Even if you are a frequent traveler, if you mainly fly U.S. carriers, it is understandable why you may not be familiar with stopover vacations—this just is not a thing with our domestic airlines.

But it is a thing with some of the very best airlines in the world, across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Whether you are flying economy on a budget and long for a little extra bang for your buck or are flying some of the finest business and first-class cabins/suites on earth, there is something for you when it comes to stopover vacations. You can also use this to add a mini-vacation to a business trip, and here is how to get two vacations in one trip with airline stopover packages.

What Are Stopover Vacations?

There are essentially three kinds of options available to travelers.

DIY Stopovers

The most basic is simply an extended free stopover, where an airline lets you build in a day or more at their hub while changing planes. You then foot the bill for the cost of your visit. Among the world-class carriers, none is bigger on this than Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong—which allows stays of up to an unrivalled three months. Wherever you are headed to after flying there from the U.S. (or Europe), you can stop and spend some time eating world class cuisine and exploring the vibrant city on your own before moving on to your actual destination.

Several European carriers, including TAP Air Portugal, Iberia and Icelandair, offer free stopovers that are easy to schedule, and in some cases offer modest discounts on lodging, food, transportation and attractions with tourism partners.

There are several other airlines worldwide that you can slip in a free stopover on if you know what you are doing or get your tickets through a travel agent, but these are the primary ones that aggressively market and promote stopovers and make it easy and transparent for consumers.

Extended Layover

The second iteration is one Turkish Airlines is the specialist in, basically free guided trips from the airport during long stopovers in Istanbul. There are shopping tours, cultural tours and so on, and all you have to do is sign up online (or go to the desk and hope for space). At the tour desk they put you on a bus with a guide and schedule to get you back to your flight connection. This is especially useful since Turkish Airlines flies to more destinations than any airline in the world, wins all sorts of awards for business, economy, lounges and food, and Istanbul is an amazing tourism city. Since they fly to so many places, and also offer some of the best values in the airline industry in every class, you might be changing in Istanbul to go to a major European city, onwards to Asia, or to Africa, and this might involve a 5–10-hour layover. Why not get in a mini vacation rather than sitting in the airport. Did I mention it’s free?

Qatar, another world-class carrier, also offers day tours at its Doha hub, which are steeply discounted. Emirates does complimentary hotels and meals in Dubai, but the logistics are trickier (explained below).

Stopover Packages

The third and most attractive option is an actual vacation package with hotel, transfers and/or tours, usually at a greatly reduced price you could not get on your own, with options for both budget and luxury stays. Qatar, always rated among the very best airlines on earth and famous for their luxury Q Suites in business class, is a big leader in this, as are Turkish (again) and Emirates.

What Airlines Offer Stopovers?

Turkish Airlines

When I recently flew Turkish to Johannesburg from Boston, I had a long (8-10 hour) layover in Istanbul in both directions. Now to be fair, the Turkish Business Class Louge is one of the best in the world, and has amazing food, a wide range of wine choices, strolling masseuses, shower suites and even a golf simulator and flight simulator. But instead of spending the entire time sitting there, I enjoyed the lounge for a few hours (including shower and massage)—but also escaped for a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus River. It’s amazing what little fresh air can do after an overnight flight. That was on my outbound leg. On the return, I took a guided tour of the city, including lunch. Both were free and seamless.

Turkish has a central hub in a new deluxe airport that straddles Europe and Asia, and flies to more destinations than any airline in the world (more than 350 airports and according to website Upgradedpoints.com, they hit 126 countries, a huge margin over number two, Air France, at 93). They consistently have among the best prices for both coach and business class and are especially handy for American travelers as they fly non-stop to Istanbul from no less than 14 U.S. gateways (Newark and JFK for New York, Washington, San Francisco, Houston, Miami, Los Angelese, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Seattle and Boston), with plans to add Charlotte, Orlando, Philadelphia and Minneapolis in the near future. They are a member of Star Alliance, partnered with United in this country.

In the industry’s most influential honors, the 2024 Skytrax World Airline Awards, Turkish once again won Best Airline in Europe (they won in 2023 and several other times), beating out the likes of Air France, Swiss, Lufthansa, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. They also took six other Number Ones in the awards, including Best Economy Class in Europe, Best Economy Class Catering in Europe, and Best Business Class Onboard Catering for the entire world, thanks to the airline’s famous “flying chef” program.

Turkish has one of the most comprehensive stopover programs in the world. The first part is “Touristanbul,” the long layover experience I had. The schedule and tours change a bit throughout the year but there are usually seven tours offered each day, seven days a week, including a sightseeing tour, half-day city tour, full-day tour, evening tour, Turkish History tour, Old City tour and the Bosphorus dinner cruise. If you have a layover of between 6-24 hours you can partake in any of these, absolutely free.

The second option is the “Stopover in Istanbul” program, which basically offers free high-quality accommodation open to anyone with a connection period of at least 20 hours—and up to seven days (which you can build in when you book your flight). Passengers flying economy class (but not n or r fare which you might get if you buy basic economy through United) get one free night in a 4-Star hotel (Turkish rating system, not Forbes) while Business Class passengers get up to two nights free in 5-Star lodging. For longer stays, special rates are offered. Fo this program, passengers are responsible for their own transportation to and from the hotel, meals and sightseeing.

Qatar Airways

Qatar is always ranked the best or one of the very best airlines on earth, and in 2024 cleaned up at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards with nine wins including the most important of them all, Airline of the Year 2024 (also World’s Best Business Class, World’s Best Business Class Seat, and for the Middle East, Best Airline, Best Economy Class, Best Business Class, Best Cabin Crew, Best Business Class Food and Cleanest Airline).

Qatar is especially known for its revolutionary Q suite, an enclosed business class configuration for maximum privacy, excellent for couples or co-workers. It has long been best in class but is currently undergoing an upgrade, system wide. You can read my detailed Qatar review here at Forbes.

Not surprisingly, Qatar also bills its program as the “World’s Best Value Stopover,” and understandably so, given that hotel rates for stays in Doha begin at just $14 for 4-Star (Qatar rating system) brand name properties such as Hilton and Marriott. 5-Star Premium hotels run from $24 and beachfront 5-Stars from $31. That’s hard to beat anywhere on earth. The top option is 5-Star Luxury, such as Fairmont, InterContinental and Westin, from $83. These are available as long as you have at least a 12-hour connection time, and stays can last up to four nights.

In addition, Qatar offers a wide slate of optional tours you can add to the hotel stays, also deeply discounted, such as the 4-hour Discover Doha city tour for just $40. A private 4-hour SUV desert tour is $62, a private 5-hour desert tour with a traditional Bedouin-style dinner feast overlooking the Arabian gulf is just $81, and you can even play 18-holes at the prestigious Doha Golf Club ($146), Ther are more than two dozen discounted tour options, including dinner cruises, watersports, cultural and museum tours.

Like Turkish, Qatar also offers “Transit Tours” for those with long layovers (6+ hours) but not spending the night. The most popular is Discover Doha, which includes round trip airport transfers, visits Dhow Harbour, Katara Cultural Village, the Blue Mosque, Gold Mosque, Galleries Lafayette and the Souq Waqif, all for $31. Ther is an aerial flyover tour, a desert tour and even a private customizable tour with your own driver and guide, all very reasonably priced.

Don’t have enough time for a Transit Tour? If you have a 3-hour layover you can sign up for the Discover Relaxation Package right at the airport, which includes a massage and up to 4-hours access to pool, gym, jacuzzi and showers, for $75. Qatar is part of the OneWorld alliance with American Airlines in the U.S.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay allows you to add in a free stopover in Hong Kong—for up to 90 days! Many airlines that you can do stopovers on do not advertise it or make it easy, and in many cases limit stays to a maximum of as little as four days, so Cathay is in a class all by itself in this regards. It is also an excellent carrier, with stunning multiple lounges in Hong Kong, and at the Skytrax World Airlines Awards for 2024 they just won World’s Best Economy Class, World’s Cleanest Airline—more important these days than ever—and for Asia, Best Economy Class and Best Economy food.

Cathay is adding Dallas, a hub for U.S. partner American, as a gateway on April 25, which will be the first and only non-stop from Texas to Hong Kong, Cathay already has non-stops from New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angelese, Chicago, Vancouver and Toronto.

While Cathay Pacific is already one of the top carriers in the world for economy and business, they just raised the bar with the introduction of the new Aria Suite in business class, which launched in October 2024 and is being rolled out on more long-haul flights on the all-Business cabin configuration of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. With enclosed privacy panels it is reminiscent of the Qatar Q Suite, and boasts upgraded lay flat bed, bedding, 24-inch 4K screen, wireless charging, and an elevated culinary experience.

Cathay also offers modest discounts on Hong Kong hotels, transit and attractions as part of its stopover program. It is part of the OneWorld alliance with American Airlines in the U.S.

Emirates

Emirates is the only one of these airlines I have not flown personally, so I cannot speak to that, but they do have some amazing offers, especially for their “Dubai Experience” stopover packages. There is a slate of pre-planned 1–3-day packages you can book when you book your air, and the prices are almost too good to believe. For instance, there is the “Dubai For The First Time Visitor” 3-day tour package that includes a 6-hour Dubai Classic City tour and 6-hour evening desert safari with dinner (Day One); Beach time, sea kayaking, a 2-hour visit to Bluewater island and a dinner cruise (Day Two); and shopping retail therapy, a sky high visit to the observation deck atop the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest structure, and the Dubai Fountain Show, its answer to the Bellagio in Las Vegas. All of this, for all three days, clocks in at $105 per person, including two full dinners. One day options range from cultural tours to spa days to sky diving.

They also have special hotel rates, and unlike many other carriers, if you book any combination of two or more hotels and activities, you get 10% off your airfare, which can cover most of the other costs.

Emirates also offers a program called “Dubai Connect” for long layovers (8-26 hours for economy/premium economy and 6-26 for business). You get a free hotel room, transfers, meals and a UAE visa, which is a great deal. However, there’s a catch. Emirates does a good job of planning schedules so many itineraries have reasonable connection times in Dubai. You can only qualify for Dubai Connect if the connecting flight on your itinerary is the best available connection. This means that the stopover time in Dubai between your two flights must be the shortest one available. If your connecting flight departs after another, earlier connecting flight to your destination, you won’t qualify for Dubai Connect.

At the 2024 Skytrax World Airline Awards, Emirates took home seven wins, including World’s Best Inflight Entertainment, Best First Class Amenities, and for Middle East, Best First Class, Best Premium Economy, Best food in both those classes and Most Family Friendly.

TAP Air Portugal

Portugal has been red hot as leisure destination for Americans, and with a stopover on your way to another destination, you can get a taste of it and a true two vacations-in-one experience. TAP flies from several U.S. cities to all over Europe and beyond, and as the closest spot in Continental Europe, Portugal is almost always directly on the way. Last fall I flew TAP to Marrakech, Morocco, because it was the most direct route from the U.S. (though United recently launched the first non-stops from the U.S. to Marrakech, part of a major new route expansion I just wrote about here at Forbes), and I was very happy with the airline, the user friendly Lisbon airport (seamless, easy transfer) and the TAP Star Alliance lounge there. But I did not have time to add a stay in Lisbon, a wonderful city I have explored several times.

TAP’s offering was just voted the Best Stopover program in the world by Global Traveler magazine for the sixth straight year. The biggest differentiator is that it lets you visit either Lisbon or Porto, another great city, whereas other carriers only feature their primary hub. You can book in a stay of up to 10 days, coming or going, and also get a 20% discount at many partner hotels, plus a few hundred offers for special rates on tours, meals, museums, attractions and other benefits, such as a discounted Lisboa Card or Porto Card that opens up many key attractions. Like Turkish Airways above, TAP is part of Star Alliance with United.

Iberia

Spain’s main airline Iberia has a very similar product to neighboring Portugal, with its “Stopover Hola Madrid” program. You get a free stay of up to 9 nights and special offers for partners, but no organized tours or included lodging. Iberia is in OneWorld with American Airlines.

Icelandair

Icelandair has been offering its signature “Explore Iceland” stopovers since I was in college, and that pre-dates the internet and a lot of other things that have happened in the past couple of decades. You can basically book a 1–7-day free stopover on any onward ticket, and Icelandair often has some of the lowest rates to Europe of any mainstream carrier (they are not a bargain basement budget carrier).

However, in the past they offered discounted hotel and tour packages, but currently do not, so other than free stopover, you are on your own.

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