Originally Posted by
Mwenenzi
That may mean BNE/SYD/MEL to LAX/SFO/DFW and then a separate cash paid ticket to Florida.
Sadly yes. To clarify for the OP, this is because of an annoying quirk of Mileage Plan: you can’t have multiple partners on one award. So you could use FJ, CX, or QF to get to one of their gateways (LAX, SFO, or DFW being the most likely ones), but then you couldn’t use AA for the domestic connections. Only option is AS domestically, which may well mean going up to SEA, though they do have an SFO-MCO flight. Using AS domestically on an award rules out what I think is the nicest routing: SYD-(QF)-DFW-(AA)-MCO. If OP is able to find AA availability SYD-LAX, then OP can use AA on to MCO, but AA availability in general is awfully tight these days.
An award mid late December in a premium cabin is a very tough ask. 2 people on the same flight will 3 or 4 or X times harder.
Yes, though early December is much easier (if still difficult). My experience is that there is a date around Dec 15 where fare rules change, paid tickets become much more expensive, and award availability gets very tight as the holiday travel to/from Oz picks up dramatically.