Over the years I have obtained several AA 90k business class award tickets on EI for DUB-LAX. This route is a tad over 5000 miles, so it does not fit within the 10000 mile limit for a OW90C business class award. However, both LAS and PHX (Las Vegas and Phoenix) are within 5000 miles of Dublin, so I am wondering about possibilities for using this award from one of those cities. Sepcifically, I have read here that the 5000 mile limit is end-to-end, not a sum of teh sector mileages, so would, say, LAS-(AA)-YYZ-(BA)-LHR-(EI)-DUB, be valid? If so, what is there to limit this process, i.e. could it be LAS-YVR-LHR-DUB, or LAS-MEX-LHR-DUB,.... ?

Thanks in advance for your comments, I am always in awe of the knowledge you folks have accumulated!

The limit is the routes that OW airlines operate and seat availability (and 16 sectors). If LAS-YVR were operated by AA then you could route that way; as it is the closest you can come is LAS-DFW-YVR. You could even go LAS-MIA-MAN-DUB which might be the easiest to get seats for.