Yes you were all right.... I was biting off way too much. Thank you all for the useful info it really helped me. I decided forget the united thing.

Qantas- lax-perth perth-darwin darwin-cairns cairns-syd syd-lax , just under a month travel time.
I should probably add my american ff to the res so I at least get miles I can do something with, or should I do qantas ff I do plan on going to new zealand at some point in the near future....


I am so excited! Now to figure out hotels and what to do.