I use to have an aerial survey job flying several hours at a time all in the same area. When I needed to stop for fuel/lunch I'd land at whatever airport was nearest other than my departure point fill up there. Then takeoff and fly another few hours and return to the base. Technically these are XC flights because i went somewhere else. But do you think airlines or furture employers would wonder about a 6.6 hour XC flight to an airport thats only 30 or 60 miles away?
Plus it doesn't matter about the 50 NM mile rule for XC's because I'm just building time for my ATP now.
First, let's get the rule correct.
If you are building time toward your ATP, the cross countries that count are those in which you go more than 50 NM from where you started, although, unlike the others, you do not have to land.
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61.1(b)(3) Cross-country time means -
(vi) For the purpose of meeting the aeronautical experience requirements for an airline transport pilot certificate (except with a rotorcraft category rating), time acquired during a flight -
(A) Conducted in an appropriate aircraft;
(B)
That is at least a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and
(C) That involves the use of dead reckoning, pilotage, electronic navigation aids, radio aids, or other navigation systems.
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Your question suggests that these airports where you are landing are not >50 NM from the point of origin, so they are not cross countries countable for ATP purposes. The =are= however countable toward Part 135 cross country requirements, which use the 61.1(b)(3)(i) definition.
In terms of the 6 hour flight for an airport 30 NM away, I can't imagine they'd look poorly on it if you logbook indicated that it was aerial surveying. But perhaps someone else with more industry knowledge can answer that.