Avianca Now Offers a Free 24-Hour Stopover in Bogotá—Here’s How To Make the Most of It

Travelers can now experience one of South America’s most culturally rich and bustling capitals as a free perk on their next flight.

Colombia-based airline Avianca has just begun offering 24-hour stopovers in its home city of Bogotá. Airline stopovers like this one are essentially free mini-visits in an international carrier’s home country, typically the national capital or wherever the airline’s operations are based.

Under Avianca’s new program, passengers can add a free 24-hour layover in Bogotá to their trip itinerary at no extra cost. What’s more: The airline has partnered with the Visit Bogotá tourism board to offer discounts and freebies on hotel stays, sightseeing tours, and restaurants across the city.

Travel specialists say that Avianca’s stopover, which launched on July 15, is a solid option for passengers to immerse themselves in the Colombian capital’s vibrant neighborhoods. “A 24-hour stopover in Bogotá offers travelers a fantastic opportunity to experience some of the city’s most captivating highlights,” says Charlotte French, Condé Nast Traveler travel specialist and owner of Cavatica Luxury Travel.

Here’s everything travelers need to know to take full advantage of Avianca’s new stopover offering.

How to book Avianca’s new stopover in Bogotá

Adding a stopover to your Avianca itinerary is relatively simple. Travelers can search for international flights with connections through Bogotá on Avianca’s booking page. When choosing flights, passengers can click the “Stopover” button to filter flights that offer the complimentary 24-hour layover in Bogotá. Eligible flights will display a “Stopover in Bogotá” banner on the flight listing. The program allows travelers to stop in Bogotá on their outbound trip, their return flight, or both.

What types of discounts are offered through Avianca’s stopover?

Travelers participating in the stopover will receive discounts to activities around the city as well as reduced prices for hotel stays.

When it comes to accommodations, travelers can get up to 35% off hotel stays through the stopover. Many of the discounted stays come with additional free perks, too, like 30% off a one-night stay in a standard room at the Grand Hyatt with late checkout and complimentary access to the breakfast buffet; 10% off a one-night stay in an executive room at the Bogotá Plaza Hotel, with late checkout, breakfast buffet, and a 30-minute massage included; and 35% off a one-night Saturday stay for a family of four at the Hilton Bogotá, which comes with a complimentary breakfast buffet and free cooking and gardening workshops.

Avianca passengers will also receive reduced prices for tours around the city, including 20% off panoramic bus city tours, which take travelers to major sites like the historic district of La Candelaria, Chorro de Quevedo, Monserrate, National Museum, Movistar Arena, and more. Passengers on a stopover flight also get 20% off scooter tours of the city’s most iconic parks, including Bogotá’s Botanical Garden, and 15% off tours of the famous Salt Cathedral in nearby Zipaquirá.

The program also offers 10% off tours of one of Bogotá’s traditional markets—like Paloquemao or La Concordia—where visitors can learn about traditional Colombian cuisine and the cultural significance of its food, as well as taste tropical fruit. Paloquemao Market is a “colorful, authentic and bustling hub where locals and the top chefs source the freshest ingredients,” says Ana Maria Pulgarin, marketing director at Galavanta, a travel agency that specializes in Colombia and offers tours of the market. It’s best to visit the market on a weekday, according to Pulgarin.