How About Adding a Layover?

An excerpt from Afar.com - 

6 Places You Can Visit for (Almost) Free on a Stopover Flight

Airline stopover programs provide a great, affordable way to extend your trip and visit an additional destination. Here’s how to see two countries for the price of one. 

By Bailey Berg

Heading to Europe? Why not stop in Lisbon, Portugal,
en route to your final destination when flying with TAP Air Portugal?
Photo by Diego Garcia/Unsplash

Often, when you’re traveling from one country to another on a connecting flight, the time spent in the connecting hub feels a bit like being lost in a no-man’s-land of travel—neither here, nor there. However, a growing number of airlines are working to reshape travelers’ relationships with extra-long layovers.

In recent years, more carriers have started offering airline stopover programs that encourage travelers to explore additional destinations along their journey, spending between 24 hours and 10 days (depending on the program) in a locale without incurring additional airfare charges. It’s a more extended break in the itinerary than a layover, which generally refers to a relatively short stop between connecting flights. Stopovers are typically free to schedule and often include complimentary or heavily discounted hotel stays and on-ground transit. It’s an opportunity for the airline to direct more tourism dollars to a capital city or flagship country and offer travelers the opportunity to visit multiple destinations for (more or less) the price of one.

Here are six of the best airline stopover programs to help extend your vacation.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Take a detour to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
in Abu Dhabi.Photo by Katerina Kerdi/Unsplash

Those transiting through Abu Dhabi can opt to stay in the capital of the United Arab Emirates for a spell with Etihad Airways’ stopover program.

Travelers transiting through Etihad’s home base can choose a complimentary one- or two-night stay at various three-, four-, and even five-star hotels across the capital city. Some of the luxury options include the Shangri La Qaryat Al Beri, Bab Al Qasr, and the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl. You can find the full spread of hotel options on Etihad’s stopover page.

Other perks of the program include up to 30 percent off dining at select restaurants (many of which are within the hotels offered through the program) and free tickets to attractions like the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, and Saadiyat Island. There is also a free shuttle service that connects travelers to the various sites.

The program is only available to those who book directly through Etihad’s website. To be eligible, you must book at least three days before you arrive in the Persian Gulf city. Other stipulations include a handful of blackout periods (including November 3 through 8, December 5 through 8, and December 23 through January 2), and the offer is only valid in one direction (so you can’t score a free stay on both your away and return tickets).

Reykjavík, Iceland

Spending some time in the utterly charming city of Reykjavík, Iceland.
Photo by Annie Spratt/Unsplash

Icelandair is credited as the pioneer of the free airline stopover; it has been offering some iteration of the program since the early 1960s, which greatly helped increase tourism to the land of fire and ice.

The current program allows travelers to book a stopover in Reykjavík, Iceland, for one to seven days at no additional cost. All you have to do is select the “Stopover in Iceland” option and input how many days you’d like to stay when booking your ticket. It’s particularly useful for flights between the United States and mainland Europe.

Unlike some other destinations, Icelandair’s program doesn’t offer free or discounted accommodation or transportation, so be sure to factor travel within the country into your costs. However, it is possible to book some tours (like an abbreviated Golden Circle tour, where guests can visit Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir geothermal area, two of Iceland’s most famous natural wonders) directly through the airline.

https://www.afar.com/magazine/a-guide-to-airline-stopover-programs