Guests who book a two-night stay from a choice of over 60 participating hotels in Abu Dhabi will receive the second night free.

Business Class guests will receive a complimentary night’s stay, while First Class guests will receive two free nights.

Guests flying in the luxurious three-room suite, The Residence, onboard the airline’s flagship Airbus A380s, will get two nights at the luxurious Emirates Palace hotel.

Travellers from all 11 Indian gateway cities – Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram – to Abu Dhabi, with onward transits, can enjoy the many highlights through a series of stopover programmes.

The airline is also running an Instagram competition – the ‘48-Hour Challenge’ – part of Etihad Airways’ wider stopover campaign promoting Abu Dhabi as a ‘holiday within a holiday’ for transit travellers and a ‘staycation’ option for UAE residents wanting a relaxing short-break.

Etihad Airways is also inviting its guests to experience a host of ‘once in a lifetime’ activities throughout the emirate in just two days.

The airline is giving away 500 prizes to members of the public who take up the 48 Hour Challenge and who post their experiences on Instagram using the hashtag #EtihadChallenge.

The amazing prizes on offer range from 24-carat gold spa treatments to desert safari trips. The competition runs until the end of 2017.

Etihad Airways recently challenged Ricky Wilson, singer-songwriter, TV personality and frontman of British indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs, to spend 48 hours exploring the best Abu Dhabi has to offer. The video of his attempt is part of a global online promotional campaign and captures the excitement of the challenge visually to share with consumers on social media and across the airline’s communications channels.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: “The launch of Etihad Airways’ comprehensive stopover programme reinforces what we who live in this wonderful city have known for so long – that Abu Dhabi is a cosmopolitan, dynamic and thrilling destination packed with opportunities for all visitors, whether they are looking for adventure, culture, or a relaxing beach break."

“It is our honour as the national airline of the UAE, based here in Abu Dhabi, to promote and celebrate the emirate’s sophisticated infrastructure, the hospitality of the Emirati people, and its beautiful landscape. It is the perfect stopover destination for those flying through Abu Dhabi and an ideal domestic getaway for those living in the wider UAE," he said.

Ricky Wilson, who successfully completed the 48-Hour Challenge said: “For me a stopover meant sitting in the airport, or visiting duty free, but this is not what a stopover should be,” commented the singer. “It should be flying falcons across the desert, kayaking, visiting water parks….imbibing the culture of the place. Abu Dhabi has taught me that stopovers can be as relaxing as they are exhilarating. There is something incredibly refreshing about pushing yourself, getting out of your comfort zone and fully immersing yourself in a new city. I will never stay in the airport again during a stopover.

“It is an incredible place, with warm, generous and extremely hospitable people. The city perfectly combines a relaxing and chilled out vibe with excitement and adventure. It is a beautiful city with endless things to do in a short space of time.”

Some of the activities that Ricky Wilson completed were a tour in a slingshot, racing in a supercar, cycling around the Formula 1 track, speeding down a waterslide at Yas Waterworld, buying a suit, camel trekking, etc.

More information on Etihad Airways’ stopover packages can be found on: www.etihad.com/abudhabi