The other double whammy here of course is that despite these often vast mile hikes in long haul, they recently quietly greatly changed the rules re MAXIMUM SEGMENTS possible, or the award is "illegal".
From OZ to Nth America it is now FOUR segments max each direction.
Think that is enough?
Try booking Sydney - Newfoundland as I did recently, and try and do that in 4 segments each way.
AC is stingy on Biz cabin space to places like that, and it took me MANY hours to do it and comply with the new (totally unpublished) alleged new rules.
NOW the new rules apply AND higher mile costs.
.