How to get a FREE city tour or hotel room
Enjoy your long layover in busy airports around the world
Now that pandemic travel restrictions are fading into the history books, FREE airport layover city tours are back!
In this issue of the newsletter, a roundup of layover deals. Plus how to get your own ass out of the boring airport, even if there’s no organized tour. Plus, what’s new on the blog: my totally honest tips for visiting Ljubljana, Slovenia. And, in the news: Get paid to move to Europe and lie-flat seats in economy class.
But first, a reminder that this monthly travel newsletter is FREE and always will be. I’m not like those other writers who post half the story and make you pay to read the rest. So please subscribe if you haven’t already.
Before we get into the details of airport layovers, a warning to read the fine print on the links that I’ve posted here. Be sure your layover is long enough for the deal and your airline ticket qualifies for it. You may or may not need a visa to leave the airport, depending on your passport. Let’s go!
Etihad Airways ‘Stopover on Us’
The Points Guy reported the return of stopover deals for passengers transiting through Abu Dhabi (AUH) on Etihad in economy, business or first class. Get the details on the Etihad layover packages at this link.
Stopover on Us: up to two free nights at mid-range hotels.
Transit Connect: free transport and stay at a hotel near the airport.
According to the website you don’t need to apply in advance for a visa to enter the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Americans, Canadians, UK and EU countries qualify for a visa on arrival, free if you’re transiting for less than 48 hours. You have to be 21 but you can book for family members. You must book the layover package through the Etihad website at least five days in advance.
Free Tour in Singapore
The beauty of this deal is that it is sponsored by the Singapore tourism authority and the Changi airport (SIN), so it doesn’t matter which airline you are flying on. Just be sure your layover is at least 5.5 hours long and you are arriving between 7 am and 1 pm when the tour desk is open. Make your free tour booking on the airport website.
Important: Do not leave the transit area or clear immigration. Just report to one of the tour desks in T2 or T3. In my experience, you will be ushered through the immigration and security checks as a group, so have your passport and boarding passes handy. You can check your carry-on bag in a locker for a small fee. You might want to get some local currency if you plan to eat or buy a souvenir at someplace that doesn’t take your credit card.
I did this tour twice in pre-pandemic times. There was plenty of time to explore on my own, have a drink at the famous Raffles Hotel and return to the meeting point for the comfy bus back to the airport. I will admit to a certain amount of nervousness the first time: what if the bus gets stuck in traffic, or there’s a long security line and I miss my flight! Not to worry. Singapore lives up to its reputation for being super tidy and well organized. Unless you wander off and get lost, you should be OK.
Turkish Airlines Touristanbul
My post on how to claim a free tour OR a free hotel room in Istanbul is one of the most popular stories on my blog. You might need a visa to leave the airport, which costs $30 for Americans on arrival, $20 online in advance. I traveled on my Slovenian passport so my visa was free.
Not every ticket qualifies for the free hotel room deal. You must be leaving Istanbul on the next available Turkish Airlines flight. So you can’t intentionally book a long layover to get free stuff. You can do the tour OR the hotel stay, but not both on the same layover. Turkish Airlines aims to get you back to the airport at least 90 minutes before your flight, but you have to clear security and immigration on your own.
Free Tours in Seoul South Korea
I took this free airport tour twice. One excursion to downtown Seoul included a tasty free lunch and sightseeing in the historic center. The Incheon tour was closer to the airport. It touched on local culture and the major events of the Korean War.
Post-pandemic, there’s a new menu of different tours, including one to the Hyundai Motorstudio and another to a DMZ viewpoint, which allows you to peer into North Korea. Some tours are free, other attractions have a small admission charge of a few dollars. Make your reservation on the Incheon airport website, or just show up. South Korea suspended its visa requirement for American tourists through the end of 2024. Visit the US State Department website to doublecheck.
DIY Airport Layover Tours
Transit tours from Tokyo’s Narita Airport are still suspended. But if you have at least three hours (or preferably more), you can do a quick hop to the charming town of Narita on your own. Change money at the airport and use the vending machines to buy a ticket on the commuter train. Pre-pandemic, I did this with a group of American journalists on the way to Pakistan. Even with immigration and security, we had plenty of time eat lunch, visit a fascinating temple and make our connection.
Actually, you can get yourself out of the boring airport in ANY city where they have a good airport transit link. During a really long layover in Frankfurt, I exited the airport and walked to the FRA train station. I had enough time to walk around the center city of Mainz. With enough hours to spare, you could theoretically try Chicago (blue line) or Newark/New York City (Air Train), each train ride about an hour each way.
Salt Lake City, Utah: For the price of a ride on the Green Line ($2.50 each way) you can connect with a FREE tour of Temple Square, a top Utah tourist attraction in addition to being the center of the Mormon Church. This story from a local radio station explains what you can expect to see, do and eat there on a quick stop. I’d book a three+ hour layover just to try this!
What’s NEW on the Blog: LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
At last, my totally honest tips for visiting Ljubljana, Europe’s most charming capital. What to see, where to eat and stay, and what NOT to do. Of course there’s a link to the FREE tour (but please tip the guide). And here’s a video, with a friendly reminder to subscribe to my YouTube channel.
In the News: Some charming towns in Italy and Spain and even Switzerland still want to PAY YOU to move there. The catch is that you really have to change your legal residence and/or start a business and maybe buy/renovate a really old property to live in. Euronews has the details and links.
Lie-flat seats on long-haul economy flights? CNN reports that Air New Zealand will introduce the “SkyNest” in September of 2024. So what’s the catch? For less than $400 USD you only get to use the bunk-bed pod for four hours of the 17-hour flight from New York to Auckland. Passengers will reserve their slots and the crew will change the bedding after each person. Only one person in the pod at a time, so no parents with kids. And don’t even think about joining the Mile-High club in there! (You thought about it, didn’t you?)
Have you found another airport that offers a free layover tour? Let me know in the comments! Don’t be a stranger.