Originally Posted by
ashill
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.
I agree this is a little annoying but I will take the free stopover over multi-partner awards. (Would asking for both be a little too much?
)
To clarify for the OP, the free stopover, even on one-way awards, allows you to stop for more than 24 hours enroute to your final destination. If you wanted to spend a couple of days in LAX, SFO or even SEA you could do that and then continue on LAX-SFO-MCO, SFO-MCO or SEA-MCO/FLL/TPA.
It may provide you better options in finding domestic award flights. AS is pretty generous on routings even with some backtracking. This year CX will be a challenge in finding award space but you could consider LAX/SFO/SEA via HKG with onward travel to Florida as before with or without a stopover. PE can be booked on those routes too.
James in Kigali