Kigali Stopover

The big-ticket item is genuinely free: RwandAir covers a 1-night stay at a 3-star hotel in Kigali. But "free" has edges worth knowing: you still typically pay for meals beyond anything included, any city or tourist tax, and a transit-visa fee if your passport needs one. Compare the total fare too: adding a stopover doesn't always cost the same as a plain connection.

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. Free hotel (Economy 1 night, Business 2 nights) plus Rwanda visa and airport transfers for 8-24 hour connections at Kigali with no earlier onward flight. Requires a RwandAir return ticket (stock 459) routed via Kigali on WB-operated flights; free-ticket classes R and Z, rebate and promotional fares are excluded (Dreammiles award tickets qualify). Request at least 48 hours ahead at stpc@rwandair.com. If ineligible, a paid STPC is available for USD 50 per person.

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 assigns the hotel — typically a 3-star property in or near Kigali — rather than letting you choose a specific one, though premium-cabin passengers are often placed in higher-tier hotels. The exact property is confirmed when you arrange the stopover.

Email your ticket details to stpc@rwandair.com at least 48 hours before your first departure (or have your travel agent do it). You will receive the hotel reservation and on-arrival procedure by email; follow it at Kigali to collect your voucher. Airport-hotel transfers are arranged with the hotel.

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

Yes. You must request the stopover At least 48 hours before your first departure.