Consumers are increasingly open to stopovers to see more of the world for less.
A new survey conducted by Icelandair has revealed a significant rise in interest for stopover flights among transatlantic flyers. The survey, which polled over 7,000 passengers, showed over a third (34%) of travelers are now interested in booking an extended stopover, a 70% percentage increase since 2019.
The survey results indicate that travelers are increasingly looking towards stopover flights as a way to see more of the world for less.
With stopover flights, passengers can break up long-haul journeys and spend a few days exploring a new destination before continuing on to their final destination.
50% of business travelers are now open to stopovers
Icelandair’s survey showed that 50% of business travelers and 34% of leisure travelers asked are now open to stopovers.
For leisure travelers, this might be driven by a renewed openness to explore and travel. While for business travelers, this may be due to wanting to make the most of their work trip by extending it to allow for leisure activities.
According to the research, 68% of business travelers have extended a work trip by one or more days for leisure in the last five years.
Open to stopover flights 2019 vs 2023
33% of transatlantic flyers are interested in visiting Iceland specifically
The research shows that 33% of transatlantic flyers are interested in visiting Iceland for an extended stopover, a 32% percentage increase since 2019.
The survey also found that stopovers in Iceland are particularly popular among leisure travellers from the US, the UK and Sweden, with one UK flyer saying: “It’s like killing two birds with one stone: get a cheap flight to the US and have a unique experience in Iceland.”
Likelihood to consider Iceland as extended stopover
66% of travelers now want to see the Northern Lights
The growing popularity of Icelandic stopovers may be driven by a renewed interest to explore Iceland’s many natural wonders. 66% of travelers now want to see the Northern Lights over well-known sights like The Great Barrier Reef and Machu Picchu, and 54% want to visit The Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s famous geothermal spa.
Interest in visiting global sights
4 in 10 millennial travelers are interested in an Icelandic stopover
The survey found that stopovers are becoming increasingly popular with millennials and budget-conscious travelers looking to maximize their travel experiences.
Stopover flights are a popular choice for Icelandair passengers, as the airline offers the opportunity to add a stopover in Iceland at no additional airfare.
Icelandair's stopover program allows passengers to stay in Iceland for up to seven nights on their way to or from Europe, the US or Canada. This program has been a major draw for Icelandair customers, with many taking advantage of the opportunity to explore Iceland's unique natural beauty, rich culture and vibrant capital city, Reykjavik.
