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Stopovers and Open‑Jaws: More Value from Your Miles

Turn one award into multiple destinations. Here’s how stopovers and open‑jaws can turbocharge your redemptions in 2025.

• 8 min read

Definitions

  • Stopover: A stay of 24+ hours in a connecting city on an award itinerary.
  • Open‑jaw: Fly into one city and out of another (e.g., NYC→Paris, return Rome→NYC).
Not all programs allow these, and rules vary. Some charge a small points fee; others price via distance/regions.

Programs that play nicely (2025)

  • Air Canada Aeroplan: Add a stopover on one‑ways for 5,000 points. Extremely flexible with partners.
  • ANA Mileage Club: Great roundtrip pricing and generous routing, but requires roundtrip and follows zonal rules.
  • Avios ecosystem (BA/Iberia/Qatar): Distance‑based; open‑jaws often easier than formal stopovers, but multi‑segments can be priced creatively.
  • Virgin Atlantic: Case‑by‑case partner value; open‑jaw potential on certain charts.

Practical itineraries

  • Europe sampler (Aeroplan): NYC→Zurich (stop 4–5 days) → Athens; return Athens→NYC. 5k points premium for the stopover, often worth it.
  • Japan with ANA: North America→Tokyo (stopover) → Osaka; return Osaka→North America. Superb roundtrip pricing if you can plan.
  • Avios open‑jaw: Fly BOS→Madrid on Iberia, return from Barcelona→BOS, position via train/low‑cost carrier.

Booking strategy (step‑by‑step)

  1. Define core destinations, then identify viable stopover cities (hubs often work best).
  2. Search segment‑by‑segment to confirm award space exists for each leg.
  3. Price the full trip with the intended program (Aeroplan/ANA/etc.).
  4. Set alerts for each critical long‑haul segment and your preferred dates.
  5. Transfer points only after validating that your full plan is bookable.

Gotchas

  • Some programs restrict stopovers on one‑ways (Aeroplan allows with a 5k add‑on; others may not).
  • Mixed partners/cabins can alter pricing; know your program’s rules.
  • Open‑jaws might be easier than formal stopovers in certain ecosystems (Avios).

Related reading

Use Awards Finder to monitor the long‑haul legs of your stopover/open‑jaw plan—strike the moment space appears.

Build smarter itineraries with stopovers

Create targeted alerts for each leg and book the full trip with confidence.

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