Originally Posted by
willyroo
Eg buy DFW-LAX return, then buy a DCIR22 LAX-HKG-MEL-AKL (or BNE) -LAX for closer to US$10,000...
I expect the ex-US pricing for that would be considerably under US$10,000. Even a DCIR26 that could easily include the LAX-DFW portion would be well under.
As the OP is an AA EXP member, he may be interested in routing DFW-NRT (and using an E-VIP to F) and then NRT-MEL on QF or NRT-HKG-MEL on CX, all fitting nicely into a Circle Pacific fare.