Originally Posted by
snappycow
...Hubby and I return to live in Los Angeles approximately 18 months from now and it is a very, very long dream of ours to fly first class just once in our lives....
Long term you would be far better to collect miles with AA. Less miles needed for a rewards and no fuel surcharges, except on BA flights. 27,000 QF points does not get you much, and even then a lot of cash $ in surcharges.
Refer to post 330 here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...l#post20410583
With US Air ways you can buy miles. These will become AA miles after the US-AA merger. With AA miles you get an award flight on QF
if available. QF international business class is a lot better than most USA domestic first