As I think this through, I guess I was just so conditioned to AC's fares being so ridiculously expensive into biz class, that I pretty much always relied on those eUpgrades to get that biz class (or even PE) seat.

But as I've switched to KLM / AF, I've noticed quite the disparity between ACs and KLMs fares. For example, my YVR --> AMS flight earlier this month was $1900 USD roundtrip. Biz class outbound, PE return (and it was fully refundable).

And just two days ago I booked another YVR --> AMS flight on KLM for beginning of April for $2000 USD (again biz class outbound, premium econ on the return (and fully refundable)). The comparable AC YVR --> FRA flight is $7300 USD!!!!!!! (my destination always being Düsseldorf, so it doesn't matter to me whether I land in AMS or FRA as I just hop on the next available train to DUS).

So I guess so long as I'm able to just keep finding biz class / PE fares like this, then I won't ever miss that AC "perk" of eUpgrades nor will I ever need it :-)