Hello guv1976 (and also Steve M!). Thank you both for your help and the information. I will look into the Air Canada program as you suggest. What we may do is book one way award tickets with AA to HNL, since we have a lot of FF miles with AA, and on the return trip book one way with USAir from HNL to PHX. Or, book the entire thing with US if I can arrange a late afternoon/early evening flight from MDT (or AVP)- PHX and an early a.m. departure the next day to LIH that adheres to their rules of maximum connection time and therefore not being considered a "stopover". Yes, we have not done a free stopover with AA (in either DFW or LAX) for at least 4-5 years; you suggest that this is not allowed anymore, award ticket or no? I know this is not an option when I try to book an award ticket on line, as ALL award flights originating from MDT or AVP (our closest airports) route thru ORD and then on to HNL. PHL routes thru ORD or DFW to HNL, but all of these award flights have connections available. If I was permitted to do so, I would consider utilizing AA award mileage to route thru LAX for late arrival and then departure out the next morning, but once again, I am assuming you mean AA will not allow this?

When we go to HI, it is usually a 20 hour day from the time we arrive at our home airport (usually MDT) until our arrival into LIH. This has become exhausting since we are now in our 60's and with some minor medical issues. So, we are looking for some way to remedy the exhaustion of the trip without burning up extra air miles or $$ which is what the official stopovers would incur. Regarding us possibly routing MDT-PHX-HNL-PHX on USAir utilizing an open jaw, this is good if USAir will indeed allow us the long (overnight) connection time in PHX on the outbound without considering it a stopover. I will call them and ask the questions (maximum connection time and permitted stopovers with US mainland and HI flights) that you suggested. Thank you VERY much!