Yes you pay a small amount but best regional benefits I know of. You are treated as an AMR employee, and they do it based on order of check in not date of hire. So if you check in 1 second before an AA 35 years 777 captain, you get on the plane first. This is for non rev travel, not jumpseating. Even if we are spun off, we keep these benefits for 5 more years. This is for employee/wife/kids/parents, which is known at AA/AE as D2.

Almost every other mainline airline, non rev seat assignment is based on date of hire. and THEN the regionals that fly for them get on after all their employees. BUT if it is a flight operated by their airlines for the mainline airline sometimes we they get on first.

Now, back to AA/AE, yes for the first 5 years, you have to pay like $15 per 1000 miles one way for coach, and twice for First domestically, International is a bit more due to taxes. First everyone pays even after 5 years.