One of the benefits (in my mind) of the Oneworld Explorer RTW compared to the Star Alliance products (no offense intended, I know I'm an outsider to this board) is that the Oneworld Explorer doesn't have a mileage limit. Instead, the product is priced according to how many continents are touched in the course of the ticket, from 3 to 6.

One limitation with the OWE that doesn't exist within the Star RTWs is that one is limited as to how many flights can be flown internally within each continent. You're allowed four segments within all the continents except North America, where you're allowed six (only one of which can be a nonstop transcontinental flight.) So for example, with a 3-continent ticket (Europe, Asia, N. America) you'd get 4 flights in Europe and Asia, up to 6 in N. America (which includes the Caribbean and Central America) and the 3 intercontinental flights. That comes to 17, and since 16 is the total number of flights allowed, one continent would have to be shorted one segment.

Here's where this might be of use for NA-based travelers like the OP. You start someplace overseas, say Norway, then head east to Asia and Australia, then cross the Pacific back home to California. With part (most?) of a year left in the ticket's lifespan, go back to work or normal life for a time, but use the ticket for business or leisure travel around N. America, until it's time to return to Europe (Norway) to end the ticket. If you've deferred using some or most of the allotted 4 flights in Europe (maybe used one to get to Asia (e.g. OSL-DOH/LHR/HEL - Asia) you could use the remaining available segments for a separate trip within that region. Remember "Europe" includes the Middle East and Mediterranean Africa, so... Morocco? Israel or Jordan? You name it. End back in Norway, then start another ticket, or just use some of the many, many FF points/miles you've earned in the course of the RTW to fly home.

So take the OP's original (*A) plan and "convert it" to this concept. Here it was: SFO-AKL-SYD-HND-SIN-DXB-LIS-MAD-BRU-CPH-FRA-SFO. 11 segments, 31,166 flown miles.

Convert it to Oneworld (thus substituting some hub airports and connection point) with a Norway start, heading eastbound instead of west, something like this: OSL-HEL-SIN-HND-SYD-AKL-SYD-SFO-MAD-LIS-LHR-OSL, 11 segments, 32,332 flown miles.

BUT it hasn't used any of the allowed six segments within North America. So what if a separate trip or two was added during the RTW "stopover" at SFO? Assuming the visit to Australia/NZ took place in the southern summer, i.e. the northern winter, how about a (northern) spring trip to, say, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive? Use the one allowed nonstop transcon to IAD or DCA, get a car and head to Monticello and tour the Blue Ridge, back to DC and home, this time with a plane change in Chicago or DFW. Or, same idea, how about someplace in the Caribbean? SFO-DFW-SJU-DFW-SFO, say. Or head to Alaska, maybe see the midnight sun or chase the muskoxen around the tundra from Nome? SFO-SEA-ANC-OTZ/OME-ANC-LAX-SFO. Or just head to NYC for some shows, maybe down to Bermuda, then back, SFO-JFK-BDA-CLT-ORD-SFO. Lots and lots of possibilities.

By adding five or six North America segments you'd probably exceed the maximum of 16, so I'd probably shed one of the Europe segments at the end, since some of them are very close to each other and don't merit a whole RTW coupon when the train or some LCC can do the job cheaper and quicker.

But the idea is, you get one "vacation" in Europe before departing Norway, you get a big one in Asia and Australia/NZ, then a third one (could even be two, i.e. 3rd and 4th) in North America, then a final one when you get back to Europe. For an investment of around $6K - $7K (counting taxes and fees on the RTW and positioning flights) that's pretty good leverage in my book. YMMV of course.