Hello Flyertalk!

While I'm trying to get the online booking tool to work so I can purchase my LONE5, I realized it'd be a good idea to pick a FFP to join first!

Our intended route is (pending availability and success on the booking tool..)

AKL- HKG (CX)
HKG- KTM - HKG (KA)
HKG -JNB (CX)
JNB-CPT (BA)
CPT-LHR (BA)
LHR-IST (BA)
IST-AMM (RJ)
AMM-DME (RJ)
DME -MAD (IB)
MAD-GRU (IB)
GRU-LIM (LAN)
LIM-SCL (LAN)
SCL - IPC-SCL (LAN)
SCL-AKL (QF)


Questions:

(1) What is your home airport? YVR, Canada

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? L class, mileage varies. YVR to HNL for simple holidays.

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Economy

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or, class of service? I can choose - usually fly the cheapest and/or most convenient times

(5) Which routes do you fly most often (US Domestic, Transpacific, Kangaroo, in Asia etc)
Reply: Canada and USA

(6) Do you have FFP status of any kind of OW or other airline at present? What is it? just signed up with Aeroplan

(7) What is most important to you in a FFP? (upgrades on travel, priority services when flying the airline, extra baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, free - discounted lounge access, etc.)
Reply: Upgrades, redemption/burn rates

(8) Preferred Airlines
Reply: Air Canada, but could be any carrier.


My initial thought was to go with AA since I've read a lot of good reviews of the program here. My concern is that AA doesn't seem to be the best point accumulator based on my flights above. Earning zero miles from the CX flights, .25 from BA, .3 from IB and .5 from QF seems like such a waste!

I'm wondering, would it be worthwhile to sign up for LA or CX to accumulate, then convert to AA when i'm ready to redeem?

Your advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Sophia