Originally Posted by
CRJAV8OR
The career earnings for a 20 year SWA F.O. using minimum guarantee and current F.O. pay rates on this forum-$2,554,344. Career earnings for a 20 year Delta pilot upgrading to Captain at year 10-$2,191,800. I started the Delta F.O. in the lowest paying equipment and moved to the next higher paying equipment every 2 years, and continued this progression at the 10 year switch to Captain pay rates. That is a $365,544 over the 20 year period. I would take that bet all day. Of course many will say the Delta rates will go up and the SWA rates will go down, but that is a gamble most betting folks would be willing to take. The SWA number is for minimum guarantee only. I will not speculate as to what each individual pilot will gross, but most pilots at SWA (including me) go well beyond guarantee on every paycheck. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
If you had run those numbers 10 years ago you would have come out with a different outcome. If you run those numbers 10 years from now you will come up with a different outcome, too.
The lesson to be learned is that there are no birds. No one will know what they got until after they retired.
If you don't believe me, ask any United pilot who got hired in the mid-to late 90's.
Personally, I wouldn't go to the bottom of any airline that has been on the top of the heap for a while. The exposure is too great and the opportunity to get some cushion is too small.