Stopovers on award tickets: which programs allow them and how to book

A stopover lets you spend a day or more in a city along the way on one award ticket, often for few or no extra miles. At the time of writing, Air Canada Aeroplan charges 5,000 points per stopover, Atmos Rewards and Air France-KLM Flying Blue allow one for no extra miles on qualifying trips, and United no longer offers its old Excursionist Perk.

That means the program you pick decides whether you get two trips for the price of one, or pay for each city separately. This guide explains what counts as a stopover, which major programs still allow them, how to book one and when it is worth the trouble.

What counts as a stopover

A stopover is a break in your journey longer than a normal connection. On international award tickets, it usually means more than 24 hours in a connecting city. Anything shorter is a layover, and most programs let you take that for no extra charge.

There are two related terms you will see:

• Layover: a connection under 24 hours on an international trip.
• Open jaw: flying into one city and home from another, without flying between them.

Stopovers matter because most programs now price awards as one-way trips. Without stopover rules, a trip from New York to Lisbon via London would cost two separate awards. With them, London can be a free (or cheap) bonus destination on the same ticket.

Which programs allow stopovers

Rules change often, and some are only clear once you try to book. Here is where the main programs stand at the time of writing, based on official pages where available and a September 2026 survey of stopover rules by One Mile at a Time.

Aeroplan: the easiest to book online

Air Canada's own page says each stopover "adds just 5,000 points to the existing fare between two cities." A stopover starts once the gap between flights is more than 24 hours, and you can stay up to 45 days. Stopovers are only available in cities outside Canada and the US.

The catch is that Aeroplan prices partner awards by distance. A routing via a stopover city can push you into a longer distance band, so the real cost can be more than the 5,000-point fee. Price the trip with and without the stop before you commit.

Atmos Rewards: free, but between regions

Atmos Rewards, the combined Alaska and Hawaiian program, allows stopovers on award tickets when you travel between regions. Because one-ways qualify, a round trip can include two stopovers, one each way. One Mile at a Time reports no extra fee, and says you book through the multi-city option on Alaska's site.

The multi-city tool doesn't always cooperate, and some travelers report trouble getting stopovers to price as expected. If the website gives a strange price, call before you give up.

Flying Blue: generous, but often by phone

Flying Blue allows a free stopover on one-way awards, including partner flights within a valid city pair, according to One Mile at a Time. You usually need to book it through the Flying Blue call center, and taxes can be higher depending on the stopover city.

United: the perk is gone

For years, United's Excursionist Perk gave a free one-way within a region on certain multi-city awards. One Mile at a Time reported that for tickets issued from August 21, 2025, United no longer offers it. Awards already ticketed with the perk kept it, but changes after that date could forfeit it. If you hold United miles, a multi-city trip now prices each one-way on its own.

How to book an award stopover

The steps are similar across programs that allow online stopover bookings.

1. Check the rules first. Confirm the program allows a stopover on your route and in your chosen city. Aeroplan, for example, won't allow one in a US or Canadian city.
2. Search each leg as a one-way. Find award space on each segment separately: origin to stopover city, then stopover city to destination. This tells you which dates actually work.
3. Open the multi-city tool. On aircanada.com, choose "Multi-city/Stopover". On Alaska's site, choose multi-city.
4. Enter the segments in order. Put in each flight with the dates you found. Keep the same direction of travel; backtracking can break the pricing.
5. Compare the price. Check the total against two separate one-way awards. If the stopover version isn't cheaper, there is no reason to book it that way.
6. Call if the site fails. If the space is there but the website won't price it, phone the program. Agents can sometimes build itineraries the website can't, though some programs charge a phone booking fee.

Finding seats on both legs is the hard part. Our guide to finding award seat availability covers release windows, flexible dates and alerts.

Why stopovers add value

The appeal is simple: you get a second destination for few or no extra miles.

• Two trips in one. A stop in Tokyo on the way to Bangkok, or Lisbon on the way to Madrid, gives you a few days somewhere new for the price of the main trip.
• Breaking up long journeys. A night or two in a hub can make a long trip far more pleasant, especially with children or older travelers.
• Better availability. Sometimes the only good award space is via a certain hub. A stopover turns a forced connection into a planned visit.
• More value from your miles. If the stopover city would otherwise need its own award or cash ticket, you are effectively getting that flight for free or close to it. Our award value calculator helps you check the numbers.

The trade-offs

Stopovers are not always worth it.

• More segments, more risk. Each leg needs award space on your dates. Changing one part of a stopover itinerary can mean repricing the whole ticket.
• Higher taxes. Some stopover cities add departure taxes and fees, so the cash portion can rise even when the miles stay the same.
• Hotel costs. A free flight still means paying for nights in the stopover city.
• Rules change. United's perk disappeared. Others could follow. Check the program's terms and pricing before you build a trip around a stopover.

Bottom line

At the time of writing, Aeroplan's 5,000-point stopover is the easiest to book online, while Atmos Rewards and Flying Blue include one for no extra miles if you can get the booking to work. Price the trip with and without the stop, confirm the rules on the program's site, and treat a stopover as a bonus, not a guarantee.