I don't think I've ever flown with anyone at AA that didn't have a bachelor's degree. While I agree that getting a degree can be expensive and will not make you a better pilot, only a better applicant, it's important to remember this: If having a degree got you hired even a few months earlier than without (and I think it would result in getting hired much earlier than that) those two months of pay at the end of your career would ostensibly pay for your entire degree. I have no idea how old you are, but I think that it's a safe assumption that you're young enough that getting on the pay scale sooner would pay big dividends at the end of your career. Good luck.