The Complete Guide to Maximizing Stopovers on Airline Award Tickets

Stopovers are one of the most powerful yet underutilized tools in the award travel world. A stopover allows you to visit an intermediate city for more than 24 hours on your way to your final destination, effectively giving you two destinations for the price of one. When used strategically, stopovers can dramatically increase the value of your miles and unlock incredible multi-city adventures. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to master stopovers on airline award tickets, with a focus on Australian frequent flyer programs like Qantas and Velocity, as well as their key partners.


What is a Stopover and Why Should You Care?

At its core, a stopover is a deliberate break in your journey at an intermediate city that lasts longer than a layover. While a layover is typically a connection of less than 24 hours (or less than 4 hours for domestic itineraries), a stopover allows you to spend days or even weeks exploring a city before continuing to your final destination. The beauty of stopovers on award tickets is that many frequent flyer programs allow them at little to no extra cost in miles, though you may still be responsible for taxes and fees.

For example, instead of flying directly from Sydney to London, you could book a Qantas award ticket with a stopover in Singapore, spending a few days enjoying the city before continuing on to London—all for the same number of Qantas Points as the direct flight. This turns a simple trip into a multi-destination adventure without burning extra miles.

Stopovers are especially valuable for those looking to explore regions with multiple nearby destinations, such as Southeast Asia, Europe, or the United States. They also allow you to break up long journeys, which can be a blessing for travelers who dread ultra-long-haul flights.

Understanding Stopover Rules: The Basics

Before diving into specific programs, it’s crucial to understand the general rules that govern stopovers. These rules can vary significantly between airlines and even between different award charts within the same program. Here are the key factors to consider:

• Permitted Stopover Points: Programs define where you can stop over, often based on the routing rules. For instance, Qantas permits stopovers at its hub cities or partner hubs.
• Number of Stopovers Allowed: Some programs allow one stopover per one-way award, while others allow multiple. Some even allow stopovers on round-trip awards.
• Stopover Duration: Most programs cap stopovers at a certain number of days (e.g., 30 days) or require the entire trip to be completed within a year of ticket issuance.
• Cost in Miles: This is the most critical factor. Many programs price awards by region or distance, and a stopover may not increase the mileage cost if you stay within the same award zone. Others may charge a small fee or require a higher award tier.
• Open-Jaw Combinations: A stopover is often combined with an open-jaw (returning from a different city) to create even more complex itineraries.
• Married Segment Logic: Some airlines only release award seats for certain segments together, which can limit your ability to add stopovers.

It’s also important to distinguish between stopovers and free stopover programs offered by some airlines, where the airline actively promotes stopover tourism (e.g., Icelandair, TAP Air Portugal). While these can be great, they are usually revenue-based and not applicable to award tickets. Here, we focus on stopovers built into frequent flyer program rules.

Major Frequent Flyer Programs and Their Stopover Policies

Let’s explore the stopover rules for the programs most relevant to Australian travelers, along with some key international partners that offer generous stopover terms.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Qantas is the dominant program for Australians, and its stopover rules are relatively straightforward but can be restrictive compared to some other programs.

• Stopovers on Qantas Classic Flight Rewards: Qantas allows one stopover per one-way Classic Flight Reward on Qantas-operated flights, but only on international itineraries. Domestic itineraries do not permit stopovers. The stopover must be at a Qantas international gateway city (e.g., Singapore, Hong Kong, Los Angeles) and cannot exceed 30 days. Critically, the stopover is priced into the award; if your origin and destination fall within the same zone on the Qantas Classic Flight Reward table, the stopover does not increase the points cost. However, if the stopover changes the zones, you’ll pay the higher of the two point amounts.
• Stopovers on Partner Awards: Qantas allows stopovers on partner awards, but the rules are more complex. For oneworld partners, you can include up to five stopovers on a oneworld Classic Flight Reward, which is a multi-carrier award priced differently. This is a powerful option for round-the-world or multi-continent trips but requires a higher number of points. For individual partner awards (e.g., using Qantas Points on Emirates), stopovers are generally not permitted unless the partner’s own program allows it and space is available.
• Example: Sydney (SYD) to London (LHR) via Singapore (SIN) on Qantas. Since SYD-LHR is a single zone (Zone 10), a stopover in SIN does not increase the points cost (e.g., 55,200 Qantas Points in economy). You could spend a week in Singapore before continuing to London.

Velocity Frequent Flyer (Virgin Australia)

Velocity’s stopover rules are less generous than Qantas’s, but there are still opportunities, especially when redeeming on partner airlines.

• Velocity Reward Seats on Virgin Australia: Stopovers are not permitted on domestic or international Virgin Australia-operated reward seats. You can only have a layover of less than 24 hours.
• Partner Airline Rewards: Velocity allows stopovers on some partner awards, but the rules depend on the partner. For example, on Singapore Airlines, you can include one stopover on a round-trip award or one per one-way on a one-way award, but only if you book through Velocity and Singapore Airlines’ own rules permit it. On Etihad, stopovers are not allowed on Velocity awards. On United Airlines, you can include one stopover on a round-trip award in the same region.
• Key Strategy: Use Velocity points for one-way awards on partners that allow stopovers, such as Singapore Airlines. For instance, you could book Sydney to Singapore (stopover) to Tokyo on Singapore Airlines for the same points as Sydney to Tokyo direct, though availability can be challenging.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

While not an Australian program, KrisFlyer is a popular transfer partner of both Australian programs and offers some of the best stopover options for Australian travelers.

• Stopovers on Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer allows one stopover on a round-trip Saver award and two stopovers on a round-trip Advantage award. One-way awards do not permit stopovers. The stopover can be in Singapore (a natural hub) or at other cities on the route, but it must be on Singapore Airlines metal. The cost is $100 USD per stopover, which is relatively low.
• Stopovers on Star Alliance Awards: KrisFlyer’s Star Alliance award chart permits up to four stopovers on a round-trip award, but these awards are priced higher and have complex routing rules.
• Example: Melbourne to London via Singapore on Singapore Airlines. Book a round-trip and add a stopover in Singapore in both directions for $200 USD total, visiting Singapore twice.

Other Notable Programs for Stopovers

Several other programs accessible via transferable points (like American Express Membership Rewards) offer outstanding stopover policies:

• ANA Mileage Club: Allows up to four stopovers on round-trip international awards, but strict routing rules apply.
• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: Allows one free stopover on one-way awards, even on partner airlines, making it incredibly valuable for trips like Australia to Asia with a stop in Fiji.
• Aeroplan (Air Canada): Allows one stopover on one-way awards for 5,000 points, with the ability to add more for an additional cost.

Crafting Multi-City Itineraries with Stopovers

Now that you understand the rules, let’s look at some practical examples of how to build itineraries that maximize stopovers.

Example 1: The Classic Qantas Kangaroo Route with a Singapore Stopover

• Route: Sydney (SYD) → Singapore (SIN) [stopover 5 days] → London (LHR)
• Program: Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Points Cost: 55,200 Qantas Points in economy (Zone 10)
• Taxes: Approximately AUD 200-300
• Value: You get to explore Singapore for a few days without any extra points cost. This is a perfect way to break up the long journey to Europe.

Example 2: Velocity Points on Singapore Airlines to Two Asian Cities

• Route: Melbourne (MEL) → Singapore (SIN) [stopover 4 days] → Tokyo (NRT)
• Program: Velocity Frequent Flyer (using Singapore Airlines)
• Points Cost: 70,000 Velocity Points in economy (one-way, but you can book as a round-trip with a second stopover)
• Taxes: Approximately AUD 150-200
• Value: See both Singapore and Tokyo on one award ticket. Note that you must book this as a round-trip to get the stopover; a one-way would not permit it.

Example 3: Around the World with oneworld Classic Flight Reward

• Route: Sydney (SYD) → Hong Kong (HKG) [stopover 3 days] → London (LHR) [stopover 7 days] → New York (JFK) [stopover 5 days] → Los Angeles (LAX) → Sydney (SYD)
• Program: Qantas Frequent Flyer (oneworld Classic Flight Reward)
• Points Cost: 132,400 Qantas Points in economy (up to 35,000 miles)
• Taxes: Approximately AUD 800-1,200
• Value: This is a trip of a lifetime, visiting four continents for a single award ticket. The oneworld award allows up to five stopovers, so you could add even more.

Example 4: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan for a Pacific Island Stopover

• Route: Brisbane (BNE) → Nadi (NAN) [stopover 5 days] → Los Angeles (LAX)
• Program: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan (using Fiji Airways)
• Points Cost: 40,000 Alaska miles in economy (one-way)
• Taxes: Approximately USD 50-100
• Value: Fiji is a popular stopover on the way to the US, and Alaska’s generous stopover policy makes it free. Alaska miles can be transferred from Marriott Bonvoy or purchased during sales.

Tips for Finding and Booking Stopover Awards

Booking award tickets with stopovers can be more complex than simple point-to-point awards, but the effort is often worth it. Here are some tips to increase your success:

• Search Segment by Segment: Most airline websites struggle with multi-city award searches. Instead, search for each segment individually (e.g., SYD-SIN and SIN-LHR) and confirm availability. Then, call the airline to piece them together. Some programs, like Qantas, allow you to book multi-city awards online, but it can be glitchy.
• Use ExpertFlyer or Award Tool: Tools like ExpertFlyer can help you find award availability across multiple airlines and set alerts for when seats open up.
• Be Flexible with Dates and Routes: Stopover availability often depends on award seat availability on each segment. If your ideal route isn’t available, consider alternative hubs. For example, instead of Singapore, you might stop in Hong Kong or Tokyo.
• Leverage Married Segment Logic: Sometimes, an airline will release a seat only when the entire journey is on its metal. For instance, Qantas might show SYD-LHR via SIN as available but not SYD-SIN alone. In such cases, booking the full journey with the stopover can unlock seats that weren’t visible segment by segment.
• Book Early or Late: Award seats are often released 11-12 months in advance or close to departure. Plan accordingly, especially for popular routes.
• Consider Positioning Flights: If you can’t find availability from your home city, look at other Australian gateways. A cheap domestic flight to Melbourne or Brisbane could open up more stopover options.
• Understand Taxes and Fees: Some partners, like Emirates, have high carrier-imposed surcharges that can make a “free” stopover expensive. Always check the total cost before booking.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

While stopovers are fantastic, there are several traps that can derail your plans:

• Assuming All Programs Allow Stopovers: Many programs, like Velocity on most partners, do not permit stopovers. Always check the specific rules before transferring points.
• Ignoring Routing Rules: Airlines have strict rules about which routes are valid. For example, Qantas may not allow a stopover in Dubai on the way to London if it’s not a published routing.
• Overlooking Married Segment Logic: As mentioned, this can work for or against you. Sometimes, adding a stopover actually makes an award bookable because the system sees it as a single journey.
• Not Checking Visa Requirements: A stopover in a country may require a visa, even if you’re just transiting. Ensure you have the necessary documentation.
• Booking Too Many Segments: While complex itineraries are tempting, more segments mean more chances for schedule changes or cancellations that could disrupt your trip.
• Forgetting About the 24-Hour Rule: A layover of less than 24 hours is not a stopover and doesn’t count against your stopover allowance. You can use this to your advantage to have a quick visit without using a stopover slot.

Comparison of Stopover Policies

Advanced Strategies: Stopovers and Open-Jaws

For the ultimate award ticket, combine stopovers with open-jaws. An open-jaw is when you return from a different city than you arrived in, or fly into one city and out of another. For example:

• Fly Sydney to London (via Singapore stopover).
• Travel overland from London to Paris.
• Return Paris to Sydney (via Hong Kong stopover).

This is essentially two one-way awards, but if your program allows stopovers on one-ways (like Qantas), you can build an incredible multi-city trip. Some programs, like Aeroplan, even allow you to mix stopovers and open-jaws on a single award ticket for a small fee.

When constructing these itineraries, always check the maximum permitted mileage (MPM) for the route, as some programs restrict the total distance you can travel.

FAQ

What is the difference between a stopover and a layover?

A layover is a connection of less than 24 hours (or less than 4 hours for domestic flights in some programs). A stopover is a deliberate break of more than 24 hours, allowing you to leave the airport and explore the city.

Can I add a stopover to an existing award ticket?

It depends on the program and fare rules. Some programs allow changes for a fee, but you may need to reprice the entire ticket. It’s best to include the stopover at the time of booking.

Do stopovers increase the points cost?

In many programs, stopovers are free if you remain within the same award zone or region. However, some programs charge a small fee in points or cash, and others may push you into a higher award tier if the stopover changes the zone.

How do I search for stopover award availability?

Search for each segment individually on the airline’s website or use a tool like ExpertFlyer. Once you confirm availability, call the frequent flyer program to book the multi-city itinerary.

Can I have a stopover in a city that is not a hub?

It depends on the routing rules. Most programs only allow stopovers at published hub cities or along a valid routing. For example, Qantas typically permits stopovers at its international gateways like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles.

Are stopovers allowed on domestic awards?

Generally, no. Most programs restrict stopovers to international itineraries. However, some programs like Alaska Airlines allow stopovers on domestic awards, but this is rare.

References

1. Qantas Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions, “Classic Flight Rewards” (2025). https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/use-points/classic-flight-rewards/terms-and-conditions.html
2. Velocity Frequent Flyer, “Using Points for Flights” (2025). https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/use-points/flights
3. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, “Stopover and Layover” (2025). https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/ppsclub-krisflyer/use-miles/stopover-layover/
4. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, “Stopovers on Award Tickets” (2025). https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mileage-plan/use-miles/award-charts
5. ExpertFlyer, “Award & Upgrade Search” (2025). https://www.expertflyer.com