Jeddah

The big-ticket item is genuinely free: Saudia covers a 1-night stay at a 4-star hotel in Jeddah. 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 Saudia on a ticket issued by the airline, with a qualifying layover in JED between 20 and 96 hours. Eligible booking classes: Economy, Business, First. 96h transit eVisa available at JED, RUH, DMM, MED; complimentary hotel inventory concentrated at JED and RUH. Stay capped at 96h (longer requires standard tourist e-visa $120-135). Passport needs 6+ months validity. Breakfast may be excluded if booked via third-party channel.

Your connection in JED should fall between 20 and 96 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 20-hour minimum.

Stopover programs are run by the airline, so the safest route is a ticket booked directly with Saudia 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 Saudia that your specific ticket type is eligible.

To leave the airport for your stopover you must meet Saudi Arabia'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 Saudi Arabia, 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 20-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 Saudia to rebook or re-confirm the stopover. It's worth re-checking your itinerary a few days before departure.

On a single Saudia ticket, your checked bags are normally tagged straight through to your final destination, so you head into Jeddah 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 Saudia 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 Saudia whether your specific itinerary can include a stopover on each leg before planning two stops.

Saudia assigns the hotel — typically a 4-star property in or near Jeddah — 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.

Select a 'Visit Saudi Arabia' promotional fare on saudia.com or flynas.com, choose the transit eVisa in Seats & Extras, then click the Saudia Holidays banner to book the complimentary hotel night. Package application requires 120 hours (5 days) advance; voucher confirmation is 48 hours.

Up to 4 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 120 hours (5 days) before travel for package application.