Hey folks, New user so please be gentle.
I felt this thread may be able to assist me.

As you can tell by my username I am an australian expat based in the UK who has been with Qantas for about 12 years. I consider myself a low milage flyer who does around three long hauls a year and a handful of domestics/continental. Not what you would call extensive. I generate most of my miles through Credit Card usage. Qantas are really bad when it comes to geting elite status and they also charge a bucket load of co pay on reward flights to the point where it is a waste of money. (80k econ Mel-BKK with AU$350 co pay. original flight is only 950 inclusive!) And many of their more local flights you get stuck on statusless JetStar. I have recently joined AA as I felt that I could have a go at the Plat Challenge as qualifying would be easy ona round trip flight LHR-NYC-LAS-LAX-LHR booked in L. I really want to know is this the best option for me, as I do around 2 trips to the USA form Uk and a return trip to Aust. I take OW where possible. Would I at least be able to maintain a gold ongoing?
So in a nut shell:
Where are you located: UK
What is your flying pattern: low but long haul
What class do you travel in: typically Econ but not DD as I sometimes have to alter dates
What kind of service you expect: reasonable, I am not demanding like some people, but expect basics like options for better seating and upgrade opportunities and also the ability to maximise by using CC to get miles
What kind of results you want to have: same as anyone- good.
Also what are the best CC's for AA in the UK or Australia?