Speaking as an Envoy pilot, those "worthless" AA travel benefits have taken me and my family all over the world. Every continent except Africa...my parents travel multiple times a month all over the place. Never have any of us ever not made it to where we were going. 90% of the time I'm in First/Business class.

But yeah, I can see how those benefits would suck if you work for a non-AA wholly owned like Skywest. You guys have boarding priority lower than any AA employee...including gate agents and janitors. That is a long standby list to climb up if the loads are full. Envoy/PSA/Piedmont have equal boarding priority along with AA pilots so it's easier for us.