There is no question that AP offers Es more opportunities to upgrade than redeem awards. Offering Es a 150% or even 200% award redemption option for no capacity controleed seats, at least for Coach inventory, would seem to be consistent with the program's intent on rewarding flyers not buyers!

The E instant KK was a questionable casualty of a round of AP benefit gutting ( I can't even remember WHICH round, as there have been such a dizzying number of rounds!!!), but it seems worthwhile to revist for Es.

But IMHO, if E status is to get access to a variation of instant KK, then I think a 50K threshold or thereabouts will be necessary to keep the 'certainty of deliverability' a manageable number.

AP might consider adopting the KLM Flying Dutchman methodology of awarding PAID Business Class travel with 100% class of service STATUS miles. This way, a high spending, but not so frequent flyer has a fighting chance to achieve elite status.