as the inventor of the Dubai loop on FT (going back many years now). He first made the suggestion to include a LHR-DXB-LHR loop in F on BA as it was "free" on the OWE tickets. And has provided dozens of great suggestions since then.

The suggested routings are close to optimal. The primary choice is whether to go MIA-LAX-LHR on AA (taking advantage of the longer in-air service times, the LAX F lounge) or do MIA-LHR on BA (not quite enough time to both eat and sleep on the plane, but a much earlier arrival into London). The LAX flight arrives after noon which is either good or bad (depending on what you want to be doing in London). Personally I prefer the AA service LAX-LHR which is often quite good (and competitive with BA, the only route that this is the case).

As a practical matter it is almost impossible to get 2 A seats on LAN for SYD-AKL, so buying on EK is a great suggestion (as long as EK continues to use A345s on this route). Rumour has it that they've stopped offering these USD 600 discounted F fares trans-tasman, but if you can still snag one it is quite a find (just the limo part is worth a third of the fare).