Originally Posted by headinclouds
First, when will take this trip? Can you wait until JAL and others join OW, hopefully in early 2007?
Second, drop the MEL-SYD and LAS-LAX segments and buy separate, cheap tickets for those flights.
If you change the order to Europe-SWP-Asia-North America, you can add lots of miles as you will be able to add 2 more intercontential flights by transiting thru Asia on the way to SWP.
(GIB or WAW)-LHR-SYD-AKL-SYD-PER-HKG-SIN-HKG-NRT-LAX-BOS-DFW-SEA-DFW/ORD-SFO-LHR-DXB-LHR-(GIB or WAW).
Firstly GIB is better than WAW IIRC. There have been significant price rises since
Gaza did his ex-WAW (which is where I suspect you go thte WAW idea from.
Pushing the miles a bit further. And I'm working off the top of my head here!
GIB-LHR-SYD-flit around Oz-AKL-HKG-SIN-HKG-NRT-HKG-JFK-flit around the US-LAX/SFO-LHR-DXB-LHR-GIB.
Avoiding land sectors is easy - but does restrict your miles. You can buy a few cheap tickets to plug any gaps, or in the US and Oz at least land travel is pretty painless. You could do, say, SYD-MEL by bus/train/tour in a couple of days and see a few things on the way. And the train SFO-LAX is not a bad trip either.
As to miles. BAEC is probably not the best option. Sign up to AAdvantage, sign up for the Plat challenge and you'll get far more benefit that what BA offer.