Thank you all for your helpful advice. It's really a bit of a toss-up, since I will be flying probably twice to the USA, with connections, and so that would easily satisfy the 4 segment rule for AA to get status, right? Basically that's what I'm after, more than the miles per se. Being able to choose better seats/exits and check in at business class are two things that I'm used to from my NWA SE, and I don't think I want to go back to the old ways :-)

So from a status point of view, do you think AA will be easier to qualify, with 2 trips to the USA and 1, maybe 2 to Oz? Plus a bunch of shorter flights UK-Europe?

Many thanks again.

PS. Flying T5 to GVA today (no bags) - am actually looking forward to it in a strange kind of way...