Many thanks for all that.

I will look into the Mecca idea but I doubt I would qualify.

Yes, I did begin in the Middle East (SSH). BEY is out as I have been to TLV with this passport and they don't admit people with Israeli stamps. KWI and BAH are options but both seem really quite expensive accommodation wise. I have been to AMM and CAI on this trip so real desire to go back there just yet. MCT was an option I looked at but ruled it out for some reason. From memory, I think it was also the Israeli thing that would prevent a visa.

I indeed only have one more segment remaining.

My view towards DOH, DXB and AUH was principally because I have an AA award JED-xAUH-PEK already booked and ticketed. However, EY has made a schedule change delaying what would have been my departure from JED by 24 hours. Being such a significant change I'm reasonably confident that I will have a bit of leverage in changing the JED-xAUH to X-xAUH, possibly moreso from DOH being so close. (I'm aware EY doesn't fly from DXB.) And of course if it's just AUH-PEK well that's a whole lot easier but not maximising my AA award value. So ideally I'd like a destination that EY services (to simply substitute for JED-xAUH) but that's not overly critical. On top of that, this is for travel between Christmas and new year so award space is likely gone, hence my desire to leverage the significant EY schedule change.

I'll report back on the tax situation when I finally get in a time zone that will allow me to call the AA RTW desk.