Thank you all for your info - it's great. It seems that if I cannot get a status match, LH is the one to go as its bonuses will be based on COS and lack of status won't matter initially especially if travelling in J. I will have to investigate furhter the pssibilities of status match on each of the airlines in their respective fora.

It sounds like I will have to wait until I know more about my flight patterns and routes. Asia travel is off over the horizon to be considered in my decision now - and in that case I would try an fly CX Domestically I would doubt I would be on UA as AA is the corporate preferred airline -which is fine with me

Thank you all.