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Planning a long-haul flight and have a layover? You can take advantage of many airlines’ free stopover programs. A stopover is when you break up a journey by spending a short amount of time in a connecting city, giving you the chance to explore a new destination without paying for an additional flight. Think of it as a long layover, where you get to leave the airport and explore anywhere from 12 hours to a week or more, depending on the airline's rules. In the travel industry, it is called “Stopover Paid by the Carrier” or “SPTC” when the airline pays for you to stay by giving you free perks like hotel rooms or airport transportation.
I’ve done stopovers in over a dozen cities, including Singapore, Beijing, Dubai, and Taipei. In fact, every time I fly to Asia, I try to make a stopover. Whether I’m traveling for business or leisure (usually both!) I always try to see new places and break up my trip a bit.
This article will address the following questions about free stopover programs.
- What is a free stopover?
- What airlines offer free stopovers?
- What cities can you do free stopovers in?
- How to book a free stopover.
What Is a Free Stopover?
A stopover is when you break up a journey by spending time in a connecting city, giving you the chance to explore a new destination without paying for an additional flight. Think of it as a long layover where you get to leave the airport and explore, anywhere from 12 hours to a week or more, depending on the airline’s rules. In the travel industry, it’s called “Stopover Paid by the Carrier” (SPTC) when the airline pays for you to stay by giving you free perks like hotel rooms or airport transportation.
Certain airlines let you book flights with very long layovers so you can visit the city you’re connecting through. This is usually done at no extra airfare and, in many cases, can actually be cheaper than booking a short layover. Many airlines throw in free perks, discounted hotel rooms, and city tours to encourage travelers to leave the airport and see their city.
How Many Airlines Offer Free Stopovers?
Right now, we’ve found nearly 25 airlines with free or low-cost stopover programs. If you follow us on TikTok, you’ll have seen that our free stopover post hit nearly 1 million views. After it went viral, we dove in to see just how many stopovers we could find, and we were astonished by how many great ones people don’t know about, many offering incentives like free nights, airport transfers, and city tours to get you to see their country.
Can’t I Just Create My Own Stopover?
Sure, if you wanted to visit Dubai on the way to Asia, you could just book a flight to Dubai, then book another flight to Asia, but it’ll probably be a lot Sure. If you wanted to visit Singapore on the way to Bali, you could just book a flight to Singapore, then book another to Bali, but it’ll probably cost a lot more. With a free stopover, you’re buying one ticket instead of two. One major advantage is that you pay less in airport taxes on a single stopover itinerary, or the country waives them entirely, which is part of why it’s called a free stopover. You probably didn’t even know you’re charged airport taxes, but if you look at the breakdown of your ticket price, they usually make up a sizable portion of your airfare.
Why Do Airlines Offer Free Stopovers?
Airlines and their home countries offer stopovers to encourage tourism and stimulate the local economy. Taiwan, Singapore, and Korea all co-fund free city tours or vouchers to show transit travelers their country in the hope you’ll come back for a longer visit. It’s a win-win: they get a potential future visitor, and you get a free bonus destination on the way to your trip.
Which Airlines Offer Free Stopovers? (City-by-City List)
We’ve put the Asian hubs first, since those are the cities most travelers connect through on the way to Southeast and East Asia. Each link goes to the airline’s official stopover page.
Asia
Singapore, Singapore Airlines “Holiday Before the Holiday”:
The gateway to Bali, Thailand, and Vietnam, and home to Changi, the world’s best airport. Singapore Airlines’ program (relaunched in 2025) includes hotel nights for premium cabins, Changi shopping vouchers, and a free Singapore city tour for layovers of 5.5 hours or more. Even airside, Jewel Changi with its indoor waterfall is worth the stop.
Taipei, Taiwan’s Free Half-Day Tour (EVA Air & China Airlines):
Taiwan offers a free guided half-day tour for transit travelers with 7 to 24 hour layovers, plus a NT$600 airport gift voucher for eligible transit passengers (valid through late 2026). Taipei connects to nearly every Asia trip we run.
Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Stopover:
Cathay lets you add up to 7 days in Hong Kong with no extra airfare on eligible routes, plus MTR discounts. If your layover is 7+ hours, Hong Kong International Airport runs a free guided city tour.
Seoul, Incheon Airport’s K-Stopover Packages:
Note: Korean Air no longer offers the old free stopover perk it once did. Today, the K-Stopover program is run by Incheon Airport and offers affordable package tours (guided or self-guided) that include accommodation, transport, and shopping vouchers, a convenient way to see Seoul on a long layover.
Tokyo or Osaka, Japan Airlines Stopover:
Japan Airlines lets you add up to 6 nights in Tokyo or Osaka. There’s a roughly $100 stopover fee for travelers from the US and Canada, and you get free domestic connections on the same booking, great if Japan is your destination or your gateway onward.
Europe & the Americas
Reykjavik, Iceland:
Iceland Air’s Stopover in Iceland
Madrid, Spain:
Iberia’s Hola Madrid Program
Bogota, Colombia:
Avianca’s ¡Bogotá Stopover!
Panama City, Panama:
Copa’s Panamá Stopover
Amman, Jordan:
Royal Jordanian’s Zuwar Stopover
Guangzhou, China:
China Southern Free Accommodation
Toronto, Canada:
Air Canada’s Experience Toronto
Amsterdam, Netherlands, Paris, France, and other cities:
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’s / Air France’s Flying Blue Stopover
Other Regions
Istanbul, Turkey:
Turkish Airlines Stopover in Istanbul
Dubai, UAE:
Emirates Dubai Stopover
Helsinki, Finland:
Finair’s Helsinki Layover
Porto and Lisbon, Portugal:
TAP Air Portugal’s Portugal Stopover
Abu Dhabi, UAE:
Etihad Airways’s Stopover in Abu Dhabi
Seoul, Gyeonggi, & Incheon, South Korea:
Korean Air’s K-Stopover
Hong Kong:
Cathay Pacific Stopover
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia:
Saudi and Flynas Stopover Visa
Muscat, Oman:
Oman Air Stopover in Oman
Bonus Stopovers
These airlines don’t heavily advertise their stopover options, but you can often take advantage of them: ANA, Alaska Airlines, Air China, Hawaiian Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa).
Flying to Bali? You can’t get there without a stopover, so why not make the most of it? Check out our small-group trips to Bali or Thailand and turn your layover into the start of the adventure.
ANA
Alaska Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Air China
Hawaiian Airlines
Philippines Airlines
Ethiopian Airline’s Addis Ababa Stopovers
Eva Air’s MyTaiwanTour
I had a great time in Taipei on my Eva Air stopovers.
Free Stopover FAQs
How do I book a free stopover?
Most airlines have a webpage explaining how to book. Some have a specific “stopover” or “multi-city” option during booking, while others require you to call or email customer service to add it. In many cases, you can simply search for flights with long layovers, the cheaper long-haul fares often have stopovers of up to 48 hours built in. Always check the airline’s official stopover page (linked above) for the exact steps.
Do I need a visa for a free stopover?
It depends on your passport and the country. The quickest check is to Google “Do I need a visa as a [your nationality] to visit [country]?” Some countries make it easy: China offers visa-free transit of up to 10 days for many nationalities, and Taiwan and Singapore allow visa-free entry for most Western travelers on short stopovers. Always confirm before you plan to leave the airport.
What about my checked bags?
If you’ve checked bags to your final destination, bring whatever you need for the stopover in your carry-on. On many stopover programs the airline holds your checked luggage and it arrives at your final destination. When in doubt, pack a carry-on with the essentials, go Team Carry-on!
What’s the difference between a layover and a stopover?
A layover is a short connection, usually under 24 hours, where you often stay in the airport. A stopover is a longer, intentional stay in a connecting city, typically more than 24 hours, that lets you leave the airport and explore. Many airlines let you add a stopover to your ticket at little or no extra airfare.
How long can a stopover be?
It varies by airline. Some allow just 24 hours, while others let you stay up to 7 days (Cathay, Copa), 9 nights (Iberia), or even longer. The airline’s stopover page will list the maximum length for your route.
Continuing on from here? We also run small-group trips to Vietnam, Japan, and Korea, several of the cities on this list (Singapore, Taipei, Hong Kong, Seoul) are exactly where our travelers pass through on the way.
