This Italian Airline Now Offers Free Stops in Rome
Planning a trip to Europe? Why not make a quick stop in Rome, the Eternal City. Alitalia, Italy’s main airline , currently offers free stops of up to three nights to its passengers.
If you’re wondering what a stopover is, let me explain. Basically, this is an intentionally long stopover, so you can spend some time in the city before your connecting flight departs for your next destination. But here’s the interesting thing: the flight to Rome, the stopover, and your flight to your next destination are all technically one flight, one ticket. You are not paying for a flight to Rome and then for a flight to, say, Paris – you are simply paying for a flight to Paris that accidentally stops in Rome for a few days. This is how it works:
- You must leave a destination served by Alitalia. In the US, these are LAX (Los Angeles), JFK (New York) and MIA (Miami). ( Their website only mentions India, South Africa and Kenya , but Frommer’s has confirmed with Alitalia that flights can depart from wherever they are served .)
- Your entire trip – all flights – must be booked through Alitalia.
- The final destination cannot be in Italy or North America. This means that if you live in New York, you cannot buy a one-way ticket to Miami with a free stopover in Rome or something. Most major cities in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East are eligible to participate .
- Alitalia will send your luggage to the airport at no additional cost if you wish to travel light while in Rome.
- You will be able to take advantage of special rates at participating hotels in Rome (they will connect you as soon as you book).
Stops along the way are a great way to add a new dimension to your travels, such as a getaway while on vacation, but they usually cost you more. In an effort to increase tourism in Rome (and revenue), Alitalia is making it free from now until the end of 2018. If you’re interested, visit the Alitalia website to find out more . When you’re ready to book, your best bet is to pick up the phone and call them to keep everything in order.