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Traveling Tight: Saving with Stopovers
Once upon a time, before airlines charged for pillows, they allowed travelers to make stopovers for free. That meant you could ski on your way to L.A., or overnight in Paris en route to Italy, without extra charge. For the most part those days are gone—especially on cheapo coach tickets. But the downturn has inspired a few major stopover deals to encourage tourism, and a number of airlines are dropping fees on stopovers.
Stopovers can be an economical way to drop extra destinations into a trip—especially places you might not otherwise hit, like Singapore. The tiny city-state is offering a bang-up deal, the Fabulous Singapore Stopover. Travel to Asia on Singapore Airlines, and get a super-discounted hotel rate. (Just $1 for a shared room in a three-star hotel, more for singles and better lodging.) You also get a phone card, a $10 voucher for spending at Changi International Airport, unlimited use of the airline’s tourist bus, free admission to a bunch of attractions, and other discounts.
Be sure to crunch the numbers on stopover offers, though. Paying more for the trip with a free stopover than you would for multiple legs on another airline is definitely not traveling tight.
More current overnight deals:
Air France is offering two free stopovers in Paris on the way to destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or India.
Iceland Air is offering a free stopover in Reykjavik—a cheaper spot to visit these days—on the way to Europe.
This summer, SAS will give you a free stopover in Copenhagen or Stockholm on most tickets from the U.S. to Scandinavia and Finland.
You might not think business or first class is the most frugal way to fly, but everyone is looking to save money these days. First and business class travelers on Emirates Airlines can stop over in Dubai, with a complimentary room at The Address Downtown Burj Dubai, next to the world’s tallest (and much-hyped) building, plus some other discounts.
People traveling business class on Austrian Airlines can overnight in Vienna, with a free room at a luxury hotel, limo service, dinner and breakfast.
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Not like this is going to be a stellar year for travel…but
Air Pacific…..Fiji’s main carrier will be selling tickets this summer at nearly 50% off the normal $1100+ fare
And the country has just devalued it’s currency by 20%
Fiji was already a great value for the money
and now it will be even more so.