Thank you, that's a great help. I have never seen the SWP rule for a Circle Pacific on the Star web site so this is perfect for what I need.

I need to go to Houston and KL. So I was going to travel to MEL-AKL-SFO and then get a second ticket to take me to IAH.

Then go SFO-HKG-SIN-KUL for my second stop and then home KUL-SIN-MEL.

Finding a 3rd stop would have been a pain.

I am thinking of taking SQ1, SFO-HKG-SIN as this allows me to leave IAH on the 18:22 flight on the Friday and get to KUL at a resonable time.

Other options considered.

SQ1 to HKG then TG to BKK and KUL - but this means a long stop over in BKK. I can't take LH as it doesn't fly from BKK to KUL on the Sunday.

TG out of LA direct to BKK on the Friday night - but would have meant leaving IAH too early on the Friday or hope a 55 minute transit in LAX going to UA to TBIT would have been enough - don't think so, so discounted this option.

OZ to ICN then TG to BKK and KUL - but get's in to KUL at the same time as if I had flown via HKG. Good side is it doesn't have a long stop over in any one place and I get to try the new OZ plane - bad side is going through TBIT rather than SFO.

I was also thinking of going RTW - but again the 3rd stop would have been dificult.

Does anyone know what the cost difference would be.

Circle Pacific in Business + First Class ticket on UA SFO-IAH
vs
RTW ticket in Business class - would be a star1 as have limited time away so won't max out the sectors.