Summary

  • Iberia’s Hola Madrid stopover program allows passengers to stay in Madrid for up to 9 nights at no extra cost.
  • The program works for flights with Iberia and other airlines in the IAG group, with certain conditions.
  • Exclusive perks include discounted flights to other cities and a free public transport card for two days.

The Spanish flag carrier

Iberia

, owned by International Airlines Group (IAG), offers a special promotion that invites passengers to break their journey by stopping in the country’s capital, Madrid. Iberia’s stopover program, called Hola Madrid, allows passengers to stay in Madrid for up to ten days or nine nights without having to pay extra for tickets from Madrid to the intended destination.

Understanding the process

The way this stopover program works is relatively straightforward. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to participate in this program:

  1. Find a route with a stopover in Madrid: make sure your route includes a stopover in Spain’s capital.
  2. Select the number of nights you want to spend in Madrid: Iberia’s stopover program allows you to stay up to nine nights.
  3. Choose your flight and make a booking: the offer is available on one of the legs included in your ticket but you can choose to do your stopover in Madrid either on the outbound or return journey.

It is important to note that when booking a flight with Iberia to any of its international destinations, you must select the “Stopover” option using the flight search engine on their website.

A screenshot of Iberia's main page

Photo: Iberia

After clicking on the “Stopover” button, you will be redirected to another webpage where you can choose your flight destinations, select your stopover dates, and indicate how many nights you will spend in Madrid.

A screenshot of Iberia's main page

Photo: Iberia

The Spanish national carrier is based at Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD), the country’s largest and busiest aviation hub. Iberia offers both long-haul and short-haul flights. Notably, the member of the

Oneworld alliance

offers flights to more than 140 destinations in 46 territories across North America, Europe, Central America, South America, Africa, and the Middle East.

It is worth noting that the stopover deal is available on almost all destinations offered by Iberia. However, if it is not available for your itinerary, it may be the case that it does not meet the requirements. If this is the case, the airline advises to check the flight in the Multiple Journeys section.

A screenshot of Iberia's main page

Photo: Iberia 

For example, Iberia did not have a stopover fare for the route between New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Copenhagen Airport (CPH).

Is flying with Iberia mandatory?

In short, yes. However, there is a catch. Since Iberia is part of the IAG group, the stopover program is also available with other airlines within the IAG group. These airlines include:

  • Iberia Express (Iberia’s low-cost carrier)
  • British Airways
  • Vueling
  • Aer Lingus
  • Air Nostrum (Iberia’s regional arm)

It is worth noting that flights with above mentioned airlines must always be shorter than six hours. On flights extending six hours, the operating company, however, has to be Iberia unless the flights are to or from Mexico, the United States, or Puerto Rico. If this is the case, the stopover program is also available flying with British Airways or American Airlines.

Additional exclusive offers

Iberia’s stopover program does not just offer a free stopover in Madrid; it has additional perks and exclusive offers, such as a free public transport card providing you with a free 2-day tourist card that starts counting from the moment you pass it through the card reader on any public transport for the first time. After two days, you can top up the card to continue using it.

An Iberia Express Airbus A320 descending

Photo: Soos Jozsef | Shutterstock

As part of Iberia’s stopover program in Madrid, you can also book discounted tickets from Madrid to other Spanish cities or even Portugal. The airline offers a 25% discount on flights between Spain and Portugal.

With this option, you can make multiple stopovers and explore more destinations. Discounted tickets are available for cities such as Barcelona (BCN), Seville (SVQ), Granada (GRX), Ibiza (IBZ), Lisbon (LIS), Porto (OPO), and Faro (FAO). It is worth noting that these tickets must be booked with Iberia, Iberia Express, or Air Nostrum.

To use this opportunity, you need to get your promotional code by going to the Stopover section of Booking Management, exchange it on your next purchase.

Additionally, if you are a member of the

Iberia Plus

loyalty program, these discounted short-haul hops can also score you Avios points, which can be used for other benefits, including free flights or cabin upgrades.

Related

The Different Tiers Of Iberia Plus

Elite status gives benefits with Iberia and all oneworld partner airlines

Other airlines offering stopover programs

Many airlines around the world are offering stopover programs as they incentivize travelers to book flights with specific airlines and maximize their travel itinerary. Notably, stopover programs are typically associated with legacy carriers that have major hubs offering numerous flights and frequent layovers.

An Iberia Airbus A320 taxiing

Photo: Robson90 | Shutterstock

Airlines’ stopover deals vary depending on their policies. Some airlines offer stopovers of five days, while others provide ten days. Some include free hotel stays, while others offer discounted excursions, among other perks. Meanwhile, some offer a stopover when flying transatlantic, others when flying short-haul flights.

Here is the list of airlines currently offering stopover programs:

  • Emirates – Dubai stopover
  • Etihad Airways – Abu Dhabi stopover
  • Qatar Airways – Doha stopover
  • Finnair – Helsinki stopover
  • Icelandair – Iceland stopover
  • Oman Air – Muscat stopover
  • Copa Airlines – Panama stopover
  • Air Canada – Toronto stopover
  • Fiji Airways – Nadi or Fiji stopover
  • Singapore Airlines – Singapore stopover

Related

Iberia Launches Avios ‘Points Planes’ To Santorini And Sicily

The new Iberia Plus Flights reward frequent flyers with Avios-only flights to exotic island destinations.

What are your thoughts on this? Have you ever participated in a stopover program? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section below.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *