Is United's "internal" system the key to getting your foot in the door, like DAL?

I started off kinda slow in life...mult. undergrad schools w/lousy GPAs, quite a collection of speeding tickets from 20 years ago too, but think I've made up for it since then:
Retiring AF
3,600 TT multi-engine heavy
1,700 PIC/IP/EP
Ch, Stan/Eval
Ch of Safety
DO
2x Masters (3.7, 3.8)
But still concerned my early days may hold me back as I watch guys go around me for interviews and get hired...