This topic comes up frequently the past year or so....
While I hate to a admit it, I'd have to say Emirates is probably the one of the better options right now. While there are many facets to the whole package, most western expats seem to equate the pay as the only comparison.... because you've never had anything offered any differently. The mind is like a parachute.... works best when it's OPEN!
When you put the free housing, free utilities, no tax taken out, free medical, free meds when prescribed by doctor for long term, free uniform, free cleaning of uniform, ride to and from all flights and sim periods... you realize your overhead is extremely low and you can save pretty good coin and I'd feel good comparing my salary at Emirates with any US carrier wide body captain at the end of the month after my bills are paid and his bills are paid!! My colleagues and I have done this calculation more than a few times and each time, the salary with the paid benefits of Emirates are equal to the salary package at any western carrier!
But along with this is a way of life and rules that most expats would rather not deal with or flat out won't agree with. I tell my mates back home that coming to Emirates is akin to "selling your soul to the devil."
The flying is great, the people you'd fly with are great, the planes are immaculate and seldom ever have any MEL's. Maintenance is very good. The training here is getting much better but still very different from most other airlines. They just don't know that yet here....!! You are absolutely on your own at Emirates.... not much help at all. All up to you to find the myriad of answers that are strewn all over the books.
Emirates does not offer to or attempt to make anything easier for the crew. Other airlines will often times put a book together for its crews on say... ETOPS over the Atlantic as a quick guide for everything you'd need and want to know about ETOPS. At Emirates, that kind of thinking is effectively banned as we're not even allowed to have iPads as a reference on the airplane!!
My two cents are this: As an expat job, Emirates is great flying. As a way of and a quality of life, I'd highly recommend going elsewhere.. but don't think you'll find it anywhere but the US/Australia/Canada.... if they're hiring!
IMO
K
PS..... Trust me when I say I'm not an advocate for Emirates. I tell my colleagues from the home country to look elsewhere. But... I'll stick to the fact that Emirates is probably one of the best contracts out there all said and done.