Mixed bag (pardon the pun), IMHO. This last week I had to check a bag from RDU to LAX: bag was #3 or 4 off the plane at LAX. Return trip on Saturday, bag arrived about 5 mins after the first bags hit the carousel.

In the past, I have found LAX, LGA, ORD, SNA to be pretty good at getting priority bags out early. LAS, RDU, PDX are not so good.