Log in

← Travel hacks

Free stopovers

Stay a few days in the airline's hub on the way, at no extra airfare and sometimes with a free hotel: two trips for one ticket.

Turkish Airlines

Istanbul · 20 hours to 7 days
Free hotel
  • Free hotel: 1 night (4-star) in Economy, 2 nights (5-star) in Business; more from some markets outside Europe.
  • Round trip on one Turkish Airlines ticket (number starting 235), starting and ending in the same country.
  • Istanbul Airport (IST) only, not Sabiha Gökçen; N and R class fares excluded; once per trip.
  • Visa, transfers and city transport are on you.

How: Request the hotel at least 72 hours before the flight with the stopover tool on turkishairlines.com.

Turkish flies from Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo and Gothenburg to Asia, Africa and the Middle East via Istanbul.

From a guide · source, checked 24/10/2026Turkish ↗

Etihad Airways

Abu Dhabi · From 24 hours
Free hotel
  • Free hotel for 1 or 2 nights, in Abu Dhabi city or (since September 2026) the Al Ain region.
  • Premium Stopover: discounted 3–4 nights at 5-star hotels with breakfast.
  • Round-trip tickets only; at least 24 hours in Abu Dhabi.
  • Availability depends on route and fare.

How: Request the stay after booking via the Abu Dhabi Stopover page or Manage Booking.

Etihad flies Copenhagen–Abu Dhabi with connections to Asia and Australia.

From a guide · source, checked 24/10/2026Etihad ↗

Qatar Airways

Doha · 12 to 96 hours, up to 4 nights each way
Discounted hotel
  • Free transit hotel on qualifying 8–24 hour connections (when no shorter one exists).
  • Stopover hotels from USD 14 (4-star) and USD 24 (5-star) per person per night.
  • Stopover rates are booked through Discover Qatar after the flight is confirmed.

How: Add the stopover when booking on qatarairways.com, then pick the hotel on Discover Qatar.

Qatar flies from Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo to Doha, with onward flights across Asia and Africa.

From a guide · source, checked 24/10/2026Qatar ↗

Emirates

Dubai · About 6–26 hours (Dubai Connect); longer as a paid package
Free hotel
  • Dubai Connect: free hotel, meals and transfers when your connection is unavoidably long.
  • Dubai Stopover packages for longer stays are paid.
  • Dubai Connect only applies when there is no shorter connection on your route.

How: Book Dubai Connect in Manage Booking at least 24 hours before arrival.

Emirates flies from Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo to Dubai.

From a guide · source, checked 24/10/2026Emirates ↗

Icelandair

Reykjavík · Up to 7 nights (up to 21 on Flex fares, by phone)
No extra airfare
  • No extra airfare for the stop in Iceland.
  • On trips between Europe and North America.
  • Hotel not included.

How: Tick Stopover and choose the number of nights when you search on icelandair.com.

Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Bergen and more to North America via Reykjavík: two trips for one fare.

From a guide · source, checked 24/10/2026Icelandair ↗

TAP Air Portugal

Lisbon or Porto · Up to 10 days
No extra airfare
  • No extra airfare for the stop.
  • 25% promo code for a TAP flight within Portugal.
  • Discounts at 150+ partners, including hotels.
  • On the outbound or the return journey.
  • Hotel not included.

How: If your flight qualifies, an "Add a free Stopover" box appears when you book on flytap.com.

TAP flies from Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo to Brazil, Africa and North America via Lisbon.

From the airline · source, checked 24/10/2026TAP ↗

Iberia

Madrid · 1 to 9 nights
No extra airfare
  • No extra airfare for the stop.
  • Partner discounts.
  • On Iberia trips connecting in Madrid.

How: Choose the stopover when booking on iberia.com.

Iberia connects Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo to Latin America via Madrid.

From a guide · source, checked 24/10/2026Iberia ↗

Singapore Airlines

Singapore · Packages of one or more nights
Discounted hotel
  • Singapore Stopover Holiday packages with hotel, attractions and airport transfers.
  • Free Singapore Tour on short transits.
  • Add the package before you buy the ticket.
  • Passport valid for six months and the SG Arrival Card filed.

How: Choose Singapore Stopover when planning your trip on singaporeair.com.

Singapore Airlines flies Copenhagen–Singapore, onwards to Australia and Southeast Asia.

From a guide · source, checked 24/10/2026Singapore ↗

Saudia

Riyadh or Jeddah · Up to 96 hours
Free hotel
  • Stopover visa for 96 hours (small fee and insurance, about SAR 52 in all).
  • One free hotel night when booked through Saudia.
  • For passengers continuing to another destination on Saudia or flynas.
  • Cannot be extended beyond 96 hours.

How: Apply for the stopover visa when you book with Saudia.

Saudia connects Europe to the Middle East, Africa and Asia via Riyadh and Jeddah.

From a guide · source, checked 24/10/2026Saudia ↗

Air Astana

Almaty or Astana · Connections of 10 hours or more
Discounted hotel
  • Stopover Holiday: a night with breakfast and airport transfers for a token price (reported at about USD 19).
  • Price and terms from older reports: check the current offer.

How: Add Stopover Holiday when you book with Air Astana.

Air Astana connects Europe with Central Asia, India and Southeast Asia.

From a guide · source, checked 24/10/2026Air ↗

Stopovers on award tickets

  • Flying Blue: One free stopover of 24 hours or more on a one-way award, partner flights included; no extra miles, but taxes can be higher. Book by phone. source
  • Air Canada Aeroplan: Add a stopover to a one-way award for 5,000 points (up to 45 days, one per direction); not in US or Canadian cities. source

What is an airline stopover?

A stay of more than 24 hours in a connecting city on the way to your destination. Some airlines add it at no extra airfare, and a few include free hotel nights.

Which airlines give a free hotel on a stopover?

Turkish Airlines (Istanbul), Etihad (Abu Dhabi), Saudia and, on long unavoidable connections, Emirates and Qatar Airways. Each has conditions on fare, ticket type and layover length.

Can I add a stopover to an award ticket?

Yes, with some programmes: Flying Blue allows one free stopover on a one-way award, and Aeroplan adds one for 5,000 points.

Programmes change without notice. Entries marked "from a guide" come from recent travel guides because the airline's page could not be read; check the airline's terms before you book.

Free airline stopovers from Scandinavia · StatusFlyer