Originally Posted by
Jp8burner
Slight thread revival on the Alaska vs Delta front - from a "who would I want to work for" perspective. I'll be a mil retiree at the end of the year and moving back to the NW, regardless of who I manage to fool into hiring me
.
Besides the obvious "go to work for whoever hires you" advice, I'd like to know what makes Alaska a great place to work given their lower pay rates compared to Delta. I'll trade cash for QOL, but is there really that much of a difference between the two? My Delta buds claim folks are getting to SEA within a year....but obviously Alaska employees on this board are pretty happy with their job.
Appreciate any enlightenment.
Work for whoever hires you.
Delta pays more, has way more variety of flying--from wide body international to narrow body domestic, even some Alaska flying. I'm 99% (and too lazy to do the research to get to 100%) certain that the Jr SEA guy is a 2015 hire.
Alaska is a great company that does some really cool flying, goes to a lot of cool places, has lots of good folks, and a solid legacy.
If you want to live in NW, want as a good a guarantee as exists in this business that you'll never have to commute [far], it'd be hard not to go hard after Alaska. Delta is making a huge push in SEA, but who knows how long it'll last. Or how senior it'll get once things equalize.
Both companies are in good places financially, both hire great people, either would make a great home. I can't tell you how much is enough for you and your family (and holy heck has the pac NW gotten expensive), but with a mil retirement I suspect you'd do just fine at Alaska. I have trouble believing that the "culture" of either is much greater, you'd probably be happy at either. Look at outside factors that are important to you and yours.
Of course, until you get hired by both you really don't have much of a problem.
Good luck.