I believe that answers my question, and I'm afraid most everything else made my head spin. I think I'll be glad to use up these miles for what will most likely be our last long-haul trip.

Nov 1 is of course the main reason for planning this now. My wife has decided she hates to fly so I thought I'd use up some of the miles I've accumulated with a cc for a first-class trip on TG, KIX-BKK-SYD and return, so no Excursionist Perk.

I have no idea if it is likely that I will want to make a change. With 11 months to go before the trip, it is possible that I might want to shift it a bit, and changing both outbound and return dates by a day or two would be more likely than changing only one direction, hence my hesitation to book two one-way awards. Just recently paid the $75x2 to shift the dates for an award trip to SIN in Feb.

Thanks so much for all the info. I guess I'll either go with the first acceptable dates that become available or wait it out until my ideal dates become available, and not even think about making booking and changing.

Hope you will pardon another question. With the mile requirements changing on Nov 1, can a booking made before Nov 1 be changed later without being charged the extra miles? Once the ticket is issued, any changes would only be charged the change fee (assuming of course availability for the same class, etc.) during the validity period (1 year?) of the ticket?