Fly One, Get One Free: Jack's Guide to Airline Stopover Programs

Stopovers vs. layovers: is there actually a difference? Short answer: yes! 

Both involve a break in the journey to your final destination, but they differ in two ways: duration and purpose. If you've been looking for a flight with a long layover so you can get a quick peek at a new city, what you might actually want is a stopover - or even better, an airline stopover program that lets you see a whole new country for free!

What is a layover?

A layover is a relatively short break in your journey, typically lasting for a few hours, although it can be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 24 hours!

The primary purpose of a layover flight is to allow passengers to switch planes, and typically doesn’t give you much time to explore the layover city. Usually, travelers end up snoozing in the airport terminal and stocking up on snacks before their next flight. 

What is a stopover?

A stopover is more of an extended break in your journey that typically lasts from 1 to 7 days before you fly onwards to your final destination. It’s basically a multi-city trip - but with little to no extra cost. 

Travelers can create their own stopovers by booking separate tickets for each leg of the journey, allowing a few days in their chosen city. This can be a bit tricky to plan, since you’ll most likely need to book a series of one-way tickets and know which airports offer routes to your destination. There’s also a good chance that the total cost of your entire trip increases significantly. 

But there’s another way to plan a stopover that can cost you almost nothing! The trick is choosing an airline that includes a free stopover program in one of their hub cities. Some make this process super easy, while others make it tricky to find concrete information. Luckily for you, we’ve done the digging.

This super chunky but seriously helpful guide to airline stopover programs is here to help you maximize your time in each place. 

We’ll keep adding more as we find them, so let us know in the comments below if we’ve missed any airlines you'd like to see here.

Europe

TAP Air Portugal

How long?

1-10 days

Where?

In Lisbon or Porto (Portugal), travelers can then use the domestic flight offer to reach other destinations.

What’s included?

25% off domestic flights within Portugal: What’s great about this offer for TAP in particular is that it can be used to reach Portugal’s islands (not just the mainland), including Madeira and the Azores.

Discounted hotel stays: There are many hotel chains included in this offer, such as Hilton, Pestana, PortoBay and Vila Galé. The discount varies depending on the company and where you’re staying, but it averages 10-20% off.

Discounted activities and attractions: You’ll find a full list of the offers here. Highlights include 40% off car hire in the Azores, 30% off wine tasting in Lisbon, 25% off cetacean watching in Madeira, and 25% off tours in Porto.

How to book?

To book a stopover with TAP, you’ll go to the homepage as normal and enter in your chosen itinerary. If your flight is eligible for a stopover, you’ll see a pop-up prompting you to ‘Add Portugal to your trip’. By clicking ‘Add Stopover’, you can then choose your stopover city, which leg of your journey to stop on, and for how many nights.

After you land

Perhaps it's the sunset, cloaking the city in an old-world crimson glow. But we can't help but feel the magic of Porto in every swirl of a glass, and strum of Fado floating down its backstreets.

Yep, this city oozes charm from the get-go, and you're never too far from a stunning sunset and a mouthwateringly good Francesinha - or pastel de nata for that matter. 

You won't be short of spots to wine and dine, but Navigator Andreia (and Porto local) recommends Restaurante Lareira especially for their Pica Pau!

Wandering the city’s streets in search of the prettiest of azulejos is by far one of the best ways to spend your layover. You’ll find plenty of walking tours that delve deeper into the history of Porto, with some even combining tile painting workshops. But honestly one of the best things about having a layover in this northern city is it’s proximity to the Duoro Valley, Portugal’s ancient wine region. 

Many travelers opt for full-day tours of the valley by cruise, winding through the Douro River and stopping at vineyards and historic villages hugging the hillside. But you can easily DIY the trip by renting a car, opening up many more options of wineries to visit, like the stunning, remote Quinta Nova that's been winemaking since 1756.

And since the country is relatively small, you’re never too far from stunning national parks and Atlantic beaches. 

What Jack’s Travelers Say

Icelandair

How long? 

1-7 nights

Where? 

Reykjavík 

What’s included? 

Icelandair doesn’t include any additional perks as part of its stopover program, the sole offer is the ability to add a stay at no additional airfare cost. 

We hope it spruces up its offering like other airlines, because a few days in Iceland can definitely make an impact on your wallet!

How to book?

Icelandair has a designated stopover page where you can enter in your route and travel dates, then select on which leg you’d like the stopover (both is an option too!), and for how many nights.

After you land

What you see here depends on how many days you choose for your stopover. For a shorter 24-hour stop, we’d recommend sticking to Reykjavík with a quick dip in the Blue Lagoon. But with a few days, or a week, you’ve got a bit more breathing room to venture out to the country’s dramatic waterfalls, canyons, and black-sand beaches. 

The timing of your visit is crucial, though, as high winds and snowstorms frequently shut down roads during October-April, and you’ll only have about 4-5 hours of daylight. The payoff? Better chances of spotting the northern lights. Summer, on the other hand, offers 24 hours of daylight to cram with sights. 

The Ring Road is one of Iceland’s most popular road-trip routes, but the Snaefellsnes Peninsula might be a better fit for a shorter trip. Compacting almost every quintessential Icelandic landscape in one area, it’s often known as “Iceland in Miniature” and is two hours north of Reykjavík. 

What Jack’s Travellers Say

LOT Polish Airlines

How long? 

1-8 nights

Where? 

Warsaw

What’s included?

25% off domestic flights within Poland: This is perfect if you want to have a longer stopover and tick off another Polish city while you’re there. LOT’s route map is a great tool to see where you could choose to go.

Discounted hotel stays: The discount varies by chain here, with 15% off PHH hotels in Warsaw and other cities across the country, or 25% off selected Radisson hotels in Warsaw and Kraków, to name just two. Not bad! Find a full list here.

30% off an in-flight meal: On selected short-haul flights (not including domestic routes), you’ll be able to order a Polish meal and get 30% off the price. Look, we’ll never say no to a discount, but as perks go, this is pretty meh.

Discounted activities and attractions: There’s a real variety of offers in here, including 10% off a pierogi cooking class, 20-50% off entry to selected museums, 10% off selected brands in Warsaw’s designer outlet, and 15% off a City Sightseeing bus ride. Find a full list here.

How to book?

To book a stopover with LOT, Go to the homepage as normal and enter your chosen itinerary under the ‘round-trip flight’ tab. If your flight is eligible for a stopover, you’ll see a pop-up prompting you to ‘Add LOT Stopover in Warsaw’. From there, you can choose which leg to stop on (both legs is also an option!), and how many nights to stay for.

After You Land

There’s nowhere better to see Poland’s economic boom than Warsaw. The capital is a collage of gleaming skyscrapers and Gothic cathedrals, and while it might not have the old-world charm of other Polish cities like Wroclaw or Gdansk, it’s one of those cities that punches well above its weight. 

Its old town was meticulously rebuilt after WWII using nothing but old photographs and 18th-century paintings by Bernardo Bellotto. Climbing St. Anne’s Belltower is by far the best way to appreciate its intricate facades. You’ll catch panoramic views of the Royal Castle before touring its gilded wood and glorious marble interior. Fans of Chopin, you’ll want to head here. 

If you’ve decided on more than a day or two for your stopover, Polish trains easily zip you to cities like Lodz, Gdansk or Torun in under a few hours. But you can just as easily rent a car and take advantage of your stopover discounts, or, you know, just fly to Krakow! 

What Jack’s Travelers Say

Iberia

How long? 

1-9 nights

Where? 

Madrid

What’s included? 

Hotel stay offers: Travelers can get up to 25% off Meliá hotel stays (including early check-in or late check-out upon request). There’s also a free bottle of Perrier-Jouet champagne in it for you if you book a stay at Casa Faraona, or an included breakfast and guaranteed upgrade at the Rosewood Villa Magna Hotel.

Free public transport: All travelers are entitled to free transportation on metro, light rail, and urban and intercity buses for 2 days. Find more details here.

Discounted activities and attractions: Promotions include a complimentary dinner at a flamenco show, 20% off museums and up to 50% off theme park tickets. Find a full list of offers here.

How to book?

Iberia has a designated stopover page where you’ll enter in your route and travel dates as normal. Then you can choose whether to have the stop on your outbound or return leg, as well as how many nights you’d like to spend there. 

After You Land

You’ve got the entirety of Spain at your fingertips by flying into Madrid. But before making a beeline for one of hundreds of high-speed trains, allow a little time to explore Spain’s capital, starting with the classics: museums, parks, and palaces. 

Afterward, pick a platform and head for:

1. Salamanca: Bask in in the golden glow of this university town's famous sandstone architecture. There's something magical about wandering the streets of Salamanca. 

2. Burgos: Admire the jaw-dropping Gothic cathedral, meander along the picturesque riverfront, and soak up the laid-back aura of this historic northern treasure.

3. Zaragoza: Marvel at the stunning Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, dive into the city's rich Roman and Moorish tapestry, and savor the lively street life and mouthwatering local bites. It's considered Spain's best-kept secret, and we have to agree! 

4. Cuenca: Take in the gravity-defying hanging houses. These medieval structures, dating back to the 14th century, were originally built as summer houses for the royal family. Today, they are iconic symbols of the city

What Jack’s Travelers Say

Asia & Oceania

Etihad

How long? 

1-4 nights

Where? 

Abu Dhabi

What’s included? 

Free hotel stay: Travelers are entitled to a free 2-night hotel stay, with flexible 24-hour check-in/out. You can arrange the hotel by calling Etihad at least three days before departure. This has to be one of the sweetest perks available, if you ask us!

Discounted activities and attractions: Etihad gives travelers a free ‘Stopover Pass’ which includes discounted entry to the likes of Ferrari World and Qasr Al Watan, as well as a free local SIM card with 10GB of data.

How to book?

To book a stopover with Etihad, you’ll go to the airline’s homepage as normal and enter in an itinerary under the ‘Round trip’ tab. By pressing search, you’ll then be able to select how many nights to stay for and which leg of the journey to stop on.

After You Land

Dubai gets ALL the attention! Most visitors to the UAE are drawn in by that glittering metropolis, relegating nearby Abu Dhabi to day-trip status.

Here's why that's a mistake:

For starters, Abu Dhabi is also quite the modern city (shiny skyscrapers, luxurious villas, even a Ferrari theme park) but unlike its future-obsessed sibling, it strikes a balance between old and new. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a perfect example — this white marble masterpiece was built less than 20 years ago, but the gem-inlaid mosaics and arch-filled architecture are inspired by ancient Islamic culture.

Outside of town, you really get to slow down and enjoy the landscape. Hop over to Sir Bani Yas Island, home to archaeological dig sites, snorkeling hotspots, and the nation's largest wildlife reserve. Go hiking across the wadi and you might see ostriches, giraffes, oryxes, and even a cheetah or two.

Don’t sleep on Jubail Mangrove Park either. Kayaking through the calm waters of this gorgeous nature reserve is a must-do any time of day. Be sure to come back at night when the boats are lit up with underwater LEDs that make the whole lagoon feel like something out of Avatar.

What Jack’s Travelers say

Fiji Airways

How long? 

1 - 4 nights 

Where? 

Nadi, Fiji

What’s included? 

Discounted resort packages: Fiji Airways’ stopover program includes resort packages in Nadi through partner properties like Landers Bay Resort, Crowne Plaza, Sofitel, Radisson Blue and more. Prices vary depending on the resort you choose but start from $226 per night (Shangri-La). Depending on the resort, you’ll get return airport transfers, all-inclusive food, boat transfers, and spa services. 

Discounted Activities: The airline also offers separate tours and activities at a discounted rate, including guided walking tours of Nadi, sailing trips, and cultural performances starting from $70. 

How to book?

To book a stopover with Fiji Airways you’ll need to book your trip as though it’s a multi-city, by clicking on the ‘Multi-city/Fiji stopover’ tab on its home page. For example, if you want your stopover on the outbound you’ll enter it in like this:

Home airport → Nadi → final destination and final destination → home airport

Or for the return leg, it would be like this:

Home airport → final destination and final destination → Nadi → home airport

After You Land

Nadi sits on the island of Viti Levu, and is a pretty big city by island standards. Luckily, they've got a great public transportation system, with trips around the island costing about a dollar. Highlights include the city's charming markets, Sabeto Hot Springs, and the Garden of the Sleeping Giant.

A hike up Mount Tomanivi (the highest peak in Fiji) is a must. A playlist of parrot calls and out-of-this-world views await anyone whomakes the 3-hr summit to the top. For something a little easier, you've got the choice of the Namosi Highlands or Colo-i-Suva Forest Park – both have gorgeous waterfalls and heaps of hiking trails. 

Read Navigator Larissa’s tips on Fiji beyond the resort here; it’s packed with helpful itinerary ideas for making the most of your time in the country.

What Jack’s Travelers Say

Qatar

How long? 

12 hours - 4 nights 

Where? 

Doha

What’s included? 

Discounted hotel stays: Qatar’s stopover program includes hotel packages that come at a small extra fee. The cheaper hotels (which are still 4-star!) start at £10.50/$14 a night, and the priciest hotels start at £56/$76 a night. They all offer 24-hour check-in/out too.

How to book?

To book a stopover with Qatar, go to the airline’s homepage as normal and select the ‘Stopover/Packages’ tab. From there you can enter in your itinerary, choose when you want the stopover to be, and how many nights you’d like to stay for. You’ll then be redirected to qatarairwaysholidays.com to continue booking.

After You Land

Be honest, what comes to mind when you think of Qatar? For most travelers it's skyscrapers, the Grand Prix, and a concrete jungle as far as the eye can see. 

But what about the country's natural beauty? With Caves, mangroves and whale sharks, Qatar (surprisingly) packs a punch. 

But our pick is the Inland Sea. Hop in an SUV and let your guide tour you through the dunes. After a while, you'll reach the point where the sand circles the turquoise blue sea — it's pretty clear to see why people love this place!

Here you've got heaps of stuff to keep you busy with sandboarding, kitesurfing, and dune bashing, to name a few. 

And for a bit of luxe, Qatar's answer to the Maldives is just a short ferry away…

What Jack’s Travellers Say

Singapore Airlines

How long? 

The airline doesn't explicitly give a maximum length of time, though we were able to select 30+ days using the airline’s multi-city booking tool.

Where? 

Singapore

What’s included? 

Singapore Airlines doesn’t include any additional perks as part of its stopover program, the sole offer is the ability to add a stay at no additional airfare cost. 

The airline used to give free hotel stays for travelers as part of their ‘Singapore Stopover Holidays program’, but that is no longer offered. We’d like to see it come back, though! 

How to book?

To book a stopover with Singapore Airlines, you’ll need to book your trip as though it’s a multi-city on their designated Multi-City Flights Booking page. For example, if you want your stopover on the outbound journey, you’ll enter it in like this:

Home airport → Singapore → final destination and final destination → home airport

Or for the return leg, it would be like this:

Home airport → final destination and final destination → Singapore → home airport

After You Land

Lush rainforests, cascading waterfalls, thrilling theme parks, and that's just inside the airport!

Yup, stepping into Singapore feels like you've fallen waaay down the rabbit hole.

Venture beyond its sci-fi skyline and super trees, and you'll find gorgeous beaches, night safaris and national parks. 

While Singapore was one of the busiest trading posts in Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries, today it's a delicious culinary melting pot. Seriously, their street food is so special that it actually has UNESCO status! 

First up: Hawker stalls (think food court meets night market). There are about 120 of these centers across the city, but I would recommend starting at the Hong Lim Market Food Centre. 

Best things to try: 

• Mouse noodles served with minced pork and crispy fried shallots and garlic (no mice involved).
• "World-famous" laksa from Famous Sungei Road Trishaw.
• Hainanese chicken rice. As the unofficial dish of Singapore, this needs to make the list. Smoky, spicy, and served hot off the grill—what's not to love?
• Teh Tarik... Frothy. Sweet. Yes, please.

On the other end of the spectrum, Singapore has cemented its place in the world of fine dining, with the likes of three-Michelin-starred Odette and Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen.

And since Singapore Airlines generously allows at least 30 days’ stopover, you can easily use the city as a base to hop across South East Asia before you head to your final destination. 

What Jack’s Travelers Say

Turkish Airlines

How long?

20 hours - 7 days 

Where? 

Istanbul

What’s included? 

Free hotel stay: Economy passengers are entitled to a 1-night stay in a 4-star hotel, and business class passengers are entitled to 2 nights in a 5-star hotel or boutique. Breakfast included!

How to book?

To book a stopover with Turkish Airlines, go to the airline’s homepage as normal and click on ‘sStopover in Istanbul’ under the ‘Flight’ tab. There you can enter in your itinerary, select which leg to stopover on, and for how many days.

Note: The free hotel stay won’t be added automatically when booking your trip. Once you’ve completed booking, you’ll need to enter in your information on the airline’s stopover page and make an application at least 72 hours before the flight.

After You Land

If you paid any attention in your history classes, you'll know Istanbul (aka Byzantium and Constantinople) as one of the most important cities in human history, bridging East and West. But even if the classics aren't really your thing, Istanbul is also a paradise of sights and (Turkish) delights. :-)

Your first stop in Istanbul is probably the historic Hagia Sophia and with these views, we really can't blame you. Since it became a working mosque again, waiting times for visitors can get particularly long - try to schedule your visit so it doesn’t coincide with prayer times. The Blue Mosque is also directly opposite, absolutely stunning, and tends not to have such long lines.

But Turkey is also the home of some of the world's finest street food, from mussels to chestnuts. And you know those videos of ice cream vendors messing with customers just trying to grab their cones? Chances are that was in Taksim Square, right in the heart of Istanbul. 

You can also peruse (and maybe even haggle) at the colorful markets of the Grand Baazar or marvel at the Pelit Chocolate Museum, where a bunch of historic events and buildings are recreated with chocolate. And don't worry, there's plenty of chocolate in the adjoining factory and gift shop so you don't have to eat any of the displays.

If you’re visiting in summer, head underground to the Basilica Cistern to escape the heat. It’s grand and eerie in equal measure. 

Istanbul doesn't have to be the only place you see in Turkey on your stopover. Low-cost Turkish airline Pegasus has flights all over the country for under $100 round trip, including to the tourist town Bodrum on the Mediterranean, the capital Ankara in the center of the country, and the balloon-dotted skies of Cappadocia.

Heads up though! You’ll probably want to read Navigator Katy’s article about surviving Istanbul’s Airports before you go…

What Jack's Travelers Say

Wall of Shame

The airlines listed below love to brag about their "free" stopover programs, but the moment you try booking on their websites, the price mysteriously jumps. If you can get them to work, bravo! 

ANA (All Nippon Airways)

The pitch: ANA heavily markets a "free" domestic add-on program, claiming travelers can stop over in Tokyo/Osaka and add up to two flights to other Japanese cities for $0 airfare. 

The reality? The second you use their multi-city tool to turn a short layover into a multi-day stay, the price skyrockets. Annoyingly, their tool kept showing us the currency in Malaysian ringgit, but you'll see the price differences below between a regular round-trip vs. a multi-trip with a "free" stopover in Tokyo. 

We're wondering if their booking engine blocks the cheapest "Economy Basic" promo tickets with this program. This means your budget "Economy Basic" fare in a standard round trip automatically upgrades to a much more expensive "Value" or "Standard" fare class.

Some travelers over on Reddit have had luck with it in the past, while others have not so much. We'd love to hear from you if you've had luck with this program. 

JAL (Japan Airlines) 

The pitch? Just like ANA, they claim to offer a "free" domestic flight to another Japanese city when booked as a multi-city reservation. Again, the same thing happened.

When we tried to use their multi-city tool to add a “free” domestic stop, the flight price increased by hundreds. On top of this, we noticed in the fine print that JAL applies a $100 "stopover fee" (plus local airport taxes) if you spend more than 24 hours in your arrival city before flying onwards. Taking this stopover means you'll spend significantly more to break up your journey in Tokyo. 

After You Land

If you do magically manage to make these Japanese airline stopover programs work, we probably don't need to sell you on the merits of visiting the country itself. But just in case, let us point you to some reading...

What Jack's Travelers Say

That's it for now, but we're always keeping our eyes peeled for more airline stopover programs to dig into - the good, the bad, and the downright useless!

Have you ever used an airline stopover program? Share your experience in the comments!