FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What are award stopovers?
A stopover is a break of more than a set time in an intermediate city on an award ticket; a transit is a connection within that time. Whether stopovers are allowed, how many, on one-way or round trips, and how open jaws work all depend on each programme's own terms; this page quotes the sourced official sentences.
Reviewed by: Content review · Last updated:
Key takeaways
- A stopover is not a transit; programmes draw the time line differently.
- Within one programme the rules are often split by award type, such as Star Alliance awards, round-the-world tickets or awards on the programme's own flights.
- This page covers 11 programmes; 37 field entries are sourced and the rest are marked as lacking an official statement.
- No mileage figures or fee amounts are shown.
Stopover vs transit
A transit is a connection within the set time; beyond it the break counts as a stopover. This page keeps each programme's scope label from its own text and does not present transit rules as stopover rules.
What each programme's official text says
Seven fields per programme: stopovers allowed, number of stopovers, one-way vs round trip, open jaws, carriers and award types, extra cost, and the stopover vs transit definition.
| Frequent flyer programme | Official text by field and scope |
|---|---|
| KrisFlyer | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed (Star Alliance awards):One complimentary en route stopover is permitted for round-trip awards, unless otherwise stated below. Official source Number of stopovers (Star Alliance awards): One complimentary en route stopover is permitted for round-trip awards, unless otherwise stated below. Official source One-way vs round trip (Star Alliance awards): Complimentary stopovers are not permitted for one-way awards. Official source A one-way award requires half the number of KrisFlyer miles required for a round-trip award, and is only applicable to the list of airlines as specified in the Star Alliance chart here, provided there is no stopover included in the one-way award itinerary. Official source Open jaws (Star Alliance awards): One origin or destination open-jaw is permitted for a round-trip award (e.g. fly Singapore to San Francisco, then LA to Singapore; or fly Seoul to Singapore, then take a return leg to Tokyo). Official source Open-jaws are permitted across different award zones but the higher award level will apply. Official source En route open-jaws are not permitted. Official source Carriers and award types: no official statement found. Extra cost of a stopover: Additional stopovers are no longer permitted for award redemption tickets issued on or after 1 August 2022 regardless of the class of travel. Official source Paid stopovers are not permitted for tickets issued after 1 August 2022. Official source Stopover vs transit definition (Star Alliance awards): A stopover is defined as a connection above four hours in an itinerary within or between the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands, or a connection above 24 hours in all other itineraries. Official source |
| ANA Mileage Club | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed (ANA international award tickets):日本発は、途中降機できません。 Official source 海外発の途中降機は、目的地以外に1回可能です。 Official source Stopovers allowed (ANA domestic award tickets): 乗り継ぎ旅程の場合は、乗り換え地点での途中降機できません。 Official source Number of stopovers (ANA international award tickets): 海外発の途中降機は、目的地以外に1回可能です。 Official source Number of stopovers (Partner airline round-the-world award tickets): 出発地と最終帰着地の間で最大8回の途中降機が可能です。（ただし欧州での途中降機は3回まで、日本国内での途中降機は4回までです。） Official source One-way vs round trip (ANA international award tickets): 片道旅程では途中降機できません。 Official source 往復旅程では海外発の場合に限り、目的地以外に1回の途中降機が可能です。日本発の場合は途中降機できません。 Official source Open jaws: no official statement found. Carriers and award types (ANA international award tickets): 海外発の途中降機は、目的地以外に1回可能です。 Official source Carriers and award types (Partner airline award tickets): 日本発・海外発ともに途中降機は、目的地以外に往路・復路いずれかで1回可能です。 Official source Extra cost of a stopover: no official statement found. Stopover vs transit definition (ANA international award tickets): 途中降機（24時間を超える滞在） Official source |
| Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed (Awards on ASKY flights):A stopover is permitted for one way and round trip awards with extra miles. Official source Number of stopovers: no official statement found. One-way vs round trip (Awards on ASKY flights): A stopover is permitted for one way and round trip awards with extra miles. Official source Open jaws: no official statement found. Carriers and award types (Awards on ASKY flights): A stopover is permitted for one way and round trip awards with extra miles. Official source Carriers and award types (Awards on Ethiopian Airlines flights): Removal of stopover charges from all award tickets on Ethiopian Airlines flights. Official source Extra cost of a stopover (Awards on ASKY flights): A stopover is permitted for one way and round trip awards with extra miles. Official source Extra cost of a stopover (Awards on Ethiopian Airlines flights): Removal of stopover charges from all award tickets on Ethiopian Airlines flights. Official source Stopover vs transit definition: Onward connecting flights within 24 hours are not considered a stopover. Official source |
| Royal Skies | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed:One to two stopover is allowed on flight award itineraries involving multiple flights or sectors. Official source Number of stopovers: One to two stopover is allowed on flight award itineraries involving multiple flights or sectors. Official source One-way vs round trip: no official statement found. Open jaws: Open jaw tickets are allowed (i.e. passenger may arrive in one city and return from another) as long as both cities are within the same award category. Official source Carriers and award types: no official statement found. Extra cost of a stopover: no official statement found. Stopover vs transit definition: A stopover is where a member will be in the stopover city for 24 hours or longer before their next flight. Official source Please note that a transit is not considered as a stopover. Official source |
| Malaysia Airlines Enrich | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed (Enrich Saver Redemption):Stopover NOT allowed. Official source Stopovers allowed (Partner Travel Award): 11) Stopover and open jaw are not permitted when using a Partner Travel Award. Official source Number of stopovers: no official statement found. One-way vs round trip: no official statement found. Open jaws (Partner Travel Award): 11) Stopover and open jaw are not permitted when using a Partner Travel Award. Official source Carriers and award types (Partner Travel Award): 11) Stopover and open jaw are not permitted when using a Partner Travel Award. Official source Extra cost of a stopover: no official statement found. Stopover vs transit definition: no official statement found. |
| SAS EuroBonus | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed (Awards on SAS flights):Stopovers over 24h are allowed only on SAS flights to/from Asia or North America (one each way). Official source Stopovers allowed (Partner airline awards): No stopovers longer than 24 hours. Official source Number of stopovers (Awards on SAS flights): Stopovers over 24h are allowed only on SAS flights to/from Asia or North America (one each way). Official source One-way vs round trip: no official statement found. Open jaws: no official statement found. Carriers and award types (Awards on SAS flights): Stopovers over 24h are allowed only on SAS flights to/from Asia or North America (one each way). Official source Carriers and award types (Partner airline awards): No stopovers longer than 24 hours. Official source Extra cost of a stopover: no official statement found. Stopover vs transit definition: no official statement found. |
| Velocity Frequent Flyer | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed (Guaranteed Economy Reward Seat, Platinum Plus / Platinum):Return travel must have the same origin and destination in both directions and must not include stopovers exceeding six hours between Flight Sectors. Official source fetch date not recordedNumber of stopovers: no official statement found. One-way vs round trip: no official statement found. Open jaws: no official statement found. Carriers and award types: no official statement found. Extra cost of a stopover: Points amounts required are calculated according to the route, cabin class, airline partner, distance flown, and whether you have a transfer or stopover* between two Flight Sectors. Official source fetch date not recordedFor the stopover itinerary, your journey will be calculated as individual sectors. Official source fetch date not recordedStopover vs transit definition (Example in the source: international, or domestic connecting to international): If your transit time in Singapore is more than 24 hours, this will create a stopover/trip break. Official source fetch date not recordedStopover vs transit definition (Example in the source: domestic travel within Australia): A Reward Seat itinerary from Perth to Cairns via Brisbane, if your onward travel does not take place on the same calendar day, this will create a stopover/trip break. Official source fetch date not recorded |
| Delta SkyMiles | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed (Pay with Miles tickets):Open jaw, routing, stopover and ticket validity rules for Pay with Miles tickets are determined by the fare rules of the ticket purchased Official source Number of stopovers: no official statement found. One-way vs round trip: no official statement found. Open jaws: All open jaw itineraries will be priced based on One-Way Award Travel pricing rules. Official source Carriers and award types: no official statement found. Extra cost of a stopover: no official statement found. Stopover vs transit definition: no official statement found. |
| Emirates Skywards | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed (Emirates Classic Flex Plus):Two stopovers permitted (one outbound plus one inbound) Official source Stopovers allowed (Emirates Classic Saver): One stopover permitted (Either outbound or inbound) Official source Number of stopovers (Emirates Classic Flex Plus): Two stopovers permitted (one outbound plus one inbound) Official source Number of stopovers (Emirates Classic Saver): One stopover permitted (Either outbound or inbound) Official source One-way vs round trip: no official statement found. Open jaws: no official statement found. Carriers and award types: no official statement found. Extra cost of a stopover: no official statement found. Stopover vs transit definition: no official statement found. |
| TAP Miles&Go | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed: no official statement found. Number of stopovers (Star Alliance round-the-world awards, Bilhetes à volta do mundo): É permitido um máximo de 10 (dez) segmentos com um máximo de 6 (seis) escalas intermédias (em qualquer cidade). Official source fetch date not recordedOne-way vs round trip: no official statement found. Open jaws (Round-the-world tickets): É permitida uma viagem de ida e volta, na qual o aeroporto de destino e o aeroporto usado para iniciar o regresso são diferentes (open jaw). Official source fetch date not recordedCarriers and award types: no official statement found. Extra cost of a stopover: no official statement found. Stopover vs transit definition: no official statement found. |
| WestJet Rewards | Official text by field and scopeStopovers allowed (Points redemption on WestJet Eligible Fares / UltraBasic Fares):There are no open-jaw, multi-city, or stop-over restrictions on these fares Official source Number of stopovers: no official statement found. One-way vs round trip: no official statement found. Open jaws (Points redemption on WestJet Eligible Fares / UltraBasic Fares): There are no open-jaw, multi-city, or stop-over restrictions on these fares Official source Carriers and award types: no official statement found. Extra cost of a stopover: no official statement found. Stopover vs transit definition: no official statement found. |
A field without an official statement means our archive has no citable sentence, not that the programme lacks the feature.
Sources and review
- enrich.malaysiaairlines.com
- shebamiles.ethiopianairlines.com
- shebamiles.ethiopianairlines.com
- shebamiles.ethiopianairlines.com
- www.ana.co.jp
- www.ana.co.jp
- www.ana.co.jp
- www.ana.co.jp
- www.delta.com
- www.emirates.com
- www.flyroyalbrunei.com
- www.flysas.com
- www.flysas.com
- www.flytap.com
- www.singaporeair.com
- www.velocityfrequentflyer.com
- www.westjet.com
Quotes on this page are verbatim from each programme's official documents (archived in our knowledge base with capture dates) and checked by content review; no amounts are shown; fields the documents do not address are marked as lacking an official statement.
Reviewed by: Content review.