12/10/2025

ON SUNDAY October 12, 2025 theSunday Special VII

R̆ HUV FXUDWHG LQVLJKW WKH KRWHO VWD\ JLYHV \RX WKH IUHHGRP WR H[SORUH EH\RQG WKH DLUSRUW )RU 0DOD\VLDQ EXVLQHVV WUDYHOOHUV heading to Europe or the Americas, this is a neat hack to see more without adding DQRWKHU ÀLJKW Etihad – “Stopover on us” in Abu Dhabi E WLKDG¶V VFKHPH R̆ HUV RQH RU WZR FRPSOL PHQWDU\ QLJKWV DW D WKUHH VWDU KRWHO LQ $EX 'KDEL IRU FRQQHFWLQJ ÀLJKWV 7KLV DSSOLHV WR HFRQRP\ ÀLJKWV WKURXJK WR ¿UVW FODVV ,W¶V VWUDLJKWIRUZDUG 3LFN \RXU ÀLJKW DGG the stopover and select a hotel. At least 72 KRXUV¶ QRWLFH LV UHTXLUHG DQG LW¶V DGYLVDEOH WR DYRLG WKLUG SDUW\ ERRNLQJV ,W¶V D VROLG way to visit the Louvre, the Sheikh Zayed Mosque or desert malls. Emirates – “Dubai Connect” This programme gives travellers (economy WR ILUVW FODVV ZLWK OD\RYHUV RI WR hours a free night’s hotel, meal, visa and WUDQVIHUV DW QR DGGLWLRQDO DLUIDUH (OLJLEOH LI RQ WKH VKRUWHVW FRQQHFWLQJ ÀLJKW 7\SLFDO hotels include Copthorne, JW Marriott or Le Meridien, located near DXB. It’s ideal for those en route to Europe or the Americas. Malaysian traveller hacks: Plan smart C KRRVH WKH ULJKW KXE )O\LQJ YLD 6LQJDSRUH ,VWDQEXO $EX 'KDEL RU 'XEDL" 6WRSRYHU programmes make those routes more fun. B RRN VWRSRYHU RSWLRQ 8VH DLUOLQH ZHE VLWHV DQG DGG WKH VWRSRYHU GXULQJ ERRNLQJ Don’t assume it’s automatic – click “add stopover”. Check passport and visa requirements: Some cities allow visa-free entry (Sin gapore transit) while others don’t. Plan ahead. Stick to the terms: Turkish Airlines UHTXLUHV ERWK ÀLJKWV WR EH RQ WKH DLUOLQH with a PNR (reservation code) starting ZLWK ³ ´ 0HDQZKLOH (WLKDG UHTXLUHV GLUHFW ERRNLQJ (PLUDWHV RQ WKH RWKHU KDQG PXVW EH WKH VKRUWHVW RQZDUG ÀLJKW M L[ EXVLQHVV ZLWK OHLVXUH 0DOD\VLDQ white-collar travellers can turn long-haul ÀLJKWV WR /RQGRQ 1HZ

Stopover programmes that help you travel for almost free BY ASHRAF WAHAB C OMING from Malaysia, in ternational travel isn’t always the cheapest. But stopover pro grammes are the hack you need. Ever landed somewhere en It’s so feature-rich that it can feel like a mini-city. I I \RXU FRQQHFWLRQ LV WR KRXUV Changi and Singapore Airlines provide WKUHH KRXU JXLGHG EXV WRXUV 7KLV FRY ers areas such as the Merlion, Marina Bay, &KLQDWRZQ DQG *DUGHQV E\ WKH %D\ ,W¶V D great way to dip your toes into Singaporean culture without renting a car or making prior arrangements. Oh and it’s free.

I I \RXU OD\RYHU LV EHWZHHQ DQG KRXUV 7RXULVWDQEXO LV \RXU WLFNHW ,W¶V D free guided city tour that picks you up DW ,VWDQEXO $LUSRUW DQG WKHQ WDNHV \RX through top sights, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Galata Bridge, Golden Horn and more. 7KH EHVW SDUW LV WKDW DQ (QJOLVK VSHDNLQJ guide, transportation, all meals and en trance fees are all covered. A YDLODEOH GDLO\ YLD RQOLQH ERRNLQJ RU DW the airport desk, it’s an easy, seamless way WR VDPSOH ,VWDQEXO ± QR YLVD QHHGHG FKHFN your passport). Passengers must have a Turkish Airlines ticket and a PNR-linked ÀLJKW IRU ERWK LQERXQG RXWERXQG WUDYHO F RU OD\RYHUV ODVWLQJ PRUH WKDQ KRXUV 7XUNLVK $LUOLQHV R̆ HUV D FRPSOL mentary hotel stay. Round-trip passengers ZLWK WLFNHW QXPEHUV VWDUWLQJ ³ ´ FDQ JHW up to two free nights in economy (three LQ EXVLQHVV DW SDUWQHU KRWHOV $GGLWLRQDO QLJKWV DUH GLVFRXQWHG

route and thought, “Might as well make it worth it”? That’s exactly what stopover SURJUDPPHV R̆ HU 8QOLNH VKRUW OD\RYHUV stopovers usually last more than 24 hours and let you leave the airport to explore a new city. All the while, your ticket to the final destination remains (mostly) unchanged. Airlines and airports around the world offer various perks, including compli mentary or discounted hotel stays, guided tours, vouchers and airport credits. That PHDQV D ORQJ ÀLJKW FRQQHFWLRQ FDQ EHFRPH a mini-holiday, giving you two destinations for the price of one. It also provides a nice EUHDN EHWZHHQ ORQJ KDXO WUDYHO A direct option might look easier. But ÀH[LELOLW\ FRXQWV %\ DGGLQJ D VWRSRYHU you often get the same ticket price while experiencing an extra city. If you’re VWUDWHJLF ± OLNH À\LQJ WKURXJK KXEV ZLWK generous programmes – it’s almost free. No additional ticket is needed. You simply choose a city and spend your layover exploring. Singapore Changi: Mini-city, mega experience Changi Airport is legendary – many even FRQVLGHU LW WKH EHVW DLUSRUW LQ WKH ZRUOG ,W ERDVWV PRUH WKDQ DZDUGV EXWWHUÀ\ gardens, a slide and even a rooftop pool.

For layovers longer than 24 hours, \RX FDQ ERRN D ³&KDQJL 6WRSRYHUV´ SDFN DJH ,W EXQGOHV D RQH QLJKW KRWHO VWD\ D complimentary SIM card and airport-hotel WUDQVIHU IURP DERXW 86 SHU SHUVRQ ,I \RX À\ 6LQJDSRUH $LUOLQHV \RX FDQ DOVR get SIA’s “Singapore Stopover Holiday” package, which includes a hotel, airport WUDQVIHUV IUHH EXV ULGHV DQG DGPLVVLRQ WR DWWUDFWLRQV 6RPHWLPHV \RX HYHQ JHW 6 LQ DLUSRUW FUHGLWV LI \RX¶UH À\LQJ premium. Why stopover beats booking direct A VLGH IURP VWUHWFKLQJ \RXU MRXUQH\ EXG get, Changi stopovers allow you to enjoy Jewel’s indoor waterfall and lush Canopy Park. Check into Yotelair in-airport or Aerotel’s pool-hotel in Terminal 1. Instead of rushing from one lounge to the next, you FDQ VOHHS VSODVK DQG VWUROO H̆ RUWOHVVO\ Istanbul stopover: Touristanbul and hotel stay Turkish Airlines’ stopover programme in ,VWDQEXO FRPHV ZLWK WZR RSWLRQV GHSHQG ing on your layover length.

Turn your layover into a mini-holiday with stopover perks that add an extra city to your journey.