I find that number one you have to keep checking. Cash upgrade offers generally start at insane amounts (MIA/DCA for $1006) but closer to flight time get very reasonable. Number two why do people expect airlines to constantly give them free stuff? You paid for coach and that's what you're getting. What's not known is what goes into upgrade offers (do Main Cabin flyers get a better offer than BE flyers) and how individualized they are. At any rate this is the new normal.