Brief background:
- Planning for next summer (July-Oct = total length of RTW trip).
- Read a great deal in this forum (but still have lots of room for improvemmnt).
- No prior RTW experience, though have been to all planned continents.
- Have Citi AA VISA cc
- Platinum in Starwood & Marriott programs
- Ex SFO (flexible to consider other places, such as ICN etc…; if savings warrants.
- Have hashed out a rough itin on oneworld web site (with 2 red flags, however). See below.

Wish lists:
1. maximize accumulation of AA miles (currently AA-Gold; member of no other airlines)
2. Handful of places on MUST-DO list: HKG, NRT, SYD, MEL, LHR, FCO, HEL, IST
3. Want to be on A380 on a looooong flight (hoping SYD-LHR will suffice)
3. Here is my itin (with red-flags being in PER & MEL)
SFO-HKG-NRT-BKK-KIX-SIN-PER-MEL-SYD-LHR-IST-BUD-HEL-FCO-JFK-YVR-SFO

Questions:
Please tell me how I can maximize flight segments in Australia (without breaking rules). Clearly, in the above itin, I violated something re PER-MEL-SYD segments.

Please advise which airline(s) and flights to avoid (mile credits & comfort factor).

Please help improve my North America itin. I’ve tried YVR-ORD; YVR-DFW to no avail (even though the map shows “green” squares for both. (with the understanding of 1 trancon & up to 5 segments)

Appreciate your sharing.