those of us in US who (a) don't relish the idea of 15 hrs in L- (eg. LAX-MEL) and (b) too frugal to pay the new DCIR22 price will (c) have to find some other way.

me, I can't spring for a RTW to get from USA to go touring Aus/NZ with my SO. am thinking of DASxx in combo with positioning trips to NRT in first/biz on AA (AAward or upgraded with AA miles).

DASxx prices exNRT are 462000 and 539000 JPY which converts to 4344 and 5068 USD, resp. Add another $2k for positioning (US-NRT) in biz and this is way ahead of RTW and CIR. xASxx Does require a stop over in SE Asia, but I figure a day or two in Bali or SIN would be justifiable under the circumstances.

EDIT: $2k figured on $1400 coach upgraded with AA miles (AA X fare) + $600 copay