Several weeks ago I booked a roundtrip itinerary LAX-MSY. The return itinerary was MSY-SFO and SFO-LAX, to which I applied a MUA. When I went to print my boarding passes this morning at MSY for the return the 'Flight Options' screen offerred me a MSY-EWR and EWR-LAX itinerary arriving in LAX just two hours after my originally-scheduled flights with seat assignments in First and (on the p.s. flight) Business at $0. Since I had extra time on a Saturday I took the option for the extra PQM and for the p.s. Business class lie-flat product, which was wonderful.
It didn't occur to me until I arrived at LAX that had I originally scheduled the itinerary I ultimately flew it would have cost me an additional $250 co-pay to apply the MUA and fly in the p.s. Business class. Has anyone else had a similar offer or experience?