Great info throughout this thread, thanks to all those who have contributed.
Our planing and dummy bookings are coming along pretty well for our 2XJ OWA flights, we are quite flexible in where we go, and when for the most part so finding pretty good availability for everywhere. The one we can't seem to find any availability to at all is AY to the USA (doesn't seem to matter which dates I check or which departure city or destination I check), if we don't find it we will jump on another airline but would like to try it out if we can so any ideas would be great.
our plan is basically:
PER-DOH-SKP (QR) (basically anywhere in the Balkans will do as we will spend a few months there but SKP saves a few miles)
overland
ZAG-LHR-CDG (BA) (aim for a long transfer at LHR, can start elsewhere, once again anywhere out of the Balkans and ZAG saves a few miles)
overland to Munich then ideally
MUC-HEL-MIA-BOG (AY/AA) (just want to get to Bogota, don't really mind route or where/when we start as long as it is reasonably easy to get to from Munich, more about picking a decent flying experience/new airline, obvious choice would be IB direct from Madrid for best route, just not sure on experience, or something like AA FRA-DFW or CDG-MIA where we can connect easily to BOG but I think it (FRA-DFW at least) is on the awful angled beds)
We will spend a few months over landing to Mexico somewhere, jump a last minute flight to Houston and then on to New Orleans.
then basically we return to PER, probably with a stopover somewhere for a couple days, probably try either CX or a mix of JAL/CX, but we aren't really all that worried about the route as it is basically just the trip home
We will probably use our last stopover either in London or somewhere on the route between Munich and Bogota ie Helsinki, Madrid or somewhere in the US.
Mostly been using Qantas and BAEC to check out the availability, and the one world route map and more so the flightconnections (not sure if I'm allowed to put the .com after it?) website for route planning, and GCM for distance
so a couple questions:
1. If anyone has any ideas about finding the AY flights particularly from Europe to the US I would be interested to hear them, cant use expert flyer either as they don't pick up AY in J.
2. Its easy enough to find out the plane, but is there any where to find out which configuration the plane will be in (particularly thinking of the AA flights as they have some old junk seats still flying around).
3. and any suggestions of good routes/experiences flying back from the US to PER, probably have time for a stop over of a day or two somewhere, but we basically have a week from when we finish in New Orleans until we need to be back in Perth, so may need to take whatever is available. Miles available shouldn't be a problem, should be enough to com back via DOH with QR if my calcs are correct.