In air travel, a stopover is an intentional extended break at a connecting city during which the traveler leaves the airport. For international flights, a stopover is generally defined as any connection lasting 24 hours or more; for domestic U.S. flights, the threshold is typically four hours or more. Many airlines and loyalty programs allow stopovers on both revenue and award tickets, sometimes at no additional airfare cost.
TL;DR / Key takeaways
- A stopover is any connecting stop that exceeds the standard threshold: four or more hours on domestic U.S. flights, or 24 or more hours on international flights.
- Unlike a layover, a stopover is typically long enough to leave the airport, check into a hotel and explore the connecting city. Consider things like security checks, traffic, and length of the stopover before leaving the airport.
- On award tickets, some loyalty programs allow a stopover for no extra miles, effectively letting you visit two destinations for the price of one redemption.
- Several airlines run dedicated stopover programs that include complimentary hotel nights, meals and transfers for qualifying passengers on revenue tickets.
- Each airline and loyalty program sets its own stopover rules, so confirm the specific terms before booking.
Stopover vs. layover vs. connection: what's the difference?
Every flight that isn’t nonstop involves a connection, but not all connections are the same. Understanding the distinctions helps you book smarter and know your options when a connecting stop runs long.
| Term | Domestic threshold | International threshold | Leave the airport? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connection | Any stop en route | Any stop en route | Optional |
| Layover | Under 4 hours | Under 24 hours | Generally not practical |
| Stopover | 4 hours or more | 24 hours or more | Yes – the defining feature |
A connection is simply the neutral term for any intermediate stop. A layover is short enough that most travelers stay in the terminal. A stopover crosses a time threshold that makes leaving the airport worthwhile, and in many cases is treated differently by airlines for ticketing and fare purposes. Note that some airlines and programs define these thresholds slightly differently, so it is worth checking the specific airline’s rules for your route.
How stopovers work on award tickets
Stopovers can be especially valuable when redeeming points or miles. Some loyalty programs let you add a stopover to an award itinerary for little to no extra miles, which means you can visit an additional city without needing a separate redemption.
The rules vary significantly by program. Aeroplan allows stopovers on international award tickets using its multicity booking tool. Air France-KLM Flying Blue permits stopovers of up to one year on eligible tickets operated by Air France and KLM, with no additional miles required. Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards allows one stopover per eligible one-way international award, restricted to Alaska or partner hubs. Some programs restrict stopovers to specific regions or hub cities, and a few do not allow them at all.
One creative application: booking a stopover in your home city. If you live in New York and want to visit both Paris and Tokyo at separate times of year, you could potentially book a single award itinerary that routes Paris to New York (stopover) to Tokyo, treating the time at home as the stopover.
RELATED: 8 tips for strategically booking your first stopover
How to use a stopover to see more for less
The most straightforward reason to book a stopover is to turn a long connecting city into a mini destination. Instead of sitting in an airport for 20 hours, you check into a hotel, spend a night or two exploring and continue to your final destination. The extra cost is typically limited to the hotel, meals and local transport since the airfare is already built into your ticket.
A few scenarios where a stopover adds clear value:
- Long-haul routes through attractive hub cities: Routing through Istanbul, Doha, Dubai, Helsinki or Lisbon on the way to your destination creates a natural opportunity for a stopover without significantly extending total travel time.
- Breaking up a very long journey: A rest stop in a connecting city can make a multi-leg itinerary far more comfortable, particularly in economy.
- Airline stopover programs with complimentary perks: Several airlines sweeten the deal with complimentary or heavily discounted hotel nights for qualifying passengers. Emirates offers its Dubai Connect program, which provides complimentary hotel accommodation, meals and airport transfers for connecting passengers with a layover of 6 to 26 hours in Dubai (economy and premium economy require 6 to 26 hours). Etihad offers a similar program in Abu Dhabi with complimentary hotel stays at select properties. Copa Airlines’ Panama Stopover Program allows passengers to spend 24 hours to 15 days in Panama City at no additional airfare cost.
For a full breakdown of which airlines currently offer stopover programs and what each includes, see the ultimate guide to airline stopover programs.
