In a way, this is like getting two holidays in one – and it makes a flight with a stopover, in many instances, more appealing than a direct flight. However, when booking your flights, it’s important to differentiate between airlines, as there may be an airline that has a free stopover you personally find much more interesting than another one. Let’s take a look at some of the airlines offering the best free stopovers.
Ethiopian
If you’re flying with Ethiopian and have a stopover of between eight and 24 hours in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, the airline has made sure you can enjoy your time there. The airline will provide you with a complimentary hotel, as well as the transport to take you to your accommodation. Addis Ababa is a sprawling capital, with amazing Ethiopian food to sample and historical attractions and markets to visit.
Emirates
If you’re flying with Emirates and stopping over in Dubai, you can spend a few days in this spectacular city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Here, you can admire the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa (standing at 829.8m tall), enjoy great shopping, and relax on the beach while soaking up the rays.
Etihad
When flying with Etihad, you’ll most likely stopover in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. If you’re flying economy, the airline offers a discount on your first night’s stay in the city, and if you stay for two nights, then the second night is free. The benefits of this stopover are even better when you fly business, as this will provide you with a free night at a 5-star hotel, such as the luxurious Emirates Palace. Fly first class and you can enjoy two nights here. A must-see attraction in Abu Dhabi is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the world’s most impressive and famous mosques.
Icelandair
If you’re flying Icelandair across the Atlantic, you can stopover in the capital, Reykjavik, at no additional cost, and for up to three days. Iceland is an awe-inspiring country, featuring epic landscapes and coastline, as well as stunning mountains, waterfalls, volcanoes, geothermal pools, lagoons, and canyons. For nature lovers, making use of Icelandair’s stopover programme will certainly be worth it.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore is one of Asia’s most vibrant and diverse cities, with an abundance of great food and unique attractions, such as the futuristic Gardens by the Bay and the largest indoor waterfall, located inside in Jewel Changi Airport, a nature-themed entertainment and retail complex in Singapore’s main airport. By making use of Singapore Airlines’ stopover package, you can enjoy a night’s hotel stay, free use of the SIA hop-on bus, and access to a wide range of attractions in the city.
TAP Portugal
You don’t actually need to fly very far in order to enjoy a free stopover. If you’re flying within Europe with TAP Portugal, you can stopover in either Lisbon or Porto for up to five nights, at no additional airfare. Both Lisbon and Porto are two colourful and culturally rich Portuguese cities, each with their own unique qualities, of course. TAP also offers discounts on hotel stays and some of Portugal’s greatest attractions. TAP destinations also include cities further afield like Algiers, Casablanca, Dakar, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo.
The next time you have a destination in mind for your next holiday, be sure to keep these airlines in mind. You might just be able to improve your trip in the best way possible.