Welcome back! Couple of thoughts from a long time ANC guy:

Trend these days is single-line pairings. That means knocking out your month in 1 commute. With seniority you can mitigate that, but there are simply more SGL lines than those that allow for a week on/off schedule. Recent development. That works for commuters with older kids, but being gone 2 wks at one shot with small children is a thought worth pondering.

The Commute. Biggest drawback there is. As a west coaster it's slightly easier, but for most if you don't have at least 4-5 days off it's not worth it to go home. Not like MEM where you can zip home for a day. Less options, more drama, and more wear and tear involved. So you're gonna lose some days most months.

Int'l trips are good for those who like them. More 2-leg int'l days lately, which makes for a rough trip over a 2 wk span.

We won't talk sub-zero Winter's and 20 hr days of darkness. But summers are excellent!

Also, the rumors about ANC's demise have been out there for a couple years; who knows what will happen in the future. If somebody says they know, you might as well ask them for a stock tip, because that'll just be hot air too. Best of luck to you.