Just got and "paid" for a QF First Class award for Feb-Mar 2006. EWR-LAX-MEL-PER-MEL-SYD-AKL, on my own to ZQN and CHC, then CHC-SYD-LAX-MSP-EWR. Originally wanted to do J, but couldn't get out of AKL on QF25. So, since the F seats were available for my almost exact dates, flying F on QF94 LAX-MEL, then QF11 SYD-LAX. Started planning my itinerary at exactly 330 days out. It's the only way to maximize your ability to get the dates and flights you want. Even still, I couldn't get out of AKL in J back to LAX. But they could get me back to LAX from CHC via SYD in F. So I changed from a J award to an F award. I hope the extra 30K is worth it. It should be.