Hello - first time on the forum so a little unsure of etiquette but here goes:

I am a new Zealander living in Canada for past 9 years and looking toward this being pretty much permanent. I have had Gold *A through Air NZ for past 15 years with a few years of GE. I am very attached to my *A Gold status and fear I will need therapy if I ever lose it! I have been known to book trips just to retain it -especially since Air Canada savagely reduced the ability to earn *A points on domestic routes in economy in anything but the most expensive fare classes.

1.Home airport =Ottawa
2. Domestic, USA, Europe = Economy but LAX - Auckland always book Premium Economy and use Air NZ points to upgrade to business
3. Typically around 50,000+k per year (2 trips Ottawa - NZ + 1 trip Ottawa -Europe + various small domestic trips in Canada)
4. Currently *A Gold - Air NZ
5. Most important = lounges & potential upgrades to business on long-haul flights between North America & NZ
6. Ottawa-LAX-Auckland (2/year); Ottawa - Europe (1/year)
7. Am big fan of Air NZ as it feels like I am home the minute i step on the plane (or into LAX lounge), I have a real frustrating time with Air Canada who seldom recognize my *A Gold status and I find their service really bad - but have limited choice from Ottawa.
8. Am university professor travelling to conferences so am using research fund that I have built up through consultancies and grants so travel not paid by employer, but is tax free. I am restricted to booking economy except in long haul flights where I book PE (LAX - AUCK) and typically use Air NZ points to upgrade to business.

MY Question: Now I am destined to live in Canada should I wean myself off my Air NZ loyalty and take up another *A FF program? While I am currently travelling home to NZ 2/year this is mainly visits to my mother and I organize work to coincide with visits - but since she is 93years old this will not continue forever.

Any advice appreciated.