Once enrolled in the QF program and start accumulating miles from the flights and crediting them to QF, can't you use the miles to upgrade QF flights? I don't think you can upgrade QF flights using AA miles at the moment.

Does anyone know if this is true or not?

The hardest part of this trip is gonna be the Qantas leg from LAX - Syd....and I'd sure like to upgrade that to Business. If I have all my miles with AA, and Qantas code shares....will I be able to upgrade my Qantas legs?

no... you can only upgrade qantas operated flights using qantas frequent flyer points, and you must be travelling on a qf flight number.

however... if you were to fly via hkg or similar, use an aa flight number and use VIPs to upgrade.

the other thing is that qantas flight upgrades are not confirmed until 24 hours before departure, and as a low status member you most likely will miss out.

the higher you go the longer out they will confirm the upgrade.

I think you'd be better earning the points on aa, and buying confirmed business class awards on qantas metal... if you can get them, they are hard to come by.

but going via hong kong you may have better luck using aa and cx combo.

It looks like Cathay Air is coming in cheaper on most of these trips, so I'll probably be on their planes. It's nice that AA code shares with them, so I'll use my AA frequent flyer number with them.

However, I assume Cathay won't let me upgrade to business, either, using AA credit of any sort?

?

Unless something has changed, eVIPs can only be used on AA metal.

What about AA ORD-HNL (once you reach EXP on AA you should be able to snag lots of complimentary upgrades as its a domestic flight), then Qantas HNL-SYD? Still a long 5,000 miles, but definitely better than the 7500 miles LAX-SYD. Shaves a few hours off the Qantas metal flight, and is the same in terms of segments as ORD-LAX-SYD-PER.

Other option is ORD-HKG on Cathay then HKG to PER (3700 miles) on QF. Saves a stop. Not aware of how 'good' the Cathay frequent flyer program is in terms of upgrades.

Yikes, That is a tough gig...
I have moved from MEL to ORD and did about 4 trips during the courting period... Greay for status... crap for sanity...

I am now a UA flyer, NO way I would do this on UA because of one reason and one reason alone: Showers in lounges... A shower in LAX/SFO is the best thing on the planet after a long (or even a 4hr short) haul... fresh and ready... and you can do it at LAX AA AC but not at the UA club... I do not know much about Delta but I believe the sky clubs have showers...

Now as for airlines, QF is better, period, but for domestic USA flying USA based carries give better upgrade ops.... On QF you either use miles (hard slog) or rely on an op up (if there is an empty J or F seat and you will not get it unless they need to free a Y seat) That said, J in QF is the ducks guts...

If you fly AA (y) you will be in Y on a QF bird with little chance of J unless you use an award... if you fly QF you have a chance of using miles for the flat beds but kiss 500m sticker upgrades on AA goodbye..

Flying UA you get UA metal SFO/LAX to MEL/SYD so given enough flights you get 1K et al and SWUs and you get the nice seats but are in no mans land east coast to Perth...

Ok.. simple answer, if it was me I would go QF in a heartbeat... you would make platinum easily and get access to the first class lounges and get treated real nice on QF metal... but that is me... YMMV literally!

So, perhaps I should build my miles with Qantas, rather than AA ?

What would be the disadvantage of that?

fly aa to hong kong, use you evip for that sector, and connect to cx for the flight to Perth.

this would be opposed to taking cx all the way out of America.

aa usually has some good connecting fares to Australia, interlining with either qf or another airline in Asia, as they don't fly straight through.

the transpac is by far the longest... hong kong to Perth is only about 7 hours.

not sure how you would get 'platinum pretty easily'... status credits would be ord-lax 20' lax-syd 45 and syd-per 20... so 85 each way.

you need 700 for silver, and another 700 on top of that (1400 total) to get to platinum. that's the first 4.11 round trips in the back of the bus, no status (except for silver which gets you priority check in) until you reach gold and have lounge access. 8.2 trips... so 9 one ways before you get platinum for the real benefits such as much higher priority for upgrades and first class lounges.

if AA is offering a status challenge you could get status a lot quicker with aa.. and the reward redemptions are a lot lower. you'd be flying on an award ticket in a premium cabin much quicker.

otherwise look at Asia miles and cx via hkg. I just can't see much benefit in starting out from scratch on qf... and four round trips before you get access to a lounge.

the disadvantage with qf miles is the lack of upgrades... and the high price you have to pay for those.... if, and only if... they come through... which you might know 24 hours before departure (after you have paid a much higher fare to be eligible for upgrade).

only real advantage I can think of with qantas is the potential to buy an exit row seat for an extra $80 or whatever it is. at least the extra leg room part can be guaranteed if that's what you want.

It would need to be fly AA to Tokyo or Shanghai as AA metal will not get you to HKG

Well I think if it were me I'd be using Cathay ORD-HKG connecting to Perth. At least once and then I might also try Qantas though I'm probably leaning more toward Cathay.

I'm thinking the same thing, JHIN.

Me thinks I'll Do Cathay for ord-hong kong, using my AA ID, and I think Cathay again to Perth. That should build my AA points pretty quick.

Also, I sure with I could be building hotel dollar points while here in Perth, with as expensive as everything is. Just booked a normal room for $500/night at the Holiday Inn. Due to divorce, I've got sucky credit, and thus pay for everything using a debit card....bummer. Staying here 20 days, with rates like that would build some serious dollar/travel miles.

^I hope you have taken into consideration that in economy on CX only Y,B and H fare buckets earn any miles in AAdvantage.