The Ultimate Guide to Stopovers and Open-Jaws on Qantas Award Tickets


Did you know you can visit multiple cities on a single Qantas Classic Flight Reward without paying extra miles? By strategically using stopovers and open-jaw itineraries, you can turn a simple round-trip award into a multi-city adventure. This guide explains everything you need to know about booking Qantas award tickets with stopovers and open-jaws, including rules, tips, and real-world examples.

Understanding Qantas Classic Flight Rewards

Qantas Frequent Flyer members can redeem points for Classic Flight Rewards on Qantas and partner airlines. These awards are distance-based, meaning the number of points required depends on the total distance flown and the cabin class. A key advantage is that Qantas allows one free stopover on a Classic Flight Reward itinerary, along with the ability to book open-jaw trips.

What is a Stopover?

A stopover is a deliberate break in your journey lasting more than 24 hours at an intermediate city. For example, flying from Sydney to London with a 3-day stop in Singapore. On Qantas award tickets, you can include one complimentary stopover per one-way or round-trip booking (except on domestic-only itineraries).

What is an Open-Jaw?

An open-jaw itinerary is when you fly into one city and return from another. There are three types:

• Origin open-jaw: Depart from City A to City B, then return from City C to City A.
• Destination open-jaw: Fly from City A to City B, then return from City B to City C.
• Double open-jaw: Depart from City A to City B, then return from City C to City D.

Qantas allows open-jaw itineraries, and when combined with a stopover, you can create complex trips for the same points as a simple round-trip.

Qantas Stopover Rules and Policies

To make the most of your award booking, you must understand the official rules:

• Eligibility: One free stopover is permitted on Classic Flight Reward bookings that include an international segment. Domestic-only itineraries do not qualify.
• Duration: Stopovers can last from 24 hours up to 12 months, giving you flexibility to explore a city.
• Location: The stopover must be at a city along your routing. It cannot be at your origin or final destination.
• Booking: Stopovers must be booked by calling the Qantas contact centre or sometimes via multi-city search on the website. Not all itineraries can be booked online.
• Points cost: Including a stopover does not increase the points required. Taxes and carrier charges may vary slightly depending on the airport.

How to Book a Qantas Award with a Stopover

Booking a stopover award requires a multi-city search. Here’s a step-by-step process:

1. Plan your routing: Decide on your origin, destination, and the city where you want to stop. Ensure the airlines you plan to use release award availability.
2. Search for availability: Use the Qantas website to search for award seats segment by segment. For example, search SYD-SIN, then SIN-LHR separately to confirm availability.
3. Use the multi-city tool: On the Qantas website, select “Multi-city” instead of “Return” or “One-way”. Enter your flights in order, ensuring the stopover is more than 24 hours.
4. Call Qantas if needed: If the website cannot price the itinerary or shows errors, call the Frequent Flyer service centre. Phone booking fees may apply, but complex routings often require an agent.
5. Confirm points and taxes: The total points should match the distance-based chart for your total journey. Pay attention to taxes and carrier charges, which can be high on certain partners like British Airways.

Example: Sydney to London with a Stop in Singapore

This itinerary includes a 5-day stopover in Singapore on the outbound. The total distance is approximately 20,000 miles, costing 159,000 Qantas Points in business class plus taxes. Without the stopover, a direct SYD-LHR return would cost the same points, but you’d miss out on visiting Singapore.

Open-Jaw Itineraries on Qantas Awards

Open-jaw itineraries can be combined with stopovers for even more value. Here are the key rules:

• Qantas allows open-jaw bookings on Classic Flight Rewards.
• The unflown segment (the “jaw”) is not counted in the distance calculation. Only the actual flown segments determine the points required.
• You are responsible for your own transportation between the open-jaw cities.

Example: Sydney to Rome, Return from Paris

This is a destination open-jaw: you fly into Rome (FCO) and out of Paris (CDG). You’ll need to arrange your own travel from Rome to Paris. The points cost is based on the total flown distance (SYD-FCO + CDG-SYD), which is similar to a round-trip to Europe. You get to experience two cities without extra points.

Combining Stopovers and Open-Jaws

The real magic happens when you combine a stopover with an open-jaw. For instance, fly from Sydney to Tokyo with a stopover in Hong Kong, then return from Osaka to Sydney. This gives you three cities for the price of one round-trip award.

Example: Multi-City Asia Adventure

Here, you stop in Hong Kong for a week, then continue to Tokyo. On the return, you fly from Osaka (open-jaw). You’ll need to get from Tokyo to Osaka on your own (a quick bullet train ride). This entire trip falls within the 7,001–9,600 mile distance band for Asia, costing 92,000 Qantas Points in business class. Without the stopover and open-jaw, a simple SYD-NRT return would cost the same.

Maximizing Value with Partner Airlines

Qantas is a member of the Oneworld alliance and has many non-alliance partners like Emirates, China Eastern, and Air France. You can mix partners on a single award, but be aware of the following:

• Emirates: High taxes but excellent availability and product. Stopovers in Dubai are easy.
• Cathay Pacific: Great for Asia stopovers via Hong Kong.
• Japan Airlines: Efficient for Japan and beyond.
• British Airways: Avoid if possible due to exorbitant carrier charges.
• American Airlines: Good for US domestic connections with low taxes.

When mixing partners, the distance calculation uses the sum of all flown segments. Ensure the total distance stays within your target band to avoid a higher points cost.

Distance-Based Award Chart (One-Way)

Table shows one-way points required for Qantas Classic Flight Rewards. Return is double. Data as of 2026.

Tips for Finding Award Availability

Award seats can be scarce, especially in premium cabins. Here are strategies to improve your chances:

• Book early: Qantas releases seats 353 days in advance. Partner airlines have varying release dates.
• Be flexible: If you can adjust your dates by a few days, you’ll have more options.
• Search segment by segment: Instead of searching multi-city directly, find availability for each leg separately, then piece them together.
• Use Qantas multi-city search: The website sometimes shows availability that isn’t visible on single-segment searches.
• Consider alternative routings: Flying via a different hub can open up award space. For example, instead of SYD-LAX direct, try SYD-NAN-LAX on Fiji Airways.
• Check partner sites: Use American Airlines or British Airways websites to search for Oneworld award space, then call Qantas to book.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

• Taxes and fees: Some partners (British Airways, Emirates) add high surcharges. Use carriers like American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, or Qantas itself to minimize costs.
• Married segment logic: Sometimes award seats are only available if you book a longer segment. For example, SYD-LHR might show no availability, but SYD-SIN-LHR does. This can work in your favor for stopovers.
• Phone booking fees: Complex itineraries may require calling, which incurs a fee (around 5,000 points or AUD 77 as of 2026). However, this is often worth it for the value gained.
• Stopover on domestic-only trips: Not allowed. You must include an international segment.
• Exceeding distance bands: A small detour can push you into the next distance band, costing more points. Use tools like the Great Circle Mapper to calculate distances.

Real-World Examples and Points Calculations

Let’s examine two more itineraries to show how stopovers and open-jaws save points.

Example 1: Australia to USA with Stop in Fiji

Total distance: 14,971 miles. This falls in the 9,601–15,000 band, costing 55,200 points one-way in economy. A direct SYD-LAX return is 14,976 miles, also 55,200 points. So you get a free stop in Fiji for the same points.

Example 2: Europe with Open-Jaw and Stopover

Total distance: 20,440 miles. This is in the 9,601–15,000 band? Actually, 20,440 exceeds 15,000, so it would be in the highest band (15,001+). Wait, Qantas chart goes up to 15,000 miles. For distances over 15,000, you may need to book as two separate awards, or the system may price as a higher tier. In practice, Qantas caps at 15,000 miles for a one-way, so this itinerary would cost 126,500 points in business. However, you visit Dubai (stopover), Paris, and Rome for the same points as a simple MEL-DXB return.

FAQ

Can I book a stopover online, or do I need to call?

Many simple stopover itineraries can be booked online using the multi-city tool. However, if you encounter errors or want to combine multiple partners, you may need to call the Qantas contact centre. Phone booking fees may apply.

How many stopovers are allowed on a Qantas Classic Flight Reward?

You are allowed one complimentary stopover per booking (one-way or round-trip). Additional stopovers are not permitted. If you want more stops, you’ll need to book separate awards.

Do open-jaw itineraries cost more points?

No, open-jaw itineraries do not cost extra points. The points required are based solely on the total distance of the flown segments. The unflown segment between the open-jaw cities is not included in the distance calculation.

Can I change or cancel an award ticket with a stopover?

Yes, you can change or cancel Classic Flight Rewards, but fees apply. Changes cost 5,000 points per passenger, and cancellations cost 6,000 points. If you cancel, your points are refunded, but you lose the taxes paid on the cancelled portion.

Which partner airlines offer the best value for stopovers?

Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong, Japan Airlines via Tokyo, and Emirates via Dubai are excellent choices due to good availability and reasonable taxes. Avoid British Airways if possible due to high surcharges.

References

1. Qantas Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions – https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/terms-and-conditions.html (accessed 2026)
2. Qantas Classic Flight Reward Table – https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/use-points/classic-flight-rewards/tables.html (2026)
3. Australian Frequent Flyer – Guide to Qantas Stopovers – https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/qantas-stopover-guide/ (2025)
4. Point Hacks – How to Use Qantas Points for Multi-City Trips – https://www.pointhacks.com.au/qantas-points-multi-city/ (2026)
5. Executive Traveller – Qantas Open-Jaw Awards Explained – https://www.executivetraveller.com/qantas-open-jaw-awards (2025)