Your last comment about ANZ elite resonated with me. For years I have been reluctant to use non-ANZ or Star Alliance because of my Elite status with NZ and the small but significant perks it bought me. Then post-COVID, with the extremely high J prices ex-NZ suddenly EK F was well within my budget - but strangely, despite knowing the F was going to be better than J, I almost considered paying more for an NZ J trip. Stockholm syndrome !!!

I reached Emirates Platinum after two and a bit of return trips in F, so now have that, but even previous to that, as I was in F, I received both a ground and in-fight experience beyond anything as an Elite in J with ANZ.