Thanks for the replies, appreciate it. In this case, Emirates doesn't seem to have a lifetime status to aspire to so I'll have to look elsewhere. My children have an international life ahead of them following me around so there's a good chance they'll be picking up miles/points over time. I'll take a flyer on a carrier with lifetime potential just in case it works out. QF might be the best place to put those points. We're flying business this time so accruing quite a few points as well as getting the good things in air life. Enjoying the good things in life is the easy part, trying to become more savvy with potential fringe benefits is the challenge in front of me.