TURNIPSEED TRAVEL
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media

Layover Luxury: The Free Hotel Trick We Just Discovered.

16/5/2017

 

It's not a hoax or a hack. It's a helpful hint that will change all my future travel plans.

Picture
Who doesn't like a sweet treat when they travel?
I've said it a hundred times: The great thing about travel is how you're always learning. But today I'm not talking about learning history or geography or languages. Nope, I've been schooled in a whole new way and it changes EVERYTHING!

It all started with my friend Andrea, who blogs at WanderingiPhone. She's an all round lovely gal who appreciates a savvy bargain as much as the next person. Andrea was telling me about an amazing trip she took to South Africa, "hacking" her points to get free layovers and stopovers in Ethiopia, Israel, and Poland along the way (much like we did in 2013 - seriously, we flew around the world for $350.) 

And then Andrea told me that Ethiopian Airlines gave her a free night's accommodation at a Hilton in Addis Ababa, plus meal vouchers and ground transportation. Uh, WHAT?!?!
Picture
To think I paid for this room like a sucker.
Nope, this wasn't compensation for some disastrous flight.  This was an automatic included perk of booking a flight with them that included a layover. Yep, we're talking 100% free hotels and meals simply for choosing their airline and booking a flight with a layover. 

I LOVE stuff like this! We have seen so much of the world thanks to layovers and we enjoy everything about these 'bonus' mini trips, including all the research that goes into making sure our layover logistics are organized. I immediately had to learn more.

I discovered Rapid Travel Chai's blog post on the subject, which confirmed Andrea's belief that she probably stayed in a Hilton because she was business class (though the hotels for economy passengers seem fine, if unexciting). It also gave plenty of important details, like how the flights couldn't be domestic layovers. I was hooked. I was instantly dreaming of my next international trip and Ethiopia was on the list. 
Picture
Posh travel at no extra cost? Sign me up!
I immediately dove into research and discovered that IT WASN'T JUST ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES WHO DID THIS! Oh, hello there Air Canada and Turkish Airlines. Nice to see you on this LIFE CHANGING blog post from MapHappy.  Yep, airlines - lots and lots of airlines - will provide FREE hotel rooms (and other swank perks) under a program called Stopover Paid By Carrier (SPBC). Sometimes they proudly advertise this perk, and other times they keep it quiet. But offer it they do.
Picture
Imagine having this room waiting for you at the end of a long flight - and no bill is waiting for you in the morning.
The Air Canada info really caught my eye because we're based in Canada.According to their rules, status passengers and those in premium economy and business class get free hotel rooms for Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver layovers (and the humble economy passenger can pay $49, which is like spare change in these cities.) Do you know how many flights we have disregarded because they would have involved an overnight layover in one of those cities and the standard hotel fees were prohibitive? Do you know how many times we've agonized over paying for a hotel and breaking up our voyage for a more restful trip versus saving money and powering through?

Do you know how dumb I feel knowing that, instead of spending a fortune on a hotel I could have spent a more modest amount, upgraded to the comfort (and free food!) of premium economy, and still had a great place to sleep? 
Picture
Every trip needs a bit of rest and relaxation.
If your preferred airline isn't on this list, don't despair. Plenty of airlines do offer free accommodations for select, but not all, layovers, and others have heavily discounted accommodation programs. It is always, always, always worth asking and then asking again.

Remember how I searched and searched and searched some more to find a tiny (yet chic) Holiday Inn room in Singapore for $150? Turns out I could have had an entire package - including transportation, attraction admissions, and tours - for about $50 (or up to about $200 for the poshest of all posh hotels). 
Picture
Paying for a tour? Never again!
Are you arriving at the same mind-blowing conclusion as me? I feel this occasion calls for full color ink!

  • You can enjoy layovers for no extra charge - and, in fact, your base fare might be cheaper as "inconvenient" layovers are less popular. 
  • During those layovers, your airline could very well be paying for your hotel - and maybe your ground transportation, your meals, and your fun too. (And if not, they're still offering steep discounts and plenty of perks.)
  • You might just be able to upgrade your entire flight category for a much more glamorous experience - and STILL save money compared to a regular hotel booking.

​And *all* it takes is a little research. Or maybe a lot, depending on how your preferred airline feels about fine print. Of course, there's always some fine print, like how your layover usually has to be less than 24 hours, and how you can't enjoy these perks if there's an earlier flight you could have chosen. As always, I choose to categorize research as fun. It's all part of the travel dreaming and planning process and you can never go wrong with being a more well informed passenger. 
Picture
A free hotel when you land? That makes any flight an exciting experience.
I haven't had an opportunity to put any of this into practice yet. Normally I would be hesitant about sharing travel tips I hadn't personally experienced and vetted but this was just too good not to share. I can't wait to put this into practice on my next applicable flight and, if you have personal experience traveling this way, please share your stories and advice in the comments. 


Update! Check out this awesome reader story from John:

"I've done this! :-) Last year a $200 Air Maroc flight from Madrid to Nairobi had a 26-hour layover in Casablanca. They covered us a nice 3-star hotel with pool and even 4 complimentary meals. Yum, Moroccan food! The strange thing is that they only did this because I knew about it and went to their customer service desk and asked. It's not stated on the ticket nor did any gate agent offer it to us. When we got to Casablanca I inquired with customer service and it was no problem at all. They ushered us right to the hotel. But I think most people would have had no idea this perk even existed.....  For such a cheap ticket we were actually pretty skeptical that it was going to work, particularly since it wasn't noted anywhere other than an obscure portion of their website that I hunted down on my own. The hotel + meals seemed to be worth the value of the ticket alone."
(You can read more about his experience here.)

Inspired by these crafty frugal travel tips? You'll like these posts as well.
​

9 Reasons Why Pizza's the Perfect Travel Food
Travel Value All Stars: Visiting Food Trucks
Travel Value All Stars: Exit Rows
Stacey link
20/5/2017 09:20:14 am

Wow, I didn't know that was a thing, either! I've never booked flights with overnight layovers before. Maybe I will consider it now that I know this!

Vanessa
20/5/2017 06:11:37 pm

Isn't it exciting!? I will be more keen on layovers now than ever before.

Drew link
20/5/2017 12:02:12 pm

I've never taken advantage of this, but I'm aware of more and more airlines offering it. I know that Qatar and Etihad will do it, at least for premium passengers transiting through Doha or Abu Dhabi. I know a fair number people who have done it with Icelandic when connecting in Iceland. It's great because they offer great deals and packages for staying more than one night in Iceland. Such a great way to break up a long trip and get to see a new place!

Vanessa
20/5/2017 06:14:00 pm

I had heard that Icelandic had a number of layover perks but I always assumed it was an isolated situation (perhaps driven by a very savvy tourism board?) so it's fantastic to learn that so many places are doing this. And it IS great to break up long trips - Arriving rested and with the fun experience of a layover is so much better than being exhausted.

Penny Sadler link
20/5/2017 06:02:11 pm

You just changed my life.

Vanessa
20/5/2017 06:14:54 pm

Now I'm blushing. You MUST let us know if you get to take advantage of this.

Jackie Sills-Dellegrazie link
20/5/2017 09:12:43 pm

What a great post! I did know that some airlines do this, but you've made me want to do more research on how to better take advantage of a free hotel when booking a flight with an overnight layover. I travel with miles and points all the time and take advantage of stopovers, openjaws and the like. It looks like I need to pay more attention to how to incorporate a free hotel night!

Vanessa
21/5/2017 07:26:09 pm

I want a full report when you make this happen.

Carol Colborn
21/5/2017 04:24:00 am

I will remember this...Stopover paid by carrier!!!

Vanessa
21/5/2017 07:26:40 pm

New mantra!

Darlene link
22/5/2017 09:21:42 am

Great tip! A good travel hack to cut down on cost and still experience luxury!

Vanessa
23/5/2017 09:34:12 am

Exactly.

Rosemary link
22/5/2017 09:55:42 pm

Oh my goodness. What a great tip! Never heard of it and definitively saving this for my next trip. Thanks for sharing this hack!!

Vanessa
23/5/2017 09:34:30 am

Isn't it so crafty?

Elisa link
23/5/2017 04:18:37 pm

Wow, incredible! I never choose those kind of flights but i will reconsider everything after reading this post. Some time ago Ethiopian Airlines offered 50% on domestic flights if you had booked the international flight with them, maybe they still do that?

Vanessa
24/5/2017 10:18:17 am

I have no idea but now I'm keen to investigate! What a great idea to encourage people to explore beyond capital cities. So many times I wish I could visit a second site but when I factor in either driving/train time or the high cost of a short flight I have to pass. This would be fantastic.

Wanderlust Wayfarer link
23/5/2017 08:21:55 pm

This is incredible news! I'm also based in Canada and had no idea Air Canada offered this perk. I am going to look into it right away for an upcoming overnight layover in YVR. Thanks!

Vanessa
24/5/2017 10:21:49 am

Isn't this a game changer? We have looked at SO many flights where we went "Oh, if we choose this one, it's $100 cheaper. Oh wait, we'd have to fly thought Toronto. Oh, hang on, we'd have a 10 hour layover in Toronto. By the time we add in hotel, that makes this flight MORE expensive, not cheaper". Honestly, half our trips have gone this way. NO MORE! I'm also really really excited to look into it for Vancouver for future flights to Asia- we've always been hesitant to go that route because the flying time would be insane and we always feel Vancouver hotels are so expensive that we can't justify a super short layover just to break up our flight. It's a whole new world for us!


Comments are closed.
    Recent Posts
    Posts by Location
    Turnipseed Travel Category Canada
    Turnipseed Travel Category USA
    Turnipseed Travel Category Europe
    Turnipseed Travel Category Africa
    Turnipseed Travel Category Australia
    Turnipseed Travel Category Asia

    Post Categories

    All
    $200 Challenge
    200m Challenge
    Accommodation
    Africa
    Amsterdam
    Anti Adventurist
    Asia
    Australia
    Belgium
    Business Travel
    Camping
    Canada
    Central Counties
    Cozy Travel
    Destinations
    Europe
    Experiences & Activities
    Female Travel
    Food And Drink
    Gear And Packing
    Golf
    Greece
    Guest Posts & Interviews
    Health
    Inspiration
    Making Travel Memories
    Montreal
    Most Popular Posts
    National Parks
    Norfolk County
    Ontario
    Ottawa
    Paris
    Partners
    Pet Travel
    Photo Essay
    Preparation
    Press Trip Portfolio
    Reviews Accommodation
    Reviews Gear Packing
    Round The World
    Saving
    Toronto
    Transportation
    Travel Cooking
    Travel Memories Series
    UK & Ireland
    United States

    Posts by Date

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

Disclaimers, Privacy, and Cookie Policy

Top 100 Travel Influencer
As named by the Obama White House in 2014.​
White House Study Abroad Logo 2014
Turnipseed Travel Logo 2019
DMCA.com Protection Status
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media