Thanks for the good advice. It seems that a 4 continent RTW ex-Spain in business is the same as ex-USA in economy. AA has a ~$600 fare MIA-MAD in "N" class till 31 March. I still have to add the GCM-MIA fare which is ~$300.

But since my RTW is fared at 4 continents, I am going "find" some more time and take a few stopovers in Asia. More importantly, I now have the option of flying CX for several long-haul portions. I have not flown CX but all reports indicate that this OW partner offers excellent in-flight service compared to other carriers.

The latest itinerary comes to 16 segments - they sure add up quickly!