Well, it looks like I am going to have to cut back on some of the SC earning opportunity. I had a call today asking me to be in DFW for 2 days before going to SFO and then again for the 2 days after, then to ORD. So that means I don't have the spare US segments to do DFW-ANC-ORD and will have to go DFW-ORD direct.

Yes, I know I can purchase additional segments for A$500, but I am soending enough of my own cash on this trip already and can't justify another A$500 for the extra SC's since I will still requalify for QF Platinum status during the trip. The extra SC's will only go towards my Lifetime Gold goal.

So the route is now BNE-LAX-DFW-SFO-DFW-ORD-LAX-JFK-LHR-HEL-LHR-FRA-LHR-SIN-MEL-BNE.

I decided not to do the MEL-PER-BNE return. That was going to add 9 hours to my return trip. Even though it would save me money, my sanity and family time is more important just now (sad really).

I also decided to take the non-stop BNE-LAX since I am departing on a day that it operates, rather the BNE-SYD-LAX. I checked and found there are no skybed aircraft scheduled to operate any Australia-LAX flights that day. BUT the QF175 BNE-LAX is a 3-class sold as 2-class service, and I have secured a seat in zone 1, so I thought an 11am departure is better than 7am, and am willing to forego the 30 extra SC's to get a F seat rather than a dreamtime seat for a 12 hour flight .

I have timed my two connects thtrough LHR to be less than 24 hours to avoid the high arrivals taxes for J pax. But I will still be spending two consecutive nights in London . That worked out well.

So its not quite the earner it might have been. It should be 34,276 miles flown, 1060 SC's, and 79,046 QF FF points in 15 sectors with all intercontinental flights in sleeper seats (QF F seat BNE-LAX, BA NCW JFK-LHR, QF Skybeds LHR-SIN-MEL). My personal contribution to the airfare will be about A$3700, or A$1757 after tax, so that is A$1.66/SC and $0.022/point.