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Qantas returns to China with direct flights to Shanghai

Qantas will depart Sydney for Shanghai this morning, returning to mainland China for the first time in more than three years.

The resumption of the Sydney-Shanghai route marks the final international destination to return to Qantas’ pre-COVID network since borders reopened.

Flights will initially operate five days per week with an Airbus A330 aircraft, adding more than 2,500 seats per week between Australia and China, and growing to over 4,000 seats per week when services increase to daily in late March next year.

Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said the return to mainland China would benefit tourism and help strengthen important trade links.

“Adding Shanghai back on our network map is great news for our customers, especially those travelling for business or visiting friends and relatives in China as well as providing critical additional air freight between the two countries, Mr Wallace said.

“The business travel market is a key focus for this route, and we expect the recent trade developments will drive more travel between Australia and China.

“While demand from Chinese visitors wanting to travel to Australia is below the record levels that we saw prior to the pandemic, demand has been steadily climbing since borders reopened.”

With Qantas having connections to over 65 destinations across the country, Sydney will not only serve as an arrival point for inbound tourists but will act as a gateway for Australian’s travelling to China.

For the first three weeks of the resumption of the route, all Economy seats on Qantas’ Sydney–Shanghai services have been made available to book as a Classic Flight Reward seat using Qantas Points.

While Qantas and China Eastern recently withdrew their application to extend joint business, the airlines will continue to operate a codeshare agreement on routes between Australia and China which both airlines don’t operate, offering Qantas Frequent Flyers the opportunity to earn and redeem points on selected China Eastern flights.

Qantas also operates flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Hong Kong.

The restart of Sydney–Shanghai coincides with the launch of two other new international routes operated by QantasLink, Brisbane–Wellington and Brisbane–Honiara. Jetstar is also this week launching a new route between Brisbane and Tokyo (Narita).

As previously announced , the Qantas Group is adding more flights and new routes from this week to support the strong demand for international travel, with international capacity on track to return to 100 per cent of pre-COVID levels by the middle of next year.

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Simple Flying

Qantas restarts airbus a330 nonstops to shanghai.

With its return to mainland China today Qantas has resumed flights to all its pre-COVID international destinations.

• Qantas has resumed nonstop flights between Sydney and Shanghai, completing its pre-COVID international route map.
• The airline will initially operate the route five times weekly, adding over 2,500 weekly seats between Australia and China.
• Qantas' return to mainland China is expected to benefit tourism, strengthen trade links, and provide additional airfreight between the two countries.

Today marks a momentous day for Australia's flag-carrying airline Qantas as it resumes nonstop flights from Australia to mainland China. The Qantas international route map is now complete, as the Sydney to Shanghai route is the final international destination to return to Qantas' pre-COVID network since borders reopened.

Shanghai is back on the Qantas map

The route between Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) and Shanghai Pudong International (PVG) was an early casualty of the pandemic and was suspended in February 2020. Qantas flight QF129 kicks off again today with a scheduled departure from Sydney at 10:55 and an arrival in Shanghai at 18:30 after a flight of 10:35 hours.

The return is due to leave Shanghai at 20:05 and arrive the following day in Sydney at 09:45. Qantas will initially operate the service five times weekly on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with an Airbus A330 , adding more than 2,500 weekly seats between Australia and China, growing to more than 4,000 when the route goes to daily flights in March 2024.

Qantas is already operating nonstop services from Sydney and Melbourne to Hong Kong, and Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said today that the return to mainland China would benefit tourism and strengthen important trade links.

"Adding Shanghai back on our network map is great news for our customers, especially those travelling for business or visiting friends and relatives in China, as well as providing critical additional airfreight between the two countries."

Relations between Australia and China have slipped to all-time lows over the past few years but recent diplomatic efforts are leading to a thaw, with promising signs that trade between the two nations is about to get a boost from increased exports. Qantas said that demand from Chinese visitors is below the record pre-COVID levels, but it has been steadily climbing since borders reopened earlier this year.

Last week, in the face of dissent from Australia's competition regulator, Qantas withdrew its application to renew a partnership agreement with China Eastern Airlines that has been in place since 2015. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it was concerned the partnership could lead to higher prices from Qantas and China Eastern limiting capacity on the route.

China Eastern codesharing is ok

However, Qantas confirmed it will continue to operate a codeshare agreement with China Eastern on the routes between Australia and China which both airlines do not operate, meaning Qantas frequent flyers retain the opportunity to earn and redeem points on selected China Eastern flights.

Qantas has been heavily criticized in the media and public hearings about the value and benefits of its frequent flyer scheme to members, particularly around the availability of international seats. Today, the airline said that for the first three weeks of the route's resumption, all economy seats on the Qantas Sydney-Shanghai services have been made available to book as a Classic Flight Reward using Qantas points.

Discover more aviation news for Australia and Oceania here.

In a big week for Qantas, it also launched flights from Brisbane Airport (BNE) to the Solomon Islands and New Zealand's capital, Wellington, using Embraer E190 aircraft operated by its subsidiary airline, QantasLink. Embraer E190 registration VH-UZK operated flight QF357 to Honiara International (HIR) in the Solomon Islands, while VH-UZF connected Brisbane to Wellington International (WLG) via flight QF355.

Qantas Group low-cost carrier Jetstar is also branching out by launching its Brisbane to Tokyo Narita (NRT) this week, which will be operated with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The Qantas Group is on track to have international capacity at 100% of pre-COVID levels by the middle of next year.

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Qantas returns to China with Sydney-Shanghai flights

The airline will compete with its partner China Eastern Airlines, which will operate the route 11 times a week.

Australia's Qantas Group has announced plans to boost its international capacity by 12 percentage points by the end of the year. This increase will result in nearly 50 additional flights per week. 

Qantas will resume its Sydney-Shanghai services and introduce two new routes: Brisbane-Wellington and Brisbane-Honiara. Additionally, Jetstar, Qantas' low-cost carrier, will launch a new service from Brisbane to Tokyo. The Sydney-Shanghai route will resume on October 29th, with five weekly rotations. Qantas will deploy its A330-200 aircraft, offering lie-flat business class seats and economy class seats.

The airline will compete with its partner China Eastern Airlines, which will operate the route 11 times a week. 

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Qantas, China Eastern partnership extended to 2023

By Alfred Chua 2021-02-17T03:20:00+00:00

Australia’s competition watchdog has allowed Qantas and China Eastern Airlines to extend their strategic partnership until 31 March 2023, pointing out that the alliance will help both carriers navigate a post-pandemic demand recovery.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), in a decision issued on 29 January, allowed the carriers’ application for extension “given the crisis and market uncertainty created by the novel coronavirus [Covid-19] pandemic”.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

A China Eastern Airlines A330-200 at Sydney

“In the context of the significant disruption to international travel resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, the ACCC considers that the extended [agreement] is likely to result in a public benefit by assisting the applicants to reinstate flights, and potentially grow the capacity they operate between Australia and China as travel restrictions ease, more quickly and in a more sustainable way than would otherwise be the case,” notes the commission.

Qantas and China Eastern first entered into a partnership, known as a joint coordination agreement, in 2015, to coordinate operations between Australia and China.

The ACCC at the time was of the opinion that the agreement would “significantly reduce competition” on the one route which both airlines operated, Sydney-Shanghai Pudong.

To mitigate concerns of lost competition, the ACCC imposed conditions of authorisation, which required both carriers to maintain and subsequently grow “an aggregate base level of capacity” on routes between Shanghai and Australia, as well as on Sydney-Shanghai.

To this end, the ACCC notes that both carriers have complied with the conditions set out, until the coronavirus pandemic broke out.

Before the pandemic, Qantas operated daily flights between Sydney and Shanghai Pudong, while China Eastern flew the route twice daily.

The Shanghai-based carrier also flew to Sydney from Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan and Kunming, while it had flights to Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth from Shanghai Pudong.

As a result of the pandemic, Qantas suspended its China flights, while China Eastern currently only operates Sydney-Shanghai Pudong once daily.

In its latest decision, the ACCC states that “it is not apparent that if Qantas and China Eastern were operating independently of each other, there would be sufficient recovery in demand to fuel a strong return to the route for both airlines in the short term”.

While Qantas and China Eastern have applied for an extension until 31 March 2022, the commission allowed an extra year, in view of the longer-than-expected recovery in demand.

• China Eastern Airlines

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Qantas announces major change for passengers on overseas flights

Australian airline Qantas has announced a major change for passengers flying overseas — and the best bit is that it won’t cost you a cent.

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Gone are the days of switching your phone off and enjoying a little tech-free time at 30,000 feet.

Because with in-flight Wi-Fi, even passengers on long haul flights to every corner of the world can stay connected to their emails and socials around the clock.

And in welcome news amid the cost-of-living crisis, Australian airline Qantas will make jumping on Wi-Fi a whole lot easier — and cheaper — for overseas passengers.

The airline has announced that it will extend its ‘fast and free’ Wi-Fi to its international services by the end of this year.

While some international carriers servicing Australian passengers already have Wi-Fi capabilities on international flights, Qantas’ introduction of the service to their overseas fleet had been “deferred” until global satellite technology was able to deliver a similar quality connection that Qantas customers have when travelling domestically.

The airline said that the service will be available to travellers heading to Asia first, followed by trans-Tasman and Pacific flights. Wi-Fi on board flights to Europe will be closer to the latter half of 2026.

Qantas said the aircraft that will cater for the ‘fast and free’ network include the A330, 787 and A380, with the new service tapping into global broadband service provider, Viasat.

The speed of the internet, according to Qantas, will give passengers on international flights the ability to stream movies, TV shows, news bulletins and even live sports with ease and no interruption.

The announcement comes just weeks after the airline made sweeping changes to the group’s frequent flyer program.

Earlier this month, Qantas announced its “biggest ever” change to the program, in an upheaval to address “ongoing pain points” for millions of members of the lucrative program.

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The announcement revealed the start of Classic Plus Flight Rewards , a program designed to provide a mid-range option between the existing Classic and Points Pay Plus rewards options. As a result, frequent flyers will now get access to more than 20 million seats on international flights as part of a $100 million expansion of the loyalty program.

In the 24-hours following the announcement — the number of points used was more than triple the average for a typical day.

It is understood London, Singapore, Tokyo, Queenstown, and Los Angeles were the most popular destinations booked, with almost 50 per cent of total Classic Plus reward seat bookings for travel in premium cabins.

The major airline has issued a 570-word apology letter acknowledging their response was “far from perfect” amid the Dubai storms chaos.

A superfast drone has been flown at near-supersonic speeds thanks to a new engine that could change passenger planes.

Just days following the “biggest ever” change to the airline’s frequent flyer program, Qantas has dropped another major feat.

Help and Support

Baggage information, 04/07/2023 • knowledge, information.

Where do I find information about baggage?

• Checked baggage  - see the included allowance for domestic and international travel. 
• Flights to North and South America - see the included allowance by cabin and Frequent Flyer tier.
• International flights (excluding North and South America) - see the included allowance by cabin and Frequent Flyer tier.
• Australian domestic flights - allowances for domestic travel on Qantas and QantasLink.  
• one world partners - Additional baggage allowance based on Frequent Flyer tier. 
• Carry-on baggage  - see the included allowance and dimensions for domestic and international travel. 
• Additional baggage - purchase additional baggage allowance and save on airport prices.
• Sporting equipment - find out all you need to know about travelling with sporting equipment. 
• Dangerous Goods  - see the list of dangerous goods to ensure your baggage adheres to the relevant regulations.
• Musical instruments  - find information on travelling with a musical instrument.
• Baggage Services  - information about delayed, missing and damaged baggage, and items left onboard.
• Travelling with pets  - provides information about how to book you pet on a flight (including service dogs)

Other useful websites in regards to baggage:

• TravelSECURE
• Transport Security Administration  
• Qantas Freight

Was this article helpful?

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• Baggage with connecting flights
• Additional Baggage Information and rates
• Flight Status - Latest information on current disruptions
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China Entry and Exit Requirements and Procedures 2024

Until November 30th, 2024 , ordinary passport holders of France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Malaysia can enjoy a 15-day visa-free entry to China.  

You can start planning your trip to China now! We will provide you with a flexible, tailor-made private tour of China . 

China has opened its borders to tourists from March 15, 2023. If you are planning to visit China, it's important to understand the entry and exit requirements and procedures that apply to international travelers.

Now, inbound and outbound travelers no longer need to complete the China Health Declaration Form and don't need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result, either.

China Entry Requirements

To enter China, you must have a valid passport and a China visa unless you are eligible for a visa-free entry or a visa-on-arrival.

Note: Though you are not required to complete the China Health Declaration Card and provide the COVID-19 test result before entering China Mainland, you still need to inform the customs and cooperate for health checks if you have symptoms like fever, cough, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, or if you've been diagnosed with a contagious disease.

Customs Procedures

China's custom channels are divided into two types: the red channel (also called the tax channel) and the green channel (also called a free channel).

Red Channel

Foreign travelers usually enter China through the red channel. They must declare first to customs after filling in the passenger baggage declaration form and can enter after the registration at customs.

The completed customs declaration form must be presented again when leaving China. The form must be filled in truthfully and accurately, and those who provide false information or fail to declare items will be subject to legal action by customs once identified.

The items exceeding the maximum limit listed in the document table should be processed according to other relevant provisions.

Green Channel

Foreign personnel who have been granted a diplomatic visa-passport or courtesy visa-passport by the Chinese authorities or granted free-of-examination courtesy can choose the green channel. But they have to show their credentials to the customs and the declaration document table filled according to the requirements.

Hygiene Quarantine Requirements for Entering China

Foreigners entering China must truthfully fill in health declaration forms as requested by border quarantine departments. Failure to report infectious diseases may result in punishment for evading quarantine and prevention from entering China upon identification. Those who have entered China without reporting an infectious disease may be ordered to leave in advance.

Infectious patients from affected areas must present a valid certificate of immunization-related diseases (commonly known as the "yellow book"). If they do not have a valid certificate, the Frontier Health and Quarantine infected organs will run a test for six days from the day they leave the infected environment.

Commodities from areas that may have been contaminated by infectious diseases or become media articles of epidemic diseases are subject to health and sanitation inspection and quarantine treatment.

People Forbidden from entering China

The following individuals are not allowed to enter China:

A. Those who have been deported from China are under the regulated age.

B. Those who are considered possible terrorists or may undertake violence and subversive activities after entering.

C. Those who are suspected of possible smuggling, drug trafficking, and prostitution activities.

D. Those who have mental illnesses or have leprosy, AIDS, venereal diseases, open tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases.

E. Those who cannot afford what is needed in China.

F. Those who are considered to possibly engage in activities that endanger the security and interests of China after entering.

The frontier checkpoint has the right to prevent the following individuals from entering:

A. Those who have no valid passports, certificates, or visas.

B. Those who have forged, defaced, or other people's passports or certificates.

C. Those who refuse to be inspected.

D. Those who are forbidden to enter by the Ministry of Public Security and the National Security Ministry.

Exiting China

Foreign tourists must leave China within the allowed time limit of their visa from the allocated port. They must present effective passports or other effective certificates to the port border checkpoint.

People Forbidden to Leave China

A. Defendants in a criminal case or criminal suspects identified by the people's procuratorates, public security organs, or court.

B. Individuals are not allowed to leave the country due to unsettled civil cases according to the People's Court notice.

C. Others whose behaviors have violated China's laws and have been identified by competent authorities as needing pursuit.

The border authorities have the right to prevent the following individuals from leaving China:

A. Those who hold invalid certificates.

B. Those who have forged, defaced, or other people's passports or certificates.

C. Those who refuse to be inspected.

More Articles on How to Enter China

• How to Apply for a Visa to China
• Shanghai 144 Hours Visa-free Transit

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Melbourne Airport Adds Airbus A330 China Route And Upgrades Qantas Domestic

• More China routes are expanding, paving the way for increased Chinese travelers to Victoria.
• Upgrades are planned for Qantas terminal security screening to enhance passenger experience.
• Melbourne Airport renovations aim to improve amenities & efficiency for travelers.

After setting new monthly records for international passenger numbers in February and March, it would be easy to think that Melbourne Airport will find adding more traffic a slower buildup, but that's not the case. Despite setting those records, the traffic between Melbourne and China remains well below pre-pandemic levels, so there is still plenty of upside to come as Chinese travelers look for summer holiday destinations.

More China upside to come

Yesterday, Melbourne Airport (MEL) announced that Beijing Capital Airlines will commence services between Melbourne and Hangzhou in June 2024. The new route will operate three times weekly and complement the existing service between Melbourne and Qingdao, becoming the eighth non-stop destination in mainland China to be served from Melbourne.

These additional flights will return capacity in the Chinese market to 91% of pre-COVID levels, with seven major airlines from China operating flights into Melbourne Airport. These include Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines and Hainan Airlines .

While international passenger numbers are setting new records , the same cannot be said about travel between Australia and China by Chinese nationals. There has been a shift in travel patterns in China post-pandemic that has seen domestic travel increase at the expense of international air travel, which has also played out in Melbourne.

In 2024, the number of Chinese passport holders traveling to Victoria is just 62% of pre-pandemic levels, which on the surface sounds disappointing but is really a sign of how bright the future looks for the airport in 2024. Melbourne Airport CEO Lori Argus said the extra capacity would increase opportunities for Victoria's tourism, education and agriculture sectors, adding:

"Mainland Chinese travellers have traditionally been one of the highest spending markets however the slow of return of group travel continues to impact visitation numbers. Last year Chinese tourists spent a total of AU$5.8 billion ($3.9 b) in Australia, but that's just 56% of what they spent here in 2019."

The Melbourne - Hangzhou route will be operated with an Airbus A330, as is the existing route to Qingdao Jiadong International (TAO), which was operated on Tuesday with a 2016 Airbus A330-300 , registration B-8679 and MSN 1763. Fleet data from ch-aviation shows that Beijing Capital has 80 aircraft, including four A330-300s and five A330-200s, ten A319s, 32 A320-200s, seven A320neos, 18 A321-200s, three A321neos and one A330-300(P2F) freighter.

Qantas Domestic security screening upgrades

Melbourne Airport's Terminal 4 has the most efficient security screening system in Australia (pictured), and work has now begun on the screening facilities at the other end of the airport in Terminal 1, the home of Qantas domestic and regional flights.

A temporary screening point is being constructed in the terminal to allow for refurbishment, with each of the existing six lanes being rebuilt with new baggage screening and body scanning technology. The good news for passengers is that when the T1 temporary facility opens in August, they will no longer have to remove laptops, tablets or aerosols from their carry-on luggage.

Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Jim Parashos said that introducing the latest security equipment is the next piece of the puzzle and will help transform the Qantas domestic terminal at Melbourne Airport into one of the best domestic facilities in the world. It will also bring T1 into line with the airport's other domestic terminals and help deliver on a federal government requirement to strengthen aviation security.

Discover more aviation news for Australia and Oceania here

Passenger amenities in the terminal have been upgraded to increase their capacity and improve accessibility, including installing adult change facilities, all-gender bathrooms and assistance animal relief areas. There is also a newly renovated Square in T1, which includes high-quality food and beverage outlets, bringing the terminal into line with the rest of the airport regarding passenger experience and efficiency.

Have you been through Melbourne Airport recently? Let us know in the comments.

Many airlines have 'stopover' programs that let travelers tour a city between connecting flights, and some will even pay for a hotel — here's how to book them

• Many people intentionally book flights with long connections so they can explore the layover city.
• Airlines capitalize on this trend with "stopover" programs, some even offering free hotels and food.
• These stopovers benefit travelers, airlines, and the carrier's home country by boosting tourism.

A special segment of adventurous travelers will purposely book itineraries with long connections in layover cities just to leave the airport and explore for a few hours or days between flights.

Airlines have jumped on this growing trend with built-in "stopover" programs, which can come with free or discounted hotels, excursions, transportation, and food at the layover destination.

It's basically a vacation within a vacation.

Although it sounds too good to be true, stopovers benefit everyone involved. Travelers get more choices and don't have to be confined to an airport, airlines gain customers who may have otherwise chosen a nonstop option on a competitor, and the carrier's home country sees a boost in tourism.

Plus, the cheap or complimentary accommodations typically come at a small cost to airlines, thanks to partnerships with local hotels or tour companies.

Not all stopover programs are structured with an emphasis on tourism, though, as some were created simply to offer conveniences during long layovers. Still, they are a way to secure a free hotel and explore an extra city.

Here are 22 global airline stopover programs, each lasting anywhere from hours to months.

Many carriers allow stopovers to be added to a regular cash booking, but some are only available via award tickets . This means the flight was paid for using points/miles or a combination of points/miles and cash.

Air Canada has a stopover option built into its Aeroplan loyalty program. It allows customers booking award flights to add a stop on international journeys and explore practically any city the airline flies to outside the US and Canada.

The add-on costs 5,000 Aeroplan points each way and can only be booked if the stop is at least 24 hours, capping out at 45 days.

Air France/KLM

Air France and Dutch carrier KLM's Flying Blue loyalty program offers a stopover of 24 hours or more in a connecting city on either carrier or their airline partners.

The option is free to add to award tickets, and passengers can stay up to a year in the stopover city.

China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines offers a free one-night hotel stay for transfer passengers with connection times lasting between six and 30 hours, though there are some time and route restrictions.

Breakfast and transportation are included for eligible travelers.

Copa Airlines

Copa Airlines' Panama stopover program allows customers to spend anywhere from 24 hours to seven days in the nation's capital, Panama City, on their outbound or return trip.

The option is free for the first stopover, but a second stopover can cost up to $250 plus taxes. Copa offers discounted hotels and tours that can be booked via its stopover website.

Emirates allows a stopover in Dubai with the option to add discounted tours or hotel bookings to the itinerary via its website.

The UAE carrier also has a " Dubai Connect " program that gives passengers with layovers between 6 and 26 hours, depending on the cabin, a complimentary hotel, transfers, meals, and any needed visa.

Dubai Connect only triggers if the customer takes the next available flight. Essentially, you can't intentionally book a longer layover to quality for the free stopover hotel.

Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines' transit program gives customers flying via Addis Ababa a free hotel, transit visa, and transfers during layovers lasting between eight and 24 hours.

The hotel on the airline's website is the Ethiopian Skylight In-Terminal Hotel, located inside the airport.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways offers a stopover in its Abu Dhabi hub, which comes with an undisclosed discount at select three-star hotels for up to two nights.

Two and four-night stays can be booked at more luxurious four and five-star hotels at a 40% discount. The minimum stay is 24 hours.

Although Etihad's website says it is temporarily unavailable, the airline used to allow eligible travelers to use a so-called Transit Connect Package that provided a free hotel near the airport for layovers lasting 10 to 24 hours. It is unclear when or if the program is returning.

Fiji Airways

Fiji Airways offers a stopover program in Fiji for those traveling to and from Australia, New Zealand, and other South Pacific nations.

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Hotels and activities like ziplining and beach resorts can be booked through the airline as part of the stopover package.

Finnair allows passengers to book 6, 12, or 24-hour layovers in Helsinki at no additional fare charge and outlines itinerary ideas and information on its website , like transportation, free walking tours, and restaurants.

Customers can book a hotel through the airline and earn Finnair Plus points.

Iberia customers can plan a stopover in Madrid to or from an international destination for one to six nights at no extra cost.

Discounts on hotels, excursions, and transfers in the Spanish capital are available through Iberia.

Icelandair offers a stopover option for one to seven days in its capital city of Reykjavik on transatlantic itineraries for no additional charge.

The airline offers itinerary help and assistance in booking excursions and tours. Hotels need to be booked separately.

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines considers itself one of the "most stopover -friendly" carriers in the world.

The stopovers, which trigger at 24 hours, are not limited to JAL's hubs in Tokyo but can be enjoyed in places like Osaka and Kyoto using the airline's multi-city booking tool.

Latam Airlines

Latam Airlines offers stopovers for between one and three days on flights that connect in São Paulo, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Recife, Manaus, Curitiba, and Belem. Only international itineraries that connect in São Paulo.

Hotels and amenities can be booked via Latam, but the stopover booking is free.

Oman Air offers customizable stopover packages to give travelers time to explore the country's capital, Muscat, and beyond. An additional fare charge may be applicable, though the airline does not fly to the US.

Packages and a-la-carte options include discounted hotels for up to three nights, as well as organized tours, meals, and transfers.

Australian flag carrier Qantas offers its stopovers in a similar manner to JAL in that multi-city bookings can be manipulated to add extra days between flights in layover cities, like Bangkok, Osaka, or San Francisco.

This comes at no extra cost on eligible Qantas fares and can be used on its Oneworld partner airlines.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways' stopover program allows passengers with a minimum layover of 12 hours and up to 24 hours to choose from a list of deeply discounted four and five-star hotels. Certain flight itineraries allow for up to four nights.

Nightly hotel rates start at $14 per person for 1 night at four-star standard hotels, with premium five-star beach hotels starting at $30 per person for one night.

Royal Jordanian Airlines

Royal Jordanian Airlines' transit program gives economy and business-class travelers with at least eight and six-hour layovers, respectively, a free hotel room, meals, and transit, assuming certain fare conditions are met.

However, the connecting flight must be the earliest possible — meaning, similar to Emirates, passengers can't intentionally book a longer layover to be eligible for the complimentary perks.

Swiss International Air Lines

Swiss International Air Lines, or SWISS, has a multi-city stopover booking tool on its website that allows passengers to find itineraries with extra days in Switzerland.

The cost of hotels and other perks is on the customer, though.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines' stopover program is available via the multi-city tool, similar to other carriers, where travelers can add hotels, transfers, and activities. The stopover can last one to seven days.

Singapore also offers free transit tours to passengers with layover times between five and a half and 24 hours at Singapore's Changi Airport. It's first-come, first-serve and includes sightseeing around Singapore.

TAP Air Portugal

TAP Air Portugal allows customers to add a stopover in Lisbon or Porto between one and 10 days, offering discounts on hotels, food, and activities.

It also offers 25% off a domestic flight to a second Portuguese destination, like the Azores or Madeira islands, to take during the stopover.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines' stopover program gives economy travelers a one-night free hotel stay and business flyers a two-night free stay if the period between their connecting flights in Istanbul exceeds 20 hours.

Those traveling from the US in economy class can stay up to two nights in a four-star hotel, while those traveling in business can stay up to three nights in a five-star hotel.

Watch: Thousands of bags pile up at US airports after flight cancellations

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Qantas pauses Perth to London route due to expected Iranian attack on Israel

Airline’s Perth-to-London flights will now stop over in Singapore to avoid Iranian airspace amid fears Tehran will strike Israel

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Qantas has been forced to pause its non-stop flights from Perth to London to avoid Iranian airspace amid fears Tehran is planning an imminent attack on Israel.

As the world braces for a potential flare up in the region, the airline’s Perth to London flights will instead operate via a stop in Singapore for the foreseeable future.

The roughly 17-and-a-half hour flight to London’s Heathrow airport – the only non-stop regularly scheduled commercial flights between Australia and the United Kingdom – are only achievable on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with a route over Iranian airspace.

A Qantas spokesperson confirmed the non-stop flights from Perth were operating to a modified route due to concerns about Iranian airspace.

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“We’re temporarily adjusting the flight paths for our flights between Perth and London due to the situation in parts of the Middle East,” the spokesperson said.

“We’ll reach out to customers directly if there’s any change to their booking.”

The Perth-London service, normally QF9, has now been assigned QF209, and stops via Singapore to refuel.

The return leg, from London to Perth, will continue as a non-stop service. The same aircraft, a Boeing 787-9, can fly to a modified path to avoid Iranian airspace without requiring a refuelling stop.

This is because fuel burn and flight times are slightly reduced when flying eastwards due to jetstreams.

On Friday, the foreign minister, Penny Wong, said she had called her Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, urging the Islamic Republic to “use its influence in the region to promote stability, not contribute to escalation”.

“Australia will continue working with partners who have influence in the region to stop the conflict from spreading. Further conflict will only add to the devastation in the Middle East,” Wong said.

Australia also updated its advice for citizens travelling to Israel, warning “there’s an increased threat of military and terrorist attacks against Israel and Israeli interests across the region”.

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“The security situation could deteriorate quickly, with little or no notice,” the warning said.

“This may also result in airspace closures, flight cancellations and flight diversions, and other travel disruptions. Airports may pause operations due to heightened security concerns,” the warning said.

Wong’s message comes amid a push from the United States and its secretary of state, Antony Blinken, calling for governments to pressure Iran out of following through on its threats to retaliate against Israel after its attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

Overnight, US president Joe Biden has said he expects an Iranian attack on Israel “sooner rather than later” and issued a last-ditch message to Tehran : “Don’t.”

“We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” Biden told reporters on Friday in the US.

The White House comments came as several countries, including India, France , Poland and Russia, warned their citizens against travel to the region and Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said his country was “prepared to defend [itself] on the ground and in the air, in close cooperation with our partners”.

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Shares in Chinese tea shop chain Sichuan Baicha Baidao Industrial fell more than 20% on Tuesday in its Hong Kong trading debut following a $330 million initial public offering (IPO).

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Russia launched a drone attack on Ukraine that injured seven people in the Black Sea port of Odesa, two of them children, and also targeted Kyiv, the capital, Ukraine's military officials said early on Tuesday.