Thanks RichardMEL and Al B for the tips. I'm actually finishing up a one world explorer on QF (heaven forbid!) from MEL to SYD the night before I leave SYD on UA and I need the later departure from MEL the day before so I can't use the UA MEL-SYD flight.

Since I can't go back into SFO and then do SFO (or OAK)-LAX-SFO a week later to get the miles I may have to do it the tough way as you suggest and take the 4:10pm SYD to LAX then fly LAX-LAS (or PHX)-SFO to get the miles. No fun at all after the 15 hours in E+....but if I want to keep my Prem Exec I have to get these segments in by March 31 with the promotion they are running and I am not leaving for FRA until much later in the year.