Update:
Looks like our new government booking engine was pulling up fares that weren't really ticketable for my complicated itin. So I'm booked on UA metal Y IAD-SFO-HKG-SGN, SGN-HKG-NRT, NRT-IAD. It won't actually ticket till shortly before my trip so I'll have to make a decision then whether I put in for upgrades and/or pony up for E+. What is annoying is that by the end of my trip with the Y EQM bonus I'll be Premier, instantly rendering an E+ access purchase redundant. I can probably get them to put me on E+ on the last leg, but I don't know if they would extend that courtesy for the rest. What are the chances I can get a CSR to do that for me on the phone before my trip?