SWA is no doubt a great company and all my friends seem to really enjoy it there but I don't think there's any way they have the same flexibility. It's not unusual here to have 3 weeks off in a row without vacation - I doubt you'll find that at SWA. I can still sit 5 days of reserve in a row and not get called sometime - I bet that never happens at SWA. We still have some great inefficiencies built into our system that really benefit the pilots - I doubt SWA ever has that. As a guy in the bottom 10% in the right seat in my domicile I still regularly get trips that are no kidding vacation - flying first class (yes still possible even with new contract) to international locations and getting plenty of time off in places like Honolulu, Paris, Sydney and Hong Kong. Unlike SWA, our hotels are rarely located at the airport - most are downtown in places you can actually enjoy the layover.

Nothing wrong with SWA but talk to guys that have been there for 20 years - incredibly little variety in the flying - you want weekdays or weekends, mornings or afternoons - that's about it. A 10 year FO's schedule doesn't look much different than a 2 year guy. Now we do have some serious lousy trips in the system - but at least for me, by choice, they are few and far between.

Travel benefits? My deadheading on Fedex has earned me enough miles annually where I fly at least 3 vacations per year with my family all on miles - positive space. I also regularly give upgrades to my wife and parents to fly in business class on international legs. Now, my retired parents would benefit from non-rev access at any pax carrier - but I doubt my direct family would use it much.

I'm going on 3.5 weeks off right now (had some R days but didn't get used - I live in domicile) and my last trip was a true vacation and paid incredibly well. I don't get months like this all the time but at least 2x/year - plus the standard vacation - which is similar, but better than SWAs.

Talk to the senior guys at SWA and check out their schedules, how many days they work and how much they actually work during those days. It'll be telling.