BTW, I just checked Expert Flyer to see available First class seats. Interesting that the Expert Flyer site states that some seat information is from Seat Guru and then clearly indicates the First Class seats are lie flat/Business First seats whereas the Seat Guru site clearly indicates the seats as standard First Class recliner seats.

For some reason the Seat Guru website and also the Seat Expert website both display domestic aircraft for these flights (UA 62 EWR-MAD and UA 63 MAD-EWR). Expert Flyer displays different aircraft.

Thank you again. Not too bummed. Per Expert Flyer each flight still has 4 or 5 of 16 First Class seats still available. I prefer the lower possibility of upgrading to a lie flat seat to the greater possibility of upgrading to a recliner seat. Keeping my fingers crossed!