Hello, I am looking at the following AONE4 starting in Noumea as it appears the cheapest in the Pacific.

NOU-BNE (D), BNE-CNS (D), CNS-SYD (D), SYD-LHR (A), LHR-AUH (A), AUH-LHR (A), LHR-LAX (A), LAX-MIA (A), MIA-BNA (A), BNA-ORD (L), ORD-JFK (A), JFK-HKG (A), HKG-BKK (A), BKK-SIN (D), SIN-SYD (A), SYD-NOU (D).

Has anyone got any ideas on if there is better routes that I could do to maximise status and see interesting things and better aircraft?

I will most likely break the trip into two at LAX, where I will come back to AUS and then restart some months down the track!

Also any comments if there is anywhere cheaper to start this from?

Thanks in advance!

According to sagy's spreadsheet, Noumea is the cheapest place in SWP to start from.

But it is only the 26th cheapest place on earth to start from. The following are all cheaper: Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, South Africa, Namibia, Egypt, Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Syria, Kuwait, Mauritius, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Maldives, U.A.E., Paraguay
In USD the cost of an AONE4 from these places varies between 8,600 (Sudan) and 12,300 (Paraguay) - compared to 12,600 ex-Noumea
And in fact for the 1st 17 of them (up to Zimbabwe), an AONE5 is cheaper than 12,600. And an AONE6 ex-Jordan is only 400 more. Lots of status earning and flight possibilities.

Trouble is finding flights with first class thse days - this post may help http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/9573818-post2.html

Just playing around with possible itineraries:

Notes:

• I assume the status you want to maximise is your QF WP status
• So you need 1200 SCs in a membership year to maintain that status
• A well constructed 1st class itinerary should net you much more than that
• Depending on when your membership anniversay date falls in relation to your trip break back in Texas
• I assume you'll be looking to earn 1200 SCs either side of that date - so that you maintain status for 2 years

Here's a non-optimised 14-segment AONE6 ex-Jordan intinerary that will more or less do the trick for you AMM-MCT-LHR-SYD-HKG-JFK-DFW-JFK-GRU-xJFK-xLHR-DAR-JNB-LHR-AUH

The final few segments (GRU-xJFK-xLHR-AUH) show transits at JFK and LHR - these are required because they are second visits to those continents (see rule 4e).

I show AUH as the final stop - just to highlight that you don't need to return to AMM - anywhere in the Middle East is allowed (rule 4c).

Thanks Panaperth, I have taken your advice and relooked at the whole trip and come up with the following:-

RUH-LHR-LAX-MIA-MSY-MIA-JFK-HKG-NRT-HKG-BKK-SYD-CNS-BNE-SYD-LHR-RUH

Also sorry when I referred to AUS, it was meant to be Australia.

No worries cobber
You were probably somewhat when you saw my reference to Texas

Getting a visa to RUH is an interesting challenge.