Not at all. AA is a good FFP with earn/burn ratio. But, practical lifetime status of JGC is better choice in some cases.

If he/she travels very few within Japan, and most of longhauls via HKG, CX gold status and its guarateed seat service is a good option.
However, I remind your, he/she need 30,000+60,000 miles to get CX gold for first time.
He/she need 4+ round trips of CTS-HKG-SYD a year to maintain CX gold.
If that is his/her travel pattern, I suggest CX for guarantted seat and some op-up possibility. If he/she need to travel CTS-HKG-SYD during Chinese New Year, he/she had better be a CX gold member.