What others have said is true. If you want go to AA, don’t go to a wholly owned unless you’re willing to wait 5-8 years for that to happen (wouldn’t recommend doing that). However, if you like United or Delta and would like the flow as a backup, then it’s a great option. Piedmont/PSA/Envoy will likely get you to UAL or DL quicker than anywhere else except maybe an LCC.
Republic is a great place to work. I couldn’t have asked for anything more during my time here. It has really exceeded my expectations.
Getting hired from Republic/SkyWest or anywhere without a flow can make it a little more challenging, as you can’t really be “poached” but also are still contributing to the causes of all of the codeshares. In a way, it can be viewed as a lose-lose in terms of being an appealing candidate. However, you can get to wherever you’re trying to go from almost anywhere in the current climate. I have had better luck hearing from legacies, particularly AA, at a much earlier point than I thought realistically possible.
It starts with going to the recruiting events (NGPA, WAI, PAPA, etc.) I made the trip from the east coast to Cali twice in less than three weeks to go do meet and greets. I can say with certainty that spending that time and money will have a significant positive impact on the outlook of the rest of my career, and I can’t recommend it enough to the next person.
If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you’ll get to where you want to go regardless of whatever regional you go to. Best of luck!