I wonder though...Upgrades are basically the best & most valuable benefit of the loyalty programs. (Maybe it used to be "free tickets" but free ticket benefits have been diluted so much they barely exist now.)

It seems the airlines' goal is to gradually price First Class slightly and slightly lower until the magic threshold where the cabin is purchased to full occupancy, meaning eventually nobody gets upgraded. But then, if I can't get upgraded, why bother being a DM? How will this end?

Deep thoughts.