OK here is my two cents.
After the Tiger merger I got stuck being a S/O for 7 years on the 8 and the 10. Finally got to the right seat of the 72 and did that for one year and was then able to move over to F/O on the 11 were I flew that for one year. On night while flying back across the pond I asked a very senior Maddog Capt what does it really take to check out on the 11, (which I was no were near holding). His advice to me at that time was to go ahead and upgrade to the left seat of 727 and learn to be a captain. The Maddog will still be here when your ready. The very first postal MOAB came out the next year and instead of gaining seniority on the right seat of the dog I went for it knowing I'd be very junior. Went through the Paris Island 727 captain school and got a crash pad. I had a great time flying and learning to be what I think is a good captain and did that for 4 years in the 80-85%. Four yeas later I bid all the wide bodies we had (no 777 then) and got the Airbus, and me and one of my crash pad buddies were the bottom two captains on the list. Flew a lot of SIBA then on the criss cross trips of Europe. After three years as a Bus captain I moved over to the Maddog again being junior and flew that plane for 7 years slowly moving up in seniority to as high as 30%. Got great lines, holidays off, the vacation I wanted but could not hold international any more except for Mexico. Say what. So I figured I had one more school in me and moved over to the triple at about 70%. Slowly moving up and currently at 50%. I wouldn't have changed a thing.
Speaking of staying super senior, on my last trip I meet an MD11 F/O at The Capt Hook gym who knew me but I didn't know him. I asked him what plane and what seat he was on and he relegated the story that he tried to check out on the dog. Passed all the sims, test, etc, etc, but after IOE the company was not going to give him the keys to the car. He even agreed that had he been a captain on the MD and had a couple of new F/O on a trip it might have been real interesting. I sometimes feel hanging on to seniority for to long might hurt you in the long run. It did this guy. You also get so spoiled being senior that you usually hear someone say I'm not moving over until I can hold this slot at some ridiculous high percentage. News alert, these MOAB take a long time to train out and they don't come that often so you could trap yourself for a long time. Could be a big deal if your trying to make your high five. A fellow captain friend of mine once had a co-pilot that said he should make the same as him because he pushed the same buttons. My friend came back with, you may push the same buttons as I do, but you don't do, what I do. I once was flying an MD trip, Paris to Subic and had a super senior F/O. He made the comment, " do you know how senior I am over you?" I said " not for the next 12 hours". Not trying to be a ******** but while it is a team effort only one guy wears the fourth stripe.
So in conclusion what is my advice
1. I've had a blast being a captain even while being junior but I do acknowledge you do loose some time off. I did have some good times and great roomies while being junior.
2. For me I got in this game to be a captain one day.
3. God forbid, but disability of a captain pays more than the disability of a F/O.
4. You'll max out your 401k faster being a captain.
Lastly each one of us has to do what is best for him and his family. I get that. If that means staying put for a while then so be it. Good luck to each and every one of you on this bid, in whatever direction you choose. It's nice to have the choices.