Airline stopovers, with your own car
Etihad and Emirates Stopover Programmes: Can You Add a Private Tour?
Airline stopover programmes are built around a hotel. They are not built around sightseeing. If you have one booked, or are thinking of it, a private car adds the part the programme leaves to you. We are independent of both airlines, so here is who covers what.
- Independent of the airlines
- Car from airport or hotel
- Booked separately
Your airline seat, our private car
Two airlines, one private layover
Land at DXB and we meet you landside. Burj Khalifa, the Fountain, Old Dubai — shaped to your gap.
Land at AUH and we are at the exit. The Grand Mosque and the Corniche, back in time for departure.
We are independent of any airline programme — your flight stays yours; we add the car, the route and the bags handled.
Responsibilities
Who is responsible for what on a stopover
The airline provides its programme. We provide a car and driver for the sightseeing. The two are booked separately, and neither changes the terms of the other.
| Question | Who decides |
|---|---|
| Whether you qualify for the programme | The airline, on your ticket |
| Hotel, dates and any transfers it includes | The airline and its partner hotel |
| Whether you may enter the UAE | The authorities, through your airline |
| The sightseeing car, route and driver | Us |
| Attraction tickets and entry rules | The attractions |
Eligibility, hotel availability and booking deadlines change, so read the current terms on the official pages for Etihad and Emirates. We do not publish them here, because a copy would go out of date.
The sequence
How to add a private tour to a stopover
- 1
Confirm the stopover with the airline first. Do not book anything else until you have the dates.
- 2
Note your landing time, your hotel check-in and check-out, and your departure time.
- 3
Choose the pickup point. The car can meet you at the airport or collect you from the hotel. Send us the hotel name on WhatsApp so we can plan the route.
- 4
Choose the route by the hours you actually have, not by the nights you booked.
- 5
Book the car with us. Free cancellation up to 12 hours before the tour.
The maths changes
On a stopover you have more hours than on a layover
A layover is measured in hours. A stopover is measured in nights, which is why the day-of-departure rule matters more than the arrival. You still need to be back at the airport three hours before your flight, but the hours before that are yours.
With a full free day, the city tour pages fit better than the short layover loops: Dubai city tour and Abu Dhabi city tour. For the difference between the two kinds of stay, read layover vs stopover.
Illustrative
Two sample days, from the hotel
Abu Dhabi stopover day
Hotel pickup in the morning, the Grand Mosque while it is cooler, a drive along the Corniche, back at the hotel for lunch or on to the airport.
Dubai stopover day
Late-morning pickup, Old Dubai and the Creek first, Downtown after, hotel or airport at the end.
These are examples. The real day depends on your hotel location, flight time and the attractions’ hours. See the Grand Mosque guide and the Burj Khalifa and Old Dubai guide for the timings that matter.
Before you book
Four things to confirm with the airline
- Eligibility
Is your fare and route covered?
- Hotel and transfers
What is included, and from where?
- Deadlines
When must the stopover be booked or changed?
- Entry
Who handles the visa or entry permission, and when?
We are not part of any airline programme. A private tour does not change your stopover booking, and your stopover does not change our terms.
Booking
Choose the city of your stopover
For a short window around your flights, use the layover tours. For a full free day, use the city tours. All are private and priced per car.
Questions
Stopover and private tour questions
Do I qualify for an airline stopover hotel?
That is the airline’s decision, based on your ticket. Check the current terms on the airline’s official page.
What does the airline programme include?
It varies by airline, route and date, so confirm it with the airline. We do not list inclusions because they change.
Can I add a private city tour on top?
Yes. The car is booked with us separately and does not affect your airline booking.
Does a free airline transfer conflict with a private car?
No, but you only need one. Tell us your landing time and hotel and we plan from there.
Can the driver collect me from the hotel?
Yes. Send us the hotel name and the time you want to leave and we confirm the pickup.
How do I schedule the tour around check-in and check-out?
Count the hours between them, then choose a route that fits. On departure day you are back at the airport three hours before the flight.
Is the airline hotel near the attractions?
Not always. Hotel location changes the drive times, which is why we ask for the hotel name.
Are you part of Etihad or Emirates?
No. We are an independent private tour operator and we are not affiliated with either airline.