All the flights you picked now, could have major changes between now and next March. As long as you are not booking OW awards, then go with what are available now and then check availability often using BA, AsiaMile or even JL tools - once you see the desired flights popping up, call AA right away to make the switch... Why sweat the details now? NRT-ORD is not hard to get, as versus LAX-AKL, or SYD or MEL or even BNE... Availability would show up a few months from now.

So far, Susiesan has only started 3 threads on this subj, still below the number of threads she did for last Dec trip to SE Asia that got a bit derailed by civil uprest in BKK...

JL forum could use some of Susiesan's posts to keep the forum going for the next 11 months, should she pick JL...