"Stopover", the strategy to make your trip cheaper | Trade | Economy | Staff

And this extended stop allows a stay of one night or several days in a city, usually at the center of connections. of the airline with which you travel.

In other words, stop They offer travelers the opportunity to explore two cities for the cost of a one-way trip.

And the badysts consulted by BBC World argue that this way of traveling is becoming increasingly Adeptos

"The fact that more and more airlines offer this type of ticket seems to indicate popularity among travelers, "says Tracy Stewart, content publisher of the Airfarewatchdog Travel Offers website. However, this practice is not new, but it has been on the market for decades.

"History goes back to the airlines with small local markets, but the global aspirations created special products on the scale that they attracted. explains John Grant, Senior Analyst at the BVG Air Travel Analysis Society, based in United Kingdom .

And one of the pioneering airlines in the "long distance" sector was the Icelandic Icelandair when, in the 1950s, it began to offer transatlantic travelers the possibility to book a stopover three days in the country during a trip to or from major European cities.

And all this for the price of a round trip

And this, as expected, not only benefited the airline but also tourism in Iceland

"The stopover model it's proven to be a success for the Icelandic tourist industry and now other countries are eager to welcome tourists for 48 hours before reaching their final destination ", said Stewart at BBC World.

"It is important to note that, in general, tourism chambers are partners in these programs because they see the benefits," Grant adds.

According to the badyst, the Dutch KLM was also one of the first in Europe and n offer stopovers – in Amsterdam – "driven by the liberal policy of the government, since at that time KLM was the property of the state. "

Some of the flag companies that currently offer this service are TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Copa, Qatar Airways or Emirates, among others

POCKET QUESTION

With this proposal, travelers can experience a city that was not in their plans for a low cost. [19659003"Airplaneticketshavecertainlyalotlesshoursifyoupayforbanknotesseparately"explainsStewart

However, even though it may be an attraction to add a second city to the holidays for the same fare "

" This can happen in cities like Reykjavik (the Icelandic capital) where meals and accommodation can be surprising. It's expensive, "says Stewart

VISAS FOR HOURS

But what happens when this extension is applied in countries where pbadengers must obtain a visa?

hours

This is the case of the airline Qatar which offers a stopover in Doha without a visa and with a free stay at the hotel.

It is accessible to travelers from 80 countries with a stopover From 5 to 96 hours in the capital of the country

And there is also the Asian giant.

"China has evolved in recent years to consolidate its reputation as a transit center, expanding visa free pbadage policies. It includes not only Beijing and Shanghai, but also cities like Guangzhou, Chengdu, Qingddao and Changsha, that tourists usually do not visit, "says Stewart of Airfarewatchdog

The mobility capacity of international travelers in some cities Chinese cities without a visa can range from 72 to 144 hours (6 days).

Although 39 it is necessary to check in advance what nationalities can benefit from this permit.

According to badysts, the opinion of pbadengers

Some see it as a good idea to stretch the legs for a day in the midst of long journeys, but others see it as a useless interruption to the journey.