Casual Discussion: What were the “best” years of award travel/churning?

Slight churning + award travel adjacent question:

So we know over the years benefits, cards, sweet spots will come and go. For those who have been churning for a long time, what were some highlights of the past? What were the best years?

Was having better cabins and sign up bonuses worth devaluations, being "bonvoyed", etc..

Also what was award travel like in the 90s? 80s? 70s? 50s?

From what I vaguely remember:

2025 (ongoing): Alaska $400 credit card, possibly Citi strata Elite, new EKb777 cabins. SAS 1M awarded.

2024: Plat Equinox Massage loophole, VS 40% bonus, VS dynamic pricing 29k, SQ x Marriot promo, D1 lounges open, JAL A351, MR > HA > AS loophole, Ink train, Amex 175k-300k SUB, Turkish deval.

2023: Finnair, Air France mistake fares (some refunded), Bilt > AA, Centurion 75k spend for guests, DL skyclub limits, etc.. introduction of JX, C1VX biz avail to public, not just for corporate relationships)

2022:?

2021: dirt cheap cash tickets cuz the airline/hotel industry was dying from covid. Extremely low Hyatt globalist requirements. Bilt card was launched

2020: covid?

2019: ?

2018: Centurion Lounges on arrival, WeWork Plat benefit (allegedly). LGA was (apparently) shitty at the time.

2017: Starwood merger with Marriott? 100k Sapphire Reserve SUB?

2010?

2000?

1990 and prior?