All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Many long-haul flights make pit stops in another city or country before reaching the final destination—so why not turn your layover into a mini vacation? Through offerings known as “stopover” programs, some international airlines allow passengers to add a free stop to their flight itinerary in order to do just that.
Essentially, a stopover is an extended layover that allows travelers to leave the airport and explore the city (typically where the airline heads its operations). Airline stopovers can span anywhere from 24 hours all the way up to 10 days, depending on the carrier, making them highly customizable to travelers’ schedules and needs.
Taking advantage of these free airline programs is one of the best ways to stretch your travel budget—but not all stopovers are created equal. The ones with the most value for travelers offer free or discounted hotel stays, as well as savings on tourist activities like city tours, admission to museums, and even restaurant bills.
We've rounded up nine of the best stopover programs available in 2024 that allow travelers to explore Madrid, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Reykjavik, Istanbul, Panama City, Porto, and Lisbon for hardly any additional airfare costs.
TAP Air Portugal
As the only airline to offer free stopovers in two cities (Porto and Lisbon), TAP Air Portugal has one of the most flexible programs out there. Plus, it allows travelers to stay in either city for up to 10 days. The stopover booking process is super simple, as TAP has integrated it into its standard booking field. All you need to do is choose your travel dates, departure city, and destination as usual, then click the “Add Stopover” button. This will open a pop-up window where you can input the details of your stopover, including whether you'd like to visit Porto or Lisbon and for how long.
When your flights are squared away, you can book a discounted hotel stay by browsing TAP's list of hotel partners. The list offers booking codes with average savings of 10-20% off your stay. You'll also have access to discounts for restaurants, museums, and walking tours. Browse the airline's stopover offers page to see the full list. And once you wrap up your stopover, you also get a 25% discount on airfare to a second destination in Portugal, like the Azores archipelago.
Turkish Airlines
Travelers on Turkish Airlines on any itinerary from the US with at least a 20-hour connection in Istanbul qualify for the carrier's Stopover in Istanbul offering. The program is one of the most generous when it comes to accommodations, giving all fliers a free hotel stay: Passengers flying from the US in economy class can stay two nights in a four-star hotel free of charge, and business class passengers get three free nights in a five-star hotel. There's also an option book additional nights at contracted hotels offering discounted stays starting at $49 USD per night.
Turkish Airlines has recently simplified its stopover booking process, making it easier than ever to take advantage of the program. There is now a “Stopover in Istanbul” button right on the airline's booking page.
Iberia
With its Stopover Hola Madrid program, Iberia allows travelers to stay in the Spanish capital for as little as 24 hours, all the way up to seven days and six nights at no extra cost in airfare. Passengers can add a stopover to either their outbound or return flight and select the length of their stay on the airline's booking page. Stopover customers are also afforded a host of discounts, including 20% off tickets to the Prado museum, a free public transportation card valid for two days that can be picked up at the airport, and reduced hotel stays through the airline's partners.
IcelandAir
If you're interested in adding a few days in Reykjavik to your next vacation, book with IcelandAir, which offers free Reykjavik stopovers from one to seven days for its transatlantic passengers. When booking your flights, simply click the “Stopover in Iceland” button and choose how many days you'd like to stay. While there's no additional airfare involved, IcelandAir's program does not include a free or discounted hotel stay, so passengers will need to factor that in as an extra cost. However, the airline's stopover page does offer suggestions for a wide range of affordable sightseeing tours, like an abbreviated tour of the Golden Circle (from $81), a Reykjavik walking tour (from $40), and a Blue Lagoon experience (from $172).
Play Airlines
A second option for enjoying the natural wonders of Iceland on a budget is with Play Airlines’ free stopover deal. The low-cost carrier offers free stopovers at its home base of Reykjavik for up to 10 days. Aside from that long window to stay in Iceland, the budget airline doesn’t offer too many extra perks—you’ll have to secure your own accommodations and tours. But given that Play’s airfares are so cheap, starting at $129 for a one-way flight from the US to Europe, you’ll have plenty of extra budget to put toward an affordable place to stay, like hybrid property Hlemmur Square, which offers both hostel-style rooms and traditional private hotel rooms. To book the stopover, go to Play’s booking page and select “Stopover in Iceland” from the ticket type dropdown menu (the button that says “Roundtrip”).
Qatar Airways
One of the best airline stopover programs is Qatar Airways', which offers a valuable hotel bundle. The carrier offers stays of up to four days in Doha, with bundle rates for four-star hotels starting at just $14 USD per person per night. If you want to upgrade to a luxury five-star hotel, the fee starts at $23 USD per person per night, which is still a deep discount. And of course, the stopover will cost you nothing in terms of extra airfare fees.
To score the bundle, book your stopover through Qatar Airways' dedicated page, which allows you to select the leg of the journey you'd like to stop in Doha and for how many days. Once your flights are booked, visit the airline's stopover hotel booking page to browse options for your stay. Choose your hotel and input your flight information during the booking process to receive the discount.
Also available during your time in Doha are discounted tour packages that range from activities like kitesurfing lessons, a private Bedouin dinner in the desert, souq tours, and many more.
Etihad
With its “Stopover on Us” package, Etihad is offering free stopovers in Abu Dhabi. The one- or two-night packages include a free stay at a three-star hotel in the city, plus perks like 24-hour check-in and free in-room Wi-Fi. Among the hotel partners are the Centro Al Manhal, the Millennium Al Rawdah Hotel, and the Traders Hotel Al Maqta.
To add the stopover, you need to first book a flight connecting through Abu Dhabi in any cabin class. Then, select your stopover package and check hotel availability on the airline's stopover page. It's important to note that a flight reservation is required to check the program's hotel availability (which is not guaranteed) and bookings must be made at least 72 hours before travel.
Copa Airlines
Travelers can take up to seven days to explore Panama City with Copa Airlines’ stopover program. Copa passengers can add a stopover in the capital city—one of the best places to go in South America in 2024—on either the outgoing or return leg of their journey. Travelers can stay in Panama for as little as 24 hours all the way up to one week without needing to pay extra airfare. (Copa also offers the option to add a second stopover to your flight itinerary for $250 USD.) To book the stopover, simply go to the booking page on Copa’s website and toggle to the “Multi-city/Stopover” tab. Although the stopover program does not include a free or discounted hotel stay, there are many exciting new hotels in Panama City that would be well-worth the splurge, like the boutique eight-room Amarla, located in the city’s Casco Viejo historic district, or the waterfront Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo.
Emirates
With its Dubai Connect program, Emirates offers travelers with extended layovers in Dubai an array of complimentary perks, including a one-night hotel stay, visa, meals, and transfers to and from the airport. Passengers in economy through first class are eligible for these perks. To qualify for the program, your layover must be between eight to 26 hours for economy and premium economy tickets or six and 26 hours for business and first class tickets. Your connection time must be the shortest available—meaning you have to depart Dubai on the next available flight to your destination or your itinerary won’t be eligible.
When passengers arrive in Dubai, they can head to the Dubai Connect desk in the arrivals terminal for their free car transfer to their hotel. The airline usually puts Dubai Connect passengers in the Copthorne Hotel Dubai, the Le Méridien Airport Hotel Dubai, or the JW Marriott Marquis, but it’s possible travelers will be booked at a different property at the carrier’s discretion. While at the hotel, all applicable meals will be included as part of the service. You can book Dubai Connect online at least 24 hours before your layover.
For a longer stopover experience, travelers can book a multi-city itinerary on the airline’s booking page. Toggle the “advanced search” feature and input Dubai International airport as an additional destination between your city of origin and final destination. When your flights are booked, you can add on Dubai hotels and experiences through Emirates’ Dubai stopover page, which offers discounts and extra perks like 24-hour hotel check-in.
This story has been updated with new information since its original publish date.