Most travelers book award flights as simple A-to-B trips. Fly from home to the destination, come back. What many do not realize is that several airline loyalty programs let you stop in a connecting city for days, weeks, or even months, then continue to your final destination on the same ticket for the same number of points. This is called a stopover, and it is one of the most underused tools in the points and miles world.
A stopover is defined as a stay of 24 hours or more in a connecting city. Anything shorter is considered a layover or connection. The key difference: with a stopover, you leave the airport, explore the city, sleep in a hotel, and pick up your journey whenever you are ready. Your award ticket treats the entire itinerary as a single trip.
To be clear, stopovers are an official feature of airline award programs, not a loophole or workaround. This is different from practices like hidden-city ticketing (booking a flight and intentionally skipping the final leg), which violates most airline contracts and can result in penalties. With a stopover, you are using the program exactly as it was designed.
Which Programs Allow Stopovers
Not every airline program offers stopovers, and the rules vary significantly between those that do. Here are the most useful programs for building stopover itineraries.
| Program | Stopover Policy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Amex transfer partner |
Up to 2 stopovers on round-trip (1 each direction). Allowed on one-ways too. | 5,000 points per stopover |
Marriott transfer partner |
1 stopover per one-way (2 on round-trip). Must be at a partner airline hub. | Free |
Chase & Amex transfer partner |
Free stopover in Singapore on award tickets. Up to 30 days. | Free |
Chase transfer partner |
Excursionist Perk: free one-way segment on multi-city round-trip awards. | Free (conditions apply) |
Amex & Chase transfer partner |
Stopovers allowed on one-way and round-trip awards, including partner flights. | Free (higher taxes may apply) |
Amex transfer partner |
1 stopover on round-trip awards. Must be in Hong Kong or a partner hub. | Free |
Aeroplan is the most flexible stopover program for U.S.-based travelers. It is both an Amex Membership Rewards transfer partner and a Star Alliance member, giving you access to dozens of airlines. At just 5,000 extra points per stopover, the value is exceptional. A round-trip business class ticket to Europe with a stopover might cost 75,000 Aeroplan points instead of 70,000, but you visit two cities instead of one.
How to Book a Stopover
The booking process varies by program, but most follow a similar pattern. You use the airline's multi-city search tool instead of a simple round-trip search. This lets you break your itinerary into segments with a gap between them.
Choose Your Stopover City
Stopovers are typically allowed only at airline hub cities or on routes where the carrier operates. If flying Cathay Pacific, your stopover must be in Hong Kong. If using Aeroplan on a Star Alliance routing, you have much more flexibility in choosing a connecting city.
Search Using Multi-City
Enter your trip as two separate segments. For example: New York to Istanbul (Segment 1), then Istanbul to Athens a week later (Segment 2). The airline's system will price this as a single award if stopovers are permitted on that route.
Confirm Stopover Pricing
Before transferring any points, verify that the total mileage cost reflects a stopover (same price or a small surcharge) rather than two separate one-way awards. If the price doubles, the program may not allow a stopover on that specific routing.
Call if Needed
Some programs, like Flying Blue, require a phone call to add stopovers. Others, like Alaska and KrisFlyer, let you book entirely online through the multi-city tool. Agent-assisted bookings may incur a small phone booking fee.
Best Stopover Itineraries
The real power of stopovers is in the itineraries you can build. Here are some of the highest-value examples that work with transferable credit card points.
U.S. to Europe via Aeroplan
Fly business class on a Star Alliance carrier (United, Lufthansa, Swiss, TAP) to a European city, stopover for a few days, then continue to your final destination. Example: Chicago to Rome, stopover, then Rome to Barcelona. Cost: roughly 75,000 Aeroplan points in business class for both cities instead of 70,000 for one. Transfer from Amex Membership Rewards at 1:1.
U.S. to Asia via Singapore KrisFlyer
Book Singapore Airlines from the U.S. with a free stopover in Singapore before continuing to Bali, Bangkok, or Tokyo. Singapore's stopover program even includes complimentary hotel nights for premium cabin passengers. Transfer from Chase UR or Amex MR at 1:1.
Multi-City Asia via Alaska Mileage Plan
Fly Cathay Pacific from the U.S. to Hong Kong (stopover), then continue to Singapore or Bangkok. Alaska allows one free stopover per one-way, and two on round-trips. You cannot mix partner airlines on the same ticket, so all segments must be on Cathay.
United Excursionist Perk
Book a multi-city round-trip using Chase Ultimate Rewards transferred to United. The Excursionist Perk adds a free intra-region one-way segment. Example: fly to London, get a free London-to-Paris flight, then return from Paris to the U.S. The intra-Europe segment costs zero additional miles.
Stopovers vs. Open Jaws
A stopover and an open jaw are different tools that serve similar goals. A stopover breaks your journey in a connecting city on the same ticket. An open jaw is when you fly into one city and out of another, with you arranging transportation between them independently (train, budget flight, rental car).
For example, flying into Paris and out of Rome is an open jaw. You would take a train or budget flight from Paris to Rome on your own. Most award programs allow open jaws with no restrictions, since they are simply priced as two one-way awards. Some programs, like Aeroplan, let you combine stopovers and open jaws on the same ticket for even more flexibility.
Stopover rules change. Airlines update their award policies regularly, and a program that allows generous stopovers today might restrict them tomorrow. Always verify the current rules on the airline's website before transferring points. Also note that taxes and fees can vary significantly when adding stopovers, especially on programs like Flying Blue that levy fuel surcharges.
Tips for Maximizing Stopovers
Transfer points after confirming availability. Search for award space on both segments of your stopover itinerary before moving any points. Transfers to airline partners are typically irreversible.
Consider one-way awards for more control. Programs like Alaska and Aeroplan allow stopovers on one-way awards, which gives you the freedom to book your outbound and return on different programs or airlines. This also makes itinerary changes easier.
Check airline stopover tourism programs. Several airlines offer dedicated stopover packages. Turkish Airlines offers free hotel stays for long layovers in Istanbul. Singapore Airlines provides complimentary hotel nights for premium cabin passengers stopping in Singapore. These programs add significant value on top of the award ticket itself.
Use stopovers to break up long-haul flights. A 20-hour journey from the U.S. to Southeast Asia is grueling. Adding a two-day stopover in Tokyo, Hong Kong, or Singapore breaks up the travel and gives you a bonus destination at no extra cost.
- Air Canada Aeroplan Most flexible stopover program for Star Alliance flights
- Award Flights 330 Days Out Hack No. 03: Book stopover segments early
- Points Transfer Sweet Spots Hack No. 02: Best programs to transfer points into for stopovers
- seats.aero Search award availability for both segments of your stopover
For informational purposes only, not financial or professional advice. Card offers and program terms are subject to change. This site may earn compensation through affiliate links at no cost to you.
