Stopovers allow you to visit an extra destination on the same flight ticket. A “stopover” is usually defined as a connection or stop that lasts for 24 hours or more for international travel and four hours or more for domestic travel. (Shorter connections are called layovers.)
Typically passengers hate long layovers that feel like huge time wasters. But with well-planned stopovers, you can add a bonus trip before or after your intended destination.
Keep in mind, though, that you’ll sometimes pay more in airport taxes or fuel surcharges with this option.
Here are some of the best airlines for free stopovers for your next award or cash flight.
» Learn more: What are layover, stopover and open jaw flights?
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1. Japan Airlines
Mileage Bank, the Japan Airlines frequent flyer program, has one of the best stopover policies, with very liberal rules. Flyers can take advantage of complimentary stopovers when booking a JMB Partner Airlines Award or Oneworld alliance award with Japan Airlines miles.
JMB Partner Airlines Award
The JMB Partner Airlines Award allows you to fly on any single partner airline (except Jetstar Japan) with up to three complimentary stopovers (except international travel originating in China).
For example, you could fly American Airlines between New York City and Tokyo, and have three stopovers along the way for the same number of points as a more direct round trip between the two cities. Here’s how this could look:
- New York City-Miami.
- Miami-Chicago.
- Chicago-Los Angeles.
- Los Angeles-Tokyo.
- Tokyo-New York City (with a layover in Dallas).
Oneworld Award
Book travel on two or more Oneworld alliance airlines with up to seven complimentary stopovers. That’s an incredible value if you have some time on your hands.
For example, you could book the following itinerary:
- Miami-Milan (American Airlines).
- Milan-London (British Airways).
- London-Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific).
- Hong Kong-Osaka (Cathay Pacific).
- Osaka-Tokyo (Japan Airlines).
- Tokyo-Miami (American via Dallas).
2. Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles allows up to five complimentary stopovers (your destination is also considered a stopover) on its Oneworld multicarrier award. You can use three or more Oneworld airlines when one of your flights is on Cathay Pacific or two Oneworld airlines without Cathay Pacific.
In other words, you can fly up to 50,000 miles and stop in up to five cities for the same number of miles it would cost you to visit Hong Kong.
Here's an example itinerary:
- Dallas-Hong Kong (American Airlines).
- Hong Kong-Bangkok (Cathay Pacific).
- Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines).
- Kuala Lumpur-Tokyo (Japan Airlines).
- Tokyo-Dallas (American Airlines).
3. Alaska Airlines
Alaska Atmos Rewards has a great stopover policy: You can have one complimentary stopover on a one-way flight and up to two stopovers on a round trip, but only for international itineraries. That doesn’t include the destination, so you can visit three places for the price of one.
Alaska has generous award charts for some of its partners, so there are excellent options to use stopovers on the way to or from your destinations. You can stop in Hong Kong on the way to the Middle East or South Africa (Cathay Pacific), explore Tokyo on the way to Bangkok (Japan Airlines) or enjoy Fiji on the way to Australia (Fiji Airways).
Note that your stopover can be up to 14 days in each direction of travel.
4. ANA
You can book up to four stopovers with ANA Mileage Club reward flights, whether you’re flying on ANA or its airline partners.
Within Japan, you can get one free stopover per direction of travel and add another for $80 if you want. If you maximize it, you could make four stops — two for free and the other two at $80 each way. ANA defines a stopover as a stay over 24 hours.
Outside of Japan, the rules are more restrictive, mostly because you have to book a round-trip itinerary to be eligible. You can still add a stopover of more than 24 hours along your route for free. It’s still a win compared to most other reward programs.
And considering ANA has so many Star Alliance partners, adding a stopover along a round-trip journey could be an easy way to take a detour trip to a bonus destination.
5. Air France-KLM
When you book an award flight through Air France and KLM's Flying Blue program, you can add a complimentary stopover in Amsterdam or Paris. This also works for airline partners, which unlocks many more options. Anecdotal evidence suggests you can’t mix airlines on award flights, so it might not be the amazing deal that it seems at first blush. But if you’re booking a nonstop flight with one carrier, you may consider breaking it up to use the free stopover.
Another small setback is that you can't book these awards online. Instead, you'll need to contact Flying Blue customer service to book.
6. Air Canada
Air Canada Aeroplan doesn’t allow free stopovers, but you can add up to two for 5,000 points each on a round-trip flight (or one on a one-way flight). Although it’s not free, it's more than reasonable. Even better, Aeroplan has eliminated fuel surcharges, although it now charges a $39 fee for booking a partner’s flight.
Stopovers are only allowed outside of the United States and Canada, so you’ll likely end up paying a booking fee. You can stay for up to 45 days in a destination along your route, and for such a relatively low cost, could end up being a fantastic deal in addition to visiting a new (or favorite) place.
How to book a stopover
If you can book an award flight through the airline’s website, adding a stopover is usually as simple as selecting the multicity option instead of searching for a one-way or round-trip itinerary.
The booking process is much the same, except you’ll be able to add a quick side trip separate from the usual “there-and-back” style of booking. You can add as many segments as the program allows.
In the rare event you can’t book a stopover online (such as with Flying Blue), you can call the airline directly for help with booking. If there’s a booking fee, request a waiver because the award isn’t bookable online. The phone agent will usually subtract any phone booking fees. You can help the process along by verifying award space before you call and giving the agent the specific flight numbers and times.
Adding a stopover may add extra taxes to the overall cost of your award ticket. For example, some airports have their own arrival or departure tax, and you may be liable for paying it since you’re getting a proper visit. These costs are usually low, but something to consider.
A final tip is to pay attention to the fare classes of individual flights. Sometimes airlines will show one segment in economy and another in business class, for example. You may be charged the higher price even if all your flights aren’t in the same class or you may have a long flight segment in the lower class.
» Learn more: Airline fare classes explained
Airlines with free stopovers, recapped
If you want to optimize your spending, use complimentary stopovers to see more amazing places for the same number of miles. You’ll still have to pay more in airport taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges (if applicable), but in most cases, it will save you time, miles and money versus booking separate trips.
How to maximize your rewards
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