I think the 3-hour EUA worked for me, or rather didn't work since I didn't get the UG.

My flight to EWR was scheduled to leave exactly 3.5 hours before my flight from EWR. When I checked in for the first flight, I was put on the standby list for the second flight and was told I was the only revenue pax on the standby list and that there were 2 FC seats left.

When I arrived in EWR and checked on it, about an hour before the flight, I was told there was one seat left and one Plat ahead of me (I'm Gold).

Actually, come to think about it, maybe I did get screwed. I checked in for Flight 1 about four hours before Flight 2 (yes, I was late to the airport).

I had assumed that someone Plat checked in after me and got one of the two seats via the 3.5 EUA. But now that I think about it, they only would've had a half-hour window to check in before that. Ah, I don't know. My brain hurts.