Here's a workaround for unscrupulous elites, brought to you by the devious mind of RNE, with malice aforethought.

1. Make an award booking for a general member.
2. Make a separate but identical award booking for yourself. Or a fully-refundable paid booking will work too.
3. Call UA and get the general member into free E+.
4. Cancel your booking just before departure.
5. Rinse and repeat.

Someone should move my bon mot into the wiki. Modesty forbids me to do so myself.