Originally Posted by IrishNJ

Both JFK and BOS seem to be typically the only bases available to new hires, if you don't get the one you want out of training then you can get the other within 6 months. A320 has less legs per day (1 or 2 flights) than e190 but a lot of red eyes.

Obviously, experience may vary but my experience over a year has been:
Reserve seems to run about 6 months until you can get a line (in these junior bases), less if you bid a hybrid line (mix reserve and hard line). I find that you get used very little on reserve, 1 or 2 trips a month. For that reason I bid reserve although I can hold a line.

The reserve lines seem to typically have 13-14 days off (depending how many prl days (extra days off) that they add). Your first day of a reserve block can be long call but rarely. Pretty much always 2 hour short call. Very rare to get called at the 2 hour point, happens once every few months. Reserve blocks can be from 6 to 3 days on with min 2 days off between blocks.

There is aggressive pick up, request trip the day prior before 7 am. I did it once so I wouldn't go over 90 days without 3 t-offs and ldgs. Reserve assigned trips (JFK Airbus) from open time are typically 24 hr Caribbean overnights (sti/bqn/kin/pos) with a red eye home or a transcon (JFK to lax/smf Etc) with red eye back but can be anything if someone calls in sick.

Junior line can be anything depending on your bid, I seem to get 4 day all transcon (1 flight per day JFK-Sfo-BOS-sfo-JFK) for 24 hour credit. Or a 2 day with 2 flights per day for 14 hour credit. The couple times I bid for a line I bid for max days off and got 14-16 days off and around 80 hours credit. Lots of trip trading options available (both moving your days off and type of trip).