FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Your plan sounds pretty good to me. I didn't realize SQ flies the A380 on that route, but in my far from comprehensive experience and according to some bloggers its A380 F suites are the best F in the world. I guess if I were doing it, I'd fly SQ both ways as the seat is much more spacious and the service much more reliable than what I've read about read (but not yet flown) on Emirates.
If you do decide to splurge and fly via Asia, CX F really is wonderful. But you're right that it would be over 100,000 miles.
From what I've read, the only other great F options that occur to me for flying over the Atlantic are Swiss and Etihad (which has limo service), neither of which I've yet flown. But I don't know if they are partners of Chase UR or Amex MR. Perhaps you could access their seats through LH for Swiss and AA (if it's UR or MR-friendly) for Etihad?
I know the programs are combined, but I'm very hazy on whether LH miles get you into Swiss F unless you're a Swiss FF elite member.
Of course, with Etihad it would also involve more than AA 100,000 miles and could well be a longer overall trip, as you'd have to go all the way to AUH...I believe it's 100,000 to AUH and then 40,000 back to LHR. If by some chance you're going after Etihad starts flying its new F "Apartments" on its AUH-LHR route (I believe in December) and if by some miracle Etihad is opening up those seats for regular levels of points redemption, that could well be worth the splurge.