First year pay was a major factor for me. I didn't have all my bills paid through flight training and I came into the 121 world with monthly bills totaling some four digit number. If I know I can make $300-400 more a month somewhere else my first year, that's a major major bump in trying to make it work every month. I don't get how some guys can just leave their seniority and go to another regional and live through that first year pay again. I get it that overall over 5 years someone may make more cash at XYZ quick upgrade airline as opposed to sticking around at ABC no upgrade in sight airline. What I say to that is I cant pay with money I'll have in 5 years. I need to pay my bills now. I hope to never ever have to deal with regional first year pay again. I carried all of my bills on credit cards I shouldn't have had to use like that and now my cash goes towards paying down the additional debt I took on.