For me I always just buy full fare First class non-stop direct, which has all of the benefits of high end status. You basically just pay for it upfront with your ticket.
I know most people can't afford to do that (I can't do it on every single flight myself) but I would rather do that then chase status all day. And if I do get status from flying, it's just a bonus on top (if I end up using it at all).
Just fly and be as comfortable as you can or want to be.