Rebigulator is right. Even as a plat I almost never get EUA'd EWR-SFO-EWR.
In 2007 I was 7/18 on this route. This year I started out dry, 0/4, but I'm most recently 3/4. I'm plat paying low fares in advance, checking in 24 hrs in advance. My first class seatmates claim there's a recession, they're on essential travel only.
Best bet is to fly in and out of SJC instead, if you can tolerate landing on a grass field and the long taxi ride to any public transit. I've given up completely on SJC, the travel is easiest on me if I take the most convenient flight to/from SFO to reach my destination early. Upgrades are nice, but if I lose the exit aisle I'll be shopping for another airline.
That said, in 2007 I often took afternoon flights from SFO that arrived too late to connect international. Some fraction of the passengers up front either paid or used miles for international BFirst, and got the domestic leg thrown in. They don't take flights that connect poorly with international flights.