We have had about 3 guys living in Australia, previously. It is NOT easy to do, as was just so far from HKG. Now that it's ICN instead, that is further. I don't know the current situation as to the ease of living in Australia now.

If you want to get a specific airline or flight, it is best to check to flights/prices maybe a week or 5 days out from you travel. Have a few options in mind. Call them and tell them what you want, and see what happens. Be nice, as you don't want a bad rap with Travel. I usually get what I ask for as far as airline, flight, and usually location.

Examples since 1JUN:
Base is ORD 747. Gateway is GRB.

I didn't work 1-24 JUN (6 day sick call-COVID) and then had a pattern 25-30JUN.
Called travel, and asked for last flight of the day on 24Jun, UAL-ORD. Got it.
It started ORD-ANC-ICN, normal Asia flying. Due to schedule changes, I was ending in ANC.
I called travel and asked for either a flight from ANC to BRD/BJI. Both were too expensive, so I settled on a DAL, Biz class flight to MSP, I would then take a ground shuttle to BRD. The travel lady told me to buy the shuttle with my company credit card, as the cost of the flight/shuttle to BRD was less than the cost to fly me to my Gateway of GRB.

Then, my schedule changed again, and I was ending in ICN.
I called travel with flights from ICN-BRD/BJI. BJI was a better schedule, so they booked my in Biz class (Delta ONE), DAL, ICN-DTW-MSP-BJI.

6JUL I need to fly to IAH to start my next pattern. I called travel, and asked for a DAL flight BRD-MSP-IAH. Got it.
Did a 15 day pattern: IAH-MAN-DMK (Bangkok)-MEL. Qantas pax MEL-SYD. SYD-China-ICN-China-ANC-ORD.
Called travel and asked for ORD-MSP-BRD on DAL, coach, on 20Jul. Got it.

31Jul I wanted to fly BRD-MIA, for training, because I went non-current, because we don't have enough pilots or sims. It caused me to miss my YYZ-England-YYZ trip which I really wanted. ****ty.
BRD was too expensive. DLH was next best. Called Travel and asked for specific UAL flight from DLH-ORD-MIA. Got it.

When I got to MIA, I asked for a specific Air Canada flight MIA-YYZ after my PT sim. Got it.
Then, my schedule changed (I was SHOCKED!).
I called back with specific UAL flight request from SMF-ORD-YYZ, Biz class, at the end of my pattern. Got it.
When I got to YYZ, I asked for a specific AA flight YYZ-ORD to start my next pattern. Got it.

Notes:
I have Premier 1K (4th tier) status on UAL.
I have Platinum Medallion (3rd tier) status on DAL.
I have Gold (1st tier) status on AA...and I don't even want to fly on them, but sometimes you have to use whoever is available.

SORRY...

Giant Expats...

Good (for me):
The first 5 years or so, I averaged 7 operating legs/month.
After that, it went up to an average of over 10 legs/month.
My last 12 months (just calculated) I averaged 6.3 operating legs/month.
Note: We DO often have a number of DH legs, either on Atlas, or, more often, as an airline passenger. My record for a month was four operating legs and 12 airline legs.

I like not doing a ton of flying, and getting tired from that. I was never at the regionals, so I didn't have those long multi-leg days.
Most days at Atlas are 1 leg. Because of COVID, we are now doing more 2 leg days. Once in a while we do 3 legs, but on those flights, we have at least two Captains. Normally, we fly with one, as all of our FOs, (except the ones with restricted ATPs?), get their type rating and can sit in the left seat during cruise flight.
These numbers are for 747, ORD base.

HOLY COW Cliff, where the heck have you been. 4 months or greater on the sidelines or does the above explain your vanishing? Building another retirement plan perhaps, if so well done Good Sir! Bam…..Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam x 10, Cliff has Wi-Fi, APC on fire! Good info keep it coming.

It was just the normal Atlas random luck, good and bad.
Nov I took 7 days of vacation, with my bid, and sliding it, got 24 days off in a row.
Dec they only used me for two legs, then training. Then, I had 21-24Dec R1 (I was in YYZ on holiday)...they didn't use me.
Feb I worked the first 4 days...they didn't use me, then my CEO had med problems (the bad luck), and I ended up not working any more days for the month.
Mar I had all month off...vacation.
Jun I had a 6 day sick call (COVID...only very minor symptoms), so didn't work from 1-24Jun.
This month (Aug), I am now only sched for 6 legs, with more days off than sched because of a Secondary line, and system delays.
Crazy!

Hahahaha! That’s the good stuff other than the sick/med stuff sorry to hear that. “Looks like you’ve been missing a lot of work lately!” “I wouldn’t say I’ve been missing it Bob!” Well, however you slice it, hats off to the resets and time off. Bored myself due to some symptom stuff earlier and making up for it now thankfully. Didn’t want to be that “Super Spreader” or whatever so I didn’t throw caution to the wind. Honestly, pretty sure it’s being packed in with the cattle on DH’s that keeps things stirred up out there. So random initially, but now after further review the timelines are starting to match up when I didn’t feel well every few months or so on my days off which bites. Fortunately I have time to clear up and guess what - back to “work!” Definitely some goodness and bad or hiccups if you will.

One of the reasons I like Atlas. I usually operate one leg, and then go to the hotel. Two legs in a row are more common now, because of COVID19. Very rarely, we have 3 leg days, but that is almost always 2 Capts and 2 FOs, so it is not so bad.

Here is my upcoming work pattern:
27Aug:
Leave on late Air Canada flight YYZ-ORD. Doubletree ORD.
28Aug:
0840 Lcl departure ORD-LAX, for QANTAS. 2 pilots only. Doubletree Torrance.
29Aug:
Overnight flight on Air Canada, LAX-YYZ, non-stop.

This month was a normally abnormal month...
Aug: Three work patterns: 4 day, 6 day, 3 day.18 days off.
It was a "Secondary" Line, which doesn't have any flying associated with it, and does not have Bid Line Guarantee :-( .
I get Min pay, which is only 64 hour guarantee.
Currently, I prefer to work less, and make guarantee.
747 ORD base.

Nice Cliff, along with the crew hotels why not post your S.S.# DOB and you phone number.

I need your uhh AMEX number for uhh... verification