Originally Posted by
davec2556
I typically fly out of JFK in New York. I guess typical airlines are EVA, China Southern and Cathay Pacific. However, with the travel agency my company uses it sometimes books those as either a United Flight, Delta Flight or American.
Are you permitted/willing to fly a double-connection route? If so, pursuing oneworld status -- with either AA or another oneworld carrier -- would entitle you to Main Cabin Extra seats on AA flights (at 24 hours before departure with lowest-tier status, and at time of booking with any higher oneworld status). MCE seats are not the same as Premium Economy, but they typically have 34" seat pitch, have dedicated overhead bins for MCE passengers, and include free alcoholic beverages -- even on domestic flights.
You could fly AA to China, Hong Kong, or Tokyo, and then connect to CX or JL to the flight to Viet Nam.