With a significant amount of international flying, I have 37 nonexpiring stickers remaining in my "bank" for the day I fall back down to Platinum. I have used some to upgrade traveling companions, so I have fewer every year. I think it's a very acceptable tradeoff for the courtesy "domestic" upgrades, which I feel are very nice, and definitely are appreciated.

BTW, in the old days, the stickers were really stickers, and they expired.