I started to get interested in A3 as I only fly about 15-25,000 a year (usually UA, ANA or Thai).

The Gold status is nice, but it is the reward flights for my family that I am most interested in.

The zones are quite different, which for us Japan residents mean a slightly better redemption to SE Asia and Europe, but much higher redemptions for everywhere else (starting to look like Skypesos actually).

Japan to: A3/UA
Japan 25,000/12,000
USA 100,000/65,000
Hawaii 80,000/45,000
Guam 80,000/25,000
China 25,000/20,000
Australia 80,000/50,000
Europe 80,000/90,000
Singapore 25,000/30,000

I may still join A3 and credit up to 20,000 to get the Gold, but the threat of a 50% loss of miles if we cancel a trip and the YQ charges means I'd probably not be sticking with them and amassing piles of miles.