I hear this "Don't chase an upgrade" rhetoric a lot, but it seems to come from people hired right before the 2008 recession. When that hit, everybody stagnated, so of course the upgrade didn't work out.

I don't think that's valid now. Sure, there could be an economic downturn due to a dozen different things, and then we're all in the same boat. But until that happens, it's silly to plan your career on the what-ifs. It's smart to plan your career on what's tangibly in front of you. AlaskaBound put it well, 99% of us do seek the most expeditious path to an upgrade in one form or another. And right now, there are several airlines experiencing and forecasting substantial growth. This of course translates to fast upgrades, especially when one considers the hiring spree the majors will embark upon in the next few years.

The simple fact is QOL at any regional is subpar. We're skilled workers, apparently in demand, and none of us feel we should be making under $50,000 a year. But we are, that's just how it is. Unless every pilot at every regional goes on strike in unison, that's not going to change. And that scenario will never happen. So a realist will go where there's perceived flow. They'll get their time and get out.

I'm not here to fix a broken system. There's too much resistance. I'm here to stay the course and get where I want to be. Nobody ever said that would be easy or that life would be fair. The ones who realize that are the ones who will prosper in the long run. Be pragmatic.