Upvote:1
You best bet is to make a reservation based on most of the itinerary you want. Just Hold it, don't pay.
Then, call the airline and ask if the fare rules allow a stopover at the hub instead of a connection. If those particular rules don't, then ask the agent if there are similar discount fares that do allow a stopover.
Upvote:5
I managed to contact a travel agent friend and he tells me there probably isn't a way to get a stop at the same price, because this is a difference with low-cost carriers (LCCs).
That makes sense to me as I used to travel only with major airlines and always booked stopovers at the airline hubs, though I did it through travel agents in those days and the prices were way higher of course than the prices possible today with AirAsia and other LCCs.
I also checked multi-city options using the AirAsia website and it seems to work out the same price as booking separate flights, just more convenient.