Here's a workaround for unscrupulous elites, brought to you by the devious mind of RNE, with malice aforethought.
- Make an award booking for a general member.
- Make a separate but identical award booking for yourself. Or a fully-refundable paid booking will work too.
- Call UA and get the general member into free E+.
- Cancel your booking just before departure.
- Rinse and repeat.
Someone should move my bon mot into the wiki. Modesty forbids me to do so myself.