What Are Stopovers and Open Jaws?

A stopover is an intentional break in a journey where you spend more than a certain amount of time in a connecting city before continuing to your final destination. For international itineraries, this usually means staying longer than 24 hours; for domestic flights, the threshold is typically four hours. A layover meeting those minimums becomes a stopover, allowing you to explore an extra city without needing a separate ticket. In award travel, a stopover can be an incredibly efficient way to see a second destination for little or no additional miles.

An open jaw flight ticket covers travel that arrives in one city and departs from another. There are three main forms: an origin open jaw (you start your trip from one city but return to a different city in the same region), a destination open jaw (you fly into City A and later fly home out of City B), and a double open jaw (both the starting and ending points on the outbound and return differ). For example, flying New York to London, then Paris back to Washington, D.C., represents a destination open jaw. Open jaws give you the freedom to roam overland or visit multiple places without backtracking.

Stopovers and open jaws are often confused with standard connections, but the key difference is time and intent. A connection under the stopover threshold is just a transit. Once you cross that threshold, you unlock the ability to stay overnight, tour a city, and resume your trip days or even weeks later on the same award booking. Airlines handle these features very differently, and knowing the rules can transform a simple round-trip into a multi-city adventure.

Why Use Stopovers and Open Jaws with Award Tickets?

Leveraging stopovers and open jaws stretches your miles far beyond a single destination. A well-planned award can effectively give you two or even three trips for the price of one round‑trip ticket. For instance, if you are flying from the United States to Southeast Asia, a free stopover in Tokyo or Seoul lets you sample a new culture at no extra mileage cost. Open jaws eliminate the need to double back, so you can fly into one European capital, take a train or cheap intra‑Europe flight across the continent, and fly home from a different city without burning additional miles for the positioning leg.

These options also make complicated family visits or multi‑city business trips far more affordable. Instead of booking three separate one‑way awards, you can house everything under one ticket protected by a single program’s rules. In many cases, you’ll pay fewer taxes and fees than you would on separate bookings, especially if the alliance partner does not impose fuel surcharges on the connection. Strategic travelers use stopovers to visit destinations that would otherwise be too remote or expensive to justify a dedicated trip, such as a stopover in Istanbul while en route to the Maldives or a stop in Honolulu on the way to Australia.

The real genius of these ticketing quirks is that they are built into frequent flyer programs. You are not gaming the system—you are simply reading the award chart and rules. While some airlines have removed or limited stopovers on award tickets in recent years, many still offer surprisingly generous allowances. Learning which programs give you that flexibility is the first step toward booking complex itineraries without a mileage penalty.

Major Airline Alliance Policies at a Glance

Every airline sets its own stopover and open jaw rules, but programs within the same alliance often share similarities. Understanding the broad philosophy of each alliance helps you pick the right frequent flyer currency before you start searching for award space.

Star Alliance

Programs in Star Alliance historically offer among the most generous stopover and open jaw policies. United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, and ANA Mileage Club are standout examples. You can typically string together multiple stops on one award, sometimes for free or for a modest fee in miles. Open jaws are widely permitted on round‑trip awards, and one‑way open jaws are allowed by several programs. Fuel surcharges vary by operating carrier and the program’s own rules, so some itineraries will carry high taxes while others remain cheap.

oneworld

oneworld programs are a mixed bag. American Airlines AAdvantage does not allow stopovers on award tickets at all, but open jaws are free at either end of a round‑trip. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, a key partner not in the alliance but with many oneworld tie‑ups, remains a gold standard, giving free stopovers even on one‑way international awards. British Airways Avios uses a distance‑based system and technically does not offer a free stopover, though you can book multi‑city awards at the combined segment cost. Cathay Pacific Asia Miles allows up to two stopovers on a round‑trip for a total mileage price based on distance flown. Qantas Frequent Flyer is notoriously restrictive. Thus, with oneworld, your program choice is critical.

SkyTeam

SkyTeam is the least friendly alliance for stopovers and open jaws. Delta SkyMiles eliminated stopovers on award tickets years ago; any itinerary with a stay longer than 24 hours breaks into two separate awards costing the sum of each segment’s mileage. Air France‑KLM Flying Blue similarly does not permit stopovers on award tickets, though occasional promo awards have introduced them as limited‑time features. Korean Air SKYPASS is one of the few exceptions, allowing one stopover on round‑trip partner awards with extra fees, but the rules are rigid. If free stopovers are a priority, SkyTeam programs usually are not your best option unless you use a sweet spot within a specific partner chart.

Let’s explore the specific rules for the most traveler-friendly programs. You can often mix and match these features to build remarkable itineraries.

United MileagePlus

United’s Excursionist Perk is one of the most misunderstood yet valuable stopover‑like benefits. While United no longer offers a traditional free stopover, the Excursionist Perk provides a free one‑way award within a designated region when you book a round‑trip or multi‑city international itinerary. The free segment must fall in a region outside the origin region. For example, you could fly New York to London (region: Europe), take a free intra‑Europe flight from London to Barcelona, and then return Barcelona to New York. This functions exactly like a free stopover in two European cities without extra miles. United also allows open jaws at either origin or destination on round‑trip awards at no additional cost. One‑way open jaws are not priced as a single award, so you would book two separate one‑ways. Always use United’s advanced multi‑city search tool and look for the “Excursionist” label on the qualifying segment. Visit United’s official Excursionist Perk page for the most up‑to‑date region maps and rules.

Air Canada Aeroplan

Aeroplan’s revamped program is a powerhouse for stopovers. On a one‑way or round‑trip award, you can add a stopover for just 5,000 points. You can include multiple stopovers—one stopover per direction on a round‑trip, so two total—each costing an additional 5,000 points. That means a round‑trip international award can include a stopover in each direction for only 10,000 extra points, unlocking layover cities like Zurich on the way to Singapore and Tokyo on the way back. Open jaws are also permitted and do not increase the mileage price, but they count as one of your allowed directional segments, so you cannot have a stopover and an open jaw on the same leg without paying an extra stopover fee. Aeroplan’s partner chart is vast, and its dynamic pricing on Air Canada flights sometimes makes pure partner awards especially attractive. Use the Aeroplan multi‑city search and watch for “Mixed Cabin” alerts. Review Aeroplan’s award rules to see current stopover and open jaw allowances.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska Mileage Plan stands out for its free stopover on one‑way international awards. You can book a one‑way from the U.S. to Asia with a free stopover in a partner hub like Tokyo (on Japan Airlines) or Seoul (on Korean Air), paying only the mileage for the origin‑to‑destination zone. This perk also works on domestic and international partner flights as long as the stopover city is the operating carrier’s hub or an approved transfer point. Open jaws can be combined with a stopover, effectively creating a one‑way ticket that goes City A to City B (stopover), then City B to City C, all for the price of a one‑way from A to C. Alaska’s generous award chart, particularly on Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and JAL, makes it a favorite for transpacific trips. Book online using the multi‑city search; if the free stopover doesn’t price correctly, a call to Alaska reservations often fixes it. Check Alaska’s award charts for zone‑based pricing.

American Airlines AAdvantage

American AAdvantage does not offer stopovers on award tickets, period. Any itinerary with a stop longer than 24 hours internationally (or four hours domestically) will be priced as two separate awards. However, AAdvantage is very open‑jaw friendly. A round‑trip award can begin and end in different cities within the same region at no extra miles, and destination open jaws are similarly allowed. For example, you can book a single round‑trip award from Miami to Madrid (outbound) and Paris to Miami (return), visiting both Spain and France with no mileage penalty. The open jaw surface segment is your own responsibility. This simple but powerful rule lets you craft multi‑country Europe trips without stopover fees because you never formally “stop over”—you just fly into one city and back from another. Use the multi‑city search tool on aa.com and ensure you select “Redeem miles”.

British Airways Avios

British Airways Executive Club prices awards segment by segment based on distance. There is no built‑in free stopover, but you can manually build a multi‑city itinerary using Avios. Each flight costs its own Avios, so a trip from London to Hong Kong with a stopover in Doha will price out as London‑Doha plus Doha‑Hong Kong. However, because Avios often charges lower taxes on partner airlines (like Qatar Airways) versus BA, a stopover may still be a great deal. Open jaws are priced the same way: fly into Milan and back from Rome, paying for each segment. The program allows unlimited date changes for a fee, so you can turn a connection into a stay if you can find award space later. For stopover enthusiasts, BA Avios are not ideal, but knowing how to combine Avios with other currencies for separate segments can work.

ANA Mileage Club

All Nippon Airways Mileage Club has a famously generous stopover policy on round‑trip partner awards, allowing up to four stopovers when traveling on Star Alliance carriers. You can literally circle the globe with stops in multiple cities, all for the price of a single round‑trip partner award—though fuel surcharges can be punishing. ANA also permits open jaws on round‑trip awards. The catch is that you must book a round‑trip in miles, and the program requires higher advance planning because award space can be scarce. However, savvy travelers use ANA’s partner chart to book business‑class trips to Japan with distant stopovers in Europe or Southeast Asia for a fraction of what other programs charge. The rules are complex but rewarding if you master them. Always call ANA to book stopover‑heavy itineraries; the online tool is limited.

How to Book Award Flights with Stopovers and Open Jaws

Successful booking starts with searching segment by segment, not the full itinerary. Use the airline’s multi‑city tool and check award availability for each leg separately. When a program allows free stopovers or open jaws, the website should automatically price the entire route as a single award. If it shows a higher‑than‑expected miles total, you may be hitting a married segment rule or a program that no longer permits stopovers.

Married segment logic can block your ideal itinerary. Partners sometimes release only certain flight combos as a through‑fare, so breaking them apart into a stopover results in no availability or a repricing. In those cases, try searching the full connecting itinerary without the stopover to see if the seats exist. Then call the program’s reservations desk; an agent can sometimes override married segment restrictions or manually build the ticket at the correct mileage level.

For programs that do not allow stopovers, you can still create a virtual stopover using a low‑cost positioning flight or booking a cheap cash fare between two close cities while using an open jaw. For example, with AAdvantage you might fly into London Heathrow and home from Paris Charles de Gaulle, covering the surface segment yourself with a train or low‑cost carrier. The award ticket covers both flights without hiking the total miles.

Tools like Point.me, AwardHacker, and ExpertFlyer help you identify which programs allow stopovers on specific routes and where partner award space is available. Use these to verify the rules before committing your miles. Once you find an itinerary that prices correctly, confirm that all taxes and carrier‑imposed surcharges are acceptable. Some partners (like Lufthansa or Austrian) add massive surcharges that can erode the value of a free stopover.

Advanced Strategies to Maximize Stopovers and Open Jaws

Combining stopovers with open jaws yields multi‑city tours that would cost tens of thousands of dollars if paid in cash. Consider this: book a one‑way award from Los Angeles to Sydney using Alaska miles with a free stopover in Fiji (on Fiji Airways) for just the price of a U.S.‑to‑Australia award. Then use a separate program to return from New Zealand, creating a whole South Pacific loop. When stopovers are based on region definitions, mixing a Europe‑based stopover with a destination open jaw lets you visit three European capitals for the miles of a single round‑trip.

Neststopovers are another clever trick. If you are traveling to a destination that requires a connection anyway, choose a connecting city with its own appeal. For instance, flying to South Africa via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines and turning that layover into a stopover in Ethiopia. Many programs allow free or cheap stopovers at partner hub cities, so always look beyond your final destination. A “hubstop” can let you explore Istanbul when flying to the Middle East, or Singapore en route to Bali.

For those who collect points in multiple currencies, you can even chain stopovers across programs. Use a United Excursionist Perk to get a free intra‑Asia flight, then an Alaska stopover on the way back. This type of advanced routing requires deep planning but can yield spectacular round‑the‑world‑style journeys at coach mile prices. Keep a careful eye on mileage expiration and fuel surcharges; sometimes paying a small mileage surcharge via Aeroplan is cheaper than the carrier‑imposed surcharges on an ANA award.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Many travelers assume that all frequent flyer programs follow the same industry‑standard rules. This leads to wasted searches and disappointment. Always read the program’s latest award terms, as airlines update policies without fanfare. For example, Delta removed stopovers entirely in 2015, yet many flyers still expect a free stopover on SkyMiles awards.

Fuel surcharges can turn a fantastic award itinerary into an expensive mistake. Even if miles are low, cash copays of $500 or more on business‑class partner flights can dwarf any savings. Check which airline partners pass on fuel surcharges (often called “carrier‑imposed charges”) and choose programs that do not impose them, like Air Canada Aeroplan on most metal or Alaska Mileage Plan on certain partners. Use ITA Matrix or the airline’s own dummy cash booking to see the estimated surcharges before transferring points.

Phantom award availability frequently derails stopover plans. An airline’s website may show a seat, but when you try to piece together a multi‑city ticket the space disappears. This can happen because of caching or married segment logic. Always confirm by searching each leg separately on multiple partner sites, and call the program if the online tool fails. Having a backup route is smart.

Married segments also require attention. If your stopover breaks a married segment, the system might not reprice correctly, pricing the ticket as two separate awards. Before giving up, try the itinerary without the stopover to isolate the issue. Sometimes calling the airline and asking the agent to release the married segment constraint can work, but be polite and ready to hang up and try again if the first agent is unfamiliar.

Finally, note that making changes to a stopover or open jaw itinerary after ticketing can incur hefty fees or even require re‑issuance at current award rates. Lock in your dates early and consider travel insurance that covers change fees if your plans are uncertain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a stopover after ticketing? Most programs allow you to change the date of an existing stopover for a fee, but adding a new one usually requires canceling and rebooking the award at current mileage levels. Always build your stopover into the original booking.

Do any programs allow stopovers on domestic awards? Alaska Mileage Plan allows free stopovers on international awards, but for domestic awards the rules are more limited. Aeroplan charges 5,000 points for a stopover regardless of destination. United’s Excursionist Perk only works on international itineraries with a region change.

Is an open jaw ticket treated as a round‑trip? Most programs will price a round‑trip open jaw as a single round‑trip award, provided the open jaw falls within the same region and mileage rules. For example, flying from New York to London and then Madrid to New York will price as a Europe round‑trip. One‑way open jaws are usually not recognized as a single award; you must book two one‑ways.

Can I combine a stopover and an open jaw on the same trip? Yes, many programs allow this. Alaska lets you do a free stopover plus an open jaw on a one‑way international award. Aeroplan permits both but you will pay an extra stopover fee for the second break. United’s Excursionist Perk can work alongside an open jaw as long as you respect the region rules.

Which program is best for visiting multiple cities on one award? ANA Mileage Club’s up‑to‑four stopovers on a round‑trip Star Alliance award is hard to beat. For one‑way flexibility, Alaska Mileage Plan offers the best value. For ease of use and low fees, Air Canada Aeroplan with its 5,000‑point stopovers is excellent.

Conclusion

Stopovers and open jaws are the secret weapons of award travel, converting a single redemption into an unforgettable multi‑destination journey. The landscape varies dramatically by program, so aligning your miles with a carrier that offers generous stopover rules can save hundreds of thousands of points over time. Star Alliance programs like United, Aeroplan, and ANA lead the pack, while oneworld stalwarts Alaska and Cathay Pacific remain bright spots. SkyTeam generally disappoints, though you can still craft open jaw itineraries with Delta or Flying Blue if you ignore the stopover dream. Before you transfer any flexible points, consult the program’s current terms, test your itinerary with multi‑city searches, and be ready to call for help. With a little planning, you’ll be creating trips that your friends assume cost a fortune—all while exercising the full muscle of your frequent flyer miles.