Best award redemption to NZ and Australia
 

I don't think AA allows stopovers. But AS does. You could also just buy a ticket from NZ to Aus and return from there.

So I'd say the "best" option is the one with availability. Some one else just posted a similar question recently.

Many threads on this topic.
A very hard route to get a business class award. Need to be flexible on date & routes
When do you want to travel?

AA & AS have many common partners.
AA forum threads
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...thread-16.html
AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF) & related (consolidated)
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...solidated.html
AA Miles Award: TN / Air Tahiti Nui award redemptions (master thread)


Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from Australia (not from all airports to all airports)

• American Airlines AA(LAX - SYD) [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
• Air Canada AC (YVR – SYD BNE MEL) [Star Alliance]
• Air New Zealand NZ (LAX SFO IAH YVR via AKL) (AKL-ORD from Nov 2018)[Star Alliance]
• Air Tahiti Nui TN (LAX via Tahiti. Last segments on codeshares) (AA & DL partner)
• Delta DL (LAX – SYD) (VA & AS partner) [Skyteam Alliance]
• Fiji Airways FJ (LAX SFO HNL – BNE SYD MEL ADL via Fiji) (QF, AA & AS partner)
• Hawaiian HA (HNL – BNE SYD) (AA & VA partner)
• Jetstar JQ (HNL – BNE SYD MEL)
• Qantas QF (LAX SFO JFK DFW HNL YVR*– BNE SYD MEL) [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner) (MEL SFO from 1st Sept 2018) {* seasonal}
• United UA (LAX-SYD/MEL, SFO-SYD, IAH– SYD) [Star Alliance]
• Virgin Australia VA (LAX – BNE SYD MEL) (codeshares with AC*) (Delta & AC* partner) [*= some routes in 2017-18 link

And others via Asia & Middle East

Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from New Zealand are (not from all airports to all airports)

• American Airlines AA (LAX - AKL) [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner). No flights 5 August 2017 and 5 October 2017
• Air New Zealand NZ (LAX SFO IAH YVR - AKL)(ORD AKL from 18 Nov 2018)[Star Alliance]
• Air Tahiti Nui TN (LAX - AKL via Tahiti) (AA & DL partner)
• Fiji Airways FJ (LAX SFO HNL - AKL WLG CHC via Fiji) (QF AA & AS partner)
• Hawaiian HA (HNL-AKL)(AA & VA partner)
• Qantas QF (via SYD BNE & MEL) [OneWorld Alliance] (AS partner)
• United UA (SFO - AKL)
• Virgin Australia VA (via BNE, MEL & SYD) (DL partner)

And others via Australia, Asia & Middle East

Easiest award availability in J would be CX SFO/LAX-HKG-SYD/MEL//AKL-HKG-SFO/LAX redeemable on AAdvantage. Readily available if you avoid peak dates and have considerable flexibility. The non-stop USA-Oz flights are much harder to get despite more airlines on that route. A wildcard option would be DL/KE via Seoul using MR, also having good availability this year.

AS also partners with CX. AA will charge you two separate awards due to their ridiculous routing rules. You can't route via a second region between US and South Pacific. I think AS only charges it as a single award

What have you looked for? SFO to where?
Looked for one way or return flights? Better if done separately
QF have a non stop SFO-MEL flight
"We" = how many people. Look for 1 seat at a time. 2 people on the same flight is 4 times as hard. You may need to travel on different flights/dates/routes.

I don't think AA.com shows CX awards if you're looking for that. I don't think Alaska's website does either so you have to call to book those.

I use awardnexus.com when I am searching for availability but I think you have to pay to use it (I am grandfathered in as a free user).

It's been my experience that you have to plan very far in advance (like as soon as the schedule is released) for awards to that part of the world. But things can change frequently.

You can transfer your UR points to United depending how many you have in the bank. I prefer to avoid flying UA metal so my recent trip took a very roundabout routing via NRT and BKK.

You might also look at transferring MR and/or UR points to Virgin Atlantic and use that program to book on Virgin Australia but their redemption costs are pretty high.

Normally you have to book a year ahead for awards to Oz, so pretty optimistic to expect to book for Nov -- which is starting to be peak season. As mentioned for CX you need to find award space with other web sites, aa.com doesn't show it even though it is redeemable. Maybe why it is still possible to get :) In general CX will open awards close to departure date if loads are light, generally 10 to 5 days before departure. Getting 2 seats in J is 10x harder than getting 1 award with no status. Good luck, you may have to book awards to Oz without having return space, but it will open up .... worst case if you have lots of MR points you can get EK from Oz to DXB and then on to USA, that is always availalble with 1 day flexibility, even for 2 awards on same plane.

You will want to search the transpacific segment on its own. If you are not seeing any J here, then there is none. If you search from your origin you will have to weed out all the J domestic results.

Not unusual to be offered mixed class award, with the long haul in economy.
If you have the economy award you will not be (auto) upgraded to business class.

What trans pacific routes (airports) are you looking at?
You would be better look-ask questions on the AA forum dedicated threads as post 3

Curious - did you found anything? I am looking for similar.

Stop looking from the gateway. Everyone and their dog looks at the gateways so there are seldom flights showing up as available. Look from actual origin to destination.

AA and AS will have the highest frequency of awards (IME) so long you as look out far enough. Don't look for stop overs. Look to get to NZ or Oz and then book a separate NZ-Oz trans-Tasman award as they are still 10k (I think) through AA, which is a steal. And if I'm out of date on that factoid then just book a trans-Tasman flight for cash as they are very cheap when booked in advance.





ETA: Hang on, wait: you're looking for *this* Oct/Nov?! ROFL..... good luck with that. You're way too late. Sorry.