A stopover is a deliberately long break in your journey, usually more than 24 hours on an international trip, in a city between your origin and your destination. Instead of rushing through an airport, you stay for a few days, explore a second city, and then continue on the same ticket. When an airline programme allows a free stopover on an award, that second city costs no extra points, which is why experienced points travellers treat stopovers as one of the best values in award travel.

The key distinction is between a layover and a stopover. A layover is a short connection, typically under 24 hours internationally, and it does not count as a stopover. A stopover is a planned stay, and it is the stopover that lets you see two cities for the price of one award. Knowing which one your itinerary contains matters, because only a stopover gives you the extra destination.

Stopover policies vary widely between airline programmes, and they change from time to time, so always check the current rules before planning. Some programmes allow one free stopover on a round-trip award, others allow one on each direction, and some have removed free stopovers entirely. A few programmes let you add a stopover for a small number of extra points rather than for free, which can still be excellent value.

The practical approach is to start with the programme whose points you already hold, and read its award rules carefully. Look for the stopover section, the maximum stay allowed, and whether the stopover city must be a hub of the airline or can be any city on the route. If your programme does not allow stopovers, consider whether transferring points to a partner programme that does would work better for that particular trip.

The best stopover cities sit naturally on your route. If you are flying from one continent to another, the airline's hub is usually the easiest stopover, since connections through hubs are frequent and well served. A hub stopover also gives you more flight options for the onward leg, which matters if your plans change. Beyond convenience, pick a city you actually want to visit, not just one that happens to be on the way.

Think about the season, the length of your stay, and the cost of the stopover itself. A few days in an expensive city can cost more in hotels and meals than you saved on the flight, while a stopover in an affordable city can be a genuine bonus holiday. Balance the excitement of a new destination against the practical costs, and choose a stay length that lets you enjoy the city without rushing.

Start by searching for award availability on each leg separately, since a stopover itinerary is really two flights joined together. Check that seats are available on both your outbound leg to the stopover city and your onward leg to the final destination, on dates that suit you. If either leg has no award seats, the whole plan stalls, so availability on both legs is the first thing to confirm.

Then build the itinerary using the airline's multi-city or advanced search tool, entering the stopover city as a destination with a stay of a few days. If the online tool will not price it correctly, call the airline's award desk, since phone agents can often construct stopover itineraries that websites struggle with. Confirm the total points cost before transferring any points, and make sure the price matches what you expected for a single award.

One common pitfall is the backtracking rule: some programmes will not allow a stopover that takes you far out of your way, so a stopover city that requires flying backwards can be rejected. Another is the maximum stay limit, which can be as short as a few days on some tickets. Visa requirements matter too: you will be entering the stopover country properly, not just transiting, so check whether you need a visa for that stay.

Also watch out for taxes and surcharges, which are charged per flight segment and can add up on a two-leg journey. A stopover that looks free in points may still carry noticeable taxes, particularly on certain carriers and routes. Price the whole itinerary before committing, and compare it with booking two separate awards to make sure the stopover route really is the better deal.

Once the flights are booked, plan the stopover like a mini-holiday of its own. Book a hotel near the sights you want to see, keep your luggage simple so the stopover stay is easy, and leave buffer time before your onward flight. A stopover of three to five days usually works well: long enough to enjoy the city, short enough to keep the trip focused.

The real joy of a stopover is the feeling of getting two trips for the effort of one. You return home with stories from two places, photographs from two skylines, and the satisfaction of having used your points cleverly. That is the point of learning stopover rules: not just saving points, but travelling more richly with the points you already have.