1. There is nothing that can be had for free. If DL is giving you something for status, you are buying it somehow.
2. WFBF. Then none of this matters. With DL, you get treated better than diamond if you buy F. With UA there is a nominal difference between paid F and 1k.
Give up on status and buy the class of service and schedule you want. Then you do not have to worry about any of this nonsense.