Let's not get too carried away there cowboy. It USED to be absolutely fantastic. Now, its just a good job. Fantastic when compared to working at a commuter perhaps, or other lousy 135 or non sked, but not fantastic when compared to mainline ALPA jobs of the past.

Among many other benefits, we used to have -

Vacation override (more time off AND money)
Pensions
Better work rules (more time off AND money)
Transparency in Reserve Rules and FIFO
Trip and Duty Rigs with teeth (more time off)
Line Bidding vs PBS (potentially and usually better schedules, esp if senior)
Better Non Rev travel options
FC Deadhead
Better pay for training events
etc, etc, etc

Adjusted for inflation, airline pilots make far less than we used to. Yet we carry far more people in far more advanced and congested conditions. Management is currently enjoying our skills on the cheap while airlines enjoy periods of record load factors (profits) as a result consolidation (both after 9-11 and now with the big mergers).

I submit that we need to learn from the past and aim higher as we move into the future.

The minute you stop complaining is the minute they look to take something else away.