How to get a free hotel stay in UAE with your transit visa

Dubai: If you have a long stopover in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, you could be eligible for a free hotel stay and a transit visa.

To book a complimentary hotel stay, you need to be a transit passenger travelling with either Emirates Airlines or Etihad Airways with a stopover at Dubai International Airport (DXB) or Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH).

The free accommodation is available for all passengers in first, business and economy class, but you need to meet certain requirements to be eligible. Here are the details.

Layover in Abu Dhabi for more than 24 hours

If you are staying for more than 24 hours during your layover in Abu Dhabi, you can stay for free in a three-star hotel, if you book your ticket and visa through Etihad, by using their ‘Abu Dhabi Stopover’ service.

To be eligible for the complimentary hotel stay, you need to book this service three days before your arrival and have a pre-arranged transit visa issued by Etihad. This service allows transit passengers to get a complimentary stay for up to two nights.

Free stay in the following hotels:

Once you have made the booking, you can choose to stay at any one of the hotels listed below, subject to availability:
• Aloft Abu Dhabi
• Centro Al Manhal
• City Seasons Al Hamra Hotel
• Golden Tulip Abu Dhabi Downtown
• Millennium Al Rawdah Hotel
• Premier Inn Abu Dhabi Capital Centre Hotel
• Premier Inn Abu Dhabi International Airport Hotel
• Southern Sun Abu Dhabi
• Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri

It is important to note that extra charges incurred during the stay, such as meals and amenities, need to be paid for by you.

How does it work?

• First, book a multi-city flight with Etihad in Economy, Business or First class, which connects through Abu Dhabi.
• Once your booking is confirmed, visit this website - www.etihad.com/en-ae/abu-dhabi/stopover - which is Etihad’s stopover platform, and scroll down and select ‘Free Stopover’.
• Next, enter your booking reference number or ticket number and last name.
• Click on ‘Check Now’ and select your hotel from the available options. You will then receive your hotel voucher.

Age requirement:

You must be 21 years old or older to book this service.

Layover in Abu Dhabi for 10 to 24 hours

If you are stopping in Abu Dhabi for only a few hours, you can opt for the ‘Transit Connect’ stopover service and get free accommodation at a hotel, a few minutes away from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH).

To benefit from this service, you must book the hotel stay five days before your arrival, with the option to choose from the following hotels:
• Premier Inn Abu Dhabi International Airport Hotel
• Premier Inn Abu Dhabi Capital Centre Hotel
• Aloft Abu Dhabi

How does it work?

• Once you have booked a flight with Etihad, with a stopover in Abu Dhabi, visit this website - https://www.etihad.com/en-ae/abu-dhabi/stopover/transit-connect and enter your booking reference number and last name.
• Next, check the hotel availability and book your stay from the available options. Once it is confirmed, you will receive an email with a hotel stay voucher.

Age requirement:

You must be 18 years old and above to book this service.

Before you decide to book a free hotel stay for your stopover with Etihad, it is important to contact the Etihad customer service centre to understand the terms and conditions. Depending on which country you are calling from, Etihad will have a different call centre. To find out the telephone number, visit this website - https://www.etihad.com/en-be/help and scroll down until you see ‘Call Us’ and select your country.

Layover in Dubai

If you have a long connection time between flights at Dubai International Airport (DXB), you might be eligible for a free transit visa and hotel stay from Emirates. This service is called ‘Dubai Connect’, through which you can also get free airport to hotel transfers and meals.

The length and time of your stopover

According to Emirates, the stopover time as well as the flight class you are travelling from determines your eligibility for the free hotel stay. For example, if you are travelling in First Class or Business Class, the connecting stopover time can be anywhere between six to 26 hours, for you to be eligible for the free hotel stay. Also, as per Emirates, you can book this complimentary service if there are no better connection times to choose from for your itinerary.

How does it work?

• Once you have booked an Emirates flight with a stopover in Dubai International Airport (DXB), visit this website - https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/manage-booking/ and enter your surname and flight reference number.
• Go to ‘Manage section’ and choose Dubai Connect, to add it to your flight itinerary. This needs to be done at least 24 hours ahead of your flight to Dubai.

Age requirement:

Passengers under the age of 18 can use the service as long they are travelling with another passenger who is over 18.

‘Dubai Connect’ hotels:

Once you have added the ‘Dubai Connect’ service to your itinerary, you will be given a booking from Emirates from any one of the following hotels, subject to availability:
• The Copthorne Hotel Dubai
• Le Méridien Airport Hotel Dubai
• JW Marriott Marquis

Once you arrive in Dubai, you need to head to the Dubai Connect desk at Arrivals, which will help you with the transfers. The service offers a complimentary coach to and from the hotel, and all meals are included in the complimentary hotel booking. However, you need to show a credit card at check in just to secure any extras like mini bar snacks, spa treatments or dining expenses that are not included in the Dubai Connect service.

If you want to find out if you are eligible for the complimentary service, based on your specific itinerary and flight details, you can contact the Emirates customer service call centre - +971 600555555.