Airline carriers are offering free or discounted hotel rooms, meals, museum admission to passengers who want to spend some time in places they are connecting through.
From the NY Times:
George Hobica, an airline industry analyst, said that attractive stopover programs, created for destinations where the airline is based, are a growing trend. “Stopping in your connection city on the way to your final destination used to have an extra cost, but now, layovers are increasingly free and come with additional freebies for travelers like hotel stays,” he said.
Carriers are paying more attention to their stopover programs, Mr. Hobica said, because they help boost tourism in the country where the airline is based and increase the airline’s business at the same time. “Having good stopover programs generally don’t cost airlines a lot because they usually collaborate with local tourist boards and hotels to create them,” he said.
Last Updated on December 9, 2024