Several airlines will turn a long layover at their hub into a free or cheap mini-break, with a complimentary hotel, a discounted stay, or a guided city tour. If your route connects through the right city, a stopover programme is one of the best-value perks in travel. Here are the main ones and how they work.
A stopover programme lets you pause a connecting journey at the airline’s hub for a night or more, instead of just changing planes. Depending on the airline and your fare, that can mean a free hotel for an awkward long connection, a discounted hotel for a planned visit, or a free guided tour for a few hours in the city. Terms vary and change often, so always confirm on the airline’s own site.
A free hotel night for long layovers plus free TourIstanbul guided tours. See our Turkish Airlines stopover guide.
Heavily discounted hotel nights through Discover Qatar, often with transit tours. See our Qatar Airways stopover guide.
Free hotel, meals and transfers via Dubai Connect for long connections, plus the paid Dubai Stopover. See our Emirates Dubai stopover guide.
Icelandair and PLAY let you add a stopover in Iceland at no extra airfare. Etihad offers a Abu Dhabi stopover with discounted or complimentary hotel nights, Finnair promotes Helsinki stopovers, TAP Air Portugal offers a Lisbon or Porto stopover, and Singapore Airlines runs a Singapore stopover package. Each has its own rules, so check the airline directly.
Book early, since the best hotels and free tours fill up. Check the eligibility rules for your fare and connection length before you count on a free hotel. And make sure you can enter the country: most stopover cities are easy, but confirm your own visa position first. For what to actually do once you are there, start with our long layover guide.
Crew VIP gives airline staff member rates on hotels, lounges and transport in over 6,000 cities. Wherever you connect, your layover can pay for itself.
Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Icelandair, Finnair, TAP Air Portugal and Singapore Airlines all run stopover programmes at their hubs, among others.
Turkish Airlines and Emirates (via Dubai Connect) offer a free hotel for eligible long layovers. Others offer discounted hotels or free city tours.
Usually not. Many airlines let you add a stopover at the hub without increasing the base fare, though hotels may be free, discounted or paid depending on the programme.