The 9 Best Airline Stopover Programs to Book in 2024

28.02.2024 - 13:35 / cntraveler.com / Airlines

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 offers free stopovers in Porto and Lisbon with discounted hotel stays.

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' stopover program includes a free hotel stay in Istanbul.

Travelers on Turkish Airlines with a connection in Istanbul of at least 20 hours can qualify for the carrier's Stopover in Istanbul offering. As part of the program, all fliers get a free hotel stay: Passengers flying in economy class can stay one night in a four-star hotel free of charge, and business