This Airline’s New Stopover Program Offers Complimentary Stays at Luxury Hotels

For those eager to explore the stunning marbled domes of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the magnificent Qatar Al Watan presidential palace, and the vast desert landscapes of Abu Dhabi, there’s now an excellent nearly-free way to do so.

Etihad Airways has recently unveiled a new stopover initiative that allows round-trip passengers to enjoy a complimentary stopover in the United Arab Emirates, complete with a hotel stay.

Travelers can enjoy up to two nights at a selection of three-, four-, and five-star hotels throughout the capital city at no cost. Luxury accommodations include the Shangri La Qaryat Al Beri, Bab Al Qasr, and the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl. A complete list of hotel options can be found on Etihad’s stopover page.

To sweeten the deal, an Etihad Airways boarding pass also serves as an Abu Dhabi pass, providing discounts at attractions like the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Emirates Park Zoo, as well as various dining establishments in the area.

Travelers can arrange the stopover while booking (they need to book directly with Etihad, not through a third-party site, to take advantage of this offer), as long as it’s done at least three business days in advance. It’s important to note that there are certain blackout dates for the program, including from November 3 to 8, December 5 to 8, and from December 23 to January 2. Additionally, the offer is applicable in only one direction.

Abu Dhabi serves as a significant connecting hub in the Middle East, particularly for long-haul flights from the Americas and Europe to Africa and the Pacific. Antonoaldo Neves, the CEO of Etihad, stated that he anticipates the program will attract over 100,000 more visitors to Abu Dhabi in the upcoming year.

Etihad is not the only airline offering a complimentary stopover program for travelers with multileg journeys through its home base. IcelandAir, TAP Portugal, and Qatar Airways are among others with similar stopover initiatives, providing an excellent opportunity for travelers to add an extra destination to their itinerary.

Emirates, another airline based in the UAE, also features a complimentary stopover program for its Dubai hub, known as Dubai Connect. This offer is only available for connecting flights with layovers between 8 and 26 hours. Eligible passengers can apply (at least 24 hours before the flight to Dubai) for a free visa to enter the UAE, a complimentary hotel stay (including transfer), and some meal discounts.

This isn’t Etihad’s first venture into stopover offerings. This new initiative replaces a previous free layover program aimed at passengers flying in first or business class or those in The Residence (a luxurious three-room suite that was expected to be retired during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that decision has recently been reversed).

This announcement follows closely on the heels of Etihad’s introduction of a new route from Boston to Abu Dhabi and an expanded collaboration with JetBlue, enabling travelers to earn and use miles across both airlines’ loyalty programs, while also facilitating smoother connections from the United States.