A stopover is a layover of 24+ hours on an award ticket. When airline loyalty programs allow free or cheap stopovers, they effectively turn one award ticket into two trips. Several mileage programs still allow stopovers in 2026 — though fewer than a decade ago, as revenue optimization has pushed most carriers to eliminate the benefit.
Programs that still allow stopovers in 2026
| Program | Stopover policy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Aeroplan (Air Canada) | One stopover on one-way or round-trip | 5,000 miles |
| Alaska Mileage Plan | One stopover on one-way partner awards | Free |
| ANA Mileage Club | Stopovers on round-the-world awards | Free (per RTW rules) |
| TAP Miles&Go | Stopover in Portugal on partner awards | Free |
| JAL Mileage Bank | Stopover in Japan on round-trip awards | Free |
Programs that eliminated stopovers
Many US and European programs removed or severely restricted stopovers over the past decade:
- United MileagePlus — removed free stopovers; Excursionist Perk (free in-region segment) replaced the benefit partially.
- American AAdvantage — removed stopovers on most partner awards.
- Delta SkyMiles — no stopovers.
- Lufthansa Miles & More — restricted; rarely used.
- Singapore KrisFlyer — charges substantial mile surcharge for stopovers on most awards.
- BA Executive Club — effectively no stopovers; would need two separate award tickets.
The classic stopover play
Route Seattle → Frankfurt (stopover 3 days) → Bangkok on Aeroplan.
- Direct Seattle → Bangkok economy: 45,000 miles + taxes.
- Same routing with 3-day Frankfurt stopover: 50,000 miles + taxes (base fare + 5,000 for stopover).
- Effective result: one award ticket, two destinations (Germany + Thailand).
For travelers whose trip genuinely benefits from visiting an intermediate city, the stopover is free travel to that intermediate city.
Round-the-world award stopovers (ANA specifically)
ANA's round-the-world award chart allows multiple stopovers as part of its routing rules. A typical 22,000-25,000 mile RTW trip can include 5-8 stopover cities at 115,000 ANA miles in business class. This is among the best aspirational award redemptions in all of commercial aviation.
Who benefits from stopover-friendly programs
- Travelers who'd otherwise take separate trips to two regions — collapse into one award.
- Long-haul routes with natural connection cities (Europe → Asia via Istanbul on Turkish, US → Europe via AMS on Flying Blue).
- Points-flexible travelers who can wait for stopover-friendly routings to align.
Common stopover mistakes
- Assuming every program allows stopovers. Most don't anymore. Verify before planning.
- Trying to stack multiple stopovers when the program rules allow only one.
- Routing through cities that break program rules (illogical geographic routing, circular paths).
- Not considering surcharge implications — a stopover in a high-surcharge country can add $200-500 in fees.
FAQ
What exactly is a stopover versus a layover?
Layover: less than 24 hours in a connecting city (necessary for the routing). Stopover: 24+ hours in a city where you deliberately break the journey. Both are technically connections; stopovers are intentional extended stays.
Can I add a stopover to a dynamic award?
Rarely. Dynamic-award programs (United on own metal, Delta, most modern programs) don't support stopovers. Fixed-chart programs are where stopovers still work.
How does Aeroplan's 5,000-mile stopover work?
During Aeroplan booking, add a stopover city by selecting a multi-city routing. The 5,000-mile charge applies once per one-way. Round-trip awards can include one stopover on each direction (2 stopovers total) at 5,000 miles each.
Is ANA's round-the-world chart worth the complexity?
For sophisticated travelers doing genuine multi-continent trips in business class, yes. 115,000 ANA miles for a genuine RTW business-class itinerary is among the best value in commercial aviation. For travelers taking 1-2 standard international trips per year, the RTW chart is more than needed.
What's the best program for a Europe + Asia combination trip?
Aeroplan (one stopover for 5,000 miles) or ANA (round-the-world chart). Both handle this routing cleanly at competitive mile costs.
Last verified April 2026.