One thing us FFers should never ever forget is that we have no entitlement to anything. If the airline gives it to us, fine. If they choose not to, that is fine as well. Complimentary upgrades, fare availabilities, award choices etc. with one airline or within the alliance, those are all things we have no entitlement over.
Once you realize this, any bone the airline(s) throws at us makes it so much tastier. Look over at the DL forum and read that awards are so hard to come by and if, certainly not at the mile levels published by DL. Such is life, get used to it. I would love to redeem an award on the 787 from NRT-FRA on NH but nothing has opened up and probably realistically won't for a long time to come. The fact that we are not NH status holders doesn't help either.