While these travel benefits do appear great, just remember that it is space available, and thus subject to final boarding. Given AC's extremely high load factors of late, particularly when averaged over the whoe system, consider how hard it must be to find empty seats on major high-demand routes? Particularly after you come behind standbys, AE and others.

As noted, active duty employees do have priority access to some seating, but that is something quite different from employee benefit travel.