Originally Posted by wmupilot85

Twice the $ amount for pay means nothing.

Lets just make up an example here at year 2 rates.

$40/hr for FO living in base, vs $66/hr for captain commuting. Difference pre-tax is $1,950 at a 75 hour month, or approx $1,460 after taxes. Lets assume that with the commuting captain, you need to buy a hotel 4 times a month, at the tune of $65/night. Now your extra income is reduced down to $1,200 a month. Lets also assume the quick upgrade insurance rates are an extra $100 a month, vs the other companies. Now the difference is $1,100 extra.

Does that sound like a lot of extra money? Yes, it does. But now factor in that with having to commute for that quick upgrade, you're now spending less time at home. The trips at that company could be worse (such as lower credit), so you're having to work more days in addition to days commuting to and from work that you lose out on.

I believe a quick upgrade shouldn't be priority. QOL means more than the dollar amount paid to someone. I live in base as a FO, live a very relaxing life with quite a bit of day lines, and I make over $60,000 a year.