I'm try to plan a trip next year and am wondering if I should use a milage award or buy ticket. Even though I only want to visit 3 continents, I'm not sure if I can do a 3 continent ticket because I have to connect through Europe to get back to US.

Anyways, trying to work a trip that hits Carnival in GIG, the Grand Prix in MEL, and Mardi Gras in SYD.

These are the cities in order of the trip
MKE-GIG-MEL-AKL-SYD-MKE

Part A - OW milage award
1) Would a MKE-ORD seg count as 67 miles in the total or 500 ... I think 67.
2) If I decided to fly into EZE instead of GIG and took the flight from DFW connecting via MIA would the milage total be DFW-MIA-EZE or DFW-EZE (ie. do they base your total on point to point or actual miles flown with a stop in between)
3) Continuing with quest. #2 if I wanted to fly CX and connect thru HKG would the milage total be LAX-HKG-SYD or just LAX-SYD.
4) Anyone know of an itinerary that would involve the least amount of miles...I'm trying to connect from Brazil to Australia and the only routes I'm coming up with are back through the US, obviously has potential increase milage depending on answer to #2

Part B - Buying OWE F ticket 3 continents
1) Again, if I wanted to fly CX along the way and had to connect thru HKG would this now be a 5 continent trip.
2) If I'm going to buy ticket then obviously would like to maximize miles so here's a prelim itinerary if I can't fly on CX

MKE-ORD-STL-JFK-GRU-GIG-JFK-LAX-MEL-AKL-SYD-FRA-DFW-ORD-MKE

Any help or additional suggestions greatly appreciated.