Airline Stopovers: A Travel Hacking Strategy
Most of us think about points and miles when we hear the words travel hacking. It’s true, loyalty programs and credit card sign-up bonuses can result in amazing travel savings. But, what if your credit has taken a hit and you aren’t eligible for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card? Travel hacking without credit cards is possible with airline stopovers.
Read: Basic Travel Hacking Strategies for Beginners
How to Travel Hack Without Credit Cards
Have you heard of airline stopovers? Generally, a stopover is when you have twenty-four or more hours in a city between flights. A layover is a city stop under twenty-four hours. Airline stopovers allow you to leave the airport and explore the city before moving on to your final destination. As a result, you get two vacations for the price of one flight. Many airlines allow a stopover in their hub city for several days at no extra charge. Some airlines offer low-cost travel packages including hotel stays attached to their stopovers. A few airlines provide a free hotel night if you have a long layover. Some cities offer free guided tours from the airport to take advantage of the layover.
Advertised Airline Stopovers
Below is a list of cities that advertise stopovers. Many also offer travel packages at discounted rates. Some airlines will not allow a stopover when you are paying for the flight with points and miles. It is possible to still stop in the city for a long layover and depart within twenty-four hours.
Air Canada allows stopovers in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto if your layover is six or more hours.
Icelandair stopover program allows up to three days in Reykjavík
Finnair allows stopovers in Helsinki for up to five days
Swiss Air offers stopover packages
Brussels Airlines allows up to a five-day stopover in Brussels
TAP Portugal allows up to a five-night stopover in Lisbon or Porto
Iberia allows stopovers of six days or more in Madrid
Avianca Airlines allows a two-day stopover in Bogotá, Colombia
Turkish Airlines provides free hotel if your stopover is twenty or more hours
Royal Jordanian provides a free hotel stay in Amman if your layover is eight or more hours and there are no same-day connections available
Japan Airlines offers stopovers in Tokyo and Osaka
Air China offers one free overnight hotel stay in Beijing & Shanghai
Thai Airways periodically offers stopovers in Bangkok
Emirates will allow up to a thirty-day stopover in Dubai when booked through their call center or a travel agent
Etihad offers a free two-night hotel stopover city in Abu Dhabi
Qatar Airways has a stopover program in Doha
Oman Air allows up to three nights in Muscat upon request through their website
Ethiopian offers a free hotel when your connection in Addis Ababa is eight to twenty-four hours
Hub City Airline Stopovers
If your desired destination is not listed above, don’t give up. Many airlines do not advertise but do allow stopovers in their hub cities. Try searching for multi-city flights on your own. If you get stuck, give the airline a call and ask them how to book a stopover. You might not get three days in the city but I’m a firm believer that twenty-four hours are better than no hours. Below are a few options to explore.
Qantas (Sydney, Australia)
Air New Zealand (Auckland, New Zealand)
Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu, Hawaii)
LATAM Chile (Santiago, Chile)
Malaysia Airlines (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong)
Korean Air (Seoul, Korea)
Air France (Paris, France)
British Airways (London, England)
Long Layover Options
I value my vacation time and book direct flights whenever possible. I tend to be a nervous flyer, I would be very unhappy if I missed a flight. But I am comfortable running into a city I have visited in the past and know my way around or taking advantage of a free city tour departing from the airport. Airports offering a free city tour are Singapore (SIN), Seoul-Incheon (ICN), Taipei (TPE), Tokyo-Narita (NRT), Istanbul (IST), Doha (DIA ), Salt Lake City Utah (SLC). Many other airports offer low-cost tours. Note, that you do not need a visa to take an airport tour because you are considered in transit. In addition, many airlines offer a free hotel stay if your layover is overnight. Simply google free hotel stay overnight layover + airline + city or to see what is currently available.
Several years ago I made a spur of the moment decision to travel to Iceland. I checked flights and Icelandair was my best option. I knew that if I flew with Icelandair I could stop over for free. I had to book right away and didn’t have time to think. I chose Stockholm as my stopover. Mainly because I don’t hear much about Stockholm and was curious. I fell in love with Stockholm. Several years later I was booking a flight to Europe and noticed an option with a seven-hour layover in Stockholm, I grabbed it and spent a few hours wandering Gamla Stan at no cost to me. In fact, the flight with the long layover was less expensive.
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