I went straight to the top, and it's now a sticky finally.

I am going to continue to update my original post at the top of this thread after each of my attempts to upgrade. Thanks to all of you who keep this thread going. I think it is very helpful for elites in determining whether to pay for an upgrade with cash/credits or to try for a complimentary upgrade.

Either way, AirTran's business class is a great value because you can upgrade from any fare for a reasonable price.