+1 for the practical use of AAdvantage on CX. I did that for five years commuting in and out of HKG and always had excellent experience. If you're certain you'll stay in HKG for five years, though, I'd go straight to CX because the MarcoPolo/Asia MIles combination is the best choice for HKG residents, IMHO. It still is an issue with all the other stati you have but CX is the superior customer choice, IMHO.