Still an awful idea if you live in NM and don't want to move. AA is better (1x nonrev or JS attempt, no $ ticket required), it's also driveable to Phoenix.

I get that paid tickets work for some people in some locations. That still doesn't take away from the main suck of commuting, which is the uncertainty and time sink of it. What if your paid ticket gets delayed and now you miss your trip? Sure, you don't get a missed trip on your record, but you still lose the pay AND you paid for a ticket. How about if you get delayed on the way back and miss your return trip? Now you still have to book a hotel and waste another day finding your way back home.

In the OP's case, working for AA makes more sense in every way. That's what I'm responding to, not the dumb replies from guys who didn't bother to even read the OP.