Hi all, I am planning a trip to India with my mom and want (to attempt) to accrue enough miles to fly business or first from San Francisco to Mumbai Dec 2 2014- Dec 16th 2014.

Luthansa and Eithad both offer the easiest connection to Mumbai from San Francisco, so now I need to join a program that allows transfer of miles to Star Alliance or Equity Partners (which I've never heard of.)
Eithad offers a class called "the residence," that I am unfamiliar with. Anyone have experience with it?

I can meet the minimum spending requirements and between the two of us should be able to get the miles needed in the time needed.

My questions are: Which airline offers a better business/first product? Which airline would be easier to accrue the miles for?
Ive noticed that UA doesn't show availability so maybe I need to check with Luthansa directly?
Also Eithad seems to be already sold out. I dont know how both airlines could already have awarded tickets for those dates and destinations, but hey, anything is possible.... So I don't even know how many points/miles a ticket would require. Their website shows the miles I would earn to sly from LAX, but not the amount required.

UA would require 195,000 for a first ticket.