Even though the brunt of the trip will be in New Zealand, I still plan on redeeming the transpac legs for LAX-SYD-LAX...heres a general layout of how it will work...
PHL-LAX-SYD-LAX-PHL (US award)
SYD-AKL-SYD (UA award with either TG or NZ)
While in New Zealand:
AKL-CHC-AKL (Paid fare, either Air NZ or Origin Pacific)
Then while in Australia: SYD-MEL-SYD (Paid, with DJ and QF)...this is fares permitting...
so in the end it comes out to be PHL-LAX-SYD-AKL-CHC-AKL-SYD-MEL-SYD-LAX-PHL
A little convoluted but will work...
N674UW