As a recent hire, I was wondering some of the same questions being asked. How long does it take to move bases. I looked at that most recent AE, and the following table (if it stays a table), are how many months it took for the most junior pilot awarded to go from indoc until their projected month for their new base.

------717--M88--320--73N--7ER
ATL---7-----2-----5----3-----5
DTW--6-----------3----12----??
MSP--------10----10----------7
SLC---------------5-----4-----6
LAX---------------------3-----4
SEA--------------------12----7 Yrs

Obviously past results are not a guarantee of future moves. However some comments. M88 is the fastest to ATL (2 months), but 73N wasn't that far behind at 3 months. The 717 is in a bit of gridlock, with most F/O's in seat lock, and those coming out of seat lock enjoying a high level of seniority and staying put. So right now it is the slowest aircraft to ATL, but that will likely improve going forward.

The fastest to DTW is the 320. If that were my goal, that is what I would take until the 717 gridlock clears. No one has successfully bid DTW 7ER on the last 3 AE's, as they reduce the 7ER numbers there.

Surprise, if you wanted to get to MSP, you were better off to take the 7ER this fall. I wouldn't count on that going forward, as the 7ER may stagnate once it gets through its big push for the peak summer flying. My guess is that the 7ER will be strong for new hires until about May, and then go cold again (last summer there were no new hires into the 7ER from May thru August).

LAX has enjoyed fast movement in the both the 73N (3 months) and 7ER (4 months).

73N was slightly better than the 320 to SLC, with 7ER not too far behind.

SEA just opened the 73N base, but the junior guy was 12 months from indoc to conversion date. The junior SEA 7ER on this AE started in Feb 2008, but he is only 350 spots senior to a January 2014 hire.