I do think this topic is too abstract for myself to comment on but for your own particular situation I think you should start looking at other options for this trip. My father wants to do a similar trip in the next 12-18 months so I started looking into it. To minimize miles needed while potentially increasing opportunity of two premium award seats I have come up with a strategy using two different alliances and award programs. Getting enough miles/points for two one ways will be much easier for him & myself when signup bonuses are available and spending can be focused. Essentially, I proposed NYC-HKG on an AA award, paid cheap flight to SIN/BKK and then another cheap flight to SYD/AKL/MEL/PER then using UA/DL/AF to book a oneway return award. Another strategy was an open jaw J award doing NYC-HKG/SHA/TPE; OSA/TYO-NYC using the NH program, a paid flight for HKG-Australia with an AA award for Australia to Japan.