Booked a trip in Fall 2005 on FF miles- according the the AA Elite desk- OW allows more options for the same 90,000 miles:

ORD(AA)-LHR (BA)-LIS 11 days
LIS(IB) -MAD(IB)-CDG 4 days
CDG-LHR(BA)-ORD (AA).

Further the AA award was business to/from LHR and coach the other legs- But OW was business the whole way and allowed the extra open jaw!