If your layover in Addis Ababa is between 8-24 hours, chances are you can score a free hotel room courtesy of Ethiopian Airlines during your long layover.
Not everyone with a transit between 8-24 hours will receive a free hotel voucher. Note these exceptions.
- You must be transiting from an Ethiopian Airlines international flight to another Ethiopian Airlines international flights.
- The long layover must be necessary — in other words, if there is an earlier connection available inside the eight hour window, you will not receive a complimentary hotel voucher.
- Your passport must be eligible for a transit visa on arrival (most passports qualify).
Rapid Travel Chai points out that if you do not qualify for a free hotel, you can still buy one…generally at a cheaper rate than retail.
Earlier I outlined my Addis Ababa Transit Guide. If you’re looking for a free hotel, follow the transit signs and you’ll find a pair of desks that look like this–
> Read More: Addis Ababa (ADD) Transit Guide
There was no line when I arrived, but I hear it can get pretty busy.
Once you arrive at the desk, simply present your onward boarding or itinerary as well as your passport. If flying in business class, you may be given a choice of hotels. For example, I was offered the Hilton or the Radisson Blu. Economy Class passengers are provided lower accommodations.
Two Essential Documents
Your passport will be returned to you with both a hotel voucher (printed on regular paper) and a laminated yellow transit card. You’ll need both documents to exit passport control without paying for a visa.
Proceed downstairs where you’ll wait in line to be stamped into Ethiopia. I was directed into a line for “Ethiopians” then chewed out for being in the wrong line.
If you’ve checked bags, you do not need to collect bags during your layover.
Once in the country, look for a sign for your hotel. Most hotels in the Ethiopian Airlines transit hotel program have airport staff to arrange shuttle transport. Shuttle service is complimentary.
Once you get to the hotel, no credit card or cash should be needed. Meals are also included. At the Hilton, I was provided three meal vouchers: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Your hotel voucher will indicate what time you should return to the airport.
CONCLUSION
Ethiopian Airlines’ complimentary transit hotel program worked like a charm for me. If you have a long layover, take advantage of the opportunity for a free hotel to rest, recharge, and refuel.
I was not given a choice of hotel, but was instead taken to a guesthouse of an airport security guard…
I actually had to do this about 2 weeks ago. @Matthew I was at a different set of desks which was on the mezzanine and referred to as the interline desk. We were towards the front of the line after deplaning, yet it took over an hour to get a voucher. It was more madness than a Spirit Airlines flight. People would ignore the line and head right up to the desk with their issues and look at you with no shame. I travel on Ethiopian Airlines quite a bit and anticipate having to get in this line again, which I will never look forward to.
Sounds like your experience was far worse than mine!
I also experienced chaos trying to get a transit visa in January this year. There was one window open and about 20 people crowded around it pushing and shoving. I was ineglibile because while I arrived on ET J I was departing on MS J so was denied.
What was the hotel and meals like? 3 meals seems very generous.
We were not given any choice of hotel, at 1st it was them airlines who change our flight we supposed to land at 7:15am from Montreal Canada and take off 9:30am to Entebbe Uganda, but we are kept setting in airport until 7:30pm with bad stinky bathrooms, my kids were tired and security couldn’t allow us into the lobby to get something to eat. Again on way back to the US our flight schedule was 12:30pm from Ebb to Addis and depart 11:30pm we are more than 8 HRs in airport again with no hotel. Wish they hold to their words cuz they mess people’s schedules and the airports don’t have amenities for entertainment.