Is it worth it to stick to one airline and go for status, or am I better served just trying to find a flight that gets me there in the least time or at the lowest cost?
Status with an airline is useful for (a) free upgrades, (b) lounge access, and (c) better phone service when you need to fix things.
I have Diamond status on Delta. (Top tier before their invite-only tier).
Upgrades. The only value I get out of it is that I can book a generic economy seat and immediately get upgraded to Comfort+ for free. I rarely get upgrades to First Class since Delta sells out the seats to real people for real money. I'm frequently #1 of a bunch of people on the upgrade list for nonexistent First Class seats.
Lounge access. I have the Delta Reserve Amex card that gets me into the lounges anyway.
Phone service. This is really an indictment of the shit service that airlines give. For a while, even with the priority phone service I would be on hold for an hour or so. It's far better now, admittedly.
Delta is making it drastically harder to achieve status in 2024. In all probability I am going to go free agent and fly any airline that gets me where I want to go, when I want to go, at a reasonable price.
The airline miles are useful. I don't think I've paid for a flight for my kids with money once in all the years they've been at university in other states. But that's just a "charge enough money on a credit card" thing. It has nothing to do with status.
I'm aware of some people who really do need to travel for their work, and I'm okay with that.
I'm less okay with traveling regularly for fun, with an exception for the first time or two visiting another place far away from where you grew up; I want this for anyone who is open to seeing how similar we humans are regardless of culture and location.
For family obligations like weddings and funerals, I'm personally disinclined but accept that these events can be really important to be in person for.
As for reward games like airlines, businesses, and credit cards play, I don't like them at all. I either want to travel or I don't, and I don't want the pressure to take another flight just so I can get a free flight later.
Look for nonstops, save your money to afford nonstops.
(A hotel because a long layover became a night or two will eat up costs saved by not getting the nonstop)