When you're flying long-haul, stopovers are the worst. You're either rushing from one gate to another in a mad dash trying not to miss your flight , or you're spending 10 hours lying on a dirty airport floor, eating $15 sandwiches and trying to pass the time. But it truly doesn't have to be that way.
Enter: the 'two-in one' holiday. READ MORE: Countries where tipping is offensive - and where you should be doing it As Aussies, it's almost impossible to avoid long-haul flights with layovers - nearly every bucket list destination is on the other side of the world. Perhaps that's why this new 'two-in-one' travel trend is taking off.
Rather than just seeing layovers as an unavoidable hassle, data shows that travellers are opting to use them as a way to explore new destinations and extend their holidays. According to data from travel search engine Skyscanner , there has been a notable increase in bookings for long-haul flights to destinations such as Istanbul, London, Shanghai, and India. READ MORE: Five budget Aussie holiday spots you can visit and avoid the crowds There has been a 300 per cent spike in searches by Aussies looking to travel to Shanghai later this year.
This can often be a 20+ hour flight - so why not break it up with a stopover in Hong Kong? It doesn't even have to cost more: Cathay Pacific offers Hong Kong stopovers for travellers passing through the city. Many airlines and airports offer layover packages and deals, making it even easier to create a two-in-one holiday. For example, Abu Dhabi is a popular stopover destination for Aussies travelling to Europe or North Africa.
And if you book a flight with Etihad , you can stay for free for up to two nights at your choice of hotel in the city. Other airlines like IcelandAir, Qatar Airways and Emirates offer similar programs for travellers transiting through popular stopover cities. READ MORE: Travel expert Sami Lukis reveals how to take the best photos on holidays Skyscanner's travel expert Cyndi Hui tells 9Travel: "With Australia being so far from many global hubs, taking the time to enjoy a stopover instead of rushing through airports allows Australians to truly make the most of their travel experiences".
"It's a savvy way to make the most of their travel time, turning what used to be just a stopover into a memorable part of the adventure." If you're flexible on dates and location, Skyscanner's multi-city search feature lets you search for up to six legs of your journey. Even if you just have a 12-hour or 24-hour layover in a city, there are ways to get out of the airport and explore.
Airports including those in Istanbul, Singapore, and Seoul offer free city tours and shuttles to interesting locations..
