tor Major Travel said this meant passengers could visit five cities in the US from as little as £400 during low season (January to April). It also gives agents an opportunity to increase their commission as passengers will often need to book accommodation en route as well.
“Certainly two-centre deals, which have been around for about three or four years, are becoming very common,” said a spokesman for Major Travel. “One of the most popular combinations is New York with Las Vegas or another city on the west coast.”
He said free stopovers were particularly popular with people visiting friends and relatives in the US and a high proportion of Major’s transatlantic clients stopover in at least one city en route.
“Often they have family based in two different cities and these fares allow them to do a two-centre at no extra cost,” added the spokesman.
However, airlines only permit free stopovers at their gateway cities. For example, passengers travelling on United Airlines to Orlando can stop in one of the six cities to where it operates direct flights from the UK. These include Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
“All US carriers offer free stopovers but at different cities, so agents need to look at where their clients want to stop in the US before deciding which airline to book them on,” added the spokesman from Major Travel.
However, another consolidator, Hamilton Travel, warned that free stopovers were not available on airlines’ lowest fares. For example, United Airlines’ cheapest fare from London to Orlando is £212 per person return, excluding tax, but if passengers want to stopover in one of its gateway cities en route, they must pay the higher fare of £243 plus tax.
“If a passenger requests a stopover, they will usually incur a higher fare,” said a Hamilton spokeswoman.
Travel 4 managing director Roy Graves said most of its standard fares allowed free stopovers and clients were keen to take advantage of them.
“A high percentage of our clients stop in a gateway US city on their way to their main destination,” said Graves.
Passengers are unlikely to travel very far out of their way for stopovers, however. “New York and Boston are extremely popular because they are convenient for many onward destinations,” said Graves.
Holidaymakers also prefer to stop in a city that offers something different from their final destination. Graves added: “Florida stops en route to California are available but are not very popular because the two states are quite similar. Combine either of these with shopping opportunities such as New York or Boston, however, and you have a winning combination.”
European carriers sometimes offer one free stopover, depending on the fare level, although additional stopovers are not usually permitted.
Two-centre holidays within the US are becoming increasingly popular due to a growing trend by the transatlantic carriers to offer passengers free stopovers at their US gateways.
Most US carriers allow one free stopover and passengers can purchase up to three more at a cost of £50 per stop.
A spokesman for consolidator Major Travel said this meant passengers could visit five cities in the US from as little as £400 during low season (January to April). It also gives agents an opportunity to increase their commission as passengers will often need to book accommodation en route as well.
“Certainly two-centre deals, which have been around for about three or four years, are becoming very common,” said a spokesman for Major Travel. “One of the most popular combinations is New York with Las Vegas or another city on the west coast.”
He said free stopovers were particularly popular with people visiting friends and relatives in the US and a high proportion of Major’s transatlantic clients stopover in at least one city en route.
“Often they have family based in two different cities and these fares allow them to do a two-centre at no extra cost,” added the spokesman.
However, airlines only permit free stopovers at their gateway cities. For example, passengers travelling on United Airlines to Orlando can stop in one of the six cities to where it operates direct flights from the UK. These include Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
“All US carriers offer free stopovers but at different cities, so agents need to look at where their clients want to stop in the US before deciding which airline to book them on,” added the spokesman from Major Travel.
However, another consolidator, Hamilton Travel, warned that free stopovers were not available on airlines’ lowest fares. For example, United Airlines’ cheapest fare from London to Orlando is £212 per person return, excluding tax, but if passengers want to stopover in one of its gateway cities en route, they must pay the higher fare of £243 plus tax.
“If a passenger requests a stopover, they will usually incur a higher fare,” said a Hamilton spokeswoman.
Travel 4 managing director Roy Graves said most of its standard fares allowed free stopovers and clients were keen to take advantage of them.
“A high percentage of our clients stop in a gateway US city on their way to their main destination,” said Graves.
Passengers are unlikely to travel very far out of their way for stopovers, however. “New York and Boston are extremely popular because they are convenient for many onward destinations,” said Graves.
Holidaymakers also prefer to stop in a city that offers something different from their final destination. Graves added: “Florida stops en route to California are available but are not very popular because the two states are quite similar. Combine either of these with shopping opportunities such as New York or Boston, however, and you have a winning combination.”
European carriers sometimes offer one free stopover, depending on the fare level, although additional stopovers are not usually permitted.