One of the most valuable features of many airline  loyalty programs is the ability to book a stopover during your itinerary. How does a stopover differ from a regular connection? Usually you must arrive and depart within 24 hours during international connections (or within 4 hours during domestic connections).

Have you ever considered taking a trip around the world? It’s a fantastic journey flying a minimum of 23,000 miles from your starting point.

But how do you do it? How do you ensure that you accomplish your travel goals and minimize the amount of money you spend? The three main airline alliances all allow you to book around-the-world fares. Some make it easier than others. Let’s take a look.

Thought you were short on miles and points for your next trip? Think again. Many airlines and hotels offer discounted redemptions at different times of the year or even shave down the cost for members that hold certain types of credit cards. Could you be one of the lucky ones? Read more to find out!

United Airlines has a huge number of partner airlines: 28 Star partners and 12 non-alliance partners, all of which you can book with United MileagePlus miles. However, booking award flights (especially in business or first) on United rather than partners, has a major advantage. Since United charges more for premium class awards on partners, you will pay considerably less if you fly on United metal.

Booking flights through the Citi ThankYou portal can be a better value than other redemption options. For example, booking flights with points earned on the Citi Premier card can yield a 60% bonus over a gift card if you book a flight with American Airlines/US Airways through the Citi ThankYou travel portal, where 30,000 points is equal to $480 toward a ticket on American or US Airways, or $399 on any other airline compared to a $300 value in gift cards if you went that redemption route.

Joining Korean Air’s frequent flyer program, SKYPASS, may not be on your list of priorities, but maybe it should be. As one of the founding members of the SkyTeam, you can book flights on 20 different alliance members, including Delta, Air France, KLM and Aeromexico. It’s also partners with Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, American, Emirates and Etihad Airways, among others.

Emirates is perhaps best known for its flashy and luxurious first class cabin. It’s one of only two airlines in the world that offers in-flight showers. And if first class passengers don’t find what they want in their personal in-seat minibar, they can head to the lounge which has a full bar, including a bartender.

Booking flights with SPG Starpoints is easy. They have over 32 airline partners, including several international carriers. They also offer a fixed-price booking option. This allows members to book any flight on any airline with no blackout dates.

Cathay Pacific offers one of the best first- and business-class products in Asia, with non-stop service to eight North American gateways: Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, and New York (JFK and EWR). The carrier no longer operates the Boeing 747 to the United States or Canada, so all of these routes are instead served with the Boeing 777-300ER.

It’s simple to book a flight with American Express Membership Rewards points. There are about 100 different airlines to choose from. You also earn frequent flyer miles with the ticket purchase and there are no seat restrictions or blackout dates.

Singapore Airlines has a reputation for having comfortable planes and excellent service. It’s the flag carrier of Singapore, operating out of its hub in Changi Airport. Singapore Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, and it flies to 63 destinations in 35 countries worldwide. In the U.S., it flies to Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

Although Flying Blue is touted as the frequent flyer program for Air France and KLM, several other airlines also use the program, including Air Europa, Kenya Airways and TAROM. It’s a flexible program, since it has members from all three of the major airline alliances, as well as some nonalliance carriers.

Virgin America is a San Francisco-based airline licensed by Virgin Atlantic. Its 21 destinations are mostly in the United States, with the exception of Cancun, San Jose del Cabo and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico.

Aer Lingus is the flag carrier of Ireland and the country’s second-largest airline after Ryanair. It flies to 80 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the United States, where it serves Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.

Malaysia Airlines, the flag carrier of Malaysia, is based in Kuala Lumpur. It flies to 60 destinations in 28 countries, but it doesn’t currently serve any cities in North America.

Finnair, the flag carrier of Finland, dates back to 1923, making it one of the oldest airlines in the world. From its main hub in Helsinki Airport, the airline flies to 88 destinations in Europe, Asia and North America. In the United States, it serves Chicago, Miami and New York.

If you fly to Asia with any frequency, and you care about service and quality, you’ll probably want to build a relationship with Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s flag carrier. It ranks among the most luxurious airlines in the world. In addition to receiving a five-star Skytrax rating, it has been recognized as the World’s Best Airline more times than any other carrier.

Aeroflot, Russia’s flag carrier and largest airline, flies between Moscow and four U.S. cities: New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Miami. It also has an extensive network of routes in Europe and Asia, making the airline a convenient choice for connecting flights beyond Moscow.

Air New Zealand is a global airline based in Auckland. It flies to four cities in the United States: Honolulu, Los Angeles, Houston and San Francisco.

Aeromexico is Mexico’s largest airline, with 14 non-stop routes between Mexico City and the United States. Its extensive network also makes it easy for U.S. travelers to fly to Central and South America with one connection in Mexico City.