Kigali Stopover

Not any more. The Kigali Stopover has been discontinued, so RwandAir no longer provides a hotel for long layovers in Kigali. A hotel after a missed connection that RwandAir caused is handled under its delay policy, not this program.

RwandAir offers discounted stopover packages in Kigali rather than a fully free stay. Most travelers pay a reduced rate for the hotel and tours, and still cover meals, transfers, and any transit-visa fee. Check the all-in price before you book.

Passengers flying RwandAir on a ticket issued by the airline, with a qualifying layover in KGL between 8 and 24 hours. Eligible booking classes: Economy, Business. One complimentary hotel night in Kigali for 8 to 24 hour transits with a final destination beyond Kigali, once per journey, on a return RwandAir ticket (stock 459) with RwandAir-operated flights. Breakfast and airport transfers depend on the hotel; visa fees and other costs are the passenger's own. RwandAir's stopover page dated the offer to 30 July 2026 and has returned 'page not found' since September 2026 (re-checked 6 October 2026); the homepage tile still links to the removed page, so the offer is listed as discontinued until RwandAir publishes new terms.

Your connection in KGL should fall between 8 and 24 hours. Two things travelers get caught by: flight-search sites usually show the shortest connection by default, and that's often too short to qualify. You may need to deliberately pick a longer-layover flight. And the layover shown isn't all usable: clearing immigration and any baggage steps eats into it, so give yourself comfortable margin above the 8-hour minimum.

Stopover programs are run by the airline, so the safest route is a ticket booked directly with RwandAir on an eligible fare. Award and miles tickets, and bookings made through online travel agencies or other third-party sites, often follow different rules: sometimes they don't qualify, sometimes the stopover has to be arranged another way. Before booking like that, confirm directly with RwandAir that your specific ticket type is eligible.

To leave the airport for your stopover you must meet Rwanda's transit or entry rules, and this matters before you even fly: if your passport requires a transit visa and you don't have one, the airline can deny boarding. The good news: many nationalities get visa-free transit, visa-on-arrival, or a quick e-visa, and some stopover programs include the transit visa. Select your nationality on this page to see the exact requirement for Rwanda, and arrange any visa well before departure.

Airlines do sometimes adjust schedules after you book. A change can shorten or lengthen your layover. If it drops the connection below the 8-hour minimum, or past the maximum, it can affect your eligibility. If you get a schedule-change notice, re-check your layover against the program's window and contact RwandAir to rebook or re-confirm the stopover. It's worth re-checking your itinerary a few days before departure.

On a single RwandAir ticket, your checked bags are normally tagged straight through to your final destination, so you head into Kigali with just your carry-on, and your luggage continues on the onward flight. You'd only collect and re-check bags if part of your trip is on a separate ticket. If you'd like a checked bag with you for the overnight stay, ask RwandAir when you arrange the stopover.

Most stopover programs allow only one stopover per round-trip — on either the outbound or the return leg, not both. A few carriers are more flexible. Confirm with RwandAir whether your specific itinerary can include a stopover on each leg before planning two stops.

RwandAir offers discounted hotel packages in Kigali rather than a complimentary room; you pick from their partner options at a reduced rate. Confirm the all-in price when you book.

Email your ticket details to stopover@rwandair.com before you travel (advance booking is strongly recommended), or ask the RwandAir Transit and Stopover Assistance team on arrival at Kigali International Airport. RwandAir confirms the one-night hotel by email, subject to availability.

Up to 1 days. You can extend your layover without paying additional airfare, as long as it fits within the program's rules.