Stopovers let you experience another city on the way to your final destination. While we usually talk about stopovers in the context of award travel, you can add them to many paid itineraries, too.
Some international airlines offer stopover programs, including favorites Emirates, Etihad, Singapore Airlines, and Qatar Airways. Today, I’ll explain which airlines offer stopovers, what perks are included, and how to book them.
Finnair doesn’t offer stopovers outright, but you might be able to book a flight from the U.S. to Europe with a long enough layover in Helsinki (HEL) to see the city.
Emirates offers the Dubai Connect program, which provides hotel accommodations for passengers with long connections in Dubai (DXB). All your flights must be on the same itinerary and ticketed by Emirates.
Flights with an extended layover between 8 and 24 hours are eligible for a complimentary stay at the Ethiopian Skylight In-Terminal Hotel, even if they’re not booked on the shortest connection to their destination.
Qatar Airways also offers complimentary transit accommodation to passengers with an 8- to 24-hour layover in Doha. These packages include a hotel room, transfers to and from the airport, and a temporary entry visa to Qatar.