Uzzar

I think this is a major point...if you are flying this much then your EQDs (even with very low y fares) are probably higher than most EXPs, which means you are very high on the upgrade list.
I have traveled through the pandemic (healthcare related) but still my EQDs are relatively low since my corporate policy makes me buy the lowest y fare available. Even so, i have been fairly successful with upgrades, but it is far from guaranteed and actually LESS than when there were more flights from A to B. I understand the point of above posters who buy F fares last minute and find F full at T-48, but that has always been the case. It is just that now F is more full with other paid F fares along with (fewer) upgraded elites.