If by "most elite members", you mean low level elites, sure. But as an AA EXP I get upgraded most of the time on domestic trips. When I was UA Premier Platinum (not even 1k) I got upgraded quite often, even out of a major hub like SFO (not as often as AA EXP, of course).

Now obviously if you are the bottom level elite status upgrades are going to be rare. But the idea that elite status is useless because you never get upgraded is simply not true. Higher level elites get upgraded a lot. I stopped paying for domestic F when VX went away and I still travel in F far more often than not.